Spring is in the air, and a record number of ecommerce merchants chose MGECOM for affiliate program management services in April.

Some of the brands that signed in April with MGECOM to make more money, reduce their risk, and save money by outsourcing their affiliate advertising program management include:

Drumeo.com – World class online drum instruction

BodyGuardz.com - The ultimate mobile device protection, made in USA

FreshExpression.com – Funny funny funny funny funny T-shirts

TestCountry.com - Home and workplace testing kits

VIPdiabetic.com – Diabetic Testing Supplies right to your home

VIPsleepApnea.com – Largest selection of CPAP supplies, masks, and machines

bmUSAdiabetic.com – Diabetic Testing Supplies right to your home

SkinCareHeaven.com – The best anti-aging products on Earth and beyond

RhymeClothing.com – Great quality every-day clothing, with a social conscience

SuntekStore.com - Gadgets and accessories at bargain prices, recently expanded to clothing, sports & fitness, etc.

Who is MGECOM, Inc?
*Winner of the 2011 & 2009 Small Business Commerce Association Best of Business Award
*ABestWeb 2011 Top 2 Affiliate Marketing Agency
*2011 TopSEO Top 2 Affiliate Marketing Agency
*Trusted vendor by great IR Top 500, IR Second 500, and IR Hot 100 brands.

Today we get a chance to talk with Jeff Cress, VP of Business Development and Marketing at MGECOM. Over the course of our interview we learn that not only was Jeff a DJ spinning the tunes on the FM dial back in the day, but also could tune up the engine in a fighter jet. He is a man of many hobbies with a wide variety of interests, which you will read about below. Enjoy the interview and getting to learn a bit more about our friend and colleague Jeff Cress!

How and when did you first get started in affiliate marketing?
I was in corporate Finance at a global pharmaceuticals company at the beginning of 2009 when I decided to align my career more with my education (MBA with concentrations in Marketing and Health Services). I was initially planning on going into Pharma Sales, but found MGECOM and was immediately fascinated with Affiliate Marketing and the HUGE disparity between the ROI of a well managed affiliate program, and the way most companies do it (very poorly). I was very attracted to the massive opportunity to help merchants protect their brand while getting more bang for their buck.

What do you most like about the industry?
I am most drawn to the creative, energetic, entrepreneurial spirit that drives the industry.

What improvements you would like to see in the industry?
The affiliate industry is still relatively immature with a lot of “wild west” mentality. To truly be embraced by major businesses the professionalism level of many in the industry needs to improve.

What are some of the challenges that you encounter in your Business Development role?
There is no standardization of terms in the affiliate industry. Unfortunately, there are rip-off artists that use the same terminology to describe what they do as the legit service providers like MGECOM. That makes differentiation difficult, even when there are massive differences in the level of service provided.

Do you see affiliates embracing mobile and social?
Of course. I think that some of the most creative and forward thinking marketers in the world are in the affiliate industry. They were figuring out how to make money in the mobile and social channels before most merchants realized that their products could be promoted via those channels.

How do you keep up on industry trends, latest industry news, etc?
A combination of great discussions with prospective clients, lots of reading, and discussions with the MGECOM team, who are some of the best informed folks in online marketing.

What most attracted you to join the MGECOM team?
I was most attracted to MGECOM’s commitment to be the best by specializing in only affiliate marketing program management. Too many firms try to be a “one stop shop” and end up doing a poor job on most, if not all disciplines. I could not work for an agency that tried to be all things to all people. As a BD professional, I sleep well knowing that the clients we bring onboard at MGECOM are getting real value for their investment.

What other jobs have you had outside of affiliate marketing?
I worked my way through undergrad as a radio DJ and aircraft mechanic in the Air Force Reserve.
Then I spent over a decade with some of the biggest Pharmaceutical companies in the world in IT, Sales Operations, and Finance functions.

And on the personal, “fun” side:

What are a few of your hobbies?
Playing with my wife and kids.
Boating
Flying
Ice Hockey
TaeKwonDo
Backpacking
Hot rods
Yeah… I’ve got too many hobbies

What activities/sports did you do in high school or college?
Wresting, Track, and Marching Band in High School (odd combo, huh?)
Wrestling, Football, College Radio, and Rugby in College
Used to wake board and play soccer, but after the 3rd knee surgery had to give both up.

What is your favorite vacation location?
Anywhere my wife and kids are.

If you won a lottery, what would be the first thing you’d buy?
A new phone with an unlisted phone number. Won’t happen though, as I don’t gamble on anything unless I can control the outcome.

