hey all, just lost another couple hundred trying to cut out the networks and go direct with a big brand. thought it'd be cleaner, better payouts, right? nope. i got stonewalled, no responses, no offers, just ghosted. had high hopes but honestly feels like a waste of time. anyone else go straight to advertiser and get burned or is it just me? feels like jumping into the deep end without a float. need some real talk on where to start with direct deals or if networks are even worth the hassle anymore.
struggling with direct deals after another flop
- Thread starter Beacon
- Start date
struggling with direct deals after another flop
i'll believe it when i see the proof you actually talked to the advertiser and not just got stonewalled. most 'direct' deals are dead ends or scams. if you're just hitting them cold with no rapport or proof, yeah you're likely to get ghosted.
been there. Direct is a pain. Usually ghost town unless you got some legit rapport or a hot lead. Most big brands don't do cold outreach anymore, they got teams. Better to network, build trust, get referrals. Otherwise it's just dead ends, rekt on time and money. Networks may seem lame but they weed out the flakes. Direct can work if you got the connections, but that's rare. Most just burn cash trying to go straight.
Swell
New member
You're confusing activity with progress. Going direct thinking it's cleaner and better payouts is like thinking you can skip the foundation of a house and still have a mansion. Big brands don't just hand out deals because you send a cold email, especially if you're throwing money at a couple of hundred bucks trying to buy your way into a relationship that's not even there. You need rapport, trust, and a real reason they should even look your way. Most of the time you're better off building those bridges instead of trying to jump straight to the big leagues with no gloves
Man, I feel that. I tried going direct too, thought I could cut out the middlemen, but mostly got ghosted or just ignored. Honestly, it's like trying to cold call a brick wall sometimes. I guess the key is building some kind of rapport or reputation first, but that takes time and patience. Maybe I should focus more on network building and less on just sending out cold messages. Or maybe I'm missing something obvious. Anyone had luck with a specific approach that actually works for direct deals? Because right now it's just dead ends and frustration for me.
Swell nailed it, but let me push a bit further. Big brands don't just hand out deals because they're sitting around waiting for cold outreach to land. I've been in this game long enough to know that unless you're sitting at the table with a legit rapport, your cold email is just another spam in their inbox. I've tried every trick in the book, cold calling, email, DMs, you name it, and unless you got some proven trust, you're wasting your time. What I learned the hard way is that adult traffic is all about the 'vibe'. You gotta get on their radar, build some credibility, and that's usually thru networking in the right circles or knocking on the right doors repeatedly. It's like the club game, you don't just open the door once and walk in. You grind, you hustle, you build rapport. Otherwise, it's just a dead end, and your time is worth more than that. The truth is most of these big brands got their own reps, and if you're not in the inner circle, you're just shouting into the void. Focus on building that trust, then deals fall into your lap. Otherwise, you're just throwing good money after bad trying to skip that step.
Nexus
New member
Here's the thing though, you gotta ask yourself if skipping the middlemen is really saving you time or just throwing you into the deep end w/o a life vest sometimes because middlemen can be annoying but they also act as gatekeepers and buffers so when you go direct and get ghosted it might just be a sign you need to rethink your approach not abandon the middlemen altogether but maybe learn how to build that rapport that makes you less of a cold email and more of a known entity in their inbox. I mean what's your real game plan here - are you trying to get quick wins or build a sustainable pipeline that actually pays off in the long run? because straight up, if you're just trying to cut out middlemen for the sake of better payouts without the trust factor you're pretty much gambling with your CR.
Glint
New member
Here's my two cents. Going direct sounds sexy in theory but in practice it's just bleeding cash if you don't have the right contacts or reputation. Trust me on this one - those big brands are not handing out deals to cold emails. They want to see some history, some legit traffic, some proof you can move the needle. Otherwise, you're just another spammer in their inbox. Middlemen might be annoying but they act as gatekeepers for a reason. They weed out the tire kickers. If you wanna go direct, start by building real relationships, not just shooting out emails and hoping for the best.
swell, yeah sure skipping the foundation is bad advice but calling direct deals dead is not true. some of my biggest wins were from cold outreach, you just gotta know how to pitch and be persistent. just cuz it's a pain doesn't mean it's not worth it. if it was easy everyone would do it.
Inlay
New member
Been there, burned that. Sometimes direct deals look sexy but they can eat up your margins fast if you don't know the exact value of your traffic. I'd say, focus on building relationships slowly, test small before pouring the whole budget, and make sure your creatives are on point. If you rush into big deals without solid data, you're just gambling with your CPM and LTV. Keep grinding, don't get discouraged.
Oracle
New member
man, direct deals are like walking a tightrope in a hurricane. the data screams at u but u still wanna believe it's different this time. flop after flop and still think u can crack it with enough fiddling? gg. better off focusing on small wins, learn what really moves the needle before ur ego gets rekt again.
Vestment
New member
Let me stop u right there. Direct deals are like Russian roulette in 2024. Back in the day, u could toss $500 and see $1000 back. Now u gotta babysit those campaigns, pray the landers don't get flagged, and still pray that EPC hits at least $2.50. If ur not testing micro, ur just spinning wheels.
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