Conferenceseasonebook

ConferenceSeason - A BlogSeries From the 2013

ShareASale Blogby Brian Littleton

1 BlogShareASalecom for More

Table of ContentsConferenceSeason is upon us - One Tip Per Day 3

2 Get those Business Cards Ready 12

3 Prepare for the Parties 16

4 Selling Your Boss on Conference Attendance 35

5 Research the Conference Town 37

6 What to Pack 39

7 Get Marketing Material Ready 42

8 Things Youll Pack But Dont Need 46

9 Things To Do On the Way To the Conference 49

10 Dress to Impress 52

11 Keeping Conferences Organized 54

12 Success at the Booth 60

13 Be Prepared for a Change In Plans 62

14 Four Best Shoe Buys for Conferences 65

15 Organize amp Motivate Sign-ups 67

16 Staying Focused amp Organized 69

17 Finding Networking Opportunities 71

18 Things You Wont Pack But Will Need 73

19 Lets Talk Chicago 75

20 Recruitment amp Promotional Ideas 78

21 Making the Most of Networking 81

22 Analyzing Conference Success 84

23 Favorite Conference Memories 86


ConferenceSeason is upon us - OneTip Per DayAs the summer season of conferences approaches us - ShareASales Daily Blog will provide youwith 1 major preparation tip every day in May You can find the posts in ourConferenceSeason category

ConferenceSeason Tip 1 - Set YourScheduleYou cant very well put together an entire strategy for the season without figuring out whereyou want to be When putting together a schedule it is important to look not only at theconferences and shows that you regularly participate in - but also to look outside your comfortzone and find a few that can benefit your business in incremental ways Due to the natureof our industry just about any conference can and should be considered Here are some tips

For Merchants

Think about your audience With the wide variety of blogging conferences you havethe opportunity to get in front of content producers with the same audience

For Everyone

Dont fall into the trap of just going where your competitors go There is much morevariety and opportunity out there

For Affiliates

Conferences can be huge learning curve moments - especially for theBeginnerIntermediate Affiliate They can propel you to even larger levels of successjust by attending and sharing stories with other attendees Think broadly and dont be afraid to take a chance on a show

You cant go to them all but you can go to one

If youve never attended a show take a look at the schedule below and try to pick one closeto your area easy for you to attend and I can just about guarantee that youre going to belooking for more to attend


The Big Ones - Consider theseMust-Do at Some Point

Internet Retailer Conference - June 4-7 ChicagoILFor Online Retailers - billed as the Worlds Largest Exhibit Hall this is anabsolute must for any retailer The exhibit hall covers everything from howto build a better cardboard box to how to better effectively utilize onlinemarketing tools Huge variety - should be on every Retailers list Comemeet ShareASale there we will be exhibiting and look forward to seeingyouvia wwwinternetretailercom

BlogHer 13 - July 25-27th Chicago ILBlogHer 13 is open to anyone and everyone who considers themselvespart of the social media landscape All genders ages ethnicities andlevels of blogging experience are encouraged to attend Theres somethingfor everyone This is one of the larger blogging conferences and definitelycomes recommended This is a fantastic show and ShareASale will bethere as an Exhibiting Sponsorvia eventsthepulsenetworkcom


Affiliate Summit East 2013 - August 18-20Philadelphia PAAffiliate Summit is an absolute must for anyone in the Affiliate Marketingcommunity or those looking to take their blogging to a new level ofmonetization Packed with speakers - and an amazing exhibit hall you willcome away with a different feeling of tired than youve everexperienced and youll also have a brand new and exciting to-do listfor your business ShareASale has attended all of the Affiliate Summitshows in the past and we are proud to be the Titanium Sponsor of theshow Do not miss the following keynotes Rae Hoffman CEO PushFire(Twitter sugarrae) and Wil Reynolds Founder SEER Interactive (Twitterwilreynolds)via wwwaffiliatesummitcom

A List of Niche Blogging Conferences -by Month

Conferences in MaySOBCon May 3-5 - Chicago ILSOBCon is a 2-day interactive business ldquothink tankrdquo that moves ideas toaction During the conference attendees increase their business IQ in anengaging and positive learning environment They take away an actionableand measurable business plan along with invaluable business strategiesand skills increased confidence and a network of connections to drivetheir companies forwardvia wwwsobeventcom


Alt Design Summit - ONLINE May 16 - 18 Were excited to announce our very first completely-online conference AltFor Everyone We know not all of you can travel to our events in NewYork San Francisco and Salt Lake City so were bringing all the benefits ofAlt to your laptop Yes youll get the informative classes the world-classkeynote social meet-ups mdash and even a goodie bag delivered straight toyour door And you wont even have to stress about what youre going towear Alt for Everyone will take place on May 16th 17th and 18th Threefull days of programming You can spread your classes out like you wouldat a traditional conference or pack them all into one day if you need tomanage your work schedule or babysitter availability via wwwaltitudesummitcom

