Posts Tagged "POR"
Half Yearly Results Announced
Yesterday Purple posted a comment against one of my blog entries that got me thinking. He’d done a mid year analysis of his affiliate activities, and found that his sales generated (or maybe its commission?) is up by 199% on two major networks and another has seen an increase of over 2000%! Those figures are brilliant to hear as I’m aware he’s been busier this year than ever before, and it’s always good to hear about other peoples success when they make the effort.
Purples effort and reward shows that given a bit of concentration and hard graft, increase can be achieved despite the ‘credit crunch’ no matter what size an affiliate you are 
In the comments, Purple asked how my stats were shaping up. After a few simple calculations later, I was happy to find that for 7 out of the 8 major networks, my sales for the first 6 months of 2008 have already surpassed my TOTAL for 2007.
My projected 2008 increase is a simple x2 formula and doesn’t take into account Christmas which should hopefully push the increase higher still!
| 2006 | 2007 | 2008 (till 30 June) | Projected Increase | |
| Affiliate Future | £20,375 | £18,380 | £41,292 | 349.31% |
| Affiliate Window | £25,390 | £1,020,799 | £1,149,178 | 125.15% |
| Buy.At | £114,620 | £316,979 | £196,128 | 23.75% |
| CJ | £16,575 | £174,675 | £395,815 | 353.20% |
| DGM | £1,171 | £26,643 | £84,448 | 533.92% |
| POR | £3,917 | £22,745 | £24,317 | 113.82% |
| TD | £32,929 | £211,931 | £298,830 | 182.01% |
| Webgains | £854 | £22,256 | £48,672 | 337.38% |
| TOTAL | £215,831 | £1,814,408 | £2,238,680 | 146.77% |
Meet The REAL Merchants – Zak Edwards (Prezzybox) – #1 of #8
Following on from the successful series of interviews Kirsty ran with affiliates, and the reciprocal interview with the Haggis Muncher herself, I’ve interviewed a further 8 people in the industry and will be releasing them over the coming days.
The interviewees are from the 4 corners of the industry so as to provide a proportional representation of the industry, a better understanding of affiliates, agencies, merchants and networks and get to know some of the individuals behind the scenes a little better.
The first of the interviewees with Zak Edwards from the mighty Prezzybox (available on POR and Affiliate Window)…
How did you first hear about Affiliate Marketing?
To be honest I can’t quite remember (and no, I wasn’t drunk!). I think I’d approached a gent about linking to Prezzybox from their site. He said “of course I will, what affiliate network are you with” and it went from there.
The first network I spoke to were Affinity Ark I think (or Affiliate Button) and was given my first lesson by Julie Wood of AWIN fame.
What has been your career track and did it help your prepare for your current role?
Basically I did a degree in Law and Politics, then went to work for my Dad as a Sales Rep (selling Car Parts and Accessories). Whilst working for my Dad, I was sent to do an MBA to help add some structure to the company. During which time my old man chuffin flogged the company and I was duly the ultimatum by the new owners that I either a) could come back to work or b) I had to return my company car within the week. Charmin!
So, after I’d successfully sued them for Constructive Dismissal I thought right – “I don’t fancy working for anyone anymore, I’ll set up my own business”. That was just as the .com bubble was bursting. Great timing!!!
Would you ever consider moving over to the dark side and becoming an affiliate yourself one day?
Chuffin hell yesiree! I wished I’d have become an affiliate in 2000 rather than a merchant, I’m sure that I’d have been in a much better position than I am now.
In all seriousness what appeals to me about an Affiliate is that you are providing a service. Consequently you don’t handle two of the biggest problem areas in any retail business, namely customers and stock.
Stock can be a real headache for any business of any size. For example, we sell Paddling Pools. Because of the nature of the product you have to order these early in the Year. Last year, because of the heat wave in April, we ordered container-loads of Paddling Pools whilst rubbing our hands together in anticipation of “coining it in” after we sell all these pools. After the wettest Summer in human history, we’ve still got 75% of them and are having our rear ends firmly kicked on a regular basis by our warehouse who have to keep finding a place to house all these overstocked pools!!
Sat in a pub with your friends, how would you describe an average affiliate?
Ha ha – I see what you’re trying to do Mr Frost. You want me to come out with something derogatory involving the words Grubby or Pollutant.
No comment.
What aspects of the day to day running of Prezzybox are you personally responsible for?
To be honest Affiliate Marketing only takes up about 10% of my time at Prezzybox. The rest of the time I’m in charge of strategic direction and operations. So, basically I work on pushing through strategic changes and direction for the site.
What are the biggest changes you have seen since being involved in the industry?
Blimey. That’s a toughie.
I think the Affiliate Industry has really grown up (if that makes sense). When I first entered the Affiliate Arena (circa 2000) there was a handful of clever people making money – and some of them lots of it - from their bedrooms. It seemed to me that it was a fragmented cottage industry. Now, with the introduction of the Forum, the Expo and the expansion of the bigger networks, I feel the Affiliate Sector has really come of age in the last 2-3 years.
In an ideal world with no boundaries, what issue would you address first in the affiliate marketing world?
Another toughie!
If I could only address one issue, then I would introduce an Affiliate/Merchant Middle man. Kind of like some arbitration council. Basically if frustrates me when merchants get flamed on the forum. Don’t get me wrong sometimes they totally deserve it, but other times it is totally unwarranted. We’ve been flamed publicly before on the forum and it was a) totally unfounded and b) the affiliate hadn’t even had the decency to approach me about the issue first.
So, I’d introduce some form of Judge Judy to arbitrate.
In fact, I reckon we could have Judge Jules. She’d do a job!
How reliant is the internet on Google and is it a good thing?
Massively! A huge % of our sales come directly, or indirectly (through affiliates) are driven by Google. It actually scares me. If Google were to up sticks and leave overnight there would be a lot of poor people wondering round aimlessly with no work to do.
It makes me laugh actually, when people slag off Google. Especially some of the PPC affiliates. I find a strange sense of irony that they’re banging on about how much they dislike Google, then make most of their money through (Google) AdWords.
In 3 years time, how do you think the industry would have developed?
No idea. You think about it, 3 years ago there was no facebook, no myspace, relatively little broadband compared to now…. A lot can happen in 3 years.
However, for the sake of this interview to have a modicum a sensibility I shall try to answer…
I think Affiliate Marketing will have grown into 2 distinct camps – namely “corporate affiliates” and “hobbyist affiliates”. A number of decent sized Affiliate business’s have sprung up in the last few years – be there focus on PPC, SEO or whatever it may be – and I think this trend will continue.
I also think affiliates will have to be more adventurous and ingenious to make a dollar. There’s a lot of hypothesising that Google at some point “may” do away with affiliates as we know them and become an Affiliate themselves in their bid for World domination. If this happens then Affiliates will need to think of ways in which to work smarter. I’m sure both camps – the corporate affiliates and the hobbyist affiliates will do this.
Complete this sentence in no more than 25 words;
At the next A4U Expo I would….
put Zak Edwards presentation on at a different time to Lee “I’m so popular” McCoys Social Networking presentation in a bid to get more than one man and his dog to show up! (I’m not bitter – honest!).
To be honest I think the Expo was fantastic last time. Maybe more varied entertainment on the night would be my only addition.
Now its time for some quick fire either or….
Wembley or Twickneham
Wemb-er-ly every-time. I’m not a fan of Egg Chasing. I mean, how can it be a GOOD thing to kick a ball out of play and to only be allowed to pass it backwards???
Risotto or Roghan Josh
Never had either, but I’ll go for Risotto.
Hardcore or Winebar
Hardcore. Or for that matter any other form of building material.
Bill or Sergey
Who?
Burn It or Recycle It
Well – if you’re talking paper – recycle. If we’re talking cardboard – burn it.
2 Wheels or 4 Wheels
3 – the Reliant Robin hails from Tamworth where Prezzybox are housed.
Hotel with Spa or Backpacking
Hotel. Although when I see you I’ll tell you about my trip to Tea in the Park years ago. It’s a classic.
XBox or PlayStation
Currently PS2 although I’m thinking of getting a PS3. Any good?
Sun or Snow
Preferably both. Just come back from a skiing holiday where it was baking hot.
Frank Sinatra or Snoop Snoopity Doggity Dog
The snizzle bizzle.
At this point I expected the interview to end!
The word document that contained the questions I asked Zak, also had a list of names which I hoped to interview in the future. Zak, however, thought it was a continuation of the Either Or round of questions and has kindly answered as follows (it will also give you an idea of who I am hoping to interview in this series).
Agency – Sean (MVi) / Fiona (Eq8tr)
No idea. Both sound like smashing chappies.
Network – Hero (Webgains) / Mark (Existem)
Well Marks my Hero, so I’ll say both.
Merchant – Zak (Prezzybox) / Graham (BuyAGift)
Graham. Zak’s a buffoon.
Affiliate – Shane (Targeted Media) / John (Big Idea Media)
Woah – battle of the big guns!!! How come you’ve picked 2 middle aged, slightly balding and a little on the portly sized men for me to pick from??
Surely a simpler question to answer would have been:
Networks – the girls from AWIN topless mud wrestling with Carol from POR. Who’d win?
Again. No comment.
Thanks Zak!
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