8 Reasons Why Going to Events Will Help You

Inspired by my late planning in getting a flight and hotel booked for adTech, I started thinking about all the good things that came from attending Affiliate Summit East in Miami this past summer. Perhaps this will persuade you to get out of your hermit’s nest and enjoy seeing other places. Even if you’re a closet affiliate, events can be worth the cost. So here’s a list of the 8 things that are beneficial from attending events (in no particular order) :

1) Networking

Duh. Even though these points are in no order, networking is the #1 reason to go to events. You’ll make tons of contacts, and even if you don’t make ton – there’s always that 1 that will actually make an impact on your career. At ASE, I was able to meet tons of cool people as well as build relationships with leaders in the industry. Hey, maybe Shoemoney didn’t tell me the secrets to the universe, but he did buy me breakfast the first morning I was there. Networking = free Denny’s. I’d travel a few hundred miles for a free meal any day.

2) Seminars

To be honest I didn’t learn that much from attending the sessions, but you can pick up a useful hint here and there. Nothing life changing, but if you’re paying for the pass, might as well go to some of the seminars. If anything, it gives you fuel to spark up conversations with the speakers later on at a party or something.

3) Eavesdropping

Shhh don’t tell anyone I told you. Find some big wigs in the industry standing around chatting, and just sort of meander on over and look like you belong. There’s a good chance you’ll be able to overhear a millionaire saying “yeah, I’ve been having really great success with _____”, before they look at you and ask who the hell you are.

4) Parties!!!

Partying at ASE was sweet. If you don’t enjoy the night life, the parties are optional, but I recommend going even if you don’t want to drink at all. Everyone is just having a good time (and drunk), and will talk about most things with you. Trying to get someone wasted and then getting them to spill their secrets isn’t worth the effort, it’s not that wild. Just go and relax and become friends with some people who you’ll then see the next day at conferences. Networking networking networking.

5) Meeting Your Co-Workers

Meeting some of your affiliate managers in real life can add an extra social value to your relationship. You’ll be able to hang out and chat with them about what you’ve been doing, and then maybe squeak out that payout increase you’ve been wanting but they always said “we’re giving you the max payout.” Plus I won an iPod from Azoogle which was cool.

6) Experience

I think that attending seminars is worth it just for the experience alone. When I went into ASE, it was my first event, I was still a noobie (still am in my own eyes), I had virtually no contacts, and no experience. When I left, I had a completely new type of confidence in what I was doing. I saw others just like myself making hundreds of thousands, and got to really see everything out there. As a result I became more confident in my actions and aggressive in my negotiations – both which = more money.

7) Reward

I like to think that I work hard at what I do. I spend hours and hours every day staring at this screen, just like I am right now at 4:30 in the morning. Taking a trip allows me to step away from 10 hours/day at a computer and go out and see the world. We all deserve vacations (even though it’s still “work”), so take some of your earned money and put it towards booking ASW in Vegas. Next year I really hope to attend the Affiliate Summit in London, just because I’ve always wanted to go there.

8 ) Free T-Shirts and Pens

I have to admit I went crazy and whored as many tshirts and pens as I could. I ended up with a small suitcase full of tshirts and hats, and about 40 pens. I probably won’t go that crazy anymore, but I do love my free shirts.

 
I apologize if anything in this post doesn’t make sense. It’s almost 5am and I’m laying in bed right now, just couldn’t sleep so I decided to blog. If anybody has anything to add, just comment me up. Maybe I’ll edit the post in the morning…nah…


9 Comments

  1. October 17, 2007

    Free T-Shirts and Pens. Hmm not the *best* reason to spend the $$$ to go to these events :) What we need now are 8 ways to come up with the cash to go to one of these when you are based in the UK and so have to fork out tons of costs in flights & hotels. Now that would be a really useful post :p

  2. October 17, 2007

    LOL. You and Shoemoney love free tshirts.

    I have been to couple of SES in Chicago but never been to affiliate summits. I wouldn’t know anyone except for affiliate managers by name but never met any of them in person.

    I’m in that “newbie” category not knowing any other affiliate marketers.

    Anyways, good job on the new blog theme, you took photos off of it though. One with you and Shoemoney in Miami.

  3. October 17, 2007

    You should hold a contest to win some of those shirts :)

  4. October 17, 2007

    Great post. Love some of the ideas!

  5. October 31, 2007

    Are there any events of this nature in the UK? As Caroline says, that’s a lot of money to fork out when your on the wrong side of the pond!

  6. October 31, 2007

    theukaffiliate – yep there’s an Affiliate Summit in London that takes place once a year. There should be other events there as well, do some searches on it.

  7. November 5, 2007

    I envy young but rich, successful and experienced guy. I am 47, but only a two week old blogger. Welcome to Borneo

  8. November 6, 2007

    I just got back from Ad:Tech, and I wish I had seen this post beforehand. This was the first industry event I had attended, and I couldn’t believe how big it was! (They really need to move it to a bigger venue next year)

    Outside of a handful of IM superstars (Shoemoney, John Chow, Shawn Hogan, etc), I didn’t know anyone there, so networking with complete strangers was tough..

    I did get to meet many of the affiliate managers I’ve worked with, picked up a few new leads, and got a bunch of free junk (t-shirts, pens, and other goodies).

    Unfortunately, an emergency back at the office caused me to cut my trip short, and I wasn’t able to stick around for the MoneyMakers party at Pascha.

    I will be in Vegas in February for Affiliate Summit West though, and that should be a blast. Are you planning on attending, Sup3rnova?

  9. November 8, 2007

    I want to add another reason: find mastermind friends.

    See, people who go to events are people who the have the mindset and goal to be successful. They take action. It’s very easy forming mastermind group with these wonderful open minded friends!

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