BlogPaws - May 16-18 Washington DC - The PetSocial Media ResourceBlogPaws is Social Media Company focused on teaching pet enthusiastshow to use social media effectively We also work year round to connectour bloggers and micro-bloggers to the brands they buy every day Ouronline community site is for pet bloggers pet enthusiasts pet people onTwitter and Facebook and brands eager to tap into a growing vibrantvocal community of serious writers bloggers tweetersvia wwwblogpawscom

The Blog Workshop - May 17 - 19 ONLINE -Where Blogging Meets BusinessThe Blog Workshop is a teaching community for bloggers and vloggersOur goal is to provide information that will help bloggers and vloggers taketheir ventures to the next level Through our workshops annualconference and community we are working hard to facilitate bloggingeducation and help bridge the gap between influencers brands PRprofessionals and more We are honored to be a part of providinginformation resources and opportunities for bloggerpreneurs and futureblogging scholars The Blog Workshop is Where Blogging MeetsBusinessvia theblogworkshopcom


Camp Blogaway - May 24 - 26 - The OriginalBootcamp For Food amp Recipe Bloggers - TheMountains of Southern CaliforniaREGISTER NOW The FIFTH Camp Blogaway will take place MemorialWeekend May 24 ndash 26 2013 Join the email list for updates Welcome toa Little Slice of Heaven for Food Bloggers ndash workshops activities panelsbreakouts and more on ldquoall things bloggingrdquo held in the tranquil mountainsof sunny Southern California Yup this really IS camp cozy cabins roaringlodge fireplace hearty chow fresh air and stargazing paired with ajam-packed itinerary and invaluable camaraderie Dawn to dusk wepractically never stopvia campblogawaycom

Conferences in JuneInternet Retailer 2013 June 4-7 Chicago ILFor Online Retailers - billed as the Worlds Largest Exhibit Hall this is anabsolute must for any retailer The exhibit hall covers everything from howto build a better cardboard box to how to better effectively utilize onlinemarketing tools Huge variety - should be on every Retailers listvia irceinternetretailercom

BlogHer Food June 7-8 Austin TXToday we are thrilled to announce the dates and venue for ourfifth-annual BlogHer Food ConferenceBlogHer Food 13 will take place onJune 7th amp 8th at the Austin Hiltonvia wwwbloghercom


FitBloggin - June 27 - 30 Portland ORWhile people can spend a lifetime mastering photography creating betterphotos for your blog can be easy fun and fulfilling The first step isgetting a basic understanding of the technical aspects of photographysuch as aperture shutter speed and ISO With these mechanics in mindwe can consider some general rules about lighting composition andartistic effects that go into crafting a more visually appealing photo Butthe most important aspect of a photo is capturing the moment nailing theldquoemotionally perfectrdquo shot and using the camera as a tool to see theworld through a whole new lensvia fitbloggincom

Reviewers Retreat - June 30 - July 2 PineMountain GAThe 3rd annual Reviewerrsquos Retreat will be held June 30th-July2nd TheLodge and Spa at Callaway Gardens Reviewerrsquos Retreat is first conferencegeared specifically toward the issues and challenges faced by bloggers inthe review genre Review bloggers or ldquoonline influencersrdquo who conductproduct and resource reviews on their site will converge to take part insessions on a variety of topics including brand-blogger relations websitedesign perfecting the pitch statistics photography and more Thisbrand-friendly conference welcomes company and agency representativesas building and strengthening relationships between bloggers and brandsand exploring the future of influencer marketing are the primary goals ofReviewerrsquos Retreatvia reviewersretreatcom

Conferences in JulyBlogHer 13 - July 25-27th Chicago ILBlogHer 13 is open to anyone and everyone who considers themselvespart of the social media landscape All genders ages ethnicities andlevels of blogging experience are encouraged to attend Theres somethingfor everyone (And in case youre curious about 10-15 of attendees aremen) via eventsthepulsenetworkcom


Conferences in AugustAffiliate Summit East 2013 - August 18-20Philadelphia PAAffiliate Summit is an absolute must for anyone in the Affiliate Marketingcommunity or those looking to take their blogging to a new level ofmonetization Packed with speakers - and an amazing exhibit hall you willcome away with a different feeling of tired than youve everexperienced and youll also have a brand new and exciting to-do listfor your business ShareASale has attended all of the Affiliate Summitshows in the past and we are proud to be the Titanium Sponsor of theshow Do not miss the following keynotes Rae Hoffman CEO PushFire(Twitter sugarrae) and Wil Reynolds Founder SEER Interactive (Twitterwilreynolds)via wwwaffiliatesummitcom

