AvantLink’s Affiliate Marketing Blog

It’s been a while since I wrote this article, talking up the value of press releases. And it’s been a while since we used PRWeb to distribute one. Last night at midnight the news went out on our Inc.com debut, and I’ve been tracking it’s progress today. Definitely happy with the results so far, and we have no doubt already gotten the $200 value for the “Advanced” service level in links alone. Note the hyperlinks in context of the news article that also get picked up by tons of other relevant sites through PRWeb’s wire.

If you have important news you want pushed around the web, write a good press release and pay the $200 for this service. It’s far better for your bottom line than using 10 freebies. See for yourself and try both PRWeb’s most popular “Advanced” service and a freebie web pr service. Set up Google alerts for your company name, then be sure to put your company name in title to monitor syndication. -GaryM

P.S. Here is an Affiliate best practice in passing: thoughtful web press releases using this PRWeb service level work wonders for Affiliate site link building (and general web exposure). Announce new features, articles, contests, whatever.. just make it compelling and you can’t go wrong putting that money back into your business.

AvantLink Debuts on Inc. 500 List

Introducing a new, exclusive AvantLink merchant:

EZWatch Pro

EZWatch Pro is the largest online video surveillance company in the USA. They feature prepackaged easy to install security camera kits. Kits range from 1 to 48 camera systems, all prepackaged and ready for customer installation.  EZWatch Pro’s product mix is unmatched, from small home video security solutions to large computer based 48 camera commercial systems they have it all.

EZWatch Pro pays commission on phone orders! Average online order is $458, and average phone order is $1,127. They track and pay commissions on the orders you generate either way!

Program highlights include:

• Earn 8% commission on every sale
• 90 day cookie duration
• Average order value $458

Let us know what we can do to help you get started promoting EZWatch Pro. Contact anyone at AvantLink or the program manager Bryce Bertola, bryce/at/ezwatchstore.com.

We’re starting to get some good discussion going on AvantLink’s Facebook fan page. I have been posting “Random Qs” to our wall now and then, but unfortunately there are no Permalinks to individual wall discussions.

In an effort to make it possible to refer to this Value of Coupon/Deal Sites discussion at a later date, I am re-posting here.

If you would like to add your two cents to this discussion, go to the fan page to post or simply comment here. Gary M

AvantLink.com: Random Q: We’re seeing a lot of merchants either eliminating coupon sites altogether, or reducing their commission rates significantly. Thoughts or opinions on this trend?

Dave Polivy: Like you guys told when we launched, keep those coupon sites active cause they bring customers you would not normally get. With the current level of competition, all affiliate referrals are better than fewer! We just gave a couple of coupon sites some exclusive deals and they are converting better than expected.

AvantLink.com: Dave, thanks for the comment. Good to hear! Can you tell, are those coupon sites bringing new customers? Usually when folks ask me “Why should I be listed on a coupon site?” …I start with a one line answer: Because your competitors are there.

Dave Polivy: ?90% new customers. the trick is to turn those new customers into OUR customers…..probably the biggest challenge. Similar to those darn Amazon customers. have to find ways to keep their loyalty when they barely know who they are even buying from.

Scott Mason: We have coupon sites w/exclusive deals that generate significant amounts of revenue, it would be tough loose that traffic..

AvantLink.com: Any couponers want to comment?

Jamie Birch: I’ve experienced this since 2003. There are some major misconceptions about coupon sites. I wrote a 3 series blog post a year or so ago about it that I still think is relevant today…
Part of it is the data can be hard to come by. How many new customers, profitability of each customer by individual affiliate – things like that are real hard for the affiliate to get, and sometimes just as hard for the affiliate manager. Without those items, and lifetime value info, merchants can make bad decisions.

AvantLink.com: Wow, Jamie! Thanks for posting that link. I just got through part one, and I’ll look at parts 2 and 3 soon. This quote stands out: “In that survey they found that 54% of adults would decrease discretionary income during a recession and 63% of consumers WILL NOT make a purchase if they cannot find a deal”.

