shermo

A good affiliate manager with longevity needs to have the full package. It amazes me how many people think affiliate managers are just monkeys who sing, dance and whore it up. What a true manager should be is a person that knows the business inside and out, has connections to get the site(s) exposure on as many sites as possible, and can get his affiliates the tools they need in a timely manner.

In this business, we deal with people from around the world, so communication is key. You need to know how to interact with people who don't speak english as a first language, you need to know how their business works to send traffic, and you need to make them feel comfortable when promoting your product. In the end, the affiliate manager should be the middleman to get traffic to the program using his/her connections, and they are responsible for giving his/her affiliates the tools they need to see the best conversions.

As for pay, it all depends on what the manager brings to the table. Do they do many other tasks? Do they oversee a staff? Do they assist in managing internal traffic as well? Do they contribute to the online community in a way that reflects positively on the company in which they represent?

So far, Wizzo has hit the nail on the head. You ALWAYS get what you pay for. Too low and you'll have managers in and out of your company as if it had a revolving door installed. Too high and the profit margin is reduced for the owner. If the salary/commission is set in a beneficial spot for the owner(s) and manager with room for growth, you'll see a manager staying with the company for many years..if not eventually moving up as a partner, or taking more of an executive roll atop the program hierarchy.

As with any business, "you scratch my back and I'll scratch yours" holds ground.