BarkWorld Expo - August 22-24 Atlanta GAThe call for speaker presentations is currently open continue to watch thispage to get updates on session titles amp speakers Download the mobileapp (iPhone and Android) to add sessions to your personal schedule andnetwork with other attendees BarkWorld Conference amp Expo 2013Schedulevia wwwbarkworldexpocom

Conferences in September


Mom Blogger Conference - Sept 5-7 FtLauderdale FLThe conference features a workshop-style agenda giving bloggershands-on professional development Last year keynote speakers includedsocial marketing strategist and Collective Biasrsquo Chief Social MarketingOfficer Ted Rubin award-winning author and photographer KarenWalrond Founder and CEO of Dr Mommy Online Dr Daisy Sutherlandand Founder of Mom Bloggers Club Network Jennifer James Attendancewill be capped at 175 bloggers to keep the event intimate and allowmeaningful connections between attendees and brands present You wonrsquotwant to miss itvia wwwthenichemommycom

The Search Party - Sept 11-13 San Antonio TX100 carefully selected invitation-only bloggers and other online influencerswith targeted audiences and promotion channels Representing lifestyleand technology categories our Guests collectively represent an estimatedLearn more about our Guests Read more about our 2013 Sponsors orbecome a Sponsor View our 2013 Schedule and Speakers The SearchParty brings it all together through an agenda of high-impact targetedinteractionvia wwwthesearchpartyus

Bloggy Conference - September 13-15 CedarPoint Sandusky OHAs an extension of the Bloggy Moms Community Bloggy Conference isfirst and foremost designed with community and information as itscornerstone Our goal is to provide real and useful information to furtheryour social media longevity to help you build strong connections toprovide support and resources in your areas of interest Only by increasingyour knowledge of the social media and blogging world can you thenbegin to find successvia wwwbloggyconferencecom


Type-A Parent Conference - Sept 27 - 29 AtlantaGAType-A Parent Conference in its fifth year is the worldrsquos top conferencefor mom and dad bloggers The conference has a well-establishedreputation for outstanding learning with actionable takeaways It featurespower networking with the best and brightest parents who blog plus themajor brands and firms who want to engage them Type-A is where thepower parents grow their business and connectvia typeaconferencecom

Conferences in OctoberFinCon Finance Blogging and New Media -October 17-20 St Louis MOA peer conference for financial bloggers Learn to blog and discover thelatest trends in the financial worldvia financialbloggerconferencecom


2 Get those Business Cards ReadyBusiness cards have come under attack recently - but I find them an extraordinarily importantpiece of any conference interaction They set the tone for who you are and can oftenmake the difference between an immediate dismissal and an interested party Firstimpressions after all are immensely critical Some ideas about business cards

1 Get a photo on there I personally wade through over 100 cards every time I comehome from a show often much much more from a larger show Pictures are worth athousand words

2 Leave room for notes Avoid glossy finishes that dont allow for notes to be written onthe back or sides of the card Use a flat finish and leave plenty of whitespace

3 Leave whitespace As a carry over from point 2 - dont fill your card up with darkcolours that make it impossible to write notes

4 Put some thought into it Check the page below that has some reactions to varioustypes of business cards received - by Shawn Collins The video is interesting - althoughI dont recommend the approach unless you have the personality to back it up

Business Card Ideas - Affiliate Marketing BlogHow are your business cards or do you even have any I know someInternet marketers dont care for business cards and dont bother withthem And then others have lame cards - terminally plain or really lowquality Anyhow here are some of the cards Ive liked from the past yearto help youhellipvia blogaffiliatetipcom

Affiliate OpportunityFor Affiliates - there is also huge opportunity any time of the year to promote these types ofproducts Businesses are in constant need of marketing materials and ShareASale hasdozens of retailers who sell these products - check out a few examples below


Deluxe Corp - MerchantID 22559 10-30Commission on ShareASaleThe Deluxe Affiliate Program encompasses several brands owned andmanaged by business enterprise solutions company Deluxe Corp Since1915 Deluxe has led the industry in providing everything from businesschecks and forms to promotional products enterprise services and moreStart earning now Simply publish our links on your site earn up to 30commission for each completed sale you refer to our store Marty brings aseasoned perspective to the Deluxe team supported by years of industryleadership in e-Commerce management web development and onlinemarketing Martys affiliate successes date back to his management role atDesktop Labels in 1999 Marty joined Deluxe in 2010 and has beenactively engaged with all Deluxe affiliate programs When not optimizingon emerging online strategies Marty enjoys playing the piano spendingtime with his wife and walking his dog Melvia shareasalecom