Your favorite band to see live?
Sleeping Booty
http://www.sleepingbootyband.com/

What is your “must see” TV?
I don’t watch much TV. I try to catch Carolina Hurricanes games on TV or in person. Otherwise, TV is very spotty and hit or miss for me.
Although, I love when I can catch the Red Bull Air Race Series. Simply incredible how they make such demanding, high performance flying look so easy.

What is your favorite Christmas gift you have ever received as a kid or adult?
Anything my kids have picked out or made themselves.

Coke or Pepsi?
If I have to choose, I’d say Coke… but I rarely drink soft drinks.

As you can see, in addition to working to bring new clients into the MGECOM family, Jeff manages to juggle many other things to keep himself busy throughout his day. Thanks for sharing, Jeff!

After a short hiatus, we are back this Monday morning with an interview with another one of our accomplished Affiliate Managers, Darren Zapsky. Darren has over 10 years experience in the affiliate marketing industry and has been both an affiliate and an affiliate manager, which gives him a great perspective on what it takes to be successful as an affiliate.

How and when did you first get started in affiliate marketing?
I developed my first affiliate website in 2001 and decided to make a career of affiliate marketing around 2009.

What do you most like about the industry?
For me it’s the challenge of performance marketing; in affiliate marketing you are only limited by your imagination. I also think the people in the affiliate industry are among the friendliest and most helpful people in Internet marketing industry. I rarely ever encounter people in this industry who refuse to offer advice.

What improvements you would like to see in the industry?
I’d like to see some kind of standardization regarding issues such as the Affiliate Nexus Sales Tax rulings. Also more network consistency and standardization, while each network seems to do certain things well they all seem to have plenty of room for improvement – especially in the area of support.

What are some of the challenges that you encounter as an Affiliate Manager?
Some merchants who place constraints on their program by only looking at the big picture and not trying to understand what makes the affiliate program work. Also there is a lack of experienced affiliates who actually understand how to niche and leverage the unlimited affiliate marketing opportunities that are out there for the taking. Fortunately, we have great relationships with our merchants and our affiliates, both who are open our ideas, visions and strategies.

Do you see affiliates embracing mobile and social?
I’m definitely seeing social media affiliates but I just don’t think social media and mobile have evolved to the point of being as effective as search. With that said, I’m actually seeing a lot of affiliates exploring ways to move away from search and toward traditional advertising methods.

How do you keep up on industry trends, latest industry news, etc?
Social media, forums, private groups, newsletters, blogs, podcasts, etc,.

What most attracted you to join the MGECOM team?
The opportunity to learn the finer details of affiliate management while working with high profile clients.

What other jobs have you had outside of affiliate marketing?
Search Marketing Manager, E-commerce Manager, SEO technician, Website Developer. I also held positions working construction and distribution earlier in my life.

?And some of the “fun facts” about Darren:

What are a few of your hobbies?
My great passion is wilderness canoeing but I also do casual whitewater and flatwater paddling. I also do Judo and a lot of cardio exercise. I have an old Trans Am I’m restoring but progress is very slow. I’ve also been doing a lot of experimental cooking lately.

What activities/sports did you do in high school or college?
Judo, motorcycle and motocross riding

What is your favorite vacation location?
Anywhere in the deep woods that requires canoe travel. Also Disney or any beach location will suffice.

If you won a lottery, what would be the first thing you’d buy?
I can think of a few bills I’d pay off then consider purchasing a winter getaway somewhere warm.

Your favorite band to see live?
Roger Waters “The Wall” Tour. I saw it two years ago and will be seeing it again in 2012.

What is your “must see” TV?
I’m not really a TV person and I’m proud to say I never watched Jersey Shore. But if I am watching it’s usually something related to history, NFL, or the outdoors. But lately I have been watching a lot of the primary debates.

What is your favorite Christmas gift you have ever received as a kid or adult?
That would be the KitchenAid mixer I got this Christmas. My homemade pizzas and mashed potatoes have greatly improved since I got my mixer, but you could break a tooth on my homemade bread.

Coke or Pepsi?
I’ll have a craft beer please.

In a perfect world, every eCommerce merchant could get help crafting a well designed affiliate program. Sadly, most merchant run programs fail. To assist merchants that are in this situation, MGECOM has just launched the Incu-Beta service to give select merchants an unfair advantage getting started in the affiliate channel.

