Why do people put affiliate reps on pedestals?
 

just curious ... some people think a lot of these people are mega rich and god's of this industry. and i have to tend to lean towards that not being true. :1orglaugh

while some reps take it to their heads.. 99% of them are down to earth and a lot of fun to hang out with.

what do you think?

I can balance a spoon on my nose

http://thedude.com/images3/ricky_spoon_nose.jpg

and i work for paper crowns

as can i :thumbsup

:1orglaugh i have the technique too

There may be some affiliate reps making $$$, but after spending years of sending traffic myself, then being an affiliate rep, and now back to doing my own stuff again, I can tell you the least amount of money I made in the past 12 years was being an affiliate rep.

BUT they are usually the ones that seem to buying the food, drinks, strippers, etc. so it LOOKS like they're rolling in dough. And so many people in this biz are so happy when someone buys them something, lol! Most people can't see past the freebies to realize the reps are expensing those goodies, not paying for it themselves ;)

Oh, and a lot of times they're "fun to hang out with" because they have to be :upsidedow

It could be because they are your contact point with the sponsor who sends out the cash. I am good to people who can help me get cash.

:thumbsup

If you know your stuff, better off being on your own. Depends on who you rep for too.

And in case I was misunderstood, Alky, I liked talking to you just because I liked talking to you, not because I had to ;)

haha :) maybe i really wasn't clear in my first post. i mean there are affiliate reps that walk around with a chip on their shoulder like they are better than everyone. like i said... there are only a few that i see out of the many, but it's still strikes me as funny.

but maybe that's just how the person is, regardless of their position with a company.

There is only rep like that I know. Over all they are pretty nice and easy going folks.

Most of them are "people persons" and fun to be around.

That is how they got the job..

:)

The only reps that are making really good money would be the ones that are doing something on the side with their own sites. I just laugh when I see a rep with an attitude.

I am a rep, and I don't put myself or any other reps on a pedestal. Some reps do better than others financially salary wise, and some do better with a combined income of personal traffic added with salary/commissions, etc.

I must admit however that the reps I seem to work best with, are the ones that know how to generate traffic. My belief is that a rep should know how to generate traffic.... Otherwise how is that person supposed to help the affiliate?

That kind of rep is rare.

Hey, what? Wheres my damn pedestal?! I was robbed..

great point made there sherm, like a previous post, where it mentions affiliate reps making more money on the side, that usually lends itself quite well with the fact they understand traffic, how to attain it, generate it, utilize it. Which in the end can really help affiliates if they just ask for some pointers. :thumbsup

Most of the affiliate Reps that I know (and that would be many) aren't mega rich and are not gods. There's a lot of them out there that make decent money, if weeks were actually 40-hours. But that is usually not the case. Considering the hours that some Reps put in, I wonder if some are even making minimum wage.

I do have a TON of respect for the Reps out there, it isn't an easy job. Affiliates out there today expect the world to be handed to them, and on a silver platter. Most affiliates demand free hosting, free content, free traffic, free listings, free design, free incentive prizes, ridiculous payouts, etc.

It's kind of sad what the Reps have to endure these days, whatever happened to the good olde days when it was necessary for the affiliates to do some of the workload too???

:helpme :2 cents: :helpme :2 cents: :helpme

Blasphemy!

No one tell Mayor... :pimp

True, but there are a handful. I for one would never work with affiliates if I didn't know how to generate traffic on my own.

Thurbs... I knew you and I were on the same page. :)

Sad but all too true. :Oh crap

And here I was thinking that you got to the top at Mayor's Money because you had a pretty mouth.

:1orglaugh :1orglaugh :1orglaugh

like I said, don't tell mayor... :upsidedow

I met the Devil today and he told me that Ramos was one day going to be king.

isn't that what they are there for?

i have never asked for anything free from anyone personally.. but i'm sure it happens.

but i find it reasonable to ask a rep for incentives or a higer pay scale. thats business plain and simple.

if i send good traffic... take care of me and i will send more :)

Fuck you are a wise man dude.

I post a similar question, how many affiliate rep out there have NEVER sent a join in their life, let alone depended on their ability to do so to survive ?

Not saying there is not a place for reps to that, reps, but there are a few who tout and pout and carry on like they know everything when they actually don't know shit from clay but have a large expense account.

I was always my own rep. When I spend money it is MY money that I have hard-earned to spend.

I now work for a company (LionDollars, for those who came in late), and I still do some for my own stuff and employ others to do the bulk of it.

My role with LionDollars I must point out is not just affiliate management, but also internal traffic development.

And working with such a switched on and brilliant bunch of peeps is a buzz.

But at the enjd of the day, if push came to shove, I could lose everything but I still have the ability to start from scratch and make it all back.

It would be hard, but I can do it.

How many other reps could do the same thing ? And when you are asking for advice on how to maximize you bank, who would (or who should) you be talking to - the rep who has never sent traffic or the one who made what they are building their own ?

END RANT

:2 cents:

My thoughts exactly... How can a rep work with affiliates if they've never been in their shoes? It should be a pre-req that an affiliate manager can do more than just speak. If I owned a program and were hiring an afffiliate manager, I'd make sure that that manager knew how to generate traffic, and in a variety of ways. Even if his/her job isn't to generate income for the company, they need to at least know how to deal with affiliates sending a variety of traffic: free sites, mgp/tgp galleries, blogs, mail, etc.

Bingo.

See you in Toronto ?