PrintPapa - MerchantID 25636 15 Commissionon ShareASalePrintPapacoms Affiliate Program is a great way for website owners onlinemarketers and bloggers to make money promoting our products As amember yoursquoll earn very competitive 15 commission on all monthlysales Selling PrintPrint products is easy Our quality printing and fastturnaround times make our products very appealing to both consumersand businesses Our 30 Day Conversion rate is healthy around 360 30Day EPC is typically $65 and the average sale is usually $191 We recentlyhad a huge valid order come in at $980via shareasalecom

Franklin Covey - MerchantID 43722 10Commission on ShareASaleOrganization products for conference goers - Planners Binders BagsTech Accessories and morevia shareasalecom


PrintingForLesscom - MerchantID 12982 18Commission on ShareASalePrintingForLesscom is proud to sell more full color printing online than anyother commercial printing company in the USA With over 70000customers nationwide we provide a superior printing experience to everycustomer by offering award-winning customer service high-qualityprinting and fast turnaround Easily earn high-dollar payouts with ourindustry-leading commission offer of 18 on every order and highaverage order size of over $460 ndash thatrsquos over $80 per salevia shareasalecom

PsPrint - MerchantID 22819 8 Commission onShareASalePsPrint is a different kind of online printing company By combining thevery best in web technologies with state-of-the-art production facilitiesPsPrint is able to deliver online printing convenience combined withcompetitive prices and consistent quality PsPrint is more than just anonline printing company With our expert Mailing Services PsPrint is alsoyour direct mail partner with the marketing solutions you need to makeyour promotional mailings a success With the PsPrint affiliate programyoursquoll earn a generous commission on everything we sell including initialand recurring sales Yoursquoll enjoy high conversion rates (up to 12) fromour easy to use website and commissions per order Whats more sellingPsPrint products is easy Our quality printing and lightning-fast turnaroundtimes make our products very appealing to both consumers andbusinessesvia shareasalecom

TinyPrints - MerchantID 12808 7-10Commission on ShareASaleTiny Prints has an assortment of styles that can be customized whetheryoursquore looking for a special format or a stellar design Explore ourextensive library of themes and utilize our professional design services tohelp create your business cards Find custom styles for adding your logophotos and accents and modern folded or square formats that distinguishyou to partners and clientele Establish a memorable first impression withyour associates by handing out distinctive business cardsvia wwwtinyprintscom

Heres a Preview of Our Business


Cards for this Summer


3 Prepare for the PartiesOne of the most anticipated ingredients of the ConferenceSeason is the networking party Not only are parties fun and a chance to unwind from the long day - but they offer some ofthe best networking opportunities to be found

Figure out which parties are for youStand out If you are new to conferences this is a critical element To grow yourstock in the industry sometimes you have to do something to get people to rememberwho you are If there is a karaoke party get up there and sing If there is a costumeparty - make an effort to find a costume It isnt just more fun but people rememberother people who have that type of charisma trust me youll end up with a lot morepeople remembering who you are when you make follow up callsBe respectful of the host and other guests Stay in control - remember firstimpressions are critical dont be the out of control party-goer If the party has aninvite list dont crash it

Some Photo-fun Blasts from the PastShareASale has had a great history of parties - which have all been a ton of fun to be a partof For FunFriday - Im going to offer up some photos of parties past comment if youremember them




















4 Selling Your Boss on ConferenceAttendanceYou have found some very exciting looking conferences to attend this year and now yourwaiting for the big moment to sell it to your boss I know it can be hard to convincemanagement on the benefits of face to face networking events especially if conferences arenot typically in the budget So your task is to illustrate the solid return youll be bringing backfrom the conference based on time and money spent The first step is to put together arealistic expected expense report Be sure to include all the line items that may come up whiletraveling in addition to the conference registration

There are many travel deals to be had out there Be sure to plan ahead so you can thoroughlyresearch any deals on air fare car rental or hotels Conferences will also often have an earlybird rate for registration so be sure to check out the conference website and any relatedsocial media for any other special promotions Once you know what the cost is going to beyou can provide full disclosure on the expense and present the key benefits that you will reapfrom attending the show You can lay out exactly what you will be able to contribute to thecompany in return for their investment This can be a bit difficult to quantify However if youare able to point to specific skills contacts made or knowledge gained you will be able tofollow up on that once the conference is complete and the extra business starts rolling in

Skype WebEx and audio calls are convenient and create the illusion wersquoreactually having a meeting -- but nothing beats the power of a truly personal

face-to-face connection

from 5 Reasons You Need to Meet in Person by Rene Shimada Siegel via Inccom

There are many benefits to attending conferences and networking with business partnersface-to-face that you could emphasize Ive listed three that I feel provide the most value tobusinesses

