​Hey Reader,​

I only knew his name for 37 seconds.

And I was about to walk up to him in a crowded bar and introduce him to a potential affiliate partner like we were old friends.

This could go really well... or spectacularly badly.

Let me back up.

We had an affiliate visiting us in Franklin, Tennessee. They were considering sending us about 10% of their traffic… which would've been huge for us at the time.

We'd spent nearly 20 hours together over two days. Hockey game. Local restaurants. Tours of the office. Really building a relationship beyond typical business meetings.

Then on the second night, we took them to a local spot known for live music… a staple in the Nashville area.

That's when I saw him sitting at the bar.

Joe Don Rooney. Lead guitarist for Rascal Flatts.

Our affiliate was a HUGE Rascal Flatts fan. Like, huge.

He was from Ohio where you don't just bump into famous musicians at bars.

In Nashville? Virtually an everyday occurrence.

This was the moment. The perfect opportunity to make this trip unforgettable.

Only one problem: I had absolutely no idea who Joe Don Rooney was.

I'd heard of the band. Knew a few songs. But I couldn't have picked him out of a lineup five minutes earlier.

So I did what any desperate person would do in 2005.

I Googled him on my Windows phone (pretty fancy back then). Found his name. Read just enough to sound like I knew what I was talking about.

37 seconds later, I turned to our affiliate and said, "Dude, come here with me."

I walked right up to the bar.

"Hey, Joe Don. I'd love to introduce you to my friend Lev here."

Mind you, Joe Don has NO idea who I am. Zero. And I've known his name for less than a minute.

This could've gone sideways fast.

But Joe Don played along like this happens all the time (which in Nashville, it probably does).

We chatted for a minute.

I snapped a photo with my janky phone camera. Terrible quality. Dim lighting. But none of that mattered.

For our affiliate? Electric. Absolutely electric.

He was on cloud nine.

That night, he told me they were fully on board.

Within a week of getting home, they'd shifted more than HALF their traffic to us, not the 10% we'd originally discussed.

Within two weeks? They were sending ALL of it.

One introduction at a bar. 100% of their traffic.

Now, I'm not saying you need to Google celebrities and ambush them with your affiliates.

That's not the point of the story.

The point is this: Going beyond standard business interactions and genuinely investing in relationships works.

That weekend wasn't just about closing a deal. It was about creating an experience they couldn't get elsewhere.

When their favorite sports teams won, I was texting congratulations.

When they needed marketing help, I was on a call.

When they had questions at 9 PM, I answered.

This is what set us apart from competitors who treated affiliates like numbers in a spreadsheet.

The Book on Affiliate Management is packed with stories like this... plus the exact frameworks and strategies that consistently drive performance.

300+ pages of what actually works to build relationships that last and programs that scale.

​Order now and get $1,142 in bonuses before November 25!​

Order before midnight November 25 and you'll get:

- The Affiliate Code Unlocked ($997) - 5 hours of training with strategies only my $100K+ clients have seen

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Personal engagement isn't just nice to have.

It's the competitive advantage that turns good programs into great ones.

​Get the book + bonuses now for your competitive advantage!​

Best regards,

Matt

P.S. That 37-second Google search turned a 10% partnership into 100% of their traffic. That's the power of going the extra mile.

​Get the book and learn how to build relationships that win!​

P.P.S. I’m going to be sharing a lot about the book over the next few weeks. If you’re not interested in the book, that’s OK. Just click here and I won’t mention to you anymore.

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