Editor’s note: “Ask the Performance Marketer” is a regular series in which MediaWhiz’s performance marketing, SEO and digital media experts answer some of the most popular questions we from clients. 

To get more answers to your performance marketing questions, download our free eBook, “The CMO’s Guide to Performance Marketing.”

DOWNLOAD THE FREE EBOOK   

Mike Sisto, MediaWhiz’s director of performance marketing, has worked in performance marketing for 14 years. He’s seen it all, from the earliest days of the industry to the current evolution in which media, mobile, content, SEO and many other digital media channels are mixed together. Needless to say, he knows how to help his clients engage, acquire and retain customers more profitably.

Recently, we sat down with Mike to discuss some of the most common questions he gets from clients about accountability in affiliate marketing campaigns, email acquisition and optimizing lead quality.

How do you ensure accountability of affiliates for campaign and creative materials compliance?
We first establish accountability with each affiliate by employing a suite of external and internal tools to monitor advertisements. We hold publishers accountable for compliance violations. Once our high standards are made clear, the possibility of losing out on business due to compliance violations exerts pressure on affiliates to comply with advertiser guidelines. With adherence, publishers have the opportunity to cultivate a long-term business relationship with MediaWhiz as they continue to provide quality traffic via compliant marketing practices.

My company isn’t very familiar with email acquisition marketing. Where does MediaWhiz get its opt-in subscribers and what are the CAN-SPAM-compliance steps we need to adhere to?
Our WhiteDelivery™ list management division has arrangements with thousands of publishers to monetize their opt-in email data. These publishers range from finance, dating, news, travel, etc., and each list’s characteristics are segmented in a manner to match each audience to each advertiser in the hopes of acquiring the most customers from each mailing. The tens of millions of records we have access to generally are available on a pay-for-results model, making branded acquisition campaigns extremely scalable and immediately profitable for marketers.

CAN-SPAM-compliance for both WhiteDelivery™ and the advertiser’s brand are of critical importance. While federal law requires certain timelines for suppression files and unsubscribe language within email creatives, our standards offer higher degrees of respecting consumer privacy requests. This level of compliance reduces advertiser complaints, improves our reputation with the major email Internet service providers (ISPs), and maintains brand integrity — all of which produces the greatest amount of consumers with genuine interest in particular offers, and opts them out quickly when there isn’t an affinity.

How do you optimize the lead quality over time?
Web traffic is not a one-size-fits-all pool. Having thousands of disparate audience segments to market an offer to, MediaWhiz’s media planners take the first step of strategic campaign analysis. With more than a decade of past performance metrics to cull from, our team has the directional insights for each category of offer from the outset, thereby placing new campaigns into environments where profitable acquisitions have historically occurred. These placements, over time, could further be whittled down to the cream-of-the-crop with frequent collaboration with the advertiser on their lead-nurturing efforts per traffic source. Our employment of industry-standard URL, subID and transaction ID recordkeeping makes for a start good and ensures our clients receive high-quality leads.

Have a question about performance or affiliate marketing? Drop us a line in the comments below or tweet us at @MediaWhizInc. 

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By Sultan Riaz | @Riaz_MediaWhiz | Marketing Coordinator

Editor’s note: “A Day in the Life” is a regular editorial series in which MediaWhiz employees discuss the intricacies of their work.

When you visit MediaWhiz’s New York office, in the heart of the Financial District, Nandita Joshi will always greet you with a smile. Nandita, HR recruiter, has been with MediaWhiz for a little more than two months and says that she enjoys her experience working in the HR department.

Recently, I sat down with Nandita to learn what her typical day at the office is like.

Name: Nandita Joshi
Title: HR Recruiter
Location: New York City

Sultan Riaz: If you had to explain your job description in one tweet, what would it be?
Nandita Joshi: Taking an employee through the entire employee lifecycle, from recruitment to development.

SR: How do you commute to work on a daily basis?
NJ: My daily commute is fun. I commute from Astoria; it’s about a 45-minute commute to the Financial District.

