View Full Version : Do you ever feel like you're tutoring sponsors?
rawTOP
03-01-2010, 04:53 PM
I always find it a bit amusing how little some sponsors know about their affiliate business, or even how to run a pay site.
Just in the past day there was one sponsor who has zips that weren't Mac compatible, and had single scenes spread across multiple zips in their free/downloadable content. And there was another sponsor who's CCBill links lead to a 404 page, and who's join button on their site popped up 4 password authentication requests, then showed a page of legalese, followed by another thing you had to click on, followed by another password authentication request before getting to the CCBill join page.
I'm just a lowly affiliate and I feel like I know more about their business than they do. It boggles my mind. How do they make any money? When they've got good bareback content I don't mind tutoring them a bit, but seriously why am I tutoring them?
I can see how people like My Gay Cash, Gunz, and ZBuckz can make a completely viable business off running paysites for producers.
basschick
03-01-2010, 08:16 PM
i feel that way all the time :D
gaydemon
03-02-2010, 12:48 AM
How do they make any money? When they've got good bareback content I don't mind tutoring them a bit, but seriously why am I tutoring them?
I can see how people like My Gay Cash, Gunz, and ZBuckz can make a completely viable business off running paysites for producers.
They don't all make money. I think there is a lot of people joining adult business thinking its very easy way to make money and it's not. It takes a huge amount of hard work. Unfortunately the bad ones seems to linger on, dying a slow death.
They don't make money, they are just learning to do that:)
cashkaboom
03-02-2010, 05:09 AM
We're all still learning, but some are better and more well-prepared than others.
Conversely, I'm shocked sometimes by how some affiliates can neglect their accounts. Payment or contact information might be filled out incorrectly and sometimes, even after contacting them multiple times trying to get it straightened out, I don't receive a response. I send messages and try getting in touch with them through the websites they've listed, but sometimes don't get anything back. It's like "Dude, I'm trying to pay you! Don't you want your money?"
This predicament seems to show how important both the affiliate and sponsor are as a team, where communication working together is key. When that doesn't happen, it's like any company where one hand doesn't know what the other is doing.
The good and bad thing is it's relatively easy for anyone so inspired to become an affiliate/sponsor without knowing much about it in this "fringe" or not "mainstream" biz. There are no classes or schools (that I am aware of) that teach how to become an affiliate or sponsor in this biz. We're all learning together, no matter if it's a big time or small time affiliate/sponsor.
TropixxxMichael
03-02-2010, 08:29 AM
i feel that way all the time :D
And I know I appreciate all the help you give me, and everyone else.
Jasun
03-02-2010, 08:53 AM
Look, I'll tell you...
I always appreciate when affiliates find errors somewhere and tell me. Zip files missing or updates mis-named... it happens when you're doing 8 jobs.
That said, yes... when I've got my affiliate hat on, I'm often amazed with the totally awful fuck ups I see, and not things like a missing zip file or the occasional broken link.
Adam Mason
03-02-2010, 09:44 AM
Look, I'll tell you...
I always appreciate when affiliates find errors somewhere and tell me. Zip files missing or updates mis-named... it happens when you're doing 8 jobs.
That said, yes... when I've got my affiliate hat on, I'm often amazed with the totally awful fuck ups I see, and not things like a missing zip file or the occasional broken link.
:) do those 8 jobs include having a broom stuck up your ass while you're doing the 7 other tasks? lol I hear ya buddy!
Jasun
03-02-2010, 09:50 AM
:) do those 8 jobs include having a broom stuck up your ass while you're doing the 7 other tasks? lol I hear ya buddy!
No. I'm a top.
basschick
03-02-2010, 11:46 AM
i think there's a difference. there will always be new or flaky affiliates, but they haven't invested dough in content and maybe design, and they aren't actively trying to get more people to use their program without any idea of what affiliates need - and often without being willing to listen.
We're all still learning, but some are better and more well-prepared than others.
Conversely, I'm shocked sometimes by how some affiliates can neglect their accounts. Payment or contact information might be filled out incorrectly and sometimes, even after contacting them multiple times trying to get it straightened out, I don't receive a response. I send messages and try getting in touch with them through the websites they've listed, but sometimes don't get anything back. It's like "Dude, I'm trying to pay you! Don't you want your money?"
TropixxxMichael
03-02-2010, 01:04 PM
No. I'm a top.
Yeah, you totally look like a top here:
666:whip:
HunkMoneyLuke
03-03-2010, 12:37 PM
We **DO** appreciate any feedback from webmasters and have been trying to evolve as we get it. We worked with affiliates to get our newsletter format right, combining pics, text and links. Then when we were at the point of putting out multiple newsletters, our webmasters told us they preferred only 1 newsletter with multiple updates in it. We also redesigned our nats affiliate site to make it easier for affiliates to find the tools they needed.
Feedback is always welcome, just email or PM or ICQ me!
rawTOP
03-04-2010, 01:23 PM
Luke - You guys don't need tutoring - you've got things down pretty well and just need occasional tweaks (like we all do).
One thing though... The RSS feeds still have links to unformatted blog posts. We discussed it a few months ago, but then you got busy with British Bucks. If you can get back to that I can make better use of your feeds :)
HunkMoneyLuke
03-04-2010, 03:13 PM
argh...i hate it when things slip my mind. Thanks for the reminder!
RDude
03-04-2010, 08:32 PM
Well..I've been an affiliate and an affiliate manager x 2 at this point in my adult "career". So I've seen things from 2 different angles. I've never owned a pay site or affiliate program, so I can't speak from those perspectives at all.
That being said, I've learned a ton of things and every day something new still comes along. I'm at the point where I only promote sites who's owners and/or affiliate managers I can contact and get a response from. Perhaps not in 48 hours, but at least within a week. LOL. All will listen to my suggestions and every once in a while, someone looks into them. These are the people I like to deal with and promote.
On occasion, I've run into sponsors who seemed like they didn't know what they were doing. I tried to offer help, but to no avail. To me, those sites aren't worth dealing with or promoting. I mean, if they won't listen to what affiliates request for promo tools (even just the basics), how well do they run their actual site? Probably not very well.
This is one of the things I like so much about the message boards and in particular, gaydemon. You can interact and get more of the inside scoop on the better sponsors, their experience level in the industry, and how they honestly feel about affiliates. I mean, let's face it - if you contact a sponsor several times and are ignored, you're not very important to them, are you?
Anyway....this is why all site owners - new and experienced, and reps who vistit the board here...are gems in the industry and your sites are worth promoting and/or looking into to me. Some sell better than others, but the bottom line is, you're willing to learn and interact with affiliates. That to me, speaks volumes and helps me push a site much harder.
Ok....I think I'm done now. lol
HunkMoneyLuke
03-10-2010, 07:37 AM
One thing though... The RSS feeds still have links to unformatted blog posts. We discussed it a few months ago, but then you got busy with British Bucks. If you can get back to that I can make better use of your feeds :)
All the HunkMoney per-site blogs are now skinned with pretty looking headers, css, banners, links (all carrying thru you affiliate code), etc.
Thanks for reminding me of this!
Tanker
03-10-2010, 07:58 AM
I Tutor program owners everyday! I have been building and operating programs for many years and have lots of knowledge to share.
I understand what your saying. Its mostly program owners that are doing this part time and don't have the time for research of whats new and hot to do.
We do a lot of consulting for program owners big and small