Below are several of the questions that we most often get from prospective Affiliate Publisher candidates – and our answers:
The Affiliate Publisher Opportunity
The Products & Customers
The Money
Getting Started
More Questions
The Affiliate Publisher Opportunity
Q: Why choose U.S. Hospitality versus other commission sales opportunities?
A: The short answer is: We’ve been in business for over 20 years; we have an impeccable reputation for quality publications and customer service with our publications clients, advertising clients, and Affiliate Publishers; we have a great sales program that offers you all the challenge, fun, flexibility, and financial rewards you’re looking for; and the Hospitality business is a growth industry, and we are growing along with it. Read more about the companyQ: What is an Affiliate Publisher?
A. An Affiliate Publisher is an independent sales representative working with US Hospitality. We do the publishing, and you do the selling of advertising in our hospitality publications. The cycle works like this: the sales you accrue help us create the best publication product possible. U.S. Hospitality’s excellent service and quality ensure that the product is placed at key locations in town where the sponsors’ ads are sure to be seen. In turn, the sponsors get sales and want to advertise with you again next year…and also in other publications that we provide.Q. What’s a typical background for a successful Affiliate Publisher?
A. We work with Affiliate Publishers from all sorts of backgrounds, but some sales experienced is highly recommended. Take the couple minutes to complete the “Can You be a Successful Affiliate Publisher” Survey. It will give you a very good idea if there’s a good match with US Hospitality or not. Then, here are the steps for getting started.
Q. Do I have to work full time?
A: No, you can work part time. You determine your schedule and hours. Part time however, does not mean you can work 2-3 hours a day. It means you can work a "job" for 1-3 weeks at a time, then take time off. The worst thing you can do is work 2-3 hours a day at completing an ad based "job".Q: Do I have to travel?/What would my territory be?
A. We encourage you to develop your own local territory where you live, and the surrounding area. Some Affiliate Publishers work exclusively around their own city/area. But many of our Affiliate Publishers like to travel – and some travel 200-300 miles or more from their home. It really depends on where you want to work.Q: Do you have opportunities in my geographic area?
A: Although we have several dozen Affiliate Publishers actively selling at all times, we are very likely to have an opportunity that is convenient to your place of residence and/or where you’d like to travel. Just give Judy Bourne a call to discuss at 800-467-1218 or email her.
Q: What publication products will I be selling advertising for?
A: You will have the opportunity to sell advertising in all of our products: Hotel & Resort Guest Directories, Restaurant Menus, Wedding Planner Guides, Visitor Guides, Apartment Guides, Keycards, TV Channel Guide Stands, and other quality publications for the Hospitality industry. We are continuing to develop new products that you’ll be able to sell to your existing client base to increase your income and solidify your client relationships into the future.Q: Who exactly will I be selling to?
A: There are two answers to this question. First, you will primarily be selling advertising a wide variety of local businesses to help promote their product and services in hotels’, resorts’, restaurants’, apartment and condo complexes’ publications in your area. Second, you will be “contracting” or “lining” (up) the owners, managers, or sales/marketing directors for hotels, resorts, apartments, condos, restaurants and other hospitality venues – to set up arrangements for US Hospitality to produce publications for them – and for you to sell advertising in those publications.Q. Do I need to prospect for my own advertising clients in a market?
A. Yes, that’s your responsibility. But we have a wealth of knowledge in how to approach what types of advertisers for what types of publishing products in various types of markets. You’ll get that information and free access to our online Sales tools once you become an Affiliate PublisherQ. Do I need to find/develop my own publishing clients?
A. No, at any point in time US Hospitality usually has a few hundred prospects (hotels, resorts, restaurants, etc) nationally that have expressed interest in our products, and we’ll provide you with any of the leads we have in the geographic area that you want to work. But, there are several good reasons for you to develop your own leads in your market:
- You’ll make more money of every project that find and sell
- While most effective Affiliate Publishers have excellent repeat sales rates year-to-year, those rates are even higher for those who develop their own publishing clients (and “lined” them, themselves)
- You’ll make more money because you’ll develop more personal relationships in your territory. Those contacts more often sign up for multiple products (e.g. a hotel guest directory and a wedding planner) and provide you additional leads (especially when these people move from one property to another).