SR: What is the first thing you like to do (work-related) when you get into the office?
NJ: I like to make a to-do list of all of the important tasks I need to accomplish for the day. It’s great because it give me perspective for what I need to achieve for the day and it’s a morale booster in terms of crossing those things off my list when they are complete.

SR: What is one thing you could not be without during your typical workday?
NJ: There are two things: a positive attitude and caffeine.

SR: Is there something that you do in your workday that you didn’t expect to do when you took this position?
NJ: Not at all! MediaWhiz has a startup-like feel to the company. The more exposure you get to a different tasks and different areas within HR the better it is in terms of career development.

SR: If you could sum up your typical workday in one word what would it be?
NJ: Empowerment.

SR: What are things you like to do when not at work?
NJ: When I am not at work I like to unwind by exploring the city. I also enjoy taking long walks around the city and exploring the fall season.

If you are interested in seeing the experiences of other MediaWhiz employees just visit our YouTube channel. You can learn more about joining the MediaWhiz team here. You can follow us on Twitter or “like” us on Facebook.

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The post MediaWhiz: A Day in the life with Nandita Joshi appeared first on MediaWhiz.

Editor’s note: “Around the MediaWhiz Nation” is a regular editorial series in which MediaWhiz employees from across the country discuss the intricacies of their work. 

Name: Maria Loreto
Title: Media Planner
Office: New York
University: Pace University
College Major: Marketing with a Concentration in Advertising

Prior to joining MediaWhiz full time in 2012 as a media planner you were an intern in the company’s Display Advertising unit. What attracted you most about the internship opportunity with MediaWhiz?
I liked that the internship post looked like an actual job posting with real tasks and job responsibilities. Most importantly, though, I wanted to get into the digital marketing field. All of my previous internship experiences revolved around digital PR, which is something I didn’t want to pursue. The internship with MediaWhiz was an opportunity for me to get into the digital marketing field.

What was your first day like at MediaWhiz?
It was great! Usually when you come in on the first day [of an internship] there is nothing for you to do, but our previous display media strategist booked a conference room and gave me a three-hour class on display advertising, MediaWhiz and Hyper Marketing Inc. He also trained me on Mediaplex MOJO, which is our ad server. That training served me well because that is what I use every day; it’s my bread and butter.

What type of goals did you set for yourself before starting the internship?
When I came in for the interview I realized how little I knew about display advertising. So, one of my goals was to learn as much as possible about display advertising.

Do you believe your goals have been met?
Definitely. I started at MediaWhiz as an intern and now I manage my own display campaigns as a full-time employee.

How was the school-work balance for you?
It actually wasn’t bad. I had multiple internships throughout college, but this one was different because I took it in the summer right after I graduated, so that allowed me to join MediaWhiz as more than a normal college-based intern.

What do you feel was the best thing about the MediaWhiz internship?
The training. The training I received during was exceptional. It was exceptional enough for there to be no problem when I started as a full-time employee.

Would you recommend this internship to someone who was in the same major as you?
I was a marketing major, which can be pretty broad. Most people want to get into marketing and PR, but if you’re interested in digital marketing I would definitely recommend an internship at MediaWhiz.

VIDEO: Around the MediaWhiz Nation: Maria Loreto

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Name: Ori Carmel

Title: Vice President of Performance Strategy

If you had to explain your job description in one tweet, what would it be?
Build mechanisms that are sophisticated and advanced. Provide quality services and quality leads to companies. Make real money.

How do you commute to work on a daily basis?
I take the 1 train from the Upper West Side. I try switch to the 3 train when it comes across [the platform]. The commute usually takes about 30-35 minutes.

What is the first thing you like to do when you get in the office?
Get coffee!

What is the first thing you like to do (work related) when you get in the office?
I usually check my email first to see if there is anything urgent from the night before. We have people who are working on the West Coast, so a lot of times there are urgent things coming from those offices. Otherwise, I check emails to start the workday.

What is one thing you could not be without during your typical workday?
Coffee.

What industry and business publications do you read to keep up on industry- and client-related news?
I try to get a good perspective of pretty much everything. A lot of Advertising Age; obviously a lot of publications like WIRED. I also try to get some of the venture capital stuff when it comes through. Much of my industry-specific reading relies on Google, so it’s specific to a client that I’m interested in or a vertical that I’m specifically interested in. It’s a great way to not waste your time with all the fluff and get to the stuff that actually matters to your day-to-day work.