:winkwink:

have to agree fully big guy, how can people even lend credence or suggestion if they have no prior knowledge or history in that chosen field

This is why you should never buy a computer from Aldi :1orglaugh :1orglaugh

I dont think there are high paid aff. reps left that do not produce the results they are getting paid for.

Explain then the growing personal resumes and the high attrition rate ?

:2 cents:

I don't understand your question/s

What I'm saying is that adult companies that are in position to pay high wages for sales rep. they know how and who to select that will produce the required results. Some exceptions may apply, but in 2006 things are more clear if you ask me. At the same time, those few good sales rep have understood that their network can generate joins only to very capable affiliate programs, therefore they have to do very picky decisions on the companies they'll work with.

Questions are easy:

#1 Why are their now so many reps that have worked for multiple companies, with nary a long service leave chit amongst them ?

#2 Why does not a week go by without a "such and such is no longer with such and such" thread ?

Can I be any clearer ?

:upsidedow

Maybe people like aff

everyone bow down...im here now




















;)

i need to hire a rep.

i'm tired of running everything. i wanna kick back and manage my traffic and network. i think it is kinda funny how lots of people don't even know what people do anymore. lol.

i sold my soul a long time ago :)

humm where do I sign on to get all that stuff? I knew I was doing something wrong. I mean I was trying to do it all myself, I never new I could get everything for free..

who is giving out free money?

I am a Rep and have been since before the Internet was even an issue to anyone. I was a Rep for my husband's band for many many years. And I have to tell you, a Rep HAS GOT TO BE a people person, this isn't even an option. A GOOD Rep knows his/her business inside and out and can answer anything thrown at them, and THIS isn't always easy, because some people can ask some pretty wicked things.

Being a people person, that is if they are GOOD Reps, takes someone that is fun and easy to be around, someone who can talk as WELL as listen, some Reps today know how to talk but few know how to listen. THOSE are the ones I like dealing with. I don't need or want a car salesman, someone JUST trying to sell me something, I want a rep that can handle it from all angles.

Your Rep is just that, they are the go between between you and the company owner. They are upheld to a level where they command and demand respect if they want to Rep their company in a good light.

And Peaches said it well, MOST of us work long and very hard hours to do what we do.

Am I a GOD? Oh HELL NO!! If you met me on the street, you would find I am the exact same person offline and in your face as I am in my job surroundings, I put up no fronts and I don't bullshit you. If I think you would be best served promoting someone else or something else, I will tell you. It is my JOB to make you money, which in turn makes me money and the company I work for. I don't blow smoke up anyone's noses, where would that get me?

I don't even want to be on a pedastal, if I get put there, I set them straight right away. I have had many come at me and say "You are THE Tam, or THE Rude Bitch. " or whatever and treat me like I am some sort of celebrity and I set them straight right off the bat, I am JUST Tam, not THE Tam, or THE Rude Bitch, I am just who I am, I am no better than anyone else and never want to be seen that way. My pants go on one leg at a time, and I work my head off the same as anyone else. I have just been doing it longer than most. ;)

I can answer this one for you from an experienced Rep point of view. In some cases, as in mine, the OWNER of the company wasn't all they promised they would be, are impossible to deal with or work with, have no money to pay like they said they would, scam affiliates, scam employees, or whoever, or they are just flat out not what THEY proclaimed to be when the Rep signed on.

I for one, have been hung out to dry TWO times now with companies such as that, and when this happens, you have no choice but to seek other work. A GOOD Rep is very picky about who they work for and has standards they go by. Why you ask? Because AS a Rep, I am representing the company to the affiliates and the affiliates to the company. I will NOT stand by and watch one screw the other over, I am there in place to make SURE everyone is treated fairly and if the comapany, such as in my case, is robbing affiliates blond, I will not stand for it, it's as simple as that.

I personally gave up one of the best PAYING Rep jobs because I refused to condone things that were happening to my affiliates. I protect my affiliates JUST as much as I protect the company I work for and if one is working the other over, I can't deal with it.

It helps that I have been an affiliate for many years, so I have been on all sides of the spectrum.

There are roles for all types, I was simply pointing out a VERY big difference that exists.

As a traffic sender to others as well myself, I do not need an affiliate manager that can tell me how to generate traffic, I need one who can provide what I need if I need something from their program.

Same goes with the way I deal with MANY affiliates sending me traffic - they don't need teaching, they just need information and support

But many could make much more if they asked for ADVICE from people best qualified to give it.

2c

people still do that?

i'm fun to hang out with when u send me sales. hehehe ;)

Baby you're fun to hang out with PERIOD !

xoxox

:thumbsup

EXACTLY!!! They need to be able to LISTEN!! Don't just sign me up and ignore me, answer me when I have a question as well. If I have a problem, then at least TRY and fix it, don't ignore me because I'll just go find someone from somewhere else that will help me if I need help. lol

What drives me nuts is I have people hit me on ICQ and beg and beg me to signup, I do and then I have questions, and I either get "I don't know" or just plain ignored, that drives me crazy. You drove me here, now help find my way now that you brought me to this party. LOL

I just help people make sales, join the programs, or bitch on their behalf. Or give out information when asked. I make the vast majority of money from my own sales. I have never been to a webmaster event.

Thats my priority list right there.

I thought it was amusing when a guy who makes less than 3 grand a month was Ambush Interviewed just because he was a rep with a loud mouth.

Good post Alky.

There's only three sales in our industry worth anything.....

One of whom posted in this thread.

no idea who you're referring to but a long time ago i already pointed out that it shouldn't say "industry players" in the abush interviews