Jamie Birch: No problem at all. Here is our other two links: Part 2, Part 3. Hope that helps!

Blake Kritzberg: I am one of those people merchants hate; I search for coupons only after I’ve decided to make a purchase anyway. So I don’t see the value in it for them.

AvantLink.com: Nothing wrong with being a savvy web shopper, Blake

Michael Khodos: Coupon websites help close the sale for the savvy shoppers. Also, lots of people start the shopping on their favorite coupon website. Even if then know where they want to buy from, they start from Google. Let’s say you are “ABC Flowers.com” merchant. And “your” past customer is googling for “ABC flowers coupon”… guess what? They land on the Flowers category page of a coupon website and find a really good coupon from XYZ Flowers. What happens next? XYZ just got themselves a brand new customer!

Wade M. Tonkin: I think you have to have a strategy – working with select coupon sites that operate a really healthy community is great – especially if those sites are respectful of your non affiliate channel coupons and codes that can be found on other sites. There are a few bad actors out there who either directly “scrape” codes themselves or who won’t reign in their audience posted codes when requested that give the others a bad name. It’s also on the merchant to coupon with some strategy.

AvantLink.com: Thanks Michael and Wade. Definitely think that some coupon sites seal the deal.. I think it’s important for merchants to acknowledge that just because the customer was already on their site once, it certainly does not mean they would have bought from them. People that know how to web shop effectively know how to search and find the deals and it’s really that simple. They are not very loyal to any one particular store that’s for sure. So as a web retailer, you either want those customers/sales or you don’t

Jamie Birch: I think a big mistake merchants, advertisers and all of us make is that we talk about this with very little data. At least for the most part. Merchants have to go beyond just a “gut” feeling that “coupon sites are stealing sales we already would have had” and they actually have to look at customer behavior…
You need to look at the performance of each coupon partner. Look at things like, and compare with the site as a whole, avg order size, new customers, lifetime value, margin contribution etc. Typically, advertisers look at sales and make assumptions…
I’ve done this several times in the past. The assumption was that coupon sites were “bad”. Once we dug into the details we found, on several occasions, that a good number of coupon sites had higher than average order sizes, higher new customer percentages and higher lifetime value. When you factor those in, you can see a better picture. But it doesn’t become “coupon sites need to be removed”, it becomes more about each individual partner, how they perform and, in the end, if they are profitable.

Wade M. Tonkin: Jamie is right on this… we’ve worked with a client that seems to think that coupon sites are all parasitic profit suckers and when we crunch the numbers we see that the average order purchased through the coupon sites is well above the average order that the client sees coming in through their own organic efforts. Properly gathered and interpreted data is a wonderful thing.

[...]

We are pleased to announce our #171 ranking (#23 in “Advertising & Marketing” industry) on the 2010 Inc. 500 list! Inc.com describes the list as…

“Our exclusive annual ranking of America’s fastest-growing entrepreneurial businesses, and the creative innovators who run them…“

We’re proud of this accomplishment, and have every intention of moving up on the list!

Just a quick post to mention that we can now support foreign currency.

Up until now we have only accommodated web retailers using USD, but we’re pleased to support the following foreign currencies (with scalability to integrate even more should the need arise):

• AUD – Australian Dollar
• CAD – Canadian Dollar
• CHF – Swiss Franc
• EUR – Euro
• GBP – Pound Sterling
• JPY – Japanese Yen

Introducing a new, exclusive AvantLink merchant:

Christian Cycle Online

Earn Commissions of 10-15% on Sales of Performance Cycling Gear with an Inspiring Message at ChristianCycleOnline.com!

Christian Cycle Online is dedicated to supplying professional quality, high performance cycling apparel that encompasses their customer’s highest Christian values, principles, and beliefs to motivate and inspire performance in all areas of life.

