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- Apr 17, 2018
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Today's addition to our Interview with a Pro Affiliate series is an exciting one for me because the super affiliate I interviewed is someone I follow closely and someone I know most members of our community also follow closely 
That super affiliate is none other than... @DEADZ
DEADZ has only posted on affLIFT about 500 times since joining in 2018, but every time he posts he provides insights that are hard to come by. He is more open and helpful than most people that have had his success with affiliate marketing and I really appreciate having him in our community.
Not surprisingly, DEADZ went deep in his responses to my questions and provided some really awesome and useful information. Check out our interview and post any questions below. I am sure he will be happy to answer
How much is the most you have made in a single day with affiliate marketing?
In pure profit: $6k, if we're only talking about Media Buying.
If we're talking about Affiliate Marketing, in general: €23k.
What is the most you've lost in a single day? I know from my own experience, I try to block out losses pretty quickly, but give me an estimate if you can't remember.
Not sure on the exact amount, but between $4k-$6k on direct losses on traffic + 2 advertisers didn't pay (around $3.6k) for that week of traffic.
The processs of taking that campaign from (deep) -ROI to ROI+ did give me a boost in confidence + I learned a lot (& really quick) from everything that was happening "around" the campaign (1 manager constantly trying to steal the campaign/setup, another asking me to push/stop traffic every few hours, learned how 1 big advertizer was manipulating/shaving conversions, negotiating next day payouts, managing traffic flow to offers/networks/advertizers based on what was happening, etc).
What is one book, article, or podcast that you think has helped you get where you are?
The main book that comes to mind is The War of Art. This is the only book I re-read every year (& more specifically, I re-read all the chapters under Book Two & Book Three). I think this book "resonates" so much with me, because (of my (INTP) Personality Type &) I take a divergent thinking approach, and relate/cross-reference the information (especially the parts about being a pro, muses, angels, routine, flow, etc) with other concepts & philosophies (like Wu Wei, The Alter Ego Effect, Rise of Superman, etc).
I also read pretty much any book that catches my attention (& that's directly applicable to whatever I'm currently focusing on), & apply a "2nd Brain Approach"- In short: Download epubs, speed-read (Elevate really helped) & highlight on iBooks (or E-Reader), copy the highlights to WorkFlowy (or any note app), and add own thoughts to the highlights (& add hashtags, categories, etc for easier search later).
And, Jay Abraham's content (all of it) has had a good amount of impact on my success, mainly the Maven & Preemenence concepts (& usually most of the marketers that I think are good at what they do, have been influenced (either directly, or indirectly) by Jay).
I'm a very big believer that your subconscious programming (good or bad) will have a lot to do with your success! So, I highly recommend: You Where Born Rich, The Power of Your Subconscious Mind, Heart of The Matter, This Whole Channel, & this video.
But, the biggest impact on my success (still) comes from my (own) Mastermind (formed with like-minded friends/individuals that have similar goals - a principle from Think & Grow Rich), Coaches (to help achieve specific performance based goals/results), & Mentors (to calibrating & staying on track with Personal Myth/Life Path), in real life - It would otherwise be (way) harder to (actually) put everything into practice.
What is your favorite hobby?
(House & Break) Dancing & Gaming (Fighting Games). Used to do both professionally.
What is your favorite affiliate network and why?
Traffic Company - For so many reasons. But #1 reason - They have the best Managers (& I say this after years of working with so many networks). And also a lot of people tend to agree. I think a lot of networks can (& should) follow their example. I've personally seen (& heard of) many cases where they've done what's best for their affiliates (vs just doing what's best for the advertizer/their own pocket).
And, I also have to mention MaxWeb here - Another network that other networks can (& should) learn from. Everything they do (from the 3x weekly payouts, youtube videos, how the managers give support, their activity in forums, etc) is geared towards (actually) serving Affiliates.
What is your favorite affiliate marketing tool and why?
Kintura (eventhough it's dead). Machine Learning (especially when it's on the Affiliates side, & not just on the traffic sources) is a gamechanger. And it's not just about better ROI, it can also give Affiliates more leverage (most of the time you don't have any, unless you're a pro in a certain vertical, and/or have a unique setup) when dealing with Networks, Advertisers, & Traffic Sources.
No other tool is my "favorite" like that. With other tools, as soon as something breaks or doesn't feel right, I'm moving onto the next best option. But with Kintura (eventhough it had so many issues) I'd still be happy to see it come back, and I'd continue using it (as if nothing happened).
What is 1 skill you've learned since starting affiliate marketing that has helped you the most with getting your campaigns profitable?
(Actual) Media Buying - At some point (& this is somewhat like the "T-Shaped Marketer" concept) I just had to go deep(er) into (the fundamentals of) Media Buying - and that's when I started seeing more (& more) stability & success with my campaigns.
And, It has more to do with the perspective (shifts) that comes along with (actually learning) the skill.
Like, I remember some of my biggest "breakthroughs" happening at different points while learning Media Buying; when I started considering all my campaigns as a "portfolio" (of assets), and thinking differently about data (like small data vs big data & keeping the data clean, etc), and seeing different parts of the campaign (like the data, the setup, traffic, etc) as longterm assets, and developing my own personal approach (I have mainly 2, that I call "Phases" & "Pools"), and more.
I think that because I see myself as a Digital Entrepreneur (first), that this also changes the way I handle & deal in this scene. For example, (before) I used get this slight feeling of accomplishment when I got accepted into a top network, but now (no matter what network it is) I'm mainly looking for a good & personal fit/match (for a strong longterm partnership), above anything else (it's even to the point that I consider if I was on my last $1k, would I trust this manager to actually give me solid advice, or not).
But also...
CopyWriting - (Eventhough I don't use it directly in my Media Buying) At the end of the day, I think this is my #1 skill (for making money online, in general). If I look at my biggest successes in Affiliate Marketing (in general) it's mainly been because of copywriting.
The main thing is the perspective you get when you (really) understand the fundamentals of CopyWriting (p.s. this is a good CopyWriting book that can give some "instant" perspective shifts), & also how "Perceived Value" & "Suspension of Disbelief" work (especially on yourself) - all of this + Personal Experience (+ Mental Models + Trading Psychology + Stoic Philosophy) can help you make better decisions & not waste a lot of resources (time, money, energy, etc).
Side Tip - Something to (always) remember is that as Media Buyers, we're constantly dealing with "Risk" - we're constantly risking our own capital on offers/product/brands that aren't ours (no LTV for us here, unless it's revshare) - so (I believe), if traffic sources, affiliate managers/network, trackers, etc are really (actually good &) "on our side", then whatever they're offering should make our job less risky (for example, Traffic Sources that provide proper Whitelists (that actually work), Affiliate Managers that give recommendations with/based on actual data, etc).
I believe you are a full-time affiliate. How long did it take you to accomplish that?
Well, the thing is I never had a "normal job". So you can say I've been "Full-Time" since I was 19 years old (2009), but I started dabbling in Making Money Online when I was 16. For me (at least in my mind) there was no other choice.
I'd say between 2016 & 2018 is when I'd say I (actually) got to point where I'm confident in saying "this is (all) stable", now (a.k.a daily passive income that I can live off of). I also did lose some assets in those years (a lot of affiliate sites, some really big social media accounts, & some of my main affiliate accounts) - which I do miss every now & then, but all & all I'm confident & glad that I have skills that I can (always) count on to make money online.
What is 1 thing we can add to affLIFT to make it better? This can be something the community does or something I do personally to make the forum better.
Hard question, because I think the forum is doing well (as is), already. I personally consider affLIFT essential for Affiliates (especially beginners & intermediates) to get answers & help on anything. There's multiple times a week where (instead of having to answer certain questions) I just do a quick search on affLIFT & send people links to threads that already have the answer.
But this is just what comes to mind:
Maybe bigger contests - Maybe like aim for 1 a year that includes 3-6 networks, 3-6 traffic sources, & more deals & prizes for participants. I imagine it'd be harder to pull off, but could be something for the team to work towards during the whole year. And ideal/dream scenario would be that networks & traffic sources would want to "compete" against each other as well (to be the one in the winning thread), and offer "incentives" (specific campaign recommendations, higher rates, faster payments, recommended whitelists, bonus on deposit/spend, etc) for people to use their network/traffic source.
I also think (at some point) Community Leaders shouldn't participate in contests (in general), or maybe they can "donate" their wins to their favorite thread or something along those lines. I think the goal should be to stimulate more activity from newcommers, lurkers/more "unknown" members, etc (& also if executed correctly, these contests should pull more intermediate affiliates towards joining & participating in AffLift). I do think some members can get discouraged to participate if they see the most popular members (which are usually the community leaders) participating/winning all the time.
Also, the main thing that attracted me to affLIFT was because (at that time) Luke was making videos. So might be something to consider, like even if it's "monthly recap" videos on Youtube (like the videos from ExoClick, AdLeaks, and/or MaxWeb) & highlight best threads, tips, (interviews), etc of the month (& this can also serve as extra promo/asset for affLIFT).
What is your least favorite part about affiliate marketing?
Managers (& Networks) That Lack Experience, Competence, Vision/Innovation, Character - At this point (I look at it like) I'm the one interviewing Managers & Networks to find a good match (which is something I'm always doing, eventhough I have my main networks already). There's been many cases where I just stopped working with a network (even some where I was making 4-figures/week), just because of a (new) bad manager. I especially hate it when they don't respect Affiliates, as actual Marketers (a.k.a. they treat you as just proxy traffic sources, or they focus to much on "Marketing" you, etc). And I personally (but this also has to do with my personality type) find it hard to work with Managers that have very little experience (but still act like they do).
What is your favorite part about affiliate marketing?
Freedom - In every sense. From the freedom of choice on what (Affiliate Marketing) strategies & approaches to focus on (and you can always find a specific approach that suits you). To the freedom you get (mentally), which is something you notice more & more, especially through convo's & activities with people (that aren't into anything "Digital", like that), in your life. And the freedom you get in how you setup & use your time. And everything in between.
When you create a thread, I stop what I am doing to read it. Who is one member of affLIFT that you follow closely and recommend others follow (please don't pick me)?
I can't say that there'e one member that has that affect on me. But I always read anything that any one of the affLIFT team posts. And beyond that if any post from any member (randomly) catches my attention (& it's mainly the way they write that catches my attention, like I can usually "read someone's experience level"), then I'll do a quick deep dive on all their previous posts/threads.
Also shoutout (& RIP) to @JackySan.
What is one thread on affLIFT that every single member needs to read (besides this one)?
The "Best Of" affLIFT - Mega Thread
You have your own group of affiliates that you mentor. Tell us a bit about that.
So, I decided to launch "DEADZ Media Lab" (in 2018), which (for me) was meant to be an "alternative" to having my own Media Buying team, or Network, or Forum. And it's mainly a collection of (long) articles that give advice based on my experience & mindset, personal Media Buying approach, & specific campaigns that I run. There are some preview articles that I think will "speak for themselves" - in terms of the quality & type of content that people can expect from the private sections.
For anyone that might be interested in my private content - I'm actually planning on releasing the majority of my private content (for free) + adding more content (that include my unfiltered advice - on mindset, frameworks, and specific strategies - that I wish I could've had during my own journey), within the next few months (I'm aiming to release around December/January). And I'll do a proper announcement when that's done. So if anyone was/is interesting in getting access to (just) my private content, I'd advise them to wait (& keep an eye out) for the free version to come out.
But, the main benefit of joining DEADZ Media Lab is the 1-on-1 access people can get with me...
What is one question I should have asked you that I haven't? Please answer it as well.
"Knowing what you know now, what advice would you give to (a past version) of yourself on day 1 of their journey into Media Buying?"
Research is #1 - And take as much time as you need to get confident in the next step to take (even if that means dedicating your first 1-3 months to just research). Try to get as much actual data (from opportunity tools on networks, insight reports, managers, case studies, etc) as possible. Don't just believe what blogs, forums, groups, managers tell you (a lot is sponsored in this scene). And ask questions in a "stupidly simple" way & see if you get (unannoyed) "stupidly simple" (that feel like "DUH") answers back. Understand the value chain (& risk) involved for everyone (for example, why should you be the Affiliate? When you can rebroker/whitelabel offers from 1 network to another & only pay for conversions?). Research market size/cap/growth & history of the main vertical(s) you're interested in (& also research the forums, groups, etc in that vertical). Look for unique solutions (that aren't talked about a lot) to common problems in the scene - especially when it comes to traffic sources & networks.
And for me, "that next step" should (actually) feel like FOMO for days (in some cases, even months) - like I sometimes leave my researched opportunities (a.k.a. notes, data screenshots from managers, traffic source sites, and/or networks, etc) open in tabs, that I check every now & then. And if I find myself constantly thinking about it (& the thoughts/feeling don't just die out after a few days), I'll start taking action on it.
By doing all of this is how I managed to find a safer way to success (vs what was being promoted in forums, etc), when I was starting out (which is this thread). And there's always new (but just a few) traffic sources & networks popping up that are built to offer a unique & safer solution for Affiliates.
Amazing interview, thank you DEADZ. I appreciate your feedback on affLIFT and as always, appreciate you being so open about what you're doing and your insights into the industry.
If you enjoyed this interview with DEADZ, check out some of the others we have done
afflift.com
afflift.com
afflift.com
afflift.com
afflift.com
afflift.com
That super affiliate is none other than... @DEADZ
DEADZ has only posted on affLIFT about 500 times since joining in 2018, but every time he posts he provides insights that are hard to come by. He is more open and helpful than most people that have had his success with affiliate marketing and I really appreciate having him in our community.
Not surprisingly, DEADZ went deep in his responses to my questions and provided some really awesome and useful information. Check out our interview and post any questions below. I am sure he will be happy to answer
Interview with DEADZ
How much is the most you have made in a single day with affiliate marketing?In pure profit: $6k, if we're only talking about Media Buying.
If we're talking about Affiliate Marketing, in general: €23k.
What is the most you've lost in a single day? I know from my own experience, I try to block out losses pretty quickly, but give me an estimate if you can't remember.Not sure on the exact amount, but between $4k-$6k on direct losses on traffic + 2 advertisers didn't pay (around $3.6k) for that week of traffic.
The processs of taking that campaign from (deep) -ROI to ROI+ did give me a boost in confidence + I learned a lot (& really quick) from everything that was happening "around" the campaign (1 manager constantly trying to steal the campaign/setup, another asking me to push/stop traffic every few hours, learned how 1 big advertizer was manipulating/shaving conversions, negotiating next day payouts, managing traffic flow to offers/networks/advertizers based on what was happening, etc).
What is one book, article, or podcast that you think has helped you get where you are?The main book that comes to mind is The War of Art. This is the only book I re-read every year (& more specifically, I re-read all the chapters under Book Two & Book Three). I think this book "resonates" so much with me, because (of my (INTP) Personality Type &) I take a divergent thinking approach, and relate/cross-reference the information (especially the parts about being a pro, muses, angels, routine, flow, etc) with other concepts & philosophies (like Wu Wei, The Alter Ego Effect, Rise of Superman, etc).
I also read pretty much any book that catches my attention (& that's directly applicable to whatever I'm currently focusing on), & apply a "2nd Brain Approach"- In short: Download epubs, speed-read (Elevate really helped) & highlight on iBooks (or E-Reader), copy the highlights to WorkFlowy (or any note app), and add own thoughts to the highlights (& add hashtags, categories, etc for easier search later).
And, Jay Abraham's content (all of it) has had a good amount of impact on my success, mainly the Maven & Preemenence concepts (& usually most of the marketers that I think are good at what they do, have been influenced (either directly, or indirectly) by Jay).
I'm a very big believer that your subconscious programming (good or bad) will have a lot to do with your success! So, I highly recommend: You Where Born Rich, The Power of Your Subconscious Mind, Heart of The Matter, This Whole Channel, & this video.
But, the biggest impact on my success (still) comes from my (own) Mastermind (formed with like-minded friends/individuals that have similar goals - a principle from Think & Grow Rich), Coaches (to help achieve specific performance based goals/results), & Mentors (to calibrating & staying on track with Personal Myth/Life Path), in real life - It would otherwise be (way) harder to (actually) put everything into practice.
What is your favorite hobby?(House & Break) Dancing & Gaming (Fighting Games). Used to do both professionally.
What is your favorite affiliate network and why?Traffic Company - For so many reasons. But #1 reason - They have the best Managers (& I say this after years of working with so many networks). And also a lot of people tend to agree. I think a lot of networks can (& should) follow their example. I've personally seen (& heard of) many cases where they've done what's best for their affiliates (vs just doing what's best for the advertizer/their own pocket).
And, I also have to mention MaxWeb here - Another network that other networks can (& should) learn from. Everything they do (from the 3x weekly payouts, youtube videos, how the managers give support, their activity in forums, etc) is geared towards (actually) serving Affiliates.
What is your favorite affiliate marketing tool and why?Kintura (eventhough it's dead). Machine Learning (especially when it's on the Affiliates side, & not just on the traffic sources) is a gamechanger. And it's not just about better ROI, it can also give Affiliates more leverage (most of the time you don't have any, unless you're a pro in a certain vertical, and/or have a unique setup) when dealing with Networks, Advertisers, & Traffic Sources.
No other tool is my "favorite" like that. With other tools, as soon as something breaks or doesn't feel right, I'm moving onto the next best option. But with Kintura (eventhough it had so many issues) I'd still be happy to see it come back, and I'd continue using it (as if nothing happened).
What is 1 skill you've learned since starting affiliate marketing that has helped you the most with getting your campaigns profitable?(Actual) Media Buying - At some point (& this is somewhat like the "T-Shaped Marketer" concept) I just had to go deep(er) into (the fundamentals of) Media Buying - and that's when I started seeing more (& more) stability & success with my campaigns.
I recommend checking out - Malan Darras's (2014-2017) Archive, RedTrack's Supreme Guide to Affiliate Marketing Verticals, Pay Per Call Masterclass, ClickBank's "Affiliated" Videos, MaxWeb's Youtube Channel, & The Optimizer's Youtube Channel.
And also some other things that have helped me: Manual Spying, Case Studies/Webinars/etc (also from other countries/scenes: LATAM, ES, RU, Asia, etc), Data from Networks (newsletters, opportunity tools that shows actual data on geo's, devices, etc), More "Grilling" Conversations with Affiliate & Account Managers, looking at Media Buying strategies for different ad formats (like even if I'm running Banners, I can learn from people who run eCom on FB Ads), etc.
And also some other things that have helped me: Manual Spying, Case Studies/Webinars/etc (also from other countries/scenes: LATAM, ES, RU, Asia, etc), Data from Networks (newsletters, opportunity tools that shows actual data on geo's, devices, etc), More "Grilling" Conversations with Affiliate & Account Managers, looking at Media Buying strategies for different ad formats (like even if I'm running Banners, I can learn from people who run eCom on FB Ads), etc.
And, It has more to do with the perspective (shifts) that comes along with (actually learning) the skill.
Like, I remember some of my biggest "breakthroughs" happening at different points while learning Media Buying; when I started considering all my campaigns as a "portfolio" (of assets), and thinking differently about data (like small data vs big data & keeping the data clean, etc), and seeing different parts of the campaign (like the data, the setup, traffic, etc) as longterm assets, and developing my own personal approach (I have mainly 2, that I call "Phases" & "Pools"), and more.
I do think "lines are blurred" a lot in this scene...
Not all Affiliate Marketers are Performance Marketers or Media Buyers (or Vice Versa).
I recommend checking out this video (& this openletter for more) on this...
For example...
Anyone can add a link to a site/social media, & call themselves an Affiliate Marketer. Affiliate Marketers are usually focused on (just) monetizating - "just making money" (& I think most of us start here). But for example, when you start getting into (more specific forms of Affiliate Marketing, like) CPA Marketing - as in, you understand that when you're getting $1 per action (email submit, download, install, etc), that you (just) have to make sure that whatever you do to get people to complete that action, costs you less than $1, and you profit - now, you're entering Performance Marketing territory.
As a Performance Marketer your focus is more on scaling & optimizing, while making sure you hit specific KPI's. (To continue on the CPA Marketing example) When I was doing IG+CPA, and I figured out that I could make $1-$2/day per IG account, from there the goal/focus/math was "simple": Run 100 accounts/day = $100-$200/day, run 1k accounts/day = $1k-$2k/day, etc. And (just to further illustrate the difference), as a Performance Marketer, you don't have to be an Affiliate (or Media Buyer) - for example, you could decide to "use Affiliates/Media Buyers" instead, by being an Advertiser (& setting up your own offers) on Affiliate Networks (or running your own "Private Network", etc).
A lot of Affiliates tend to (just) "dabble" in Media Buying strategies & practices (without actually learning/having the skill for it), thinking that they just have to fit the (right) puzzle pieces together (like most are used to doing in (blackhat) SEO, SMM/Botting, etc), and that "the setup itself" will "just make money". And when that (money machine) doesn't work, you keep looking for that "missing piece", the "secret sauce" (tool/rules/etc) that you just need to add to the setup to fix the "money machine" - a.k.a. Shiny Object Syndrome (or maybe I'm the only one guilty of this).
There were 2 moments (during my earlier, & more unexperienced years) where I (just) got a Voluum subscription, deposited $200 on ZeroPark (& PropellerAds), and sent traffic to some smartlink hoping to (at least) just double my investment. And (of course) I failed. It wasn't until I started taking the skill "more seriously" that I started seeing more serious results.
Also, I personally consider myself (all of the above, but also more importantly) a Digital Entrepreneur. And (for me, personally) Affiliate Marketing/Performance Marketing/Media Buying/etc are all (sub)skills/disciplines that I have to master, as a Digital Entrepreneur.
Not all Affiliate Marketers are Performance Marketers or Media Buyers (or Vice Versa).
I recommend checking out this video (& this openletter for more) on this...
For example...
Anyone can add a link to a site/social media, & call themselves an Affiliate Marketer. Affiliate Marketers are usually focused on (just) monetizating - "just making money" (& I think most of us start here). But for example, when you start getting into (more specific forms of Affiliate Marketing, like) CPA Marketing - as in, you understand that when you're getting $1 per action (email submit, download, install, etc), that you (just) have to make sure that whatever you do to get people to complete that action, costs you less than $1, and you profit - now, you're entering Performance Marketing territory.
As a Performance Marketer your focus is more on scaling & optimizing, while making sure you hit specific KPI's. (To continue on the CPA Marketing example) When I was doing IG+CPA, and I figured out that I could make $1-$2/day per IG account, from there the goal/focus/math was "simple": Run 100 accounts/day = $100-$200/day, run 1k accounts/day = $1k-$2k/day, etc. And (just to further illustrate the difference), as a Performance Marketer, you don't have to be an Affiliate (or Media Buyer) - for example, you could decide to "use Affiliates/Media Buyers" instead, by being an Advertiser (& setting up your own offers) on Affiliate Networks (or running your own "Private Network", etc).
A lot of Affiliates tend to (just) "dabble" in Media Buying strategies & practices (without actually learning/having the skill for it), thinking that they just have to fit the (right) puzzle pieces together (like most are used to doing in (blackhat) SEO, SMM/Botting, etc), and that "the setup itself" will "just make money". And when that (money machine) doesn't work, you keep looking for that "missing piece", the "secret sauce" (tool/rules/etc) that you just need to add to the setup to fix the "money machine" - a.k.a. Shiny Object Syndrome (or maybe I'm the only one guilty of this).
There were 2 moments (during my earlier, & more unexperienced years) where I (just) got a Voluum subscription, deposited $200 on ZeroPark (& PropellerAds), and sent traffic to some smartlink hoping to (at least) just double my investment. And (of course) I failed. It wasn't until I started taking the skill "more seriously" that I started seeing more serious results.
Also, I personally consider myself (all of the above, but also more importantly) a Digital Entrepreneur. And (for me, personally) Affiliate Marketing/Performance Marketing/Media Buying/etc are all (sub)skills/disciplines that I have to master, as a Digital Entrepreneur.
I think that because I see myself as a Digital Entrepreneur (first), that this also changes the way I handle & deal in this scene. For example, (before) I used get this slight feeling of accomplishment when I got accepted into a top network, but now (no matter what network it is) I'm mainly looking for a good & personal fit/match (for a strong longterm partnership), above anything else (it's even to the point that I consider if I was on my last $1k, would I trust this manager to actually give me solid advice, or not).
But also...
CopyWriting - (Eventhough I don't use it directly in my Media Buying) At the end of the day, I think this is my #1 skill (for making money online, in general). If I look at my biggest successes in Affiliate Marketing (in general) it's mainly been because of copywriting.
The main thing is the perspective you get when you (really) understand the fundamentals of CopyWriting (p.s. this is a good CopyWriting book that can give some "instant" perspective shifts), & also how "Perceived Value" & "Suspension of Disbelief" work (especially on yourself) - all of this + Personal Experience (+ Mental Models + Trading Psychology + Stoic Philosophy) can help you make better decisions & not waste a lot of resources (time, money, energy, etc).
Side Tip - Something to (always) remember is that as Media Buyers, we're constantly dealing with "Risk" - we're constantly risking our own capital on offers/product/brands that aren't ours (no LTV for us here, unless it's revshare) - so (I believe), if traffic sources, affiliate managers/network, trackers, etc are really (actually good &) "on our side", then whatever they're offering should make our job less risky (for example, Traffic Sources that provide proper Whitelists (that actually work), Affiliate Managers that give recommendations with/based on actual data, etc).
I believe you are a full-time affiliate. How long did it take you to accomplish that?Well, the thing is I never had a "normal job". So you can say I've been "Full-Time" since I was 19 years old (2009), but I started dabbling in Making Money Online when I was 16. For me (at least in my mind) there was no other choice.
The whole reason I started with Internet Marketing was because I wanted to avoid ever having to work for someone else, & this is literally something I deeply thought about, even at a very young age.
Even when I was just a kid, and grown ups would ask "What do you want to be when you grow up?", I would usually answer "Millionaire". And school was never my thing. I stumbled through schools (dropped out) a lot. I was only going to school, because I thought "I had to" & that there weren't any other options, but for me it was all very pointless (I also didn't have any longterm plans, visions, goals, etc).
One day (I was now 16), I was sitting in math class & the guy next to me said "Hey, Darnel... Check this out" & randomly showed me his Paypal account with $9xx.xxx,xx on it. At the time, I didn't even care to ask or think "how", "what" and/or if it was real or not (it was probably inspect element) - for me the mere fact that someone (with the same age, same background, & same location as me) could show me numbers like that on a laptop screen - (at the time) it was mindblowing, & enough for me to believe in the possibility of a life where I didn't have to follow "the standard path" (a.k.a. go to school, get a diploma, get a job, find a wife, have kids, etc) - I saw this event as "my sign from above" on how to (actually) become a Millionaire, like I've always said I wanted to be.
In 2009, I moved (out of my parents house, & away from my home island, Curaçao) to The Netherlands, mainly just following my creative passions (gaming & dancing), since you don't get those opportunities when you're living on an island. But, at the same time I was observing everyone around me (& how they thought about life, their future, freedom, income, goals, dreams, etc). The cost of living was also 2x higher than what I was used to, and I wasn't even used to living on my own yet, so I was more determined to make (more) money online (at the time, I was (already) making some money online, with Arbitrage on Ebay/Amazon/etc). So, this is when I started going down the "Shiny Object" rabbit hole (going through as many leaked courses, trying as many get rich quick method, getting scammed by as many guru's, as possible, etc), and I eventually started experimenting with SEO/SMM & Affiliate Marketing.
Around 2013 I had enough confidence to focus 100% on on Affiliate Marketing (I was also into Crypto, Betting & a bit of Trading, at the time). I found the most success in 2015 - and this was my new/young money phase, so I balled out (& enjoyed the luxury watches, cars, multiple girlfriends, etc) & crashed back to (what I consider) 0, all within the same year. And started building back up from there. Started doing some good numbers as a ClickFunnels Affiliate (& ClickBank, CJ, etc), and then Blackhat Social Media + CPA, and then I started getting into Media Buying.
Even when I was just a kid, and grown ups would ask "What do you want to be when you grow up?", I would usually answer "Millionaire". And school was never my thing. I stumbled through schools (dropped out) a lot. I was only going to school, because I thought "I had to" & that there weren't any other options, but for me it was all very pointless (I also didn't have any longterm plans, visions, goals, etc).
One day (I was now 16), I was sitting in math class & the guy next to me said "Hey, Darnel... Check this out" & randomly showed me his Paypal account with $9xx.xxx,xx on it. At the time, I didn't even care to ask or think "how", "what" and/or if it was real or not (it was probably inspect element) - for me the mere fact that someone (with the same age, same background, & same location as me) could show me numbers like that on a laptop screen - (at the time) it was mindblowing, & enough for me to believe in the possibility of a life where I didn't have to follow "the standard path" (a.k.a. go to school, get a diploma, get a job, find a wife, have kids, etc) - I saw this event as "my sign from above" on how to (actually) become a Millionaire, like I've always said I wanted to be.
In 2009, I moved (out of my parents house, & away from my home island, Curaçao) to The Netherlands, mainly just following my creative passions (gaming & dancing), since you don't get those opportunities when you're living on an island. But, at the same time I was observing everyone around me (& how they thought about life, their future, freedom, income, goals, dreams, etc). The cost of living was also 2x higher than what I was used to, and I wasn't even used to living on my own yet, so I was more determined to make (more) money online (at the time, I was (already) making some money online, with Arbitrage on Ebay/Amazon/etc). So, this is when I started going down the "Shiny Object" rabbit hole (going through as many leaked courses, trying as many get rich quick method, getting scammed by as many guru's, as possible, etc), and I eventually started experimenting with SEO/SMM & Affiliate Marketing.
Around 2013 I had enough confidence to focus 100% on on Affiliate Marketing (I was also into Crypto, Betting & a bit of Trading, at the time). I found the most success in 2015 - and this was my new/young money phase, so I balled out (& enjoyed the luxury watches, cars, multiple girlfriends, etc) & crashed back to (what I consider) 0, all within the same year. And started building back up from there. Started doing some good numbers as a ClickFunnels Affiliate (& ClickBank, CJ, etc), and then Blackhat Social Media + CPA, and then I started getting into Media Buying.
I'd say between 2016 & 2018 is when I'd say I (actually) got to point where I'm confident in saying "this is (all) stable", now (a.k.a daily passive income that I can live off of). I also did lose some assets in those years (a lot of affiliate sites, some really big social media accounts, & some of my main affiliate accounts) - which I do miss every now & then, but all & all I'm confident & glad that I have skills that I can (always) count on to make money online.
What is 1 thing we can add to affLIFT to make it better? This can be something the community does or something I do personally to make the forum better.Hard question, because I think the forum is doing well (as is), already. I personally consider affLIFT essential for Affiliates (especially beginners & intermediates) to get answers & help on anything. There's multiple times a week where (instead of having to answer certain questions) I just do a quick search on affLIFT & send people links to threads that already have the answer.
