Zlata Thoughts NewZ + The Single Most Important Thing in Affiliate Marketing

Vol 23

HelloZ 

Hello, friendZ. Summer cooks on and so do we! This week we have some new productZ, funnieZ, TV ShowZ, my latest storieZ, ABZs and more. Loaded docket! So here we go, holla if you feel me though.

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ProductZ

XO Baking: As you may or may not know, I’ve written about the low-FODMAP diet for years. Without getting too deep into it, there’re a lot of things on the “don’t eat” list, and one of them is gluten. That’s okay though because these gluten-free mixes from XO Baking are my jam. Let me know if you try!

Maya Chia: This new-ish clean beauty brand features luxe skin and scalp treatments loved by Goop, Allure, Vanity Fair and more. I’m currently loving The Advanced Response Complex.

Charlie’s Table: This gluten free pasta is IN-SAN-ITY. It’s quite literally the best pasta I’ve ever hard in my life. I’m not exaggerating. RUN - do not walk - to order some! Fun fact: the owner is 85!

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Latest StorieZ

My latest on CafeMom was published last week. To those who pitched: thanks for all your help!

CafeMom.com: 10 Must-Have Beauty Products To Snag on Your Next Target Run

Mom.com: The 8 Best Nursing Bras for Mom

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ShowZ

The Sandman on Netflix: The Sandman is about the Dream King (Tom Sturridge) who attempts to repair mistakes he’s made throughout his long life. It’s based on the DC comic book of the same name and features Game of Thrones alum, so that probZ bodes well. 

Also on Netflix, Clusterf**k: Woodstock ’99: If you’re looking for nostalgia of the disaster variety, this Netflix Original Documentary has you covered with a look back at the Woodstock 1999 musical festival. 

Throwback Movies: ​​Tobey Maguire’s Spider-Man trilogy and all three films of Men in Black are available on Netflix as of this week. 

Star Wars Spinoff: The newest Star Wars spinoff hits the airwaves at the end of the month on Disney+. Star Wars: Andor follows the life of Captain Cassian Andor, played by Diego Luna, before the events of Rogue One.  

And finally on Hulu: Welcome to Wrexham, a docuseries about Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney's decision to buy the small British soccer team. 

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FunnieZ

Everyone deserves a laugh break. This is yours today! :)

m@thew @TweetPotato314

kind of funny the app i use least on my phone is phone

Meanwhile in Canada @MeanwhileinCana

Every bunny was kung fu fighting

Elliot Baggott @ElliotBaggott

Well, well, well. Look who's come crawling back.

ABC News @abcnews

Amid an oversupply of avocados, how can we find ways to eat more? Here are some tips https://t.co/0mIn2ZWVSb

Jesse Case @jessecase

Heads up everyone, it's Ninja Turtle weather

NWS Storm Prediction Center @NWSSPC

11:32am CDT #SPC Day1 Outlook Slight Risk: Across the Ozark Plateau through the Ohio River Valley https://t.co/GtEvHQ3UxE https://t.co/vXolKr0Rdt

¢orie @corietjohnson

everytime i look at a clock i’m like “there’s no fucking way”

caleb hearon @calebsaysthings

can’t stand a cute restaurant menu. “let’s get it started” bitch say appetizers i swear to god.

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Affiliate Marketing ABZs: The Single-most Important Thing You Can Do

I talk a lot about the win-wins in affiliate marketing. Affiliates earn commissions, brands earn exposure and revenue, and PR agents earn their keep. It’s really a fantastic sitch for everyone and I will never stop preaching that. 

But sometimes, it’s not all roses. Sometimes there are pitfalls. In my experience, the single most important thing you can do in affiliate marketing is properly vetting your affiliate partners. Yeah, you need good management and good platforms, and smart commission structure…totally, you do need all those things to succeed. But, it all starts with proper vetting. 

Here are a few reasons why: 

1. You/your client’s brand reputation is on the line every time. You (and/or your client) have worked very hard to establish a brand that says the right things to the right people. The last thing you want to do is endanger that by putting your brand in the hands of someone who doesn’t give a shit about it. All it takes is one bad affiliate to desecrate your hard-earned brand equity with unauthorized coupons. Next thing you know, you’re working backward to scrub the internet of the stuff that shouldn't be there. And now, instead of watching your revenue grow and your brand flourish, you’re hustling just to get back to even. 

2. Earning potential is based on how much work you have to put in. One of the biggest upsides to affiliate marketing is that you get hands-off earning potential. Read that again, and focus on the last few words. If you have to micromanage your affiliates, you didn’t vet them well enough. But more importantly: then it’s NOT hands-off. Affiliate marketing should be earning you/your brand money while you’re busy doing other brand things. Yes, it needs management, especially in the beginning. But the more time you spend vetting your partners, the less time you’ll spend babysitting them. 

3. It’s all about matchmaking. In traditional PR, there are mismatches, right? You wouldn’t pitch your luxury handsoap client as part of a sporting goods round-up (at least not without a very oddly specific angle). You simply cannot throw spaghetti at the wall and see what sticks and expect any kind of valuable results. My PR friendZ know this well. Welllll it’s the same with affiliate marketing. All too often I see people throw a wide ass net, without giving any thought to the people or other businesses they’re connecting to. This is a horrible strategy! At best you’ll get lucky, but at worst, you’ll have a slew of problems that will fall to you to solve. 

Ultimately, your goal is to earn new revenue and part of that is managing the customer’s brand experience, ensuring every step of the way is curated the way you intended it. 

That all for today! Thank you, as always, for joining me and reading along. I appreciate you so much! Sharing is caring, so please feel free to pass me around like a hot potato!

Questions? Comments? Always ready for those:

Till next time, friendZ!