Is there something that you do in your workday that you didn’t expect to do when you took this position?
Right now, there are a lot of meetings, but I think that has more to do with the fact that it’s my first month, so I’m getting familiar with everyone and everything. Hopefully, that will calm down as we go through, but there is definitely a lot of meetings.

If you could sum up your typical workday in one word what would it be?
Productively busy!

What are things you like to do when not at work?
I like to hang out with my friends and wife. I have a dog, so I take my dog to the park. I play basketball and do a lot of running and exercising.

VIDEO: A Day in the Life: Ori Carmel

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Recently, we spoke with Morris Laniado, account manager, client services, to discuss the client services team. This interview was conducted while Laniado was still working in MediaWhiz’s Client Services Division. Recently, he moved to the agency’s Sales Department, where he now works as a sales executive.

Hot News: How long have you been with MediaWhiz?

Morris Laniado: One year.

HN: Describe your day-to-day role / responsibilities.

ML: My primary responsibility is client management. It is my job to ensure our clients’ money is being spent as efficiently and prudently as possible and that they are happy with our work and the services we are offering them.

I look for opportunities to find new and creative ways to drive traffic to clients’ websites. Working in client services, I manage several simultaneous campaigns and programs for multiple clients. This requires me to work with all of the MediaWhiz business units and various teams to ensure success for each client’s campaign.

HN: What do you like best about your work?

ML: I really enjoy building long-standing relationships with my clients and getting to know them on a personal and professional level. I feel it’s important to have the client feel that they are emotionally invested you, as the client services manager, as well as in MediaWhiz as its digital media agency. Having that depth of personal and professional investment is what I believe helps set MediaWhiz apart from other agencies.

HN: What are some of the interesting projects you’ve been working on?

ML: As of late, thanks to (SVP, Strategy and Operations) Jeremy Leonard, we’ve been working on a mobile page for Bryant & Stratton College. It’s not just a standard mobile page but a very unique, one-of-its-kind in-app experience. We’ve helped Bryant & Stratton develop an app experience for users to access from their mobile browsers. This is different than the standard mobile browser experience in which companies compress their desktop website or offer a simplified version of their standard website. We’re helping to bring the ease-of-use and intuitiveness of apps to the mobile browser, which doesn’t require additional downloads or waiting time.

This, we hope, will deliver more qualified leads for Bryant & Stratton. It’s a service we intend to offer to other clients.

HN: What do you like best about being a “Whiz”?

ML: I love how we have that “tech-startup mindset” but, at the same time, we have a corporate structure. We are professional in our focus and expertise but loose in our approach and culture. We’re developing some of the most innovative digital media campaigns while we’re still growing and are coming up on our best days.

HN: How did you become interested in digital media?

ML: I started my career as an executive assistant for Jack D. Hidary, the founder of Earthweb/Dice. I worked there for three years. Working for Jack gave me hands-on experience in the tech start-up world. After that, I was the first employee at a media technology consulting firm called Activate, which was founded by Michael Wolf, the former president of MTV Networks. I worked there for two years, serving as his right-hand man by helping with its startup operations and bringing in new clients. I enjoyed the high-level projects and campaigns but felt an urge to learn how the campaigns were run. I wanted to “learn how the chair is made” before I start selling it.

HN: What are some of your favorite activities or things to do when not working?

ML: Outside of work, I like to play basketball and other sports, listen to music and go to the beach. I’m also a tech nerd, so any new gadget has my eye.

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When she’s not finding new ways to build MediaWhiz’s client base, Tracy Norton, manager of business development, is helping others in need. She is riding in the MS 100 bike race this fall to benefit the MS Society of New York and to help find a cure and raise money to treat those living with Multiple Sclerosis.

We asked Tracy for her thoughts on what the ride will mean to her and those suffering from MS and MS-like symptoms.

