Introducing Santiago Saenz Rozas
Santi spent a decade in the affiliate industry on the publisher, network, and agency sides. He has worked with brands in pretty much every category you can think of, like insurtech, fintech, retail, travel and entertainment, B2B, and more. He also has international experience, having worked with clients not only in the U.S., but LATAM, the European Union, and Asia. Santi is currently the Director of Affiliate Partnerships at Fiat Growth, a growth consultancy that helps emerging brands take the channel to the next level.
Without further ado, presenting Santi Rozas!
Rockstar Q&A with Santi
What are your day-to-day duties?
I manage a portfolio of clients, providing both strategic advice and operational support to grow their affiliate program. Lead the affiliate business for Fiat Growth, from pitching to prospective clients, to deploying services and retaining our clients.
How did you get into the affiliate industry?
When I finished my MBA in 2015, I joined the Sears senior leadership rotational program. My first rotation was with a team that was developing a loyalty program called “Shop Your Way” and leveraging affiliate marketing to launch brands in the marketplace to increase assortment and cash back options. I ended up not rotating at all, and have been working in the industry since.
What is your biggest pet peeve about the affiliate industry?
My biggest pet peeve is the perception on the publisher side that the affiliate channel is an easy way to make money. And along those lines, the few bad apples engaging in fraud, in order to make easy money.
What do you think is undervalued in marketing in general?
I don’t think a lot of people understand how important marketing is in assisting a company or brand to test and achieve product market fit, especially in the early days of any startup.
What have you done in the last 6-12 months to improve your affiliate efforts?
We have done two things:
- Double down on meeting with publishers to strengthen relationships.
- Rely on a strong analytical approach more than ever (especially during an uncertain financial time, when budget scrutiny is on the rise).
How do you interact with other marketers outside of the affiliate/partner team at your company?
I try to be active in industry forums, conferences, and regional or local events. I also try to consume as much content as possible (newsletters, LinkedIn news, etc.).
What are 2-3 trends you are seeing in the industry?
- Budget constraints across the board
- Longer lead time to close new partnerships (due to the prior)
- The eruption of new technologies like AI
What’s your top tip when negotiating affiliate deals with partners?
One of the biggest keys is understanding both the CAC from the client side and what the partner’s expected CPC is, in order to have a clear BATNA (best alternative to a negotiated agreement) in mind.
How important is it to follow the journey of a user after your advertisers first acquire them or after their first purchase?
Very important for some partners in particular (like SEO or search), but less important for others (like bottom-of-funnel cash back or loyalty). In general, it is important to understand the journey to be able to optimize the partner mix.
How has your affiliate strategy changed over time?
We’ve been focusing more on maintaining a desired CAC as opposed to achieving more growth. I think that today, clients don’t have a “growth at all cost” mentality anymore, probably driven by higher interest rates and lower budgets.
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Author
During his time as VP, Business Development at TUNE, Nate spearheaded the Affiliate Rockstars series, which aims to highlight the hard-working individuals in the industry and share their expertise with a wider audience. Nate received his BA in Social Sciences from Washington State University.
