In the interview hotseat for this edition of our Meet the Manager series is GenesysOne Affiliates’ head of paid media, Pauline Andrew, who shares some sage advice on what new affiliates need to succeed, who is inspiring her at the moment and how to get her on the dance floor.
How did you get into igaming?
A long, long time ago… Back in 2005 I was living in Cyprus and working in tourism. An exciting new company started up offering online poker, which I’d never heard of before. I went to see what it was all about, and the rest is history! Starting on the finance side, I quickly realised that affiliates was the area where I wanted to be.
Where are you based for work? Show us the view from your desk!
I work remotely from a small market town in the countryside in North Yorkshire, UK.
Which parts of your job do you feel most energised and excited by?
The people, both within my team and the affiliates and partners we work with. We have a fantastic group of people working in this industry.
If there was one thing you could change about the sector that would immediately make your life easier as an affiliate manager, what would it be?
All the different regulatory requirements! While consumers of course need to be protected, it’s a minefield these days.
Describe your perfect day off…
It would be a rare sunny day in the UK. I’d start it off horse riding on the wonderful Yorkshire moors, then hopefully end with a nice meal with friends and family.
The best lesson I’ve learned is to always trust the data, in the end it doesn’t lie
You work with a lot of affiliate partners - what separates the very best from the rest?
They know their traffic and how it behaves and are always on top of the relevant data. They also have a willingness to work together with their operators to amend and tweak campaigns to ensure success.
What is GenesysOne Affiliates’ USP which sets it apart from all the other affiliate programmes? Conversion and retention. Our conversion rates are among the best in our jurisdictions and as we operate a number of casinos, we can monetise your traffic across them all. Our team is also highly experienced with over 80 years of combined experience in the industry.
Due to compliance requirements and other factors, it’s getting harder for new affiliates to get started. What advice would you give startups seeking acceptance by reputable programmes?
Familiarise yourself with the legal and regulatory requirements in the jurisdictions where you plan to drive traffic. Also ensure you have a professional website that provides valuable content for users. Clearly outline your business model and how you intend to generate revenue to the operators you work with. Transparency goes a long way these days. And of course, attend industry events, conferences and forums to network with other affiliates and operators. Building relationships within the industry is key and face-to-face time always helps.
We learn as much from our mistakes as our successes. Which of those you have made in your career do you think has proved most valuable to your development and why?
Having been in this industry for 18 years I’ve had my fair share! The most important thing is to learn and grow from them. The best lesson I’ve learned is to always trust the data, in the end it doesn’t lie.
The Mind of a Fox looks at whether you have a fox or hedgehog mindset: foxes prepare for uncertainty, adapt incrementally, rely on resilience. We all need that mindset in this industry
Recommend a big current influence on your life and way of thinking. This could be a social account you follow, a favourite book or writer or simply someone who inspires you…
There are two books that I’ve read recently that had a great impact. The first of these is Unreasonable Hospitality by Will Guidara, a great book for anyone working in the service industry which shows how you can generate success by going above and beyond for your customer. The other is The Mind of a Fox by Chantell Ilbury and Clem Sunte. This looks at whether you have a fox or hedgehog mindset: foxes prepare for uncertainty, adapt incrementally, rely on resilience; hedgehogs rigidly pursue a single vision and falter when the future diverges from their assumptions. We all need to have that fox mindset in this industry.
If we offered you a ticket to travel anywhere in the world, where would you go and why?
Cyprus, my parents live there, and I don’t get to see them often enough. It also has amazing weather and food!
What song never fails to get you on the dance floor?
The last time I was on the dancefloor it was Zorba the Greek and involved smashing plates. However, in general, anything by Queen B.
Where can affiliates find you online?
I’m old school - LinkedIn or Facebook.