Sessions Education Conference sessions can provide some great education on anynew technologies issues or techniques in the industry These are all items that canhelp an organization grow They also often are full of best practices and training on


processes that can directly benefit job tasks Networking The power of personal face-to-face communication is undeniable Theability to find commonality and bond through small talk and read body language aretwo benefits that are difficult to replicate via email Meeting individuals in person alsogives you the benefit of- Keeping a pulse on the industry Talking with people will help you get a gauge on anyhot topics and the current buzz in the industry There is a knowledge gained whenpeople are able to exchange ideas feedback and experiences- Establishing a presence The more events your company is represented at thegreater the likelihood that people will start to recognize you and your network ofcontacts for potential business opportunities will continue to grow as wellExhibit Hall Meeting with potential vendors can lay the ground work in identifyingprospective partnerships Often times there may be competing vendors so you caneasily compare different organizations within one space

Once you have carefully weighed the expenses and benefits of conference attendance you arenow ready to present and sell your proposal to management Best of luck and we hope to seeyou at an upcoming show


5 Research the Conference TownOne of the tasks most over looked when preparing for a conference is researching the locationof the conference I cannot count how many times I have been asked at a conference abouttips on where to eat how to travel or where to have a bit of fun Having this knowledge isinvaluable it allows for a more relaxing conference and in some cases makes YOU the go toperson for information which is great for beginning to network I have put together sometools that I use to scout out the conference

Conference WebsitesMy first stop is the conference website This will tell you the main locationpartner hotels specific deal for conference attendees and who willactually be at the conference This is a link to Affiliate Summits websitewhich is always great because they add in information about theconferences way in advancevia wwwaffiliatesummitcom

HotelsWhile most of us are great at planning ahead I realize there are timeswhen you might wait a bit too long and are unable to get a hotel room inthe host hotel Never fear TripAdvisor is my go to tool for finding a hotelin a decent price range that will not give you bed bugs It is really great toget real opinions from regular people on the pros and cons of hotels via wwwtripadvisorcom

TransitMy next step is looking into transit to and from the airport to theconference It is so important to know if a taxiprivate car is necessary orwhether it is possible to take public transit In the case of Affiliate SummitEast in Philadelphia it turns out one can easily take the SEPTA train for $7to the conference center as well as most of the sponsor hotels Thiswould also be true for IRCE where one could take the CTA in Chicago forless than a $3 one way trip The ability to take public transit in addition toother costlier options helps as conferences can sometimes result inbottleneck traffic where it is much easier to walk to a train rather thanwait for a ridevia wwwseptaorg


FoodHere at ShareASale we are foodies So one of the first priorities is findinggreat places to eat when we are at a conference I generally use Yelp andOpenTable to navigate this process Yelp will allow you to see where thelocal folks eat which is so important and OpenTable allows you to easilymake a reservation to avoid a wait As we all know after talking andstanding on your feet the last thing you would like to do is spend a longtime waiting to sit down for a mealvia wwwyelpcom

EntertainmentWhile the majority of a conference is spent networking learning andgenerally working I always like to look at potentially fun and easy things Imight be able to do outside of the conference In order to find theseactivities I navigate to Metromix Metromix has a page for pretty muchevery city in the United States where a conference might be located Italso includes activities that range in price from Free to really expensive sothere should be something for everyonevia wwwmetromixcom

WeatherThe weather is one of the subjects that seems like a no brainer but anumber of us were regretting not checking more thoroughly at ASW13Las Vegas was much colder than my hometown of Chicago that weekendand it made for some slightly under dressed conference attendeesDefinitely do check the weather and double check it the day before youleave for the conference so that you will be set for any weathereventualitiesvia wwwweathercom

These are some of the most important tools that I use to prepare for conferences but theyare only a start I am sure some of the conference veterans could provide so many more tipsor warnings when it comes to conferences In fact I would love to hear them so feel free tocomment on the blog post with your Best Tips


6 What to PackPacking for me can be a headache in itself especially when I am not the worldrsquos most orderlyoccupant due to a severe shopping binge problem (Guilty) While I love traveling Irsquom also thetraveler who likes to have everything with her which makes it complete chaos when trying tomeet baggage weight requirements Something Ive learned from past conferenceexperiences

You wont be changing as often as youthink you willChances are your schedule during the day will be supremely busy Once the conference wrapsup for the evening yoursquore usually only allotted a short amount of time to a) take a powernap b) down a 5-hr Energy (or your energy drink of choice) andor c) change for the nightrsquosfestivities Ive put together some quick tips which will hopefully help ease the burden of getting your suitcase in order Transition Pieces Irsquove become a big fan of transition clothingndash pieces that can shift from day to night to avoid packing heaps of different outfits aka outfitsthat wonrsquot ever have a chance to be worn


