Marketing companies as publishers....

[Affilinator]

I work with a marketing company (publisher in my CJ account) that sells a lot of my product, but I am not sure how they do it. I am told they use 'marketing vehicles' to sell the product, without actually selling the product on their Web sites. How do they do this? More importantly, how can I attract more of these types of customers, as they sell more product than any other customer I have worked with?

To be a little more specific, this organization sells text links.

Thanks,

[Linda Buquet]

Are they flagged in CJ as a special publisher - tagged for using some type of download app, rebate reminder service or toolbar? If so it sounds like a parasite. Parasites steal from your honest affiliates and simply take credit for sales that should have been credited to them. They can kill your reputation. 'Marketing vehicles' very well could be Adware so ask them point blank to show you how they are making sales.

"how can I attract more of these types"

IF they are parasites you don't want more of them. And again THEY are not making all the sales they are just taking credit that SHOULD have gone to other affiliates.

This may not be the case but, you have a right as a merchant and a responsibility to your honest affiliates to know how a publisher, especially a top performer is making sales.

[Affilinator]

I can't locate any information on CJ that indicates if they are 'special publisher.' Also, I am not entirely sure where to locate that information, which could be the problem.

In addition, I haven't had anyone complain that they are having sales stolen from them, at all.

I have confronted this publisher, asking how they do what they do, and I did not get a response. I also tried to contact them via different email addresses. I fear that if I over-contact them that I may lose their business.

Do you have any other theories as to how a text-link seller might be selling head and shoulders above the rest? If you would like me to privately send you some information on this organization, I would be willing to do that.

Also, it was a supervisor that suggested this company may be using 'marketing vehicles' to sell the product. I have never received a response from the organization in question.

Thanks for the help,

[Affilinator]

Hello,
I still haven't learned anything about the above mentioned organization, nor has anyone answered my questions completely.

I've asked the CJ staff to provide me with any and all information about this organization, and this is the response I've received:

This organizations promotional methods state that they use paid search and email campaigns as a way to earn commissions.

My new additional question: How does a 'paid search' method work? And how do I find/attract additional publishers that do this?

Thanks,

[Linda Buquet]

I haven't managed a program on CJ for awhile, so this may be somewhat different now. But I think you still can pay to send a recruiting email through CJ and I believe in addition to targeting your email by market segment, you may also be able to target based on promotion method.

But lots of affiliates do PPC so by building up your program in general you should naturally get more PPCers.

[Affilinator]

How does a 'paid search' method work? What is it? What does it involve? Is this something that is done throgh CJ?

[Linda Buquet]

No Paid Search is PPC - like advertising on Google Adwords.

Be sure you have a PPC policy up on your affiliate landing page or your CJ landing
page if you want PPC affiliates. Lots of companies have restrictions on PPC but
if you don't and want to leave it wide open for PPC then you should say
"No PPC Restrictions" somewhere. Just double check with your merchant 1st
and see if they want to restrict trade mark bidding or anything else.

[Affilinator]

Ok, I am starting to get it.

Would I be better off adding as many protected and recommended words in CJ as possible, so that these organizations have more words to work with?

[Linda Buquet]

Not certain about that. My initial thought is you would not just want to give away your top KW publicly - competitors or anyone could get them. You could say if you do PPC email me for our top converting keywords. Then that puts you in direct communication with them too, instead of having to work through CJ.
Just an idea...

[Affilinator]

Why wouldn't I want others to know what keywords I have listed in CJ? I just don't understand the entire phenomena.

In CJ, there is a place to enter Search Keywords in Account Settings. What do these words do? Do I want to make this list as large as possible? When I enter these words, does that mean that no one else can use them?

Thanks,