What is Incu-Beta?
An innovative, invitation-only affiliate program management service developed to share MGECOM’s Unfair Advantage with select brands that may not be ready for the award winning Full Service offering. Describing the Incu-Beta program, Jeff Cress, VP of Business Development and Marketing, said, “Think of the Incu-Beta as the place where great brands get a head start on the affiliate channel by leveraging many of the same great MGECOM tools and processes that delivered an average 276% growth to MGECOM’s Full Service clients in 2011. However, the Incu-Beta program offers a lower monthly investment than the Full Service offering. MGECOM’s Incu-Beta program goal is to give younger, high potential brands the affiliate channel support needed to quickly grow and become profitable.”

The name “Incu-Beta” is a clever play on the words “incubator” and “Beta,” reflecting that this unique service level is strategically aimed at brands that wish to move forward with an affiliate program before their time, and possibly even before their site has the normal strong foothold required to support a successful affiliate channel investment.

Prior to the Incu-Beta service, brands that weren’t yet ready for Full Service affiliate program management had three options, none of which were particularly effective or attractive.

1) Merchants could task someone in-house or hire to build an affiliate program. While hiring in-house allows action, it usually results in significant brand risk, frustration, distraction and a distinct lack of success. Hiring in-house is guaranteed to be more expensive than the Incu-Beta program.

2) Merchants could abandon their affiliate program plans or put them on indefinite hold.

3) Merchants could hire a discount service provider to apply cookie cutter techniques and mass launch the program on every network that will accept it. As logic suggests, throwing everything at the wall to see what sticks is less of a strategy and more of a desperation move.

The smart alternative is to apply for MGECOM’s Incu-Beta program, which provides a customized strategy and hands-on, expert management.

Merchants interested in launching affiliate programs for brands that may not be ready for the investment in Full Service Affiliate Program Management, but still looking for a solution to protect the brand while driving positive ROI, should contact MGECOM at info@mgecom.com or 866.494.7183 for an evaluation and to request an invitation to the Incu-Beta program.

In our continuing series of interviews with the MGECOM staff, today we talk with Affiliate Manager Gabby Mackle. Gabby has been in the industry since its infancy in the Silicon Valley area and like many of us, jumped in with both feet and learned on the job what it takes to be a successful Affiliate Manager. She has seen it all over her years in the industry, and despite her busy life with 3 young kids she stays very active in industry associations, such as the BAAMC. And, in addition to her full-time job with MGECOM, she manages to moonlight as a chauffeur despite the odd odor emanating from her vehicle – which may or may not be from the 3 kids or the new puppy her family recently welcomed to their home.

How and when did you first get started in affiliate marketing?
I started working in affiliate marketing in San Francisco is the mid 1990’s when there were new e-commerce sites popping up every day. I was working in a different industry and quit my job to work for a start-up as their Affiliate Manager. I didn’t even know what an Affiliate Manager was at the time, and actually I don’t think the people that hired me even knew what Affiliate Marketing was either! I launched their Affiliate Program in LinkShare when there were only 200 other merchants. Ever since then I’ve been working in Affiliate Marketing.

What do you most like about the industry?
Mostly working with so many different publishers in different parts of the country and different parts of the world. Also the community that Affiliate Marketers have built.

What improvements you would like to see in the industry?
I’d like to see better accessibility for the affiliates to merchant datafeeds through the networks. I have had a lot of affiliates tell me that they feel that it is very difficult to access a merchants feed. It think just having a more user friendly interface for the products in the datafeed would help. .

Do you see affiliates embracing mobile and social?
Yes! This is the way consumer are using the internet now. Affiliates are starting to use all of these social networks and mobile applications to sell products.

How do you keep up on industry trends, latest industry news, etc?
I follow some affiliate marketing blogs and keep current with industry new by attending conferences such as Affiliate Summit and CJU when I can. I’m also a member of our Bay Area Affiliate Managers Coalition, BAAMC.

What most attracted you to join the MGECOM team?
Working with the team at MGECOM has been great. It is a smart, dedicated group of individuals who know what needs to be done to create successful Affiliate Programs.

What other jobs have you had outside of affiliate marketing?
When I was in high school I worked at a balloon store, then in college I was a Pizza Cook. My first job out of college was as a Christmas Décor designer. I created Christmas displays for Hotels and Office buildings in San Fransisco, which was a fun job. I’ve also been a chauffeur for my three children! They are all in different sports and after school I drive them to-and-from practices.

