CJU Course: I Wish I Had Known… #CJU2011

Posted on Sep 29, 2011 in Affiliate Marketing, Conferences & Networking |

We’ve all had experience with 20/20 hindsight. Here’s your chance to stop looking back and start looking forward. Learn from veteran advertisers, agencies, and publishers about the most important things they wish they had known when starting out in the affiliate marketing industry. Join us to find out how to avoid marketing pitfalls in this informative session for all levels of attendees. The panel consisted of:

This was a great session to kick off the conference.  I always appreciate when industry veterans share what they’ve learned along their affiliate marketing careers for newbies.  I think I can say I’m not a newbie anymore having been in affiliate marketing since late 2006 myself, but I still learn something new when I go to sessions like this.

Bullet Point Review!

  • Do what you want, not what people expect you to do.
  • You can’t always recreate success at one company with another company in the same niche.
  • Mike had enough sense to get outside help, but not enough sense to evaluate that help. Don’t trust a salesperson off the bat, but do your homework and due diligence to read the fine print & make sure it’s best for you.
  • Affiliate programs take time, it’s not a get rich quick.
  • You can’t expect to build a business overnight, affiliate marketing isn’t a one trick pony.
  • Have realistic expectations.
  • Don’t put all your eggs in one basket, diversify your portfolio & traffic strategies.
  • New customer acquisition isn’t the end all be all, affiliates bring more than new customers. Don’t ignore the value of repeat consumers.
  • Mike would have had a better plan and been more focused on the plan. It ended up working because of persistence. Don’t ever give up.
  • Really get to know who you’re working with and their business models and what’s important to them in what they want out of the relationship.
  • Play the newbie card & don’t be afraid to ask for help.
  • This industry is so vibrant & fun, and people are so personable and approachable and willing to share knowledge. Never be intimidated by someone just because what their brand is, they’re just a person.
  • Spend more time on the things that are actually going to drive the business. Invest the time in things that are really going to grow things, not day to day stuff, delegate.
  • Everyone is an expert at or passionate about some thing. Find that thing and put that energy behind the business and focus on that.
  • Work on developing your relationships with your partners. It’s not just important from a business perspective but from a personal perspective & having a personal relationship goes a long way, and you’re more top of mind.
  • Respect the value of your own time. Distraction is easy, so be focused but do indulge those distractions and see a pattern in your own life and really decide what you put your time into.
  • If you have the inclination, you can figure something out. Anyone can find a solution. Don’t bang your head against a wall; try a different path to get there. Try a different road.
  • Don’t get attracted to all the shiny marketing objects. They’re usually not a long term sustainable strategy.
  • Come up with a different twist to something, don’t just try to go do what someone else is doing successfully.