Thread: What constitutes a Super Affiliate |
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November 22nd, 2006, 03:10 PM
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Not that fat.
Join Date: July 20th, 2005
Location: U wish U knew
Posts: 753
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Okay, people say they are "Super Affiliates" but what does that really mean? Is it that they make $10k or $1Mil a month, or is it that they belong to 50 or 250 programs, or they've been doing it as a fulltime job, or for x# of years?
I'm just curious what makes someone a Super Affiliate. I wonder if I'm one, and don't even know it. 
Thanks
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November 22nd, 2006, 03:19 PM
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ABW Ambassador
Join Date: January 18th, 2005
Posts: 2,422
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Some say $10,000 per month while others say more.
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November 22nd, 2006, 03:24 PM
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Affiliate Marketing Consultant
Join Date: January 18th, 2005
Location: Sunny Miami
Posts: 8,388
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by Merchant Consultant Team
Some say $10,000 per month while others say more.
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I'd agree, $10K a month in earnings would be the min threshold. Avg would be more like $30K+ month in earnings.
We have many on our ABW family that fit well into the avg bracket .... 
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November 22nd, 2006, 03:25 PM
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15 years and counting
Join Date: January 18th, 2005
Posts: 6,191
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You're a super affiliate if you make some money. To collect merchants agreements without making money is not too good. You can make $100K with one merchant or $1K with 500, it's quite different.
It was an understanding here at ABW that the Super Affiliate status starts at $10K a month. It was before you had to pay for traffic.
Now, if you spend $10K in PPC, to earn only $11K in commissions, can you consider you as a super affiliate?
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November 22nd, 2006, 03:32 PM
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Join Date: June 7th, 2006
Posts: 1,596
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I would think NET balance would be the key number to judge. That same "super affiliate" could spend $10k on PPC, make $11k on commissions, and spend $3k in other business expenses. So it makes little sense to judge one on their GROSS, but rather a hard look at the NET is more accurate.
IMHO. 
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November 22nd, 2006, 03:38 PM
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Internet Cowboy
Join Date: January 18th, 2005
Posts: 4,675
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by Zeus
Now, if you spend $10K in PPC, to earn only $11K in commissions, can you consider you as a super affiliate? |
That's a great question. The networks will still treat you like one. Heck, you could make a million dollars in commission in a year and spend $970,000 in PPC and be a network superstar. I say "Super Affiliate" has no real definition. Along with someone who is a good earner, it is also someone who knows and understands the industry and maybe even someone who takes time to help others. I have no idea what kind of money Dirk Gardner makes, but he is certainly a Super Affiliate in my eyes and in the eyes of many others here who he has helped.
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November 22nd, 2006, 03:43 PM
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ABW Ambassador
Join Date: January 18th, 2005
Location: Affiliateville, USA
Posts: 8,074
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by UncleScooter
I have no idea what kind of money Dirk Gardner makes, but he is certainly a Super Affiliate in my eyes and in the eyes of many others here who he has helped. |
I second that and am honored to have Dirk consider me one of his friends. I'd not be where I am today without his insight and advice. He is a super affiliate in my dictionary.
Last edited by Ron Bechdolt; November 22nd, 2006 at 04:09 PM.
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November 22nd, 2006, 04:08 PM
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Kung Fu Master
Join Date: January 18th, 2005
Posts: 1,833
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by UncleScooter
Heck, you could make a million dollars in commission in a year and spend $970,000 in PPC and be a network superstar. |
And just imagine the air miles... 
Really, super affiliate status is more dependant on the program or network's definition than anything. It's about earning the top tier commissions, getting the nice bonuses, special incentives, invites to Vegas, etc. Saying $10k, $30k or whatever makes somebody a super affiliate is all well and good for bragging rights, but it has nothing to do with the advantages you may garner with a particular program.
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November 22nd, 2006, 04:13 PM
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ABW Ambassador
Join Date: January 18th, 2005
Location: Nunya, Business
Posts: 23,623
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"Some say $10,000 per month while others say more."
