Affiliate Interview Series: Mark - KasinoKing

[GPWA Dan]

Age: Old! (49 if you must publish it)
Hometown: Worthing, Sussex, U.K.
Currently residing in: Hastings, Sussex, U.K.
Favorite food: Pizza
One book everyone must read: The Day of the Triffids, by John Wyndham
Sites: www.KasinoKing.co.uk
www.SlotBeaters.com
www.RivalGamingSlots.com
www.usaOKcasinos.com
www.ArcadeSlotsOnline.com


How long have you been working in the industry?

Four years.

What first drew you to the business?

As a player, I couldn’t find any sites which gave the information I personally wanted to see, so I created my own.

What do you like about the industry?

Working from home with totally flexible hours, and I’m my own boss.

What don’t you like about the industry?

Rogue casinos and affiliate programs ripping people off.

What surprised you most about the industry?

Microgaming withdrawing from the U.S.A. and not finding a way to work around it.

Which of your five sites is the biggest money earner?

www.KasinoKing.co.uk.

To what do you attribute this?

It’s much bigger and has more info than the others – therefore it gets LOADS more visitors.

Are you a full-time online gambling affiliate, or do you hold down another job as well?

I was only part-time for the first two years (had an 8-5 day job), but when my daughter was born in 2008 I became a “house husband” and “full-time” affiliate while my wife still goes to work.

We keep hearing that economic conditions are improving and player traffic is increasing. How do your earnings for the first quarter of 2010 compare to the same quarter a year ago and to the final quarter of 2009?

2010 Q1 was 16 percent down compared to 2009 Q1, but 36 percent up from 2009 Q4.

How do your family and friends feel about how you make your living?

Delighted and probably a bit jealous!

You posted recently that you like to gamble online and that Ladbrokes is your casino of choice. What is it that you like about Ladbrokes?

The best thing about Ladbrokes WAS their very generous Daily, Weekly and Monthly +EV bonuses from which I won literally £1,000s over the last 2+ years. I say WAS because in recent months they have made the wagering on their bonuses much worse for the player and many are no longer worth doing.

What exactly is a “Bonus Bandit” and why do you characterize yourself as one?

Just seemed like a good alternative name to Bonus Hunter! I enjoy taking the more generous bonuses and trying to beat the casino by making a decent profit. Nearly all of my deposits are made to claim a bonus.

You have strong feelings about programs that have negative carryover. Why do you feel affiliates should stay away from programs with NCO?

I can understand the casino’s point of view and why they have NCO, but why would anyone want to work with that millstone round their neck when about 95 percent of programs don’t have it? I have had several programs where I earned nothing for six, nine, 12 and even 18 months straight despite player activity, just because one player had a lucky big win. It may be okay for the big affiliates who bring in hundreds of players – but it’s a nightmare for small ones like myself.

What did you do before you joined the online gaming industry? And just how different is what you’re doing right now?

I was always an “office pleb” doing the 8-5, sitting at a desk in an office. Started as a Draughtsman, then Purchasing, Materials Control, Purchasing again and finally Production Control. I still sit at a desk in front of a PC – but now I’m doing what I want and really enjoy doing rather than what someone else tells me to do.

One thing that is definitely true about most affiliates is their e-mail inboxes are always full. How long do you give yourself for responding to e-mail? And what e-mail management tips can you offer?

If a player contacts me I usually reply immediately – within 24hrs max. For other matters I admit I am pretty useless! I get something like 25 e-mails per day – I delete the crap and keep the ones which need attention – but often get “distracted” and forget about them for weeks, or even months! My advice to others is don’t be like me!

How do you manage your “to do” lists? Do you use any special software to help you out?

I use a little program called “Cute Reminder,” which pops up little unobtrusive message boxes on the right of my screen. However, I do tend to keep putting jobs off and so they build up & up until I may have about 20 reminders pop up at once! I’m nowhere near as organized as I should be.

How much time does it take to keep your sites updated?

On average about 15 to 20 hours per week.

Do you use a content management system to manage your site?

No.

Time management is one of the biggest issues facing affiliates. What time management tips can you offer your fellow webmasters?

Don’t put off ANY job unless you really have to – or you’ll end up as disorganized as I am!

You indicate in your GPWA profile that you wish you could earn a living gambling. If you were earning a living gambling, what would you be betting on?

I don’t really know – probably sports and horse racing. It would be very nice if there really were a way to beat roulette, too!

Who do you think is going to win the World Cup this summer?

England! (I’m a hopeless optimist.)

And why?

Once, just for once, they are going to play to their full potential.

If you could sit down to dinner with any five people, living or dead, who would they be, and why?

Well, I wouldn’t want to have dinner with ANY dead people! My dad (died in 2000 – because I never really talked to him enough before it was too late.
My former brother-in-law (died in 2001, aged 40) – just because I miss him a lot.
Freddie Mercury – his songs meant SO much to me in my late teens/early twenties.
Alan Shearer – living legend – and my wife – would not want to go to dinner without her.

When you need to get as far away from work as possible, where do you go?

To the golf course!

For people not living by the sea, tell them what they’re missing.

Well, it might only be the dirty old English Channel, but it’s just so nice to be able to walk out of my front door and be on the sea-front in 5 minutes. You can sit on a sea-front bench and look out to nothing but water and sky and forget about all your troubles and strife. It feels like you are in the middle of nowhere and is just so relaxing.

If you had to pick five keys to success as an affiliate, what would they be, and why?

1. Be a player first. Would you recommend a restaurant to someone if you hadn’t dined there yourself first?
2. Listen and learn from existing affiliates. No one can just jump straight in without some sort of guidance.
3. Do your homework on the sites you are thinking about promoting. There are many rogue casinos and affiliate programs out there – avoid at all costs.
4. Be patient. Rome was not built in a day, and nor was any affiliate’s site. Expect it to take at least a year before your hard work is rewarded.
5. Be honest with the content of your site. Don’t try to make something sound better than it really is – most players are pretty intelligent and will not be fooled by BS.

What’s your favorite movie?

That question is TOO hard! Can I do a top 20…?
No? OK then, I’ll go with “12 Monkeys.”

If you were starring in a movie, who would you want to play your romantic interest?

Julia Roberts.

If you were “stuck” in a city due to travel restrictions, would you be the person who did everything humanly possible to get back home? Or would you be the person who took some time to go exploring and smell the flowers?

Do some exploring – looking for a fruit machine in the nearest pub!

What are three things that nobody knows about you?

The only things which literally NOBODY knows about me are going to stay that way!

[thepokerkeep]

Good interview. I enjoy reading your posts on the forums so getting a little insight into the man behind the posts is great. Thanks for being so candid.

[TheSportsBettingLine]

That was a very informative interview. I am new to affiliate marketing so I always find it interesting hearing about how other more experienced affiliates operate and their thoughts. I am learning how you must stay organized so I appreciate the tips. I will put them to use. Thanks.

[mistercao]

Thanks for your answers ! great to read and give some hope in this "saturated" market.

[Melanie]

Good interview Mark. Nice to learn a little more about you

[Louis - Income Access]

Good interview.

I think brand and affiliate managers have to really heed the advice / opinions of the affiliates that are also serious players, because these are the people that will tell you what you need to do to get ahead.

Keep the good insight coming Mark.

[Lee-Ann]

This was a great interview, and it was nice to hear more about you in person - more often than not affiliate managers just see numbers and websites and forget about the person behind the business and what makes this business their passion - thanks for the insight