Want to do something similar to this.....

[jaker]

I posted this in the past and it didn't post? Moderators, if this is not the proper forum or something I shouldn't be posting please PM me.

Anyways, I am going to be launching a poker software company. I would like to offer my customers as many convenient payment options as they like. I am particularly fond of the page that Hold Em Manager has...where they have a page where customers can "GET IT FREE" if they follow their instructions and sign up for certain pokers sites. If they sign up for these sites, they get a credit for HEM software. I would like create something very similar for my site and have a few questions:

1) Is this simply an example of HEM being an affiliate?
2) As a new company, would I have to get permission from the poker sites to use them as a payment option?
3) What would be the most efficient way for me to sign up for these affiliate programs? Sign up to each individually by going to their websites? Or, should I join a network?
4) Do you think it's possible HEM worked out exclusive deals with these companies for higher commissions? Or, where are they getting their $75 and their $100 credit from...surely the payment plans are relatively different from site-to-site.

[MJ]

Yes, yes, talk to an affiliate manager, yes.

[jaker]

Yes, yes, talk to an affiliate manager, yes.

Okay, so just to be clear regarding number three, I would have to sign up for each site by visiting each site that I wanted to affiliate for. I would then have to contact the affiliate managers for each site? In other words, this is not something that would done through a network? If the software is allowed by the site, what are the chances they'll let me use them as payment?

Thanks!

[jaker]

Bump. Sorry if this is basic stuff. If anybody knows the answer please post and I'll owe you one.

[Georgia Poker]

Bump. Sorry if this is basic stuff. If anybody knows the answer please post and I'll owe you one.

You definitely need to speak with the AM for each site where you're looking to offer this type of deal. Some sites don't like to work with affiliates that offer "incentive" type deals to sign up. Some of course, do. So it's wise to deal with the AM's at each site to ensure you're on the same page. Plus, get any agreement in writing (at least via email).

Best of luck.

[Stephen]

You definitely need to speak with each Affiliate Manager and get their approvals, as no program will allow you to offer an incentive to sign up and still pay you a CPA. More often than not, the actual commissions will be paid after the players play a certain # of hands etc.

Over time you will be able (with the programs) work out your players' values and be paid accordingly, but expect it to be lower at first.

[jaker]

Thanks guys major help!

[CarbonAtil]

With two year experience working with one of the most successful and recognizable poker software company (SuperPokerAffiliates), I definitely can provide you some great advice when discussing how to structure CPA deals targeted for incentive traffic. I agree with all of Stephen’s points above and think it is important to be honest with your Affiliate Manager when coming to incentives traffic. If you try to go behind your AM's back and keep this from them, it is quite easy to figure out what is going on.

The best advice that I can give you is to work with rooms that have a medium to large base of real money cash game players. This is going to be the determining factor for your player value when renegotiating a higher CPA and eliminating requirements. Depending if the poker room shares player details, you will be able to see exactly where your players fall on in terms of worth. If you work with poker rooms that have a small player base, once the player clears the requirement, they are probably going to take their free software and go back to their usual poker room. This basically means, your relationship with that affiliate program is probably on the verge of dieing, since the player value would be horrible and a massive drop off rate after the requirements have been cleared.

Another key component is keeping the incentive players enticed with your future offerings. You can do a few things with your software where is locks it to the poker room you got the free software from. If your CPA requirement is 100 points, maybe lock it for 300 points, so you give the poker room a better value than 100 points. Once the software is unlocked to use on your supported rooms, you can offer eBooks, credits, license extensions, freerolls etc. to keep them a) using the software and b) increasing the player value and life.

Why don’t you PM me and we can discuss this in further detail. There is a lot of key components that I want to get into, but if i keep writing I would probably end up writing a short novel. I look forward to hearing from your, since I’ve barely scratched the surface here