$10,000 a month commissions is what I took it to be. When I first started I always remembered the "I made it to $10,000 a month threads." Very inspiring, at the time when I was first starting out, didn't think that was possible. Now some might make that spending very little in advertising costs, some might spend $9,000 to make it Also an affiliate might make that spread out across hundreds of merchants or just a few. Depends who you ask what a super affiliate is. If they're making all that money to just a few merchants, those merchants probably think they're pretty super. There might be other merchants that might get a few sales a year from that affiliate, probably not too super to them. If you're the affiliate, I think that's pretty super. You're all super in my book
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November 22nd, 2006, 04:15 PM
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Kung Fu Master
Join Date: January 18th, 2005
Posts: 1,833
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You are mighty.
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November 22nd, 2006, 04:43 PM
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15 years and counting
Join Date: January 18th, 2005
Posts: 6,191
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by ReallyBigGuy
I wonder if I'm one, and don't even know it. |
The day you'll see your name with all your private information on a list sold by Molander, you know you're a super affiliate! 
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November 22nd, 2006, 04:45 PM
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Merchant & ABW Ambassador
Join Date: May 31st, 2006
Location: Houston TX
Posts: 4,722
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Zeus and Scotter brought up valid points.
It depends on whether you are a company or a guy running the program from the basement of your house. If you have a 30 crew company and you are making 1 million in commission, in the eyes of Linkshare/ CJ, you are a super aff but at the end of the day after all overhead, salary, tax, you are not making much.
If you are in your underwear working from your basement with little cost and making 1 mil a year, I think you are doing pretty well.
there is no yard stick to measure a super affiliate.
if there is, I have not found it.
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November 22nd, 2006, 04:46 PM
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ABW Ambassador
Join Date: January 18th, 2005
Location: West Coast USA
Posts: 3,043
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>The day you'll see your name with all your private information on a list sold by Molander, you know you're a super affiliate!
Not true.
Ask cditty or search TW
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November 22nd, 2006, 04:52 PM
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15 years and counting
Join Date: January 18th, 2005
Posts: 6,191
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Quote:
Adam Ward - Not true.
Ask cditty or search TW
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I know. I was the one to inform him and Linda they were on the list and they told me also it was not true. Nobody said everything sold by Molander is the truth. But for the people buying the list it has to be true.
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November 22nd, 2006, 05:02 PM
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Affiliate Manager
Join Date: July 21st, 2006
Location: Fort Wayne, IN
Posts: 2,820
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Hmmm...really cheesy attempt to flatter large amounts of affiliates coming up...
ALL AFFILIATES ARE SUPER! 
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November 22nd, 2006, 05:10 PM
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Affiliate Manager
Join Date: November 7th, 2006
Posts: 31
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Hehe wow is that sucking up or what  
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November 22nd, 2006, 05:38 PM
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Pimp Duck
Join Date: January 18th, 2005
Location: Take off eh?
Posts: 2,987
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I'm a sidekick affiliate. Sort of a Robin to the affiliate marketing Batmen/Batwomen as it were.
No super affiliate powers, just an intense desire to wear tights and play with the super affiliate bat toys
Must admit, I am getting tired of all the spider bites, jumping into vats of chemicals and sneaking into hospitals and dentists offices to xray myself all the time so I can get my superpowers. Hey ... If I spend less time doing those things and actually make a website .... and market things ... maybe, just maybe I will become a super affiliate.
Nah, that's just silly.
Where's my lightning rod and book of silly super sayings.
Shazam!
Up, up and away!
To infinity and beyond!
sigh ... this could take a while.
Spoon!
Hulk Smash!
Wonder Twin Powers... Activate! Form of A super affiliate - Shape of A big check made out to cash.
Siiiiiigh. Maybe the lightning ro  
ow - for the record ... the lightning rod thing doesn't work either ... whimper
Sorry, got bored there for a bit. In all honest, I think Trusts post nailed it.
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I've been away. Now I'm back. Maybe not as much. But I'm back.I'm starting from scratch, trying to get to where I was. In hindsight, where I was then, was fantastic. Where I am now, less so. Things have changed, become harder. So have I. Game ON!!!
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November 22nd, 2006, 06:27 PM
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Lite On The Do, Heavy On The Nuts
Join Date: January 18th, 2005
Location: Winter Park, FL
Posts: 6,924
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Interesting thread. I'm not sure what the answer is, but I'd say it depends on perspective for sure.
