Keeping in Touch with Your Players

[PokerDude]

I am always a bit baffled by this, when I hear that affiliates keep in touch with their players constantly. I personally don't really know what this means, unless you are doing some off-line marketing.

As we all know, our business entails luring perspective players to our sites, possibly capturing Email addresses (if at all possible), and hoping that these players click on our textual or banner links, and sign up and play with a room.

What exactly do some of you affiliates mean, when you say that "I am keeping in touch with your players, and offering them new deals", etc. ? How is this accomplished by you guys, when the anonymity factor is in effect here ?

Your generic thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

[Unknown Webmaster]

I do stuff like sending commentors on my money sites a personalized email to thank them, and sometimes follow up after 1 month to see how stuff worked out for them.

My thoughts behind this is that the people who take the time to comment are the same kind of people, who are likely to link to my sites in forums and on blogs, and by paying a little extra attention to them, I hope that they will be more inclined to give me a raving review later.

This can be a bit of a timesink at times, but it can also be quite rewarding, since it makes it much easier for me to relate to the people I'm trying to get to visit my sites and sign up.

[MJ]

This is especially key in the rakeback business in my opinion, especially being around to help your better players solve problems like cashing out here, moving money there (to get tracked on as many sites as possible), and just being overall helpful. When you do this players tend to appreciate it, feel special even, and send you referrals more often. Everyone likes to feel like they are getting "extra", and having a concierge of sorts is always just that.

My inability at this time to focus on that is why I'm temporarily not in that business, because I think it's so crucial. Not sure it matters outside of rakeback, but I could see it being useful in casino and sports as well. As I'm focusing on the moment on search result signups and trying new markets I'm out of it, but it is most def my true nature to want to run a business like that and I sure hope too again sometime.

[PokerDude]

I do stuff like sending commentors on my money sites a personalized email to thank them, and sometimes follow up after 1 month to see how stuff worked out for them.

OK, of course, I understand the purpose of doing so. But, I'm still confused on how. Do you look up the person (player name), wait until they are on-line playing, join their room, and try to communicate with them then ? What do you mean by "commentors" and "personalized Emails" ? What sites offer Emails ?

Thanks in advance.

[thefarang]

With rakeback the player has to associate their player account with your tracking so they have to set up an account with you as well. That's where you get the email addresses from.

[PokerDude]

With rakeback the player has to associate their player account with your tracking so they have to set up an account with you as well. That's where you get the email addresses from.

OK, thanks. I am not a rakeback guy for a multitude of reasons, but that explains prior answer. Thanks.

[Ridge]

Email marketing is extremely effective at staying in touch with your visitors and players. I am working on a new article for Online Poker SEO now about email marketing, but in short giving yourself more points of contact with your customers is essential and if handled properly, very lucrative.

I also recommend that you have an "about" page that gives your visitors a chance to learn more about you and an easy way to contact you. Being a rakeback affiliate isn't the only reason to be accessible to your players, as a rakeback affiliate I usually only see 2-3 emails a day with issues, and many times I don't see any. They know if they need me they can get me easy.

[Mr-AJ]

I think it's even more important to stay in touch if there are no problems at all especially in the rakeback niche. I often ask players (preferably the ones that play less) if everything's fine and if they need any help. Just to let them know that they can count on you/your site. You sometimes have cases where you can increase profits immediately. Yesterday, I had one player that had problems with depositing. Just because of my mail if he's fine he said that he had problems. We solved'em and he's able to play now.
It's the small gestures that make the difference. Offering a standard support if they have problems is solid but you should also consider to get in touch with them again even if they are not complaining. And even if you just have to listen to some bad beat stories at instant messengers...