Give yourself a shoe limit If youre thinking this is the opportunity to show off your brand newpair of shoes think again Aside from comfort you also should be packing based on versatilityfor instance what will give you the most use or what will match with most everything At leastone sweater or jacket Convention centers are quite similar to the weather in Chicago actually- unpredictable Sleepwear socks and unmentionables Probably the most essential but theeasiest to forget Make sure you count your days correctly Statement pieces(optional) Bringing individual statement pieces not only reflect your personal style andpersonality but can also act as great conversation starters


You have a more interesting life if you wear impressive clothes - VivienneWestwood

Have a great conference season


7 Get Marketing Material ReadyMarketing Material can make or break a conference Although as the Marketing Manager Imay be biased But seriously it can There are four major pieces to prep prior to attending orexhibiting at a conference

The Information Document(s)The Business CardsThe GiveawaysThe Booth

Lets talk a little best practices

1 THE INFORMATIONAL DOCUMENTMake It Interactive - Everyone is going to have the standard one-sheeter Getinteractive with surveys forms drawings tear-off sheets etcIt Should Provide Value - Tell us more than who you are and why you are awesomeAddress the real life questions or scenarios that your businessservice will solve

Change the Shape or Size - Pay a little more for the thicker paper create a colorfulpostcard produce a catalog or magazine or maybe even try out a flip bookMake It POP - A good design goes a long way It should be eye catching and jump offthe page Less Text More Pictures - With the creation of the infographic this should be ano-brainer But I still see companies with text heavy documents Have a lot to sayUse bullet points


2 THE BUSINESS CARDThe Paper - Get paper people can takes notes on As slick as shiny small or blackbusiness cards lookdont do it A Picture - I know it sounds a little cheesy but add a professional photo to yourbusiness card It helps people remember youPersonalize It - We are all human we have quirks specialties etc let it show onyour card Add something to make you less static and more real

2 Get those Business Cards Ready |ShareASale BlogThey set the tone for ldquowho you arerdquo and can often make the differencebetween an immediate dismissal and an interested party Firstimpressions after all are immensely critical via blogshareasalecom

3 THE GIVEAWAYPackable - It should be reasonable in size and weight so attendees can actually take ithome No giant cookbooks pleaseEdible - Or make it edible Who doesnt love a nice snack at a conference Thinkenergy bars refreshing juice or fruit cups (or just candy)Something for the Kiddos - Attendees love bringing home gifts for kids Think toddlert-shirts stuffed animals or race cars


4 THE BOOTHKeep It Simple - Dont overwhelm your booth design The design should focus on oneor two talking pointsMake It Pop - Most attendees have already hand-picked vendors to visit Make yourbooth stand out with bright colors big images or something totally out of the ordinaryIve seen someone throw a ping pong table in their boothAbove the Waist - These booths are big Dont waste time designing anything belowthe waist line Youll have chairs tables and giveaways blocking it

-- Finding Your Marketing Material --Online Printing - MimeocomMimeo is a leading online printing company offering digital distributionand online printing solutions Services include warehousing kitting andmorevia wwwmimeocom

Trade Show Displays - Epic DisplaystradeComplete selection of portable booths pop up displays signs bannerstands tabletop displays flooring and morevia wwwepicdisplayscom


Trade Show Exhibit - Event SupplyOur inventory includes event supplies for every occasion from tradeshows and conferences to weddings and concerts via wwweventsupplycom

Carson Wrapped HersheysPersonalized Hersheys promotional chocolate for corporate business giftstradeshow giveaways with logo and thank you giftsvia wrappedhersheyscom

Custom Plush Toys ManufacturerWe work with industry professionals to design cutting edge custom madetoys and stuffed animals to fit your vision with a 100 money backguaranteevia wwwcustomplushcom

Flashing Blinky Lights Custom Flashing Pins and Light-Up Products with your logo can be madeto order in just 5 days via wwwflashingblinkylightscom


8 Things Youll Pack But Dont NeedAs you know by now our blogposts this month are focused on all things conferences includingtips on networking working the booth hitting the party trail and what youll need to bring Inmy experience as an attendee of many conferences over the years I have learned thatknowing what NOT to bring is almost as important as knowing what TO bring

Letrsquos run down the list on ways to keep your luggage lighter as youre packing up your stuffheading to the next conference Here are my top 6 items as far as what NOT to bring



Be smart when yoursquore packing and think hard about the chances of you actually using the itemonce you get to your conference destination If it feels like a stretch then thatrsquos a good signthat itrsquos something to leave at home Keep in mind itrsquos not just about cutting out the extraweight and saving room In some cases it can be depressing to bring these items that yoursquollnever use because they will be sitting unpacked in your suitcase serving as a reminder of thefun stuff you never got around to doing on your trip Save yourself the mental anguish andjust leave it at home so you can stay focused on the real goals of your conference trip