Quote:
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Originally Posted by Zeus
Now, if you spend $10K in PPC, to earn only $11K in commissions, can you consider you as a super affiliate? |
The answer here for me is... merchants/AMs/OPMs would consider you super because of your sales volume, but your fellow affiliates judge you by profits.
"They" care about sales, while we care about profits.
So if they want to draw a line where it matters to them - $10k a month in comms or whatever - cool. That would mean there's tons of super affiliates here at ABW! They don't know our profits, just our volume - and their job is volume, not aff profit level - so it's natural for them to think in terms of volume only.
For me, to merchants, another factor is the ability to shift. If an aff makes $100k in comms a month, but specializes in car products only, why would a toy merchant think of them as "super". But some affs are masters of their craft (more than masters of a niche) and can move around - they seem more "super" to me cuz they can dance anywhere, for any merchant. Or at least for a much larger pool of merchants.
But I think we affs would see it differently - and probably we'd have a wider definition becasue it becomes personal for each of us depending on each person's goals. My friends who are big earners don't refer to themselves as super affiliates. And I've met so many affs concerned more with having "enough" while pursuing their passions that I doubt a single figure can define "super".
But I will say that most people I know consider $10k profits a month a good "enough" figure, so maybe it is that simple... $10k/mo comms makes you "super" to a merchant, but $10k/mo profits are needed for fellow affs to think "super"...
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November 22nd, 2006, 06:53 PM
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15 years and counting
Join Date: January 18th, 2005
Posts: 6,191
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by Donuts
The answer here for me is... merchants/AMs/OPMs would consider you super because of your sales volume, but your fellow affiliates judge you by profits...
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You can add network too, they look at your sales not your expenses to give you the super affiliate status. I don't think what our fellow affiliates think is the most important. For me ReallyBigGuy is more concerned about him. Is he doing good or not? What's the scale? Where do I fit?
I remember I had these questions too. CJ gold stars was the first indicator of your status. The green bars are not so attractive. Before we had the top ten affiliate earnings in a program. Andy was a pionnier with TigerDirect. It was a way to see where you stand.
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November 22nd, 2006, 07:03 PM
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Lite On The Do, Heavy On The Nuts
Join Date: January 18th, 2005
Location: Winter Park, FL
Posts: 6,924
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Exactly Zeus, I agree.
And, for me, full-time status is the best sign of "super". If you've been full-time for more than 6 months, you're making "enough" and having fun and can produce. I often ask affiliates I meet if they're full-time. I'd never think to ask if they're "super" - maybe cuz it's undefined, but more likely because it's not goal centric... nobody shoots for "super".
I suppose some affs might not want to be full-time, but tasting the sweet freedom, I find that hard to imagine. So I usually think in terms of being good enough yet to go full-time or not...
Instead of using "Sincerely," I often sign emails to former coworkers and biz clients as "Escaped Captivity,"... that's where my head is at...
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November 22nd, 2006, 08:30 PM
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Affiliate Manager
Join Date: March 13th, 2006
Location: Colorado / Florida
Posts: 4,408
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I consider a super affiliate to also be someone with whom I can have a positive, partner like relationship. We discuss ideas, promotions, incentives, marketing suggestions, critiques, and upcoming plans openly because we have a mutual trust and mutual enthusiasm for what we are working on together.
I've always found that solid working relationships with affiliates normally results in great results all the way around, so it's always a "super" label to me when we network with such affiliates. In my book they definitely qualify as "super" 
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November 22nd, 2006, 08:36 PM
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Not that fat.
Join Date: July 20th, 2005
Location: U wish U knew
Posts: 753
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What's the Molander list? I'm curious if I'm on it
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November 23rd, 2006, 01:18 AM
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15 years and counting
Join Date: January 18th, 2005
Posts: 6,191
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by ReallyBigGuy
What's the Molander list? I'm curious if I'm on it |
Have a look at this thread:
http://forum.abestweb.com/showthread.php?t=59804
Even if the list is not accurate, to be on it means, at least for Molander, you're a super affiliate and your private information is worth something.
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November 23rd, 2006, 07:42 AM
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ABW Ambassador
Join Date: January 18th, 2005
Posts: 2,574
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by TrustNo1
"Some say $10,000 per month while others say more."
You're all super in my book |
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leeann
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