GPWA Times Magazine - Issue 3 - January 2008

GPWA TIMES | Meet three amazing affiliate managers 30 Meet three amazing affiliate managers Are you absolutely crazy about the Affiliate Managers you’re working with? If not, how can you stand it? One way to set things right is to start a rewarding relationship with one of the dedicated professionals profiled here. They’re conscientious, they work hard, they’re obsessed – but their only obsession is doing everything they can to make you rich! *Due to space constraints, we could not print the interviews in their entirety. See the complete text on their profile pages at GPWA.org. Laura Kirk | BetUS Can you tell us a little about the BetUS program? The BetUS Partners Program is pleased to offer all new affili- ates 50% revenue share for the first month. Affiliates can earn up to 35% of the losses from the players they refer from the Sportsbook and Casino. BetUS will provide online marketing materials and work closely to help you be successful as an af- filiate. What kinds of marketing tools do you offer to help affiliates? We offer several marketing tools to better our affiliate’s online business. Online reporting XML articles and content from our locker room XML sports odds and lines feed Content Banners and text links Matchup tools Scores Articles and newsletters What are your three keys to success for an affiliate? 1.) Have a marketing plan in place. 2.) Use good content and update your site regularly. There are millions of web pages on the web today. One of the greatest advantages of good content is that it helps you climb the page rankings of search engines. 3.) In order to make money you have to spend money. • • • • • • • • How did you get started in this business? I was searching for job postings on monster.ca and my girlfriend was working for the company that posted the opening, so she hooked me up with a job interview. What event, person, or pro- gram has influenced the way you conduct yourself and do business as an affiliate man- ager? I would have to say my parents. They have always told me to work hard, play hard, treat people with respect, stay positive and enjoy life. BetUS continued to accept players from the U.S. after pas- sage of the UIGEA. What are the differences between at- tracting U.S. players vs. Euro- pean players vs. players from other parts of the world? The European market is very com- petitive and saturated, which makes it challenging for any operator moving into that mar- ket. Of course, there are several challenges when dealing with the European market, such as language barriers, time differ- ence, currency, adding Euro- focused games into the sports- book, eCoom and converting the site into other languages. Right now our affiliates are our key focus on marketing our brand into the European mar- ket. However, I think U.S. and European players are looking for the same thing — attractive bonuses, reload bonuses, cam- paigns and fast payouts. Please describe your ideal day off. I would spend my ide- al day off in the summer by rock climbing in Squamish or spending the day at the beach playing beach volleyball. In the winter, I would spend a day off snowboarding up at Whistler Mountain. What’s the key to building suc- cessful relationships between affiliates and affiliate pro- grams? I would have to say getting to know each other on a personal level, trust, commu- nication and hard work. If you could choose any five people throughout history to go hiking with anywhere in the world, who would they be and why? Where would you go and why? I’m going to pick one person and that person would be my Grandpa Dick. He passed away over a year ago and I would love to spend one more day with him. I did everything with my Grandpa. We would go snowboarding, mountain biking, water skiing . . . we played tennis and drank good wine together. I would pick the longest hike (Baden Powell Trail, 48km) so I could spend as much time as I could with him. Your best bet at BetUS? Laura Kirk!