Angle split testing for joining affiliate networks - Catch 22 (3)
Angle split testing for joining affiliate networks - Catch 22
Didn't know what prefix or forum location to post this on, but I just wanted to share my recent experience with applying to affiliate networks.
I'm sure most of you can relate the fear of applying to an affiliate network for the first time. It kind of feels like a Catch 22: affiliate networks seem to expect revenue numbers, screenshots, etc. but you can't start without getting into the network! Lots of advice either says fake it til you make it or be honest that you're a noob, but have a plan. Easy to say, but REALLY intimidating.
So, I applied 2 days ago to 2 mobile affiliate networks. In the spirit of of the industry, I decided to split test those angles:
1. Fake it til you Make it: The first network I spoke to was through messaging. Immediately, I felt the pressure when he asked a couple quick but typical questions:
Hi there,
1) are you currently running any offers with any cpa network?
2) what kind of offers you are running? and are the particular offers, which do you want to run with our network?
3) what traffic sources do you usually use?
and it would be great if you provide us with screenshots, which clearly show your offer performance at any of your current cpa networks
Of course, the short answer would be no, no, and none since I haven't started yet. But that wouldn't sound too impressive. Sooo, I reply with this:
Hi,
Thanks for getting back to me. I'd love to share with you my experience with affiliate and answer your questions.
My name is ---- and I am founder of pkAdvertising. We are an affiliate marketing company based in San Jose, CA and we're very excited to have this opportunity to be considered to join your network. Our website is www.----.com if you'd like to check it out.
We are a fairly recent company and open to directly working with advertisers. However, we are in the progress of expanding to affiliate networks, so we do not have screenshots to provide at this time. We are currently speaking with networkA and networkB.
We are currently focusing on running offers on Mobile for Utilities, Sweepstakes, and Apps. I have heard great things about the Mobile offers on your network, as well as the quality of affiliate managers at your company.
The traffic sources we are using are Mmedia, Airpush, and Tapit! We have not yet tried others but these work great for Mobile.
As mentioned in our application, "we are not your average lazy affiliate." We put high quality into every advertisement we make and rigorously split test, so we would be sure to deliver the same quality if chosen to join ---.
I hope you find this information helpful. Thank you for considering us as a candidate to work with your company.
Me
Founder of pkAdvertising
Email ---
Skype --
Phone --
Mostly truthful, never said I did anything, diverted his questions. He did NOT buy it (and he's probably used to that). He replied:
well, thank you for reply
what is your marketing experience then? what have you promoted?
and are the particular offers, which you are going to run with our network?
BUSTED. At that moment, I start freaking out about how to recover from that. Tried to fix it as best I could:
We have not yet promoted any offers, but hope to run mobile offers for utilities, sweepstakes, and apps with your network. We'll have a clearer picture once we see which specific offers are available on your network.
Although we are new to affiliate, we have been researching the field for months, especially on Stack That Money, and have been hard working at establishing our infrastructure. If chosen to run with your network, we have a monthly budget of $1000 and plan to split test your mobile offers in Asia and Latin America with the different traffic sources mentioned earlier, and test at least 15 different angles for each, along with 10 banners and a landing page for each angle. We plan to focus heavily on optimizing the campaigns and will even move on to testing different carriers, handsets, and operating systems. We are also fully prepared to massively upscale the budget of any campaign that proves exceptionally profitable and provide you high volume in doing so.
I hope our determination and extensive planning is enough to convince you of the seriousness of our efforts in this industry. Please let me know if you have any more questions and I would be happy to answer them. I look forward to hearing from you. Thanks for considering us as candidates for your network.
Aaaaand he hasn't replied back. I wouldn't have either at that point. Probably sounded so scammy haha. On to the next network...
2. Honest Noob with a Plan: So the next morning, I was still feeling pretty crummy about my first experience with an affiliate network application, but got a call from network2. This was over phone. I stumbled so hard it was embarrassing.
The affiliate manager asked about my experience and I told her I've been researching for 3 months, found out about the industry from a friend, haven't started yet. She still asked me what offers I am currently running and I repeated not having started yet, BUT have a plan to run in x countries on y traffic sources etc. She was not amused and continued with "Soooo I'm assuming you haven't generated any revenue yet since you haven't started yet." And I reply with a disheartened "...yeaah. not yet." She immediately wrapped it up and said "Alright. I'll be in touch. Bye."
I hung up the phone and smacked myself in the face for how noobie I sounded and how much stuttering occurred. And then 5 seconds later, I got an approval email!!!! Woo!! So somehow she was cool with my complete lack of experience.
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So bottom line, Honest Noob with a Plan worked best of my two affiliate network application campaigns. Haven't heard back from others, but I'm pretty happy getting into one good mobile network!
Thanks for reading my long story and hope at least some of you guys could relate. I had trouble finding more than one or two posts about applying for affiliate networks so this can add to the count. Maybe this can help mentally prepare some other noobs with applying to affiliate networks for the first time. At least you can have some peace of mind that your phone call wouldn't be as embarrassing as mine xD Anyone have similar stories to share?
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UPDATE: One of the AMs at network1 connected with me on LinkedIn and I messaged him introducing myself with the Honest Noob approach. He promptly responded with a "sure, I'll make you an account tomorrow." 
So, got in to both networks within 4 days of applying. happy ending yay!
Haha nice split test!
All part of the journey.
Honesty is better here. There are newbies everywhere and everyone knows this. Better to be genuine then be fake - AMs will see dozens of these cases and they'll probably stick out like a sore thumb, and it may make you look more like the regular scammers they have to deal with.
Thanks! Yeah, seems like it
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