As an affiliate, you can help make a difference contributing to the You Get, You Give program. The program donates 10% of their proceeds to Christian Charities (5) serving all of the major human needs. Visit their website to learn more about this program in the specific charities involved.

Details of the Christian Cycle Online Affiliate Program:

• Payouts ranging from 10-15%
• 90 Day cookie duration
• Average order value $120+
• Selection of IAB Standard and blog friendly banner creatives
• Top notch marketing tools from AvantLink affiliate network
• Paid search allowed with minor restrictions
• Christian owned and operated
• Dedicated, Experienced Affiliate Management by GTO Management

They are actively looking to work with Affiliates in a variety of vertical markets. From secular sites focused on cycling and outdoor recreation, to Christian content sites like churches and ministries. Apply Now!

Let us know what we can do to help you get started promoting Christian Cycle Online. Contact anyone at AvantLink or the program manager Brian Devens, cco/at/gtomanagement.com.

Featured Back to School promotions sorted by category. Some merchants will be sending these promos out individually, which should include an embedded “Get HTML” option in the emails. Otherwise you will have to login to the network and go to the merchant profile to retrieve the campaign(s) and landing pages.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Be sure to observe the start and end dates for each promo. Some may not be active yet, so you won’t be able to get access to the campaign code. Happy converting!!

Categories: Accessories | Apparel | Collectibles | Costumes | Electronics | Home and Garden | Outdoor/Recreation | Pet Supplies | Tools

Accessories

Watchco.com (Apply)
WatchCo Back to School Savings
Promo Details: 10 % off storewide when using Back to School Coupon.
Coupon Code: BACKSTOSCHOOL10
Start: 8/2/2010
End: 8/31/2010

Apparel

C28.com (Apply)
Bring Jesus Back to School in 2010 at C28.com
Promo Details: Save 10% on purchases over $50
Coupon Code: B2SCHOOL
Start: 8/1/2010
End: 9/30/2010

Little Ruler (Apply)
Savings on Backpacks & Lunchpacks from O’Neill, Quiksilver, Volcom & Roxy’
Promo Details & Codes:
Coupon of 10% off of O’Neill backpacks. Coupon Code: LRONEILLPACK
Coupon of 10% off of Quiksilver backpacks and lunchpacks. Coupon Code: LRQUIKPACK
Coupon of 10% off of Roxy backpacks and lunch packs. Coupon Code: LRROXYPACK
Coupon of 10% off of Volcom backpacks. Coupon Code: LRVOLCMPK
Plus 50-70% off Sale Items!
Start: 8/10/2010
End: 8/20/2010

Collectibles

SportsMemorabilia.com (Apply)
Back to School Special
Promo Details: Discount 10% off category items
Start: 8/8/2010
End: 9/5/ 2010

Costumes

GrimReapers.com (Apply)
Grim Reapers Back-to-School Party Supply Special
Promo Details: Take 10% off all Party Supplies at GrimReapers.com. Party on!
Coupon Code: SCHOOL10
Start Date: 8/9/2010
End Date: 9/15/2010

Electronics

HeadPhone.com (Apply)
Get Free Shipping on Back to School Headphones
Promo Details: Send your student back to school with the best headphones with HeadRoom’s Back to School Headphone Guide. Receive FREE SHIPPING!
Coupon Code: BAK2SKOOL
Starts: 8/6/2010
Ends: 9/3/2010

Home and Garden

Calendars.com (Apply)
10% Off Any Order
Promo Details: Save 10% on ANY ORDER at Calendars.com
Coupon Code: SCHOOL10
Start: 7/15/10
End: 9/15/10

1800Pools.com (Apply)
Pool Cover Back to School Savings
Promo Details: Prices on Swimming Pool Covers Have Been Slashed 40% – 60% For a Limited Time. So Take Advantage of Our Back-to-School Savings.
Start Date: 8/1/2010
End Date: 8/31/2010

Outdoor/Recreation

Altrec.com Outdoors (Apply)
Dakine Back to School Sale
Promo Details: Dakine Back to School Sale – Up to 15% off
Start: 7/28/2010
End: 8/13/2010