- You’ll get to “determine your own destiny” a lot more effectively because you won’t depend on the corporate office to give you leads when you need them.
- There are always new hotels, apartment complexes, and other properties being developed that need our products –and other existing hospitality businesses that really want something new and different. And we keep coming out with new products that our Affiliate Publishers can sell to their existing customers.
But again, you don’t have to ever develop your own prospects if you don’t want to. It’s completely your choice.
Q. So who actually produces and handles the publishing products for the client?
A. That’s our job. You contact the sponsor advertisers, sell them ads, and collect (and some of those collections may come in later to the corporate office). We design ads for your advertising sponsors, produce the quality publications (and that all happens in-house), ship them to the client, and take care of all billings and statements. You do the contacting, selling and collecting.
Q. What is the average income that a successful Affiliate Publisher can make?
A: $45-50,000 per year for those who sell on a reasonable, full time basis from 32 to 52 weeks a year. Some Affiliate Publishers make much more—as much as $100,000 a year. We can make no guarantees what you, individually will make. But you will do well if you follow our program and are aggressive in your own market.
Q. What is my commission rate?
A: So long as you reach “par” which is the amount of sales that we need to produce the publication and pay you the commission. You are paid on everything that is sold so long as the money is collected, whether it is at the initial point of sale or later and paid to the home office.Q. How many ads do I have to sell to reach “par”?
A: In most cases, but depending on the publication and the market, approximately 10-15 ads.Q. How long does that take per client?
A. That really depends on the type of client and product and your own skills—for most of our guides it takes two weeks; for menus about a week; but these time frames can and do vary.Q. Do I get paid the same rate of commission on billings or on money not collected at the point of sale?
A: Yes, you are paid at the same rate of commission that your job earned so long as they pay with 60 days after the books have been shipped. If a billing is past due, commisions can be reduced.Q.When I do get paid?
A: You are paid within 48 hours from the time that receive the completed project in house by Direct Deposit or Comchek Card, or we’ll send a check to your home. Note that State, local, and federal taxes are your own personal responsibility if you become an Affiliate Publisher.Q: What traveling expenses do I need to cover myself?
A: With the exception of lodging that is already taken care of per our agreement with a client hotel, you are responsible for your own expenses. You are also responsible for your own state, federal and local taxes.Q. What does it cost to become an Affiliate Publisher with US Hospitality?
A: The initial start-up kit of materials is only $75 (but we’ll take that out of your first two commission checks, and so there’s no money out-of-pocket, initially). There is a recurring $15 per month fee for supplies, hosting (we’ll provide you your own free web site after 90 days), and voice mail.
Q. I’m interested. How do I get started?
A. Either fill out and fax us your Affiliate Publisher application (and we’ll contact you) or call us at 800 467-1218 ext 124. As you’d expect we are very careful whom we select to become an Affiliate Publisher. We don’t want to waste your valuable time – or ours. After completing an Affiliate Publisher application, we’ll review your information, interview you further by phone as necessary, and check references. Then, you also need to complete a an Affiliate Publisher contract and a W-9 form. We are thorough, but you can actually be out selling next week. Get started.Q: What kind of training and support will I receive?
A. In a very short time (just about 3 hours) we’ll get you up to speed on our business and your markets via a conference call, answer your questions, and provide you a range of materials (sample products, contracts, business cards, email address, voice mail box, etc) to help you succeed as an Affiliate Publisher. You’ll be able to access other valuable sales tools online as well once you are signed up. And we are always only a phone call or email away. Plus, if you need additional assistance, we can ensure you’ll get that from one of our Affiliate Publisher “mentors” – who have been there and done that and will be a great help, especially as you get going.
Q. Do I need to be able to use a PC to be an Affiliate Publisher?
A. No, but some of our most successful Affiliate Publishers have significantly increased their efficiency by being able to quickly research a market online, even before they show up (and we’ll show you how to do this). It’s a great way to cut a couple days of work off of every engagement you have. And some of our Affiliate Publishers use their laptops to sell more effectively by going online and showing other products/information available on the US Hospitality site. We also have Affiliate Publishers who don’t use a PC at all. It’s your choice, but we highly advise that you are PC literate. And you’ll find excellent sales tools online including lists of available prospects, status of your clients’ orders, etc.
If you have any other questions, please email or call Judy Bourne at 800 467-1218 ext 124.