And on the personal, “fun” side:

What are a few of your hobbies?
Right now I’m training for a half-marathon, although I don’t really enjoy running, I’m forcing myself! Mainly because my other hobbies include cooking and going out to dinner! I also do Bikram (hot) Yoga once a week. My husband and twins are HUGE soccer fans, so by default I am as well.

What activities/sports did you do in high school or college?
I was a Cheerleader in High School

What is your favorite vacation location?
The St. John US Virgin Islands. My sister lives on St. Thomas and I visit as often as I can.

If you won a lottery, what would be the first thing you’d buy?
A new car! My car leaks when it rains and has an unusual odor. I’m waiting for my kids to get a little older before I destroy a new car!

Your favorite band to see live?
I’m not crazy about seeing live music at big venues. I prefer to see small-time musicians at local clubs. However, I would love to see and Brian Setzer Orchestra again, it was a great show!

What is your “must see” TV?
Right now I am addicted to Mad Men. I’m trying to see all the past episodes before the new season starts. I also like Modern Family,

What is your favorite Christmas gift you have ever received as a kid or adult?
I know the question is suppose to be my favorite gift every received, but I have to say the best gift at Christmas was when we gave our children a puppy this Christmas. She is a labradoodle names Winter and is the cutest thing ever!

Coke or Pepsi?
Diet Coke

Thanks for reading and we hope you are enjoying learning more about the MGECOM Team!

In our continuing series of “Get to Know Us” interviews with MGECOM, this week we talk to Affiliate Manager Chris Mohler. A veteran of the industry, Chris has worked in the online marketing industry since 2001, and has managed a wide range of verticals over his years. Living in Utah, Chris is a diehard Kansas City Chiefs fan and has recently gotten back to his “roots” by starting to grow his own garden…

How and when did you first get started in affiliate marketing?
I initially got my start in affiliate marketing in 2001 while working for a company that provided websites and ecommerce solutions to their customers and clients. My job was to help our customers with their site design and search engine optimization. Along the way, I discovered affiliate marketing as a more revenue friendly resource than drop-shipping, which, at the time, was fairly big business.

What do you most like about the industry?
My favorite thing about affiliate marketing is the way it connects so many people. I have met so many interesting people from all over the world that I would otherwise never have the opportunity to meet. I am also grateful to work in an industry that inspires creativity and really challenges you to do your best.

What improvements would you like to see in the industry?
I think it would be great if all of the networks made it easier to reach out and recruit affiliates. Much of what is done today in terms of recruiting is impersonal and usually takes a great deal of effort to get in touch with affiliates.

What are some of the challenges that you encounter as an Affiliate Manager?
Standing out among the mass emails that affiliates receive can be challenging. Fortunately, we have many great relationships with affiliates, so we often will reach out to affiliates by phone. This also helps us maintain a great interpersonal relationship with our business partners.

Do you see affiliates embracing mobile and social?
Absolutely! Affiliates have traditionally found creative ways to use technology. You can already see this in mobile and social marketing today. Right out of the gate, we saw several coupon affiliates develop their own mobile apps. And social media is everywhere, especially affiliate marketing.

How do you keep up on industry trends, latest industry news, etc?
Mostly through social media: Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc. Industry blogs are usually the best way to keep up on trends, but there are several groups in LinkedIn where you can participate in conversations and read about trends on a daily basis.

What most attracted you to join the MGECOM team?
The single most crucial factor in my decision to join MGECOM is the people. Over the years, I have worked with some amazing people and when I saw that MGECOM had some of the best I have ever worked with, the decision was easy. I have learned so much from so many people on this team prior to joining. Working with such an exceptional group of professionals really brings out the best in me.

What other jobs have you had outside of affiliate marketing?
Prior to affiliate marketing, I spent several years in client support, web design/development, and tech support. Going further back, I used to work in apartment maintenance, construction, etc. Going even further back, you know…high school days, I worked at Taco Bell, McDonalds and Hardees (wow…that really dates me).

And on the personal, “fun” side:

What are a few of your hobbies?
I enjoy being outdoors, so most of my hobbies are reserved for spring/summer. I love growing my own vegetables. My grandfather always grew his own food and raised his own livestock. You could say a little of that rubbed off on me. I also enjoy hiking. Fortunately, living in Utah provides me with thousands of interesting trails to explore…when the weather is right.

What activities/sports did you do in high school or college?
I played basketball, football, baseball and ran cross-country. Looking back, cross-country was my favorite. My training, aside from getting the proper nutrition and drinking plenty of water, was to run 5-miles a day. It was difficult when I first started, but after awhile I didn’t really notice the effort and instead got lost in the run. I got a lot of thinking done back then.