9 Things To Do On the Way To theConferenceWhether yoursquore flying driving training or busing to your next conference I have compiledsome ideas of things to keep you busy and make your commute less painful

Review your conference checklist to make sure you are as prepared as possibleprior to arriving at the conference This will help you to hit the ground runningonce you get to the show

Look at the conference agenda and map out your conference gameplan Research the attendee list to see which companies and whichspeakers have sessions that you dont want to missMap out the conference and find booths to visit Identify whichcompanies will be exhibiting and who you would like to meetFinalize and practice your elevator pitch so you are ready and preparedwhen someone asks what you do Conference pro and Affiliate SummitCo-Founder Missy Ward has written a great article with some ideas onhow to craft the perfect pitch If you have the ability get caught up on as much daily in-office work aspossible Once you are at the conference chances are you will want totake advantage of as many networking opportunities as you can So youmay not has as much down time to check in at the office as you usuallydo


Get educated on the current events and issues in the industry This way youllbe familiar with a lot of the conversations questions and concerns that arelikely to come up As an added bonus you will also have a nice arsenal of topicsthat you can use to start a conversation as well

ShareASales Merchant Catalog FeedFront Magazine Official Magazine of Affiliate Summit Geekcastfm Affiliate Marketing podcastsPMA Blog The official blog for the Performance Marketing Association

reading not recommended for drivers

Youre going to be on your feet for the next several days talking to dozens ifnot hundreds of people So take it easy and rest your voice before the chaosbegins If you are looking for some ideas on how to kick back you could

Listen to your favorite jams My own personal favorite road trip playlist


always includes Jake Owen Luke Bryan and OARWatch a movie What better way to kill a few hours than to beengrossed in a belly aching comedy or a glued to the edge of your seatsuspense thrillerIf you have a travel buddy play a game There are some classic crowdpleasers out there that are easy to pack too such as I Spy 20 questionsand Mad Libs are oldies You also can never go wrong with a deck ofcardsSLEEP - something you may not be getting much of at the conferenceSo might not be a bad idea to squeeze in as many zzzs as possible

I wish you all safe and fun travels and hopefully Ill be seeing you at a conference thissummer


10 Dress to ImpressConferenceSeason Tip 10 ndash Dress To Impress

Conference Season is upon us and with so conferences in different locations around thecountry you should be thinking about the wardrobe you will be bringing to help put your bestfoot forward My number one dressing rule for any conference is WEAR COMFORTABLESHOES You will be walking and standing for most of the day Plus at many conferences theremaybe a long walk to get from your room to conference center A pair of uncomfortable shoescan leave your feet in shambles causing you to not have the same energy you would usually tomingle around a room or explore an exhibit floor When talking with a prospective client youwant to be able to focus on what they are saying and not on how much your feet hurt Youwill also want to look into the location and time of year for your event to an idea on how todress For example Affiliate Summit East will be held in Philadelphia from August 18-20 Theaverage temperature in Philadelphia at that time is mid 80s Now granted most of ones timespent at a conference will likely be indoors but still you want to be sure that you are cool andcomfortable when meeting prospective clients

Look sharp feel sharp and be sharp

Try to stay away from things like worn jeans shorts or anything that may look fine forhanging at a local bar How you dress will definitely be a part of the first impression you giveto those you are meeting with So it is best if you give them the confidence that you are aprofessional and run your business in that manner as well We have a saying here that if youlook sharp youll feel sharp and therefore will be sharp Meaning that even if you dressprofessionally that tends to have an effect on even the way you feel You may feel moreconfident and ready to take on new business deals when you are polished rather than whenyou are coming from the gym for example How you dress could play a big factor in aprospective clients decision to engage in conversation with you about your business If youshow up to a professional conference in a t-shirt and some sandals they may wonder howserious you are about your online marketing business and have doubts about the possibility ofa mutually beneficial relationship Now Im not saying you need to run out to the local tuxedorental store and get a spiffy tux for the next show In fact many conferences in our industryare a little more casual than what I would image a conference for actuaries might be Thereare not a lot of suit and ties on conference floors for example but business casual is usuallyalways acceptable You can always take a look at some photo galleries on the website for theconference you will be attending Typically you can get a good sense of what the dress codewill be for the conference based on past photos So remember dress smart smile and youwill be ready to talk to prospective clients and start building solid business relationships


Todays takeaway Wear comfortable shoes dress to impress and you will have a successfulconference season


11 Keeping Conferences OrganizedConference seasonhellipthe craziest time for any event planner You have endless things toorganize contracts payments booth designs promotional items contractor paperworkhotels flights transportation and dinners - to name a few The majority of your day is spentlooking at paperwork answering emails and making phone calls It can get pretty crazy I aman organizer extraordinaire around the ShareASale office Therefore when I became moreinvolved with helping to plan the conferences my compelling need to organize kicked in and itstarted with making binders for each event


