My Rant about Affiliate Programs/Owners

I have been having a problems with these issues for the past 2 weeks, signing up to affiliate programs and getting some of my "clients" to sign up under me, so now it's time for a rant ;)

How do you expect people to sign up to your program or promote your product if your site is not working at all (script errors)? One particular program run by a long time internet marketing expert - their site has been down for 2 weeks now! I contacted them directly, told them about the issue, said they would get someone right on it, it's about a week later now and still it's not working. How am I supposed to make money if that's the case? How much money am I losing if that's the case? How am I supposed to "highly recommend" their products to MY client base if that's the case? Seriously, I know how much money these folks all make, would it put such a big dent in their pockets to get a tech person on their sites to ensure all things are functioning properly on a daily basis?

"Ignoring people" - this is a serious turn off for me, just because you don't know someone, don't EVER ignore them, they could be your next big super affiliate. And seeing another "expert" actually tell people that he does this intentionally (on a blog posting) really turned me off from promoting his program and ever buying his products again. They're basically shooting you in the foot before you even get in the door. Not everyone knows what you deem as being proper ettiquette in IM, it's a learning process and we all have our own "sets of standards/ettiquette", if you don't like something, you don't like it, that doesn't make the person deemed unworthy of speaking to them (unless they rip you off or scam you of course).

End Rant .. I think lol

I love rants so I had to read this.

I'm wondering if this was actually directed at me:

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"Not everyone knows what you deem as being proper ettiquette in IM, it's a learning process and we all have our own "sets of standards/ettiquette"

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If it was, it's a valid point.

If it wasn't, it certainly could have been.

I "ignore" emails, skype messages, facebook messages, tweets, voicemails that are just "hey, how's it going" or "give me a call back" without any degree of what we're talking about.

BUT, I'm not prejudice about it. I do that with EVERYONE.

And I don't just mean in IM and business land... I mean with friends too.

Unless I'm 10+ year best friends with them (that's a short list of 5 or 6 that I still keep in touch with) or they are family... I need to know what we'll be talking about and why the reason for the skype convo, the facebook convo, the phone call etc.

I rarely pickup my phone and I often direct calls right to voicemail automatically without it even ringing through.

But on my end, it DEFINITELY has nothing to with who is worthy. For example, I add anyone as a friend on facebook not just those "worthy". I add anyone as a skype contact. And I make my contact info VERY readily available.

So, again, whether it was targetted at something I had said or not, it definitely could be because I share that "etiquette" arguement.

But a rebuttal to that is, without some sort of filter, we'd all be investing time with chit chat and unproductive conversations all around us.

While it may offend or may seem arrogant (regardless of who does it), the reality is TIME IS PRECIOUS. I don't know a single soul who would feel comfortable just contacting me and saying "hey, can you send me $100 Rob". Yet money can be created, time can't. Yet I run into a lot of situations where it's basically "hey, can I TAKE 30 minutes of your time". To me the $100 is actually more of a fair proposition. ;-)

It's a 2 way street though. I'd never expect or want someone to give me any of their time either unless there's some reason, some purpose there. If it's an established relationship, naturally that's more likely to happen. Otherwise, there has to be a clear reason for here's why we're talking.

Or at least, that's the case in my world.

Great points though. I'm an offender for the "ignore" comments in your rant. But it's a system that is necessary for me to maintain focus and time. By no means is it the RIGHT mode of operating or some universal requirement... but, for me, it's a necessity. And that decision comes with it's pros and consequences. Pros = I'm in charge of my time not individuals with random time agendas I know nothing about. Cons = it may come across arrogant and annoy the wrong people.

Welcome to JV Notify, by the way.

No Rob, actually it wasn't directed at you, but now I know why you're ignoring my PM lol j/k.


I understand what you're saying about not being distracted while working, time is money, precious etc. however, if you're on a social networking site and having a discussion and said person makes a contribution to the discussion, why ignore? Isn't that the point of being on a social networking site to begin with? If you want me to sell your products, programs, services, you better communicate or I'm walkin, I've been around long enough to be that selective on my end.

Nice, I'm off the hook! That was a close one. Lol.

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re: this "time is money"

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You'll never hear ME say that. I think that's a complete bulls*it phrase.

Time is money??