What is your favorite vacation location?
Kansas City, MO…hands down. On top of being able to see my beloved Chiefs play at historical Arrowhead Stadium, I get to sample some of the best BBQ on the planet. If I extend the trip, I can swing down into Arkansas and Oklahoma to visit family.

If you won a lottery, what would be the first thing you’d buy?
I would hire an accountant and attorney, followed by setting up trust funds for my daughters. Then I would start looking for a house.

Your favorite band to see live?
The best live band that I’ve seen so far is Korn. I’ve seen them twice, once with Biohazard and House of Pain and once with Metallica, and they easily outperformed the bands they were opening for. But the band I really want to see live is Slipknot. I am going to see them on the 4th of July in Idaho.

What is your “must see” TV?
Kansas City Chiefs games.

What is your favorite Christmas gift you have ever received as a kid or adult?
As a child, my family went through a really difficult year and my parents were unable to buy any Christmas gifts. So instead, they crocheted stuffed animals and slippers for us. It was really cool to see all of the stuff they came up with. I had 3 sisters and a brother so you can imagine how much effort went into this.

Coke or Pepsi?
Coke

Thanks for reading, and we hope you are enjoying getting to know the MGECOM staff!

In the course of MGECOM’s business, our Business Development team will reach out to merchants to discuss how MGECOM services can be of service to them in the online marketing efforts. Over the course of their discussions the merchant will ask them what MGECOM can do that they cannot do for themselves. Merchants may say they have a marketing team that can start running the affiliate marketing channel, or they can hire a part-timer or intern that can handle the affiliate marketing duties.

In most cases, these types of solutions are not successful over the long run. In this post we will list the reasons why it often makes better business and financial sense for merchants to hire an Affiliate Marketing Agency, or Outsourced Program Manager (OPM) to manage their affiliate marketing programs.

Reason 1: Expertise in the Industry
MGECOM knows how to “do” affiliate marketing. We have a seasoned team of experienced professionals whose only job is to focus on making positive results for their client. They are not tasked with managing the email marketing, PPC advertising budgets, keyword research and social marketing for a client. Our team has the affiliate marketing experience and track record of success to prove that we know how to manage an affiliate program.

Reason 2: Established Network of Successful Affiliate Marketers
An OPM with experience has networked and built trusting relationships with key affiliates across many verticals over their years in the business. It is an uphill battle for a merchant to have some new to affiliate marketing to try and get results as quickly and efficiently as an OPM that has an established in network of professional contacts in their industry they can quickly reach. The MGECOM Affiliate Managers have relationships with affiliate marketing professionals who are E-mail Affiliate Marketers, Pay-Per-Click Affiliate Marketers, Content Affiliate Marketers, Professional Bloggers, and many more. We can quickly reach these busy professionals to discuss new business opportunities with them.

Reason 3: Familiarity with Affiliate Networks
Affiliate networks, such as Commission Junction, ShareASale, Google Affiliate Network, can be complex and overwhelming for a merchant that does not have experience in setting up and designing their affiliate program. The MGECOM Team has established over one hundred affiliate programs and created thousands of banners and text links across all the network interfaces. We also have inside contacts at the affiliate networks that we can call on if we have any issues.

Mining through the network reports for the metrics that important to your business can be cumbersome if you are not familiar with the various terminologies and reports that are found on each network. However, our team runs reports for our clients everyday. We know how to quickly run reports and translate the metrics that are important to clients.

Reason 4: Save on Manpower and Training Costs
Is this your current hiring process? Your company posts a job, then screens hundreds of resumes, then spends time interviewing and second interviewing, then makes offers, then waits for the candidate to accept and start, then start training this new hire. In addition to those costs, the business has to pay the salary, vacation time, benefits and sick time to this new worker. What if this new hire doesn’t work out? You are back to square one. All the while your company is not generating revenue from your affiliate program. Additionally there is office space you have to pay for and there are the industry conferences that you must budget for if you want to maintain a good relationships (and create new ones) with affiliates in the industry.

But, if you choose to hire an OPM company to manage your affiliate program, the process will be similar to this: Talk with MGECOM to discover your company’s needs with your affiliate program. Ensure there is a match of your needs and our experience. Agree to allow MGECOM to manage your affiliate program. In just 30-45 days your affiliate program is live and ready to start generating revenue for your company.

