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Affiliate Manager Interview Series - Nina Kacharava
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(This interview was originally published in the October 2018 issue of the GPWA Times Magazine)
You worked in a variety of industries before you came to iGaming. How did you get into this industry?
Very true – I’ve worked for the public sector; I've worked in agriculture, in telecommunications, at a law firm and at the biggest food trading company. One thing all those jobs have in common is that I’ve been working in marketing and communications in all those places, and I feel it really doesn’t matter what industry it is when your goal is to expand the business and maintain a good relationship with partners. To be fairly honest, it was just fortune, starting to work at FortuneJack.
How has your experience in other industries helped you as an affiliate manager? I would definitely say that my previous experience made my journey at FortuneJack smoother and more diverse. I always thought that people do business because they like the people they have to work for. With that said, as an affiliate manager, my primary goal is to give each affiliate personal attention and make them feel comfortable. We at FJ Partners are always looking for long-term partnerships, and I think that my previous experience in marketing and sales, along with personal communication skills, is just the right mixture to get things done.
What makes FortuneJack Partners stand out from other affiliate programs? I think besides the good rev share model, it's the personal attention that we give to each affiliate and flexibility. We position ourselves as the leading bitcoin casino, which means we're technologically advanced; we add new cryptocurrencies, new providers and programs such as the loyal players' club to make the gaming experience more diverse and exciting. As for the affiliates' side, I personally try to check in with every affiliate and give them some tips and advice.
What are the biggest challenges that come along with being an affiliate manager? To keep every affiliate happy. We often have to think outside the box and come up with different business models to make sure our partner is happy.
FortuneJack Partners offers up to 55% in revenue share with no negative carryover. How did you decide on this commission model? We just asked what our partners what they wanted, did some research and came up with an unbeatable commission model in the industry.
FortuneJack Partners pays out in bitcoin. How and why did you decide to go the cryptocurrency route? What are the biggest challenges of doing business in crypto? How have affiliates responded to being paid in bitcoin?
Operating since 2013, FortuneJack is one of the oldest bitcoin casinos. Five years is a lot of time in the crypto industry, and FortuneJack has established itself as a credible, community-driven and innovative brand. FJ is a product created by gamblers for gamblers, who gambled on the chance of the still obscure-seeming crypto industry five years ago and won!
As for my personal experience, I don’t see any challenges of doing business in crypto. For the affiliates, it is definitely a different experience getting paid in crypto. So far, based on the popularity, my best guess is that they have positive feedback.
What do you most like about the iGaming industry? Over time, I have seen a shift in the perception of the iGaming industry. Before it was associated with only negative outcomes. Now it is entertainment.
Do you often network or attend affiliate events? Yes, I do attend affiliate events and shows, because this business requires building personal relationships with your partners. When affiliates like and trust you when you sit down with them for coffee or a drink and talk about the opportunities, it gets easier to make decisions. Plus, I always like to listen what they want, and how I can carry their wishes into our reality. We attend shows to meet up with our existing partners, and also to connect with new ones.
How does FortuneJack Partners work to retain players sent by affiliates? I would say that you need to be up to date and offer new games, add providers, new programs for players like the loyal players' club that we recently added. Most online casinos have a similar variety of games; it’s just where they feel more appreciated and comfortable what makes the difference.
What would be your advice to an affiliate just getting started in the business? Persistency and consistency! The market is enormous, growing day by day. I would say doing good work on the SEO side of their site, in case of affiliation via the website. However, we have affiliates who use YouTube, Twitch, Twitter, Facebook, Reddit and other social media pages or forums. Don’t get me wrong, but good traffic requires much hard work – you have to know your segment and whom you are targeting. A couple of good, quality players can bring success. I would suggest aiming for quality rather than quantity.
If you could change anything about the industry, what would it be? Have fewer restrictions in terms of digital marketing and also geolocation. There are too many restrictions in promoting gaming and entertainment.
Tell us about your typical workday. It always starts on a positive note. First of all, I love my job and people that I work with, so that already is a guarantee that no matter how tough things get, how tight deadlines are, it’s still challenging positively. I mostly start it off with urgent cases, if any. I try to arrive at work 20 mins earlier to write down the action plan of the day and then follow it. It’s funny, but every work day is very different from each other. Hardly do I remember having the same to-do list.
If you could go anywhere on vacation, where would you go? That is a very tough question. I consider myself a wanderlust, and I have a whole bucket list of places where I’d like to go.
I’ll answer with my next destination where I would like go, and that would be Tokyo, Japan. I find the culture very distinctive from any other place where I have been. I’ve traveled a lot in Europe and the U.S., so now I would like to explore Asia more.
What was the last book you read? Subliminal: How Your Unconscious Mind Rules Your Behavior, by Leonard Mlodinow.
Do you prefer surfing the web via desktop, laptop, mobile phone or tablet? Due to the fast pace of life, I think we all agree that we spent most of the time surfing via mobile. I prefer my 12-inch MacBook.
What's your favorite movie? Depends – every time I see a new release, I go "That’s my new favorite." Although of course, I have all-time favorites like Home Alone, Clueless, Shining, etc. From the movies I've seen lately, I would say Guardians of the Galaxy, Mad Max and The Avengers.
If you could have dinner with three people, living or dead, who would they be? Steve Jobs, Elon Musk and Whitney Houston.
Name one thing that people who are reading this magazine don't know about you. I am actually from the country of Georgia in Europe, not from the United States.