Money is abundant. You can burn it and create more (I don't suggest anyone burns it, feel free to send it my way... but the point is, you CAN create more).

Time is very very finite AND it's the end game.

Generally speaking, the only reason to create money is to have more freedom and choice of how to spend your time.

I'm sure you just slipped it in there as a commonly used phrase but I wanted to clarify that I've never held the opinion that time is money. That absurd. In fact, that would go right against my entire point... time can't be created and it's not just a tool (like money) so don't waste it.

We're often very very careless with our time and often very very tight and careful with our money. To me, personally, that's ass backwards. I'm not here to project my views on anyone or to claim that my way of thinking is RIGHT but I don't share the view that time is money and I think whoever thought up that catch phrase moons ago, should have really reconsidered it a little longer.


But your point about networking in a community and "ignoring" replies, well that's valid. That's like walking away from a conversation at a networking event.

"you better communicate or I'm walkin, I've been around long enough to be that selective on my end."

Ah!! (as a smirk creeps up) ... So you have set filters and "rules of engagement" for what you expect from a merchant/vendor/marketer. If they fail to comply or don't fit into your mode of operation, you walk and they get shot down. Right?

So it's just as fair for the merchant/marketer to have their own rules and own systems.

I think the reality is simply that having such requirements for efficiency and simplicity in our lives is great (and I'm obviously a fan and practitioner of it). But it DOES come with consequences. Either a potential customer/affiliate will "walk" because the merchant didn't meet communication expectations... or the merchant/vendor walks because the potential customer/affiliate didn't fit within their communication-systems.

It's a give and take.

To me, the cons of annoying a few and being seen as potentially arrogant (though never my intent) pale in comparison to the many pros of having a filter system.


P.S. Do I seriously have a private message from you? I'll have to go dig up my PMs. But, that's an entirely different animal. Private messages on a forum just aren't the common place where I look for my communications. With facebook private messages and wall posts and Twitter replies and Twitter direct messages and forum replies and private messages and skype instant message... voicemail, text, email, etc, etc... it's just too many communication channels to keep tabs of (for me!). So I don't even try.

Yes, you seriously have a PM from me ;) So you're not off the hook YET lol

And yeah I just tossed that phrase in there, I was reading something just before I started writing and it kinda popped into the sentence.

I don't think that you should ignore people in an open discussion especially if you're asking them for feedback/input about XYZ product and then blatantly talk to your buddy from "wherever" with total disregard for the other person providing you with feedback/input. It is extremely intimidating esp for newbs to even muster up the courage to speak to some of our "top dogs", so they have to understand that aspect as well. I've never really had that issue myself (being intimidated nor do I get shock and awe struck) but it is something I see a lot of with newbs (even worse intimidation when the "guru's" tell you they do that right on their blog).

And I was always saying to myself, "what the worst they can do or say?" Ignore you or say no, but if either is the response then they go on my "not to promote" list.

I had that happen to me a long time ago, someone outright ignored me and not long after the ERG came out, they were banging at my door to do a JV, ummm nope sorry, you can talk to me now after I have a best selling ebook out? But I wasn't good for you talk to before that? Makes no sense.

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"Yes, you seriously have a PM from me Wink So you're not off the hook YET lol "

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Ooops. Found it. Replied.

Yes I am on your side on this. These on line gurus as they say think no one can ever get close to what they have achieved on line. Life is a learning process. As new talents are born every day so to are new gurus emerging. Who knows? You might be the next hot marketer out there. Keep doing what you know best and slowly but surely you will be there.

Kaiser

Hi Kaiser, welcome to the IM world lol it's just a rant, we all do them some times ;) I'm an old timer, been around a while, but IMHO some of these guys should know better and quit being distracted by the latest hottest fad and keep up with what brought them their bread and butter so to speak.

"without some sort of filter, we'd all be investing time with chit chat and unproductive conversations all around us."

completely agree.

"I don't think that you should ignore people in an open discussion especially if you're asking them for feedback/input about XYZ product and then blatantly talk to your buddy from "wherever" with total disregard for the other person providing you with feedback/input."

I can't speak for others but I do this from time to time, not because I'm being rude but that's how my mind works (a bit ADDish). Forgetting about discussions (because I am caught up in something else), I don't know what I would do without a virtual assistant.

My kids have taught me a valuable lesson, if its important enough for you keep bringing it up.