You will not have wasted all that time and money. And, MGECOM regularly attends the affiliate industry conferences such as the industry-leading Affiliate Summit (where All-Access passes start at $1,879), thereby saving you more money by not having to budget and send your in-house staff.

Reason 5: Broader Scope of Specialized Skills
Affiliate marketing can take many angles; there are PPC affiliates, content affiliates, coupon affiliates, bloggers and social media affiliates. Our team has a broad reach into these various avenues of affiliate marketing that you can be sure we can find the right partners to promote your program.

Reason 6: Affiliate Laws and Technology are always evolving
Our company lives and breathes affiliate marketing, therefore it is our responsibility to keep up with the latest happenings and trends in the industry. We are well-studied and versed with the affiliate nexus tax (are you familiar with this legislation? We are.). We are constantly using the same new technologies and techniques that affiliates and networks are using. (Batch reporting? Pixel firing? We know all about these.). We must stay on top of the going

Reason 7: Quicker Responses and Adaptation to Changes
Internet marketing is a constantly-evolving business and MGECOM can react faster to your changing needs as we are singularly focused on results-based affiliate marketing. We have the ability to pull various affiliate marketing professionals and subject-matter experts into the program as needed. What about vacation time? If your in-house person goes on vacation, how are you going to maintain your program for two weeks? When a program manager for MGECOM goes on vacation, another manager steps can step in without your program missing a beat.

Reason 8: Brand Reputation
As an affiliate marketing specialist firm, MGECOM is very well aware that nothing would kill our reputation and business quicker than failing to protect our client’s brands. We know affiliates don’t always play by the rules and we know who you should avoid working with in order to protect your brand. We have the broad reach into the affiliate channel and use of the latest technology to prevent fraud and monitor affiliate activity to ensure a level of brand protection.

As you have read, there are many compelling reasons that a business should consider as reasons to hire an OPM agency to manage their affiliate program. Hiring an OPM will give the merchant the greatest chance for affiliate marketing success and they will see positive ROI more quickly than assigning the affiliate marketing duties to an in-house manager.

We hope you have found this information useful! If you would like to discover if affiliate marketing is right for your business, please contact our business development team.

In our third installment of our “Get to Know Us” interviews with the MGECOM Staff, we learn more about Affiliate Manager Pam White. Pam has been with MGECOM for a number of years and has managed programs across a number of verticals of MGECOM. During the day, you’ll find her working hard with Country Music jamming in the background, and at night she’ll relax by cruising the town in her pink scooter.

How and when did you first get started in affiliate marketing?
In 1999 I went to work for a small Internet company in Deland, Fl. that had an in-house affiliate program. I began to work directly with affiliates, assisting them with questions about the program and product and eventually was promoted to the Affiliate Manager.

What do you most like about the industry?
The insatiable desire of most Affiliate Managers and Network Representatives and virtually everyone in the business to share their knowledge and insights with each other.

What improvements you would like to see in the industry?
Consistency and continuity over all Affiliate tracking platforms. That government intervention in affiliate marketing be funneled to matters of fraud versus taxation.

What are some of the challenges that you encounter as an Affiliate Manager?
Keeping abreast of latest affiliate marketing outlets, sub-affiliate offers, new social platforms, coupon sites, niche sites and aggregators, leads, and determining the best publishers for the clients I represent.

Do you see affiliates embracing mobile and social?
Yes, they already have. Especially in the world of fashion and blogging.

How do you keep up on industry trends, latest industry news, etc?
Clickz, Search Engine Watch, Google Alerts (affiliate marketing) Revenews, FeedFront Mag. Popular social outlets and the MGECOM.com internal resources.

What most attracted you to join the MGECOM team?
Top brand recognition, industry reputation, Linkedin recommendation.

What other jobs have you had outside of affiliate marketing?
Travel Agent, Sales department in a Construction equipment business. (I once operated a Fiat-Allis 41 Crawler Tractor – at the time it was the largest crawler tractor in the world)

ed. note: I had to find out how big this tractor was. A quick Google search showed me that it was a biggie. Guessing it would take more than few dollars to fill up the gas tank.

And for some of “fun facts” about this tractor-driving Affiliate Manager :

What are a few of your hobbies?
Art Festivals, Home improvement projects, family time, riding my pink scooter when it’s running and cruising as a rider on my husband’s motorcycle.

What activities/sports did you do in high school or college?
Dances, cruising the drag, bowling, after-school hours working at a Dr.’s office.

What is your favorite vacation location?
Ireland- County Cork- although I like London, San Francisco and St. Augustine, Florida.

