Welcome to the very first post of the Meet the IA Team series, where our team shares their tips, tricks and resources that help them complete daily tasks, stay organised, increase productivity and meet their goals.
NameAlexandra BogdanovaPositionAffiliate ManagerBackgroundAlexandra started out at Income Access as an Account Manager and is now the senior member of the affiliate management team.
Alexandra shares her insight on her role as Affiliate Manager
What is the first thing you do when you get to the office?
Get coffee!Once I’m a bit more awake, I scan my calendar for calls and meetings and go through my inbox to see which items need my immediate attention. Then I write up a simple to do list. This helps me prioritise my time for the day and allows me to keep my many tasks organised.What skills have you learned/perfected since you began as an affiliate manager?
Negotiation
When managing an affiliate programme, negotiating win-win partnerships between operators and affiliates is the key to maintaining a growing affiliate programme. Mind you, finding that perfect balance that suits both the operator’s budget and the affiliate’s business model is often a challenge.The best way for me to negotiate the perfect deal is to ask many questions about the affiliate’s business. These are some questions that I like to ask:
- Do you work with hybrid deals?
- How do you select brands to be listed on your home page?
- How do you obtain traffic for your site?
- What content do you need from us to get started?
I think some affiliates may find me a tad annoying, but this is the best way to close a great deal!
Multitasking
As I quickly found out when I started working as an affiliate manager, there are a thousand and one tasks that need to be completed on a given day! My day usually consists of recruitment, reporting, follow up calls, general software checks and writing promotional articles. And, of course, we can’t forget the tasks required to get affiliates set up, monitor their results and help them succeed with the programme.I have learned to manage my time in a way that is both efficient and flexible. As many ad hoc requests come up, it is important to be able to jump back and forth between activities. My handy to do lists help with this.
Another way I manage surprise tasks is to schedule in a bit of free time during my day, without meetings or other projects scheduled. I can tell you that this time doesn’t stay free for long!
What is one tip you would give a new affiliate manager?
Never stop learning!I’ve learned from experience that the iGaming industry is constantly changing. To effectively manage an affiliate programme, you must be aware of industry trends.
In order to stay up to date, I like to do the following activities:
- Sign up for and read industry newsletters from affiliates, operators, industry media and software providers.
- Go on GPWA to read threads, polls and articles.
- Ask affiliates about their business and how they are evolving in the industry.
- Read iGaming industry publications like iGaming Business, eGR and InterGame.
Get to know Alexandra!
You’ve lived in many countries around the world. Tell us a bit about your adventures! Was there one place that you liked best?
I was born and raised in Saint Petersburg, Russia. My family still lives there and I go back to visit all the time.From there, I moved to Cape Town, South Africa, and spent some time working and seeing the sights. This is where I caught the travel bug!
For my Master’s Degree, I ventured down under and studied marketing at Macquarie University in Sydney. When not at school, I loved spending time on the beautiful Australian beaches. Another thing I really loved was the great animals – I couldn’t get enough of the cute koalas, kangaroos and wallabies!
After that it was time to get some solid work experience in, so I flew across the world to the Big Apple. While completing an internship, I got into the groove of busy, hectic New York City. One thing I loved most about NYC was that you can experience so many different cultures just a few steps from your apartment. With a huge variety of restaurants, art shows and exhibitions, and people on the street, you never know what culture you will learn about next.
Next came my most exotic move – Bogota, Colombia. This was the perfect mix between work and rest and relaxation! Though this was quite the culture shock for me, it gave me the opportunity to learn Spanish, a language in which I am now fully fluent!
And here we are now, in Montreal, Canada. I have been living here for almost four years and I absolutely love it. There are so many great things to do in the city: shows, nightlife, history… not to mention the beautiful mountains and lakes that are also just a short drive away from the city!
I love travelling and I think living in cities is the best way to experience the local culture. I can’t decide which place I enjoyed the most as each one has their very own character. All I know is that I can’t wait to see even more of the world!
Speed Round!
What is your favourite…- Movie: Gone with the Wind
- Sport: Kayaking
- Colour: Purple
- Hobby: Travelling
- Book: Journey of the Souls by Michael Newton
- Food: Russian Borsh, Colombian Ajiaco and Canadian Poutine!
Email Alexandra to learn more about affiliate management.