“I ride with Team Nan-Am, which stands for Nancy (who passed away this year from MS) and Amy (who is living with the disease)—two people who are close to me and other riders on our team.

“We were one of the top fundraising teams last year and hope to be again this year.

“Last year, I had an accident mid-route and was unable to complete the 100 miles, so this year it’s personal in more ways than one.”

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The post Philanthropy Spotlight: Tracy Norton — Bike MS 2012 appeared first on MediaWhiz.

Nick spending some quality time with his daughter

By Keith Trivitt | @KeithTrivitt | Director, Marketing and Communications

Nick Karahalios is the type of person one could sit down with for a chat and not realize that 30 minutes have passed—that’s how engaging he is in conversation. In fact, that’s exactly what happened when MediaWhiz Hot News sat down with Nick last month to discuss his work at TLA, the accounts receivables business and how he manages to keep track of 50,000-plus accounts.

Answer: he has a crazy-good memory.

But it’s more than that. As manager of client services for TLA, Nick says he takes great pride in his ability to remember the intricacies of various TLA accounts, which clients prefer phone calls, which respond best to email and which he knows are going to be difficult to receive payment.

In short, Nick is a master multitasker. He ensures TLA’s accounts are paid out on time and that money is coming in from clients in an orderly and timely process. It’s not an easy job, but it is one he thrives in, as evidenced by his winning May’s Whiz Award.

“Luckily, my memory is really good,” says Nick. “Sometimes, I even impress myself with what I’m able to remember. I have an ability to focus in on every client while also knowing the broader accounts-receivable issues that need to be addressed.

“The success of TLA’s accounts receivable and client services efforts is a team effort.”

Clearly, Nick is more than the standard numbers person. He says he learned the tricks of the accounts receivables trade while working for 10 years at a carpet import business in downtown Brooklyn. There, he handled thousands of accounts, including those in international markets. He’s doing the same for TLA.

Despite the inherent language barrier, Nick says he has “better luck when working with international clients. They are more responsive to our billing communications regarding their accounts, which is helpful in terms of getting clients paid and ensuring we get paid for our work.”

It’s not just his uncanny memory and ability to speak multiple languages (he is fluent in Greek) that make Nick a strong addition to the TLA team. It’s also his ability to quickly learn and adapt to different—and sometimes difficult—situations that make him such a valuable member of the TLA team and of the MediaWhiz family.

“It’s all about knowing each individual client, how they operate and how and when they like to pay,” according to Nick. “I take pride in my ability to work individually with all of our clients to ensure they are paid on time and TLA is paid for its work.”

The next time you see Nick pacing back-and-forth in the New York office while on the phone with a client, take a moment to appreciate that you don’t have to remember which of 50,000-plus accounts has paid on time and which needs a gentle reminder that their payment is past due. That’s Nick Karahalios’s job, and it’s one he loves.

If forced to listen to one song the rest of your life, it would be: Biggie Smalls and Puff Daddy’s “Victory”—one of the last songs recorded by Biggie. It has great beat and gets me ready for any game.

Currently reading: ”Pinkalicious” and “Thomas and Friends” to my kids at bedtime.

If I could be anything other than a Billing Manager, I’d be: a firefighter. I always wanted to be a real hero.

Celebrity doppelgänger: I’m not sure he is a celebrity, but when I had hair, people thought I resembled Shaggy from “Scooby-Doo.”

Random claim to fame: Shaggy’s look-a-like.

The person you’d love to have lunch with, living or dead: Larry Bird. I emulated his shooting form and playing style when I was younger. After lunch, while in school, I would challenge him to a friendly game of H-O-R-S-E.

Biggest career influence: My dad. He came to the United States with an eighth-grade education and sacrificed a lot to give my family everything he never had—food, clothes, cars, etc. He stressed how important education is even though he never had one, and paid for mine. He always told me to work smart and not hard, like he has.

Favorite late-night snack: popcorn with extra butter. It’s perfect for watching ESPN News.

If you could have a superpower, if would be: Strength. Who wouldn’t want to pump fear in their enemies that you can crush them with one finger?

Favorite quote: ”Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined.”—Henry David Thoreau. Those are powerful words that I live by.

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