Altrec.com Outdoors (Apply)
Back to School at Altrec
Promo Details: Shop Back to School at Altrec & Save
Start: 7/28/2010
End: 8/13/2010

Dogfunk.com (Apply)
Back To School Dogfunk Style
Promo Details: Dogfunk class of 2011 – New lifestyle clothing, shoes and accessories from your favorite brands like Volcom, DC, Billabong, Roxy and more.
Start: 7/30/2010
End: 8/16/2010

GearX.com (Apply)
Join GearX.com for this Back to School Season!
Promo Details: GearX.com is gearing up for school we will have promotions running throughout the store for kids from grade school to college plus other deals for those who may not be gearing up for classes
* Backpacks from Gregory, Black Diamond, Vaude and bags from Cumpler, Timbuk2 and others.
* Water bottles from Laken, Kleen, Kanteen, Nalgene, Camelback and more!
* Back to school style deals on His and Hers clothing and accessories from Prana, Mountain Kahkis, Julbo, Native, Smartwool, Marmot and so many more.
Start: 8/16/2010
End: 9/5/2010

Giantnerd (Apply)
Gear up for Back to School
Promo Details: Packs, Clothing & Bikes On Sale Plus, Get An Additional 5% Back In Nerd Dollars – Powered by Love! This Promotion features the following brands: BAMF, Chrome, Dakine, Marmot, Patagonia, Quiksilver, The North Face, Timbuk2, Tommaso
Start: 7/27/2010
End: 8/14/2010

Moosejaw.com (Apply)
Back to School Supersale
Promo Details: Save up to an additional 25% off sale items. 10% off 1, 15% off 2, 20% off 3, 25% off 4 or more.
Start: 8/9/2010
End: 8/15/2010

Moosejaw.com (Apply)
Free MJ waterbottle with Daypack
Promo Details: Receive a FREE Moosejaw water bottle with a daypack purchase.
Start: 8/16/2210
End: 8/22/2010

PlayOutdoors.com (Apply)
Save 10% on Back-to-School Gear
Promo Details: Save 10% on the following back to school categories: Backpacks, Hiking Boots & Shoes, Infant Shoes, Lunch Boxes & Picnic Bags, Sneakers & Socks.
Coupon Code: WAKEUP!!!
Start: 8/1/2010
End: 9/10/2010

REI.com (Apply)
Cruise Back To Class
Promo Details: REI’s straight-A selection of clothing, shoes, bags and more.
Start: 7/28/2010
End: 8/27/2010

REI.com (Apply)
REI OUTLET: Big Deals for Campus
Promo Details: Save up to 60% on packs, clothing, shoes & more!
Start: 7/28/2010
End: 8/27/2010

SnowboardConnection.com (Apply)
Coast back to Campus
Promo Details: Free Shipping on All Longboards + Free Unit Tool!
Start: 7/27/2010
End: 9/7/2010

SnowboardConnection.com (Apply)
FREE SHIPPING on DENIM!
Promo Details: More than 5 Pockets – FREE SHIPPING on DENIM- Shop classic styles and edgy cuts from Volcom, Matix, Quiksilver, RVCA and more!
Coupon Code: DENFREE
Start: 8/5/2010
End: 9/30/2010

SnowboardConnection.com (Apply)
Quiksilver Sale
Promo Details: Quiksilver – Up to 50% Off – Jeans, Tees, and Flip Flops – Shop Now, While Supplies Last!
Start: 7/27/2010
End: 9/7/2010

SnowboardConnection.com (Apply)
Vans Shoes Sale
Promo Details: Hit the Streets – Vans Shoes – $27 and Up
Start: 7/27/2010
End: 9/7/2010

SnowboardConnection.com (Apply)
RVCA Sale
Promo Details: Just in time – RVCA Men’s and Women’s Apparel – On Sale up to 50% Off!
Start: 7/27/2010
End: 9/5/2010

