GPWA Times Magazine - Issue 5 - May 2008

54 You’ve mentioned on the forums that in addition to running your site, you are a single mom who is also at- tending college. How do you find time for it all? What time management tips can you offer GPWA members? Once you are a mother, you auto- matically kick into multi-task mode (lol). Somehow you just find the time to do every- thing. I am currently attending Eck- erd College, studying Infor- mation Systems with a Man- agement track. I’m about halfway done. I’m scheduled to graduate in May 2010. It is very important to make time for your family. I have a wonderful 14-year-old daughter! We like to take time together to go out to dinner and movies on a regu- lar basis. I have to take ad- vantage of that while I can, because soon enough it will not be cool to be seen with me. Hehe. As far as time-management tips, I think it is important to realize you can’t do every- thing in one day! Whether you like it or not there are only 24 hours in a day and you do need at least a few of those hours for some sleep. Don’t kill yourself trying to get it all done. Don’t be afraid to reach out and ask for help. You will be surprised how many people are willing to help. Also, always realize there are no dumb questions, so don’t be afraid to ask. Is marketing poker to women different than marketing it to men? I don’t believe it is any harder to market poker to women. In the last couple of years the percentage of wom- en you see at the tables has increased dramatically. There are more women at the tables than players probably realize. There are more forums that are owned and run by women, which just shows that it is not only a man’s game anymore. Women are no longer intimi- dated by men at the tables and do not think twice about jumping into a game and tak- ing a man for all his chips. Like I say, “Chicks with chips, a deadly combination.” In an ideal world, how would you divide the efforts you put into your site? 50% Marketing 30% Updating Content 20% Managing Accounts For us the main focus right now is marketing. We are still a new forum so we need to concentrate on increasing membership. That is our big- gest challenge right now. We are always looking for ways to draw in membership and new downloaders. What advice would you offer someone who has just started in the industry? When you start out you have to realize that you will not make money right off the bat. It takes time, patience, and a lot of work. What you are willing to put into it is what you will end up getting out of it. Do your homework and join great forums like GPWA that you can learn from! Know that there are people out there who are willing to help by giving advice, suggestions, and ideas. Absorb, read, learn, and be willing to take criticism with an open mind. If you had to pick five keys to success as an affiliate, what would they be and why? 1. Form a friendly relation- ship with your affiliate pro- gram representatives and managers. 2. Appreciate your members! Without them you are noth- ing! 3. Be willing to ask for help when you need it, whether it is from a fellow forum owner or an affiliate program repre- sentative. 4. Register your forum (free forums do not get the same level of exposure). 5. Check out and use a pok- er site or casino before your start promoting it. What traits do you look for in an affiliate manager? I look for quick response time to e-mails and great attitudes. When it takes an affiliate manager a week to write back, then we have a problem. A friendly affiliate manager can make the whole experience so great, but it does work both ways. I think it is great when affiliate managers are willing to give out their usernames for instant messaging! What prompted you to join the GPWA? And how has it helped you so far? I saw the GPWA seal on a friend’s site and asked him about it. I asked him what it was all about it and he referred me to GPWA. I joined the forum and starting reading all the infor- mation. I realized how much they had to offer a newbie like me. The fact that web- masters and affiliate manag- ers can come together to help one another is just fantastic. There is so much advice, in- formation, and ideas from members of both sides. It had so much to offer that I joined as a member and then applied for the seal. We got the seal this year and proudly display it on the forum. I also get the GPWA Times and love the articles, affiliate interviews, and all the information I get out of it. I recently got my cool GPWA t-shirt and eager- ly awaiting the new iGaming directory. What’s your favorite vacation spot? And why? Key West, Florida! It’s not far, but it is like a paradise! Has every- thing you need on vacation – fun, sun, and water! If you could have one “super power,” what would it be? And why? I would have to say the power to fly. I hate heights but to have the free- dom to soar over mountains, oceans, and any scenery I want would just be exhilarat- ing. Assuming you could pick anyone in the world (alive or dead), who would be sitting at your dream poker table? And why? I have a fascina- tion for James Dean, so it would be a dream to be sit- ting at a poker table with him. He could bluff me out of a pot anytime! And finally, what are three things that nobody knows about you? 1. I love the paranormal (but I don’t see dead people). 2. I’m afraid of heights. 3. I collect geckos (even have a tattoo to prove it). GPWA TIMES | GPWA Affiliate Interview Series