If you won a lottery, what would be the first thing you’d buy?
I’d put enough in trust so that my son could attend college. I’d buy a house for both my sons. Some to charity. And if money could buy it….a date with John Travolta

Your favorite band to see live?
I don’t know of many bands really. I’d love to see Rod Stewart again. But mostly country artists, like Toby Keith, Kenny Chesney, Taylor Swift, Sugarland.

What is your “must see” TV?
Big Bang Theory- PBS – Masterpiece Mysteries, Classic, Contemporary.

What is your favorite Christmas gift you have ever received as a kid or adult?
My mom always made up a “Pamdora’s Box” full of all kinds of things she’d picked up for me over the year. It always included a sentimental gifts being handed down from mother to daughter. It was the best.

Coke or Pepsi?
Coke-Diet Decaffeinated with vanilla.

Thanks for reading and we will see you again next week!

In our second round of “Get to Know Us” interviews with the MGECOM staff, this week we talk with MGECOM Affiliate Manager Adam Russo. Through our conversation we learned that he is a former debate team wizard, (which probably helps him as a parent), he can often be heard quoting Captain Kirk, and he has a strange obsession with Jon Stewart. Enjoy our conversation and tune in next week for round 3!

How and when did you first get started in affiliate marketing?
I started in 2003 at Overstock.com, along with Mike Kansa and Chris Mohler.

What do you most like about the industry?
I like the interaction with affiliates, the ability to help them earn a decent living selling good products online, and that the customers that get to benefit from the exposure of products that may not have been seen otherwise before.

What improvements you would like to see in the industry?
I’d like to see more networks embrace the mobile market; it’s been growing for years but it doesn’t seem that there is much coming out of the big players (LS, CJ, GAN) which should be changing ASAP.

What are some of the challenges that you encounter as an Affiliate Manager?
Sometimes it’s difficult to get affiliates excited about deals on very niche products – especially when there is never any turnover on products, new products, or many changes on site.

Do you see affiliates embracing mobile and social?
Funny – I mentioned this above. I think affiliates are ahead of the game on mobile and social, though there has been a lot of bad social trends…. It’s still being flushed out. Mobile, however, seems to be a powerhouse that isn’t really coming into it’s own lately.

How do you keep up on industry trends, latest industry news, etc?
I read up on local affiliate boards, try and keep pace on Facebook, Twitter, and Linked in, and through various colleagues and friends in the industry.

What most attracted you to join the MGECOM team?
I had a pre-existing relationship with both Mike Bump and Matt Enders from the OPM side, and Anne from the merchant side. It was a great fit with good people!

What other jobs have you had outside of affiliate marketing?
I used to do customer service/CSR trainer for a few companies. I also was the assistant general manager for a few fast food restaurants before coming out to Utah.

And on the personal, “fun” side of what makes this Trekkie tick:

What are a few of your hobbies?
I’m a gamer, a science fiction nerd, and a father. I love spending time with my daughter, taking her out places she likes to go, teaching her the ways of Star Trek and Firefly, helping her with Minecraft, and many other fun things. I also am passionate about cooking, which being both Italian and heavy, I think I have an unfair advantage over many other people.

What activities/sports did you do in high school or college?
I used to play roller hockey in a pick up league for a few years. I was a goalie, which is funny considering if you Google my name, one of the more famous Adam Russo’s out there is a hockey goalie. I also did a lot of debate class for my school’s Model UN, which was probably one of the more fun things I’ve ever done.

What is your favorite vacation location?
I don’t take a lot of vacations, but I do generally try to go to Vegas once in a while. I do, however, want to visit the old country – Italy – and hit Germany, Ireland, and England while I’m there. Or a cruise somewhere…

If you won a lottery, what would be the first thing you’d buy?
Depends on how much I won! A gold plated 25 foot statue of me might just be gaudy enough. Kidding – I’d buy a house for each of my sisters, my mom, and myself. I might just get mine first though.

Your favorite band to see live?
I haven’t seen many bands live, but the one I would love to have seen would have been Smashing Pumpkins and/or Nirvana.

What is your “must see” TV?
I have the Daily Show on TiVo. It’s my one thing I watch religiously.

What is your favorite Christmas gift you have ever received as a kid or adult?
This past year, I got a full on family crest of the Russo name from my daughter. It’s framed right above my computer. Pretty awesome!

Coke or Pepsi?
Throwback cane-sugar Pepsi. The HFCS stuff isn’t very good compared to the older stuff!