Each conference was given a blue binder Why did I choose blue Because black bindersseemed a bit drab all lined up and I wanted to pick a ShareASale color Yellow was a bit overkill in the anti-drab department so blue it is Then of course these binders had to benamed Given their colorhellipOle Blue was suggested and quickly stuck


So what is the purpose of these binders What do they do

Here is their Job Description Before the Conference

Keep me sanePrevent my desk from getting cluttered with conference papersHelp me organize paperwork


Central location for everything needed for that specific conference

During the Conference

Still keep me saneGo along to that conferenceHold all important documentation contacts confirmation numbers scheduling etcQuickly help me find whatever paperwork I might needLook professionalDonrsquot get lost (very important)

Anything that can go wrong will go wrong ndashMurphyrsquos Law


I suggest this for any conference planner I promise you that something is bound to go wrongndash the hotel might only have record of 5 rooms for your group instead of 12 the driver doesnrsquotshow up your booth received the wrong number of monitors etc ndash but this binder will helpyou remedy the situation and double check anything that isnt going to plan You will have itready to show the hotel the confirmation numbers to find the appropriate number to call thedriver and to show the contractor that you ordered one more monitor Maybe you haveanother way of having all this information on hand So if any other event planners have ideas


or thoughts Irsquod love to hear them


12 Success at the BoothWhat do employees who work a companys booth at a conference and marathon runners havein common The answer is unflappable endurance Turning on the charm and keeping yourwits sharp on little to no sleep can be hard The key to functioning under those conditions isto plan ahead so you dont have to sweat the small details when you are busy representingyour business Heres a list of things to bring to survive working the booth

1 Comfy Shoes - Working the booth involves a lot of standing Its important to selectthe right shoes that will allow you to be up and on your feet in comfort for hours Ingeneral make sure to dress up and be weather appropriate A wool suit in summer inLas Vegas is not the best choice as sweating during a client conversation doesntengender confidence

2 Coffee Tea 5 hour Energy - A little pick me up isnt a bad thing but dont overdo itor experiment if you dont normally drink coffee or take 5 hour energy Caffeineshakes wont go over well with clients

3 A Fully Charged Phone - You never know who you are going to meet at a booth orwhat will come up in conversion If something time sensitive comes up you dont wantto lose out due to a dead cell phone

4 Cell Phone Numbers - Keep the phone numbers of other conference attendees fromyour company so that you can reach everyone without trouble


5 Altoids Breath Mint - Youre going to be talking to a lot of people Dont let badbreath leave a bad impression

6 Hand Sanitizer - A lot of conference attendees are flying in from all over operating onlittle sleep and partying it up at after hours events This is the perfect cocktail toweaken an immune system Working a booth means shaking hands with a lot ofpeople Keeping your hands clean can make the difference between a happy flighthome or catching a cold on the road

7 Healthy Snack - Standing all day will burn a lot of calories Its important to bring asnack preferably not sugary to avoid an energy crash

After a long day of working the booth your next survival kit is how to grab some quality zzzsso you can get up and do it all again the next day


13 Be Prepared for a Change In PlansNow that ConferenceSeason is here itrsquos time to start going through my mental checklists tomake sure that no matter what happens Irsquom ready for it I was not always like this though In the last few years attending the numerous conferences with ShareASale I have lostluggage (twice) been a victim of food poisoning (twice) gotten incredibly sunburned (to thepoint where it hurt to bend my arms) and have forgotten a few important articles of clothing(belt shoes ndash yeahhellipshoes) I have since learned that I simply need to prepare for theabsolute worst case scenario I imagine that most people are similar in that they often havethe ldquoI forgot somethingrdquo feeling I hope that after reading this FunFriday post you will saythat no more

Scenario 1 The Lost Luggage

Have you ever been sitting in the window seat of aplane and been able to watch the baggage handler load the luggage What is your firstthought when the plane starts to taxi and you realize that you never saw your bag getloaded Most of the time the luggage arrives safely and on time There is always that onetime thoughhellipor in my case two times with ShareASale and three times without ShareASale

How to Prepare

It seems obvious enough that after having luggage lost 5 times one would learn how toprepare for that Unfortunately it has taken me quite a while to learn NOW to prepare forthe inevitable lost luggage I pack two FULL days worth of clothes in my carry-onbackpack Usually a nice pair of jeans and a shirt or two will suffice Additionally I always pack mytoiletries in my backpack as well This way worst-case scenario I can be clean for two days

Scenario 2 The Stomach Bug


Have you even been in a new city with colleagues and been told that a particular local food(street meat) is legendary and that you NEED to have it Or have you been at a conferenