This was originally posted on a blog, but seems like it should live here, is this off-base... Regard the recent appearance of Robin Walsh on Webmaster Radio, I’m extremely pissed at the general attitude and comments Robin Walsh makes during her take on things from the “advertiser†perspective. I couldn’t disagree with her more in general and very specifically the last show where she basically made two comments to the effect; 1) Don’t recruit any more publisher, stick with what you have. 2) Pay special attention to your TOP publishers. Both of these points are probably good reasons why many publishers are choosing to move to other networks. For a start, the advertisers should seize the opportunity to recruit new publishers into their progam because this is specifically the time of year when new publishers might be looking for specific products that they wouldn’t normally be looking for and actually sign up with a new advertiser that offers the product. Which would be an excellent introduction to what they have to offer. I simply can’t see how anyone with any common sense would think they should turn away potentially great new publisher to promote advertiser products ! The second point, which made me particularly irritated was her comment that advertisers should really pay attention to their TOP publishers. This is an incredibly short-sighted way to look at things. As has been pointed out many times in the past, affiliates are basically an extended sales force and to not treat EVERY publisher with the same respect and detail is essientially crippling your sales force. In fact, this is similar to companies focusing on only a few products versus going after the long-tail. A very very short-sighted strategy. If I were an advertiser and dealing with Mrs Walsh, I would give her some schooling and if she didn’t change her attitude fast, insist she be removed from my program. It’s that very attitude that is enabling other networks to be so succesful. In another affiliate network, even though I started out as an unknown, I was given the royal treatment, full communication with my account manager, the tools, data and rate hikes to make the program work, I eventually became a super-affiliate and that treatment has continued. The point being I wasn’t just ignored because I was a small-fish and then treated properly when I became a big-fish. Absurd, are all managers with CJ like this ? Edited to make more sense... This the CJ way, unless you are a top-tier affiliate your a worthless sack of shit ?