But this is just what comes to mind:
Maybe bigger contests - Maybe like aim for 1 a year that includes 3-6 networks, 3-6 traffic sources, & more deals & prizes for participants. I imagine it'd be harder to pull off, but could be something for the team to work towards during the whole year. And ideal/dream scenario would be that networks & traffic sources would want to "compete" against each other as well (to be the one in the winning thread), and offer "incentives" (specific campaign recommendations, higher rates, faster payments, recommended whitelists, bonus on deposit/spend, etc) for people to use their network/traffic source.
I also think (at some point) Community Leaders shouldn't participate in contests (in general), or maybe they can "donate" their wins to their favorite thread or something along those lines. I think the goal should be to stimulate more activity from newcommers, lurkers/more "unknown" members, etc (& also if executed correctly, these contests should pull more intermediate affiliates towards joining & participating in AffLift). I do think some members can get discouraged to participate if they see the most popular members (which are usually the community leaders) participating/winning all the time.
Also, the main thing that attracted me to affLIFT was because (at that time) Luke was making videos. So might be something to consider, like even if it's "monthly recap" videos on Youtube (like the videos from ExoClick, AdLeaks, and/or MaxWeb) & highlight best threads, tips, (interviews), etc of the month (& this can also serve as extra promo/asset for affLIFT).
What is your least favorite part about affiliate marketing?Managers (& Networks) That Lack Experience, Competence, Vision/Innovation, Character - At this point (I look at it like) I'm the one interviewing Managers & Networks to find a good match (which is something I'm always doing, eventhough I have my main networks already). There's been many cases where I just stopped working with a network (even some where I was making 4-figures/week), just because of a (new) bad manager. I especially hate it when they don't respect Affiliates, as actual Marketers (a.k.a. they treat you as just proxy traffic sources, or they focus to much on "Marketing" you, etc). And I personally (but this also has to do with my personality type) find it hard to work with Managers that have very little experience (but still act like they do).
What is your favorite part about affiliate marketing?Freedom - In every sense. From the freedom of choice on what (Affiliate Marketing) strategies & approaches to focus on (and you can always find a specific approach that suits you). To the freedom you get (mentally), which is something you notice more & more, especially through convo's & activities with people (that aren't into anything "Digital", like that), in your life. And the freedom you get in how you setup & use your time. And everything in between.
When you create a thread, I stop what I am doing to read it. Who is one member of affLIFT that you follow closely and recommend others follow (please don't pick me)?I can't say that there'e one member that has that affect on me. But I always read anything that any one of the affLIFT team posts. And beyond that if any post from any member (randomly) catches my attention (& it's mainly the way they write that catches my attention, like I can usually "read someone's experience level"), then I'll do a quick deep dive on all their previous posts/threads.
Also shoutout (& RIP) to @JackySan.
What is one thread on affLIFT that every single member needs to read (besides this one)?The "Best Of" affLIFT - Mega Thread
You have your own group of affiliates that you mentor. Tell us a bit about that.So, by the time I started (really) focusing on Media Buying, I was already helping people make money online for years - by writing & sharing (free) PDFs, documenting whatever I was doing at the time (in an effort to make a difference in the forums that I was a part of, at the time).
Eventhough I was getting a lot of backlash (from people claiming I was killing the method by sharing it, to admins thinking it was all an elaborate scam). I slowly started taking what I was doing with those PDFs more & more seriously (& kept pushing), after I saw the impact I was having on people's lives (& especially this one was the main trigger for me). Here's just one (very outdated) example.
So this also allowed me to build up a strong following throughout the years. And most of these people follow me even to this day. So naturally when I started focusing more on Media Buying, I also started sharing what I was doing with my following.
And, after a while getting consistent & good results, I started brainstorming ways to reach that "next level" (for myself)...
Eventhough I was getting a lot of backlash (from people claiming I was killing the method by sharing it, to admins thinking it was all an elaborate scam). I slowly started taking what I was doing with those PDFs more & more seriously (& kept pushing), after I saw the impact I was having on people's lives (& especially this one was the main trigger for me). Here's just one (very outdated) example.
So this also allowed me to build up a strong following throughout the years. And most of these people follow me even to this day. So naturally when I started focusing more on Media Buying, I also started sharing what I was doing with my following.
And, after a while getting consistent & good results, I started brainstorming ways to reach that "next level" (for myself)...
So, I decided to launch "DEADZ Media Lab" (in 2018), which (for me) was meant to be an "alternative" to having my own Media Buying team, or Network, or Forum. And it's mainly a collection of (long) articles that give advice based on my experience & mindset, personal Media Buying approach, & specific campaigns that I run. There are some preview articles that I think will "speak for themselves" - in terms of the quality & type of content that people can expect from the private sections.
For anyone that might be interested in my private content - I'm actually planning on releasing the majority of my private content (for free) + adding more content (that include my unfiltered advice - on mindset, frameworks, and specific strategies - that I wish I could've had during my own journey), within the next few months (I'm aiming to release around December/January). And I'll do a proper announcement when that's done. So if anyone was/is interesting in getting access to (just) my private content, I'd advise them to wait (& keep an eye out) for the free version to come out.
But, the main benefit of joining DEADZ Media Lab is the 1-on-1 access people can get with me...
Here's some facts that might help you with that decision (or FOMO you might be feeling):
I'm not in the business of selling you anything - I don't need anyone/everyone to buy anything from me, here. I'm mainly interested in finding people that match well with my personality. My goal is to serve as a trusted advisor for those (few) people. While also building longlasting relationships/partnerships - some people have been "with me" for 4+ years, now.
It's not a 100% success guarantee + I don't have an asburdly high success rate - I'd still say it's 50/50 on how successful (if at all) our relationship/venture will be. I also have to say, that (I believe, based on my experience in years of coaching) that I can help you the most, if you're making between $XX - $XXXX/day & you want to develop/sharpen your own personal Media Buying approach. The most I've helped someone get to (from 0) was £60k/day. The biggest Media Buying portfolio I've seen (from 1 team) was $XXM/month. But I've also seen people burn $XXk for (a lot of) months, before they got green. And also some that left the game with $Xk in losses. So it's still a case by case scenario. And even though I'm (very) confident in my abilities to help, I still can't/won't guarantee anything, at all.
Here's what I'm most excited about at the moment - Right now, I'm the most interested in helping with Natives (for Mainstream Verticals) & E-Mail (for Adult) campaigns (& $5k+/mo budget is recommended for both) - I'm seeing some really good opportunities (up to $XXXk/month) on both (& already helping just a very few people with these types of campaigns). But I'm confident that I can help with any type of campaign (I'm already helping quite a few people on different setups, ad formats, & verticals), but only if we're a good match for each other (& if not, I'm very upfront about it).
I'm also always interested in equity deals for any consultant/advisor roles and/or interesting joint ventures.
If (by any chance) you're (still) interested, you can fill in the form at the bottom of this article.
(or send me a message if you want to discuss further)
I'm not in the business of selling you anything - I don't need anyone/everyone to buy anything from me, here. I'm mainly interested in finding people that match well with my personality. My goal is to serve as a trusted advisor for those (few) people. While also building longlasting relationships/partnerships - some people have been "with me" for 4+ years, now.
It's not a 100% success guarantee + I don't have an asburdly high success rate - I'd still say it's 50/50 on how successful (if at all) our relationship/venture will be. I also have to say, that (I believe, based on my experience in years of coaching) that I can help you the most, if you're making between $XX - $XXXX/day & you want to develop/sharpen your own personal Media Buying approach. The most I've helped someone get to (from 0) was £60k/day. The biggest Media Buying portfolio I've seen (from 1 team) was $XXM/month. But I've also seen people burn $XXk for (a lot of) months, before they got green. And also some that left the game with $Xk in losses. So it's still a case by case scenario. And even though I'm (very) confident in my abilities to help, I still can't/won't guarantee anything, at all.
Here's what I'm most excited about at the moment - Right now, I'm the most interested in helping with Natives (for Mainstream Verticals) & E-Mail (for Adult) campaigns (& $5k+/mo budget is recommended for both) - I'm seeing some really good opportunities (up to $XXXk/month) on both (& already helping just a very few people with these types of campaigns). But I'm confident that I can help with any type of campaign (I'm already helping quite a few people on different setups, ad formats, & verticals), but only if we're a good match for each other (& if not, I'm very upfront about it).
I'm also always interested in equity deals for any consultant/advisor roles and/or interesting joint ventures.
If (by any chance) you're (still) interested, you can fill in the form at the bottom of this article.
(or send me a message if you want to discuss further)
What is one question I should have asked you that I haven't? Please answer it as well."Knowing what you know now, what advice would you give to (a past version) of yourself on day 1 of their journey into Media Buying?"
Research is #1 - And take as much time as you need to get confident in the next step to take (even if that means dedicating your first 1-3 months to just research). Try to get as much actual data (from opportunity tools on networks, insight reports, managers, case studies, etc) as possible. Don't just believe what blogs, forums, groups, managers tell you (a lot is sponsored in this scene). And ask questions in a "stupidly simple" way & see if you get (unannoyed) "stupidly simple" (that feel like "DUH") answers back. Understand the value chain (& risk) involved for everyone (for example, why should you be the Affiliate? When you can rebroker/whitelabel offers from 1 network to another & only pay for conversions?). Research market size/cap/growth & history of the main vertical(s) you're interested in (& also research the forums, groups, etc in that vertical). Look for unique solutions (that aren't talked about a lot) to common problems in the scene - especially when it comes to traffic sources & networks.
And for me, "that next step" should (actually) feel like FOMO for days (in some cases, even months) - like I sometimes leave my researched opportunities (a.k.a. notes, data screenshots from managers, traffic source sites, and/or networks, etc) open in tabs, that I check every now & then. And if I find myself constantly thinking about it (& the thoughts/feeling don't just die out after a few days), I'll start taking action on it.
By doing all of this is how I managed to find a safer way to success (vs what was being promoted in forums, etc), when I was starting out (which is this thread). And there's always new (but just a few) traffic sources & networks popping up that are built to offer a unique & safer solution for Affiliates.
Amazing interview, thank you DEADZ. I appreciate your feedback on affLIFT and as always, appreciate you being so open about what you're doing and your insights into the industry.
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