Thread: Press article from the get2gether

Hello Helen

Where was this published?

- Neil

Marketing Week on 25th June 2003

H

Mmm. I have to say that frankly I'm surprised. The 1st event coverage gave credit where credit was due. Knowing how hard the pair of you worked to put it together, I find it shoddy (to say the least) that all the press/publicity seems to have been hijacked by various third parties who have (IMHO) *zero* right to any of the credit. You've been 'stitched up like a pair of kippers'.

Helen and Neil, we all appreciate everything you did to make the get2gether a success, and sincerely hope you don't take this insult to heart and stop trying...

It's always tempting at a time like this to spout the old 'deadlines had to be hit, the article length needed to be trimmed, the dog developed a hernia' etc etc, but this is simply outrageous.

And by the way, a British Tennis player won a game last night. And it was all down to my cheering at the TV.

Really.

Chins up dudes.
Best
JaJa

If you ask me any publicity (that's good news) is good publicity for affiliate marketing no matter who is getting the credit. More people that know about affiliate marketing equal more merchants and more affiliates and that equals more choice for affiliates and more money plus merchants will see rise in sales as more new affiliates come in.

Good all round if you ask me, but you didn't so I will shut up now LOL

Disappointing Neil & Helen didn't get a lot of credit for their enormous efforts for organising the event.

But it was very encouraging quotes from the aforementioned merchants, who have embraced affiliates as their "virtual sales force".

10% - 25% of online sales is very good, this will no doubt only increase.

It's still news

Well done to Both of you!

Jess<img src=http://www.gamers-forums.com/smilies/contrib/ruinkai/biggthumpup.gif ALT=":thumb">

JaJa - trade press isn't interested in who organised the drinks, the venue or which cab firm took the people home. Marketing Week is interested in copy that engages their readers - and nothing else.

This is good positive coverage from a widely read Marketing journal. Marketing Week is a client-led magazine, so it isn't really interested in agencies point of view (that includes Neil and Helen and intermediaries like most of us affiliates for that matter), it is interested to hear what the big brands are saying - and so are their readers. And the big brands are saying this is a business to be taken seriously.

I'll be doing my best to get follow-up on this and so should you, but in the first instance be grateful for such a great bit of coverage.

Hi Old-timer.

Glad to know you found it so positive - presumably this means *YOU* will be 'organising the drinks', and 'lining up the cabs' for the next one, as I get the feeling that Niel/Helen won't want to be @rsed anymore.

Best
JaJa

JaJa,

<em><strong>I get the feeling that Niel/Helen won't want to be @rsed anymore.</strong></em>

I wouldn't worry about that, sure they don't really care to much and besides Helen works for Wheel and they do say in the article.

<em><strong>held at Kensington Roof Gardens and hosted by new media agency Wheel.</strong></em>

So she did get a bit of indirect press, if her bosses are switched on kind of people they will know she is very valuable to them in the affiliate side of the business and will be making sure they try and keep her as it becomes a bigger revenue maker for them, well I would

JaJa,

The fact I didn't get a mention in the article is of no concern to me at all.

I already got my ego trip from those that mattered...ie. those in the room. Had some fun, did some business and had a chance to promote my new offerings which marks it up as a success in my book

No doubt Helen and I will collaborate on another event soon.

- Neil

JaJa - I've already gone on record as thanking Neil and Helen for all their efforts. I think their ambitions and agendas ranged a little bit beyond a mention in the press coverage.

Fair enough.

Glad everyone now seems to be happy.

Best
JaJa

Firstly i have to appologise that neither Neil Durrant or our sponsors received a mention but hey at least we got an article . Sorry for any typos, i have hand typed this from the article!! Publised in Marketing Week on 25.06.2003

NOTE>We invited the press to attend but cannot control what they write. Those who are interested can write into the editor with feedback on the article if you want details feel free to email me at helen.porter@wheel.co.uk.

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<<span style="font-size:medium;">b>Affiliate marketing is experiencing a boom as e-tailers see its worth[/b]</span>
<span style="font-size:large;">I got it from a friend of a friend...</span>

It's time to revisit affiliate marketing. Like so many other new forms of internet marketing, this area dropeed off the radar in recent years but now seems to be making a comeback.
Affiliate marketers were out in force this month at an afternoon netwroking party, held at Kensington Roof Gardens and hosted by new media agency Wheel. Companies in attendnace included Alliance & Leicester, B&Q, Comet, Dixons, Figleaves, Marks & Spencer, MFI & Opodo. Talking to a number of marketers, evolve was quickly disabused of the notion that affiliate marketing is no longer a hot issue. Retailers in particular waxed lyrical about its impact on their online sales.
Affiliate marketing involves websites being promoted on other sites (affiliates) but only paying for this promotion if the affiliates actually click through to the site being promoted and buy something. When this happens, the affiliate site is paid a commission.
Some companies specialise in creating affiliate networks. These companies include Commission Junciton, Tradedoubler & UKaffiliates.
Comet ecommerce business development manager Sam Bain says the electrical retailer is stepping up its affiliate marketing activity. She says "We want to treat our affiliate sites more like a virtual salesforce." This means tailoring commissions and promotional activity. more individually, depending on the needs and positioning of the affiliate site.
Retailers say affiliate marketing accounts for 10-25% of their total online sales, and performs particually well in the run up to Christmas.
Interestingly, this form of online marketing is not seen as a threat to other areas, such as advertising. The staff responsibile for affiliate marketing do not need to compete for budgets with advertising or email marketing, since affiliate marketing is totally self funding. It has a branding element, but is essentailly a sales tool.
John Lewis online partnership manager Mirander Agnew says affiliate marketing accounts for at least 10% of the retailers online sales. The company works with about 3,500 affiliate sites - "something we could never do manually". These relationships are managed by Tradedoubler and UKaffiliates. The former handles majority of the websites, while UKAffiliate is used for "our larger partnerships which require more creative imput from us"
Tradedoubler is paid by % of revenue, while UKAffiliates receives a fee per aquisition.
Agnew believes affilaite marketing "will become a core area of our marketing strategy. Its crucial for driving new customers to our site. We get alot of feedback from our affiliates, which allows us to develop the right marketing tools for them. This is a very strong revenue driver for us and our partners."
Game Group, the video games retailer profiled in evolve last month has just signed up for its first major affilaite tool with Tradedoubler. Game new media director Dave Evans says "We're already seeing a great deal of interest from affiliates" Because Game already has a large customer database in the uk Evans is keen to use affilaite mareitng to expand sales internationally. Affilaite marketing is likely to become even more seamless integrated into website content in the future - as witnesses by this months launch from a company called Affilite Window. It bills its product, IPS, as the first product system which can be fully integrated in sites.
Comet, Domino's Pizza, Boystuff and Oddbins are some of the companies taking part in Affiliate Windows scheme.

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