SnowboardConnection.com (Apply)
Volcom Deal
Promo Details: Free Socks AND Free Shipping with ALL Volcom Orders!
Start: 7/27/2010
End: 9/6/2010

SnowboardConnection.com (Apply)
Roxy Sale!
Promo Details: ROXY – Snow to Surf and all the Streetwear in between – On Sale Now with Free Shipping on Orders over $99
Start: 7/27/2010
End: 9/6/2010

Pet Supplies

Fetchdog.com (Apply)
Toys Get 10% off – Plus FREE Box of Fetch Balls
Promo Details: Get 10% off purchase price of three or more dog toys while supplies last. Purchase $100 or more products get a free Box of Fetch Balls.
Coupon Code: FTY3386
Start: 7/28/2010
End: 9/30/2010

Tools

Little Giant Ladder (Apply)
FREE Shipping on Little Giant Ladders!
Promo Details: Little Giant ladders are the toughest and the most flexible ladders designed for even the heaviest job of a Property Custodian, School Utility Personnel, & the School Librarian. Buy any Little Giant ladder now and receive free shipping!
Start: 4/24/2010
End: Ongoing

Yesterday I hosted my first GotoWebinar session, featuring the configuration, installation and best practices for the ALE on static HTML pages and a WordPress blog. No major complaints, although I will admit it was a bit challenging hosting my first webinar.

We’re planning to do a LOT more of these, basically one for each of the technology feature we offer. I’ll be doing more, but perhaps David can handle the more technical offerings, like our Affiliate API. Keep an eye out for a schedule in the coming weeks! Below you’ll see part 1 & 2 of the ALE webinar on YouTube. -Gary M

Best watched in 720p HD using the “Pop Out” feature.

Part 1

Part 2

AvantLink.com has an opportunity for an experienced LAMP web developer with excellent communication and problem-solving skills.  This position offers the ability to contribute directly to the success of our rapidly growing company while interacting with a core of best-in-industry professionals.  Be prepared to hit the ground running and work productively without constant supervision.  The more motivated and creative you are the more freedom you’ll have to leave your own mark.

Responsibilities:

• Learn about existing functionality and assist with end-users’ support requests
• Work with clients and third-parties to integrate our tools and offerings
• Plan, construct, test and deploy new capabilities in accordance with assigned projects
• Continually review systems for potential improvements to security, reliability or performance
• Brainstorm with users and co-workers to determine new avenues of development
• Assist with systems administration: planning, configuring and maintaining network infrastructure
• Share scheduled availability for responding to network issues during evening/weekend hours

Requirements:

• 3 or more years experience developing with PHP
• 3 or more years experience working with MySQL
• Solid grasp of HTML, CSS and JavaScript
• Experience with XML and XSLT
• Familiarity with distributed architecture methodologies such as REST and/or SOAP
• Experience with source code / version control systems, e.g. Subversion (SVN)
• Comfort and facility working in Linux environment
• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science or related discipline preferred

Employment Type:

This is a full-time, salaried position.

Location:

Park City, Utah

How to Apply:

Please send applications to jobs/at/avantlink.com.

Introducing a new, exclusive AvantLink merchant:

Makais.com

Makais.com is an e-commerce store based in Redondo Beach, California. Promote products relating to sporting goods, fitness, equipment, outdoor gear and more. Fast and friendly customer support, great prices and a ridiculous assortment of quality products.

Join the Makais affiliate program and earn 6% on all sales. The good folks at Makais.com have worked hard to optimize their site for high conversion, which translates to more money in your pocket!

Commission paid on shipping charges! Other program highlights include:

• 6% commission
• 30 day cookie
• Popular niche products
• Strong conversion rate
• Savvy program management
• Commission paid on shipping charges!
• Powerful, free affiliate tools & scripts

Let us know what we can do to help you get started promoting Makais.com. Contact anyone at AvantLink or the program manager Todd Henley, affiliate/at/makais.com.