Network commission vs a direct brand deal — when to cut out the middleman

Network commission vs a direct brand deal — when to cut out the middleman

Pulled a brand deal yesterday and it reminded me: the network is training wheels.

— Network (ShareASale/Impact): easy, instant tracking, but you take the public commission rate everyone gets and the network skims.

— Direct deal: you negotiate rate, flat fees, exclusivity, bonuses. But you handle tracking and chase the invoice yourself.

Once I was sending a brand 30+ sales/month through a network at 10%, I DM'd them. Got a direct deal at 18% + a $500 monthly retainer.

The trigger: when your network volume to ONE brand is consistent enough that they'd hurt losing you. Then you have leverage.

Find your top brand by volume. Email them this week.