(potentially?) controversial topic - Sponsors vs Affiliates

[CorbinFisher_BD]

Another thing I think is fascinating is the idea that a sponsor program that makes itself exclusive-access is "elitist". I think that reflects upon a warped sense of entitlement that exists all over the affiliate world.

I view CorbinFisher.com as a corporation, and our affiliates as our franchises. We invest in them, they invest in us. We do have a mutual partnership, which is precisely why I decided to close off our affiliate program and make it invite-only.

That enables us to have customized, individualized, unique and original campaigns with every single remaining affiliate and work more and more with them, as opposed to possibly spending too much effort on an affiliate whose returns wouldn't be worth it.

Affiliates can represent sponsors - they can be the source of a surfers first impression of a sponsor. So controlling how you're being presented to surfers by affiliates is key.

How can a sponsor program with 1400 affiliates possibly track things to make sure people are being honest, ethical, and legal in how they promote you? You can't.

Too many franchises alse produce self-cannibalization, where franchises are no longer generating new business but just fighting amongst one another for business. Limiting franchises helps prevent that.

There is no divine right to promote a sponsor. That sponsor is perfectly entitled to pick and choose whatever affiliates they want or not have an affiliate program at all. The notion that when you luanch a paysite, you're now obliged to have an affilaite program almost as some sort of public service or bound duty is ludicrous.

As is the notion that every affiliate is worth 50%, I think. And I think that sponsor programs that exist to cater to the webmaster instead of to the surfer end up costing the industry in the long run by creating cynical, skeptical surfers that have likely been burned in the past and made distrustful of paysites, all because someone earned a huge commission off of them.

[Squirt]

Another thing I think is fascinating is the idea that a sponsor program that makes itself exclusive-access is "elitist". I think that reflects upon a warped sense of entitlement that exists all over the affiliate world.

The Corbin Fisher site wants to be exclusive. Exclusive: 1. admitting only members of a socially restricted or very carefully selected group 2. disposed to resist the admission of outsiders to association, intimacy, etc.

Elitist: 1. Consciousness of or pride in belonging to a select or favored group.

It's basic english, not a sense of entitlement that exists all over the affiliate world

I'm floored at what you and Lee are painting affiliates out to be. Six years of being a sponsor and I don't have the antagonism you guys have for affiliates. Antagonism: The condition of being an opposing principle, force, or factor. :pimp:

[markwolff]

Another thing I think is fascinating is the idea that a sponsor program that makes itself exclusive-access is "elitist". I think that reflects upon a warped sense of entitlement that exists all over the affiliate world.

I view CorbinFisher.com as a corporation, and our affiliates as our franchises. We invest in them, they invest in us. We do have a mutual partnership, which is precisely why I decided to close off our affiliate program and make it invite-only.

That enables us to have customized, individualized, unique and original campaigns with every single remaining affiliate and work more and more with them, as opposed to possibly spending too much effort on an affiliate whose returns wouldn't be worth it.

Affiliates can represent sponsors - they can be the source of a surfers first impression of a sponsor. So controlling how you're being presented to surfers by affiliates is key.

How can a sponsor program with 1400 affiliates possibly track things to make sure people are being honest, ethical, and legal in how they promote you? You can't.

Too many franchises alse produce self-cannibalization, where franchises are no longer generating new business but just fighting amongst one another for business. Limiting franchises helps prevent that.

There is no divine right to promote a sponsor. That sponsor is perfectly entitled to pick and choose whatever affiliates they want or not have an affiliate program at all. The notion that when you luanch a paysite, you're now obliged to have an affilaite program almost as some sort of public service or bound duty is ludicrous.

As is the notion that every affiliate is worth 50%, I think. And I think that sponsor programs that exist to cater to the webmaster instead of to the surfer end up costing the industry in the long run by creating cynical, skeptical surfers that have likely been burned in the past and made distrustful of paysites, all because someone earned a huge commission off of them.

This has been an interesting post, and one that i have spoken about to many of my affiliates at various conventions. i think this is the way you are going to see many programs go, i know with my affiliate program the top 10% of the webmasters make 90% of the sales as well, and if you are going to be paying 50% which i don't mind doing, provided they are working and sending sales on a regular basis, otherwise the other 90% are just out there watering down your exposure. Back to the original question as to weather an affiliate deserves the 50% it's a tough question. i think the ones that work hard to promote your site and use the tools you give them effectivly are worth the 50% but the ones that send a few sales a year? i think there days are numbered, as the sponsor will just begin to discard them and make the affiliate program invite only. As a site owner i do laugh sometimes, when i see the checks ccbill is sending some of our top affiliates, now i make a nice living, i enjoy my work, but hell after i deduct all my expenses for model fees, hosting, video editing, promotion etc these guys are making more than me, and the only thing they have invested is there time.There have been a few times, when i thought maybe i should go back to tech school and learn how to post TGP's