Thanks for your time, Adam! Live long and Prosper!

Anne Fognano, a.k.a. Clevermom, has been in the affiliate marketing industry since the late 1990’s. She has been an affiliate for most of that time, but over the past two years has started as an affiliate manager with MGECOM. Her work ethic, drive and positive attitude are some of the great qualities that make her a well-respected member of our team and the industry as a whole. In our first series of “Get to Know Us” interviews, we asked Anne some questions about her start in affiliate marketing, her thoughts on the industry and her life outside of work. Hope you enjoy getting to know Anne!

How did you first get started in affiliate marketing?
I actually got into affiliate marketing by accident. I had a website for moms and was posting coupons as a small part of my site. 99% of the traffic was clicking on the ‘coupons’ tab and I decided to focus on coupons, and became one of the first ten or so ‘coupon’ sites online. My site became very popular, very fast, and the rest is history!

What do you most like about the industry?
I love the people in affiliate marketing. So many self-motivated entrepreneurs, and great minds think alike. I especially like the ‘family’ feel that the industry has… everyone always seems to be willing to lend a hand or support when needed. I also love the quality of life aspect that working in such a flexible industry provides.

What improvements you would like to see in the industry?
One of the things I have heard talked about over the years is to have a standard format for product feeds. I think this sort of thing would be helpful to many. I would also like to see merchants better educated about the value of coupon sites, and the benefit of using them to drive sales to their site.

What are some of the challenges that you encounter as an Affiliate Manager?
Sometimes communicating with affiliates can be difficult. I think this is mainly because affiliates get SO many emails that they really don’t see all of the emails that are sent to them. I try to do a work around by calling affiliates directly, sometimes that nixes the concern about if someone has seen an email or not that I have sent them!

Do you see affiliates embracing mobile and/or social marketing?
Definitely this is clearly the trendy thing right now. Although I do see more on the social side. Affiliates are really embracing some creative ways to help their visitors spread the word about their sites and the merchants they are representing!

How do you keep up on industry trends, latest industry news, etc?
I follow all of the top professionals in the industry through typical avenues: Facebook, twitter, blogs, etc… I also attend industry events ( Affiliate Summit ) as able.

What most attracted you to join the MGECOM team?
The amazing group of professionals at MGECOM is really the catalyst for me signing on. One of the greatest things about MGECOM is we simply have an awesome team… Great people that are talented, know the industry, know their job, are always available to lend a helping hand and also are fun to work with!

What other jobs have you had outside of affiliate marketing?
From the age of 14 – 16 I was a tour guide at Luray Caverns… a tourist spot in Virginia. From 16 – 20, I worked at McDonalds, Roy Rogers, and Pizza Hut. My background is in psychology, and my education the same ( BA, MA). From the age of about 21 until about 14 years ago, I worked mainly with autistic children and adults as a behavioral specialist/program coordinator.

And we learned a few insights into the life of Anne outside of work:
What are some of your favorite things to do?
My favorite thing to do at the moment is travel.. In the last five years I have been to Bermuda, Mexico, Australia, Canada & England. I try to hit the gym a few times a week, though I have never embraced this as a ‘fun’ activity…. I am also planning to take up biking as soon as the weather is nicer. Recently I have taken on ‘hot yoga’ clases… 1 ½ hours of yoga in a room heated to around 110 degrees. I can honestly say, though odd, this is actually almost fun.

What are a few of your hobbies?
I sing and even have a singsnap profile! I have recently set up a mini recording studio in my home and really enjoy recording different types of music. I used to sing in a band when I was younger and have been playing around with the idea of doing that again in the near future. Aside from singing, I like to do creative things like arts, crafts, sewing, and writing. I am anticipating I will also write a book eventually, but I haven’t taken the time to figure out what the will be yet.. lol.

What activities/sports did you do in high school or college?
I played basketball in high school, was in all county choir, all regional choir, and all state choir.

What is your favorite vacation location?
Australia… I went a few years ago and am dying to go back!

If you won a lottery, what would be the first thing you’d buy?
I’d pay my house off and buy a new car. After that, depending on the winnings, I would probably share the wealth with my family and friends in need.

Your favorite band to see live?
I still love the Eagles… after all these years!

What is your favorite Christmas gift you ever received as a kid or adult?
My UGG boots a few years ago

Coke or Pepsi?
Diet Coke or Diet Cherry Pepsi

That wraps up our first round in our new “Get to Know Us” series. We hope you enjoyed getting to know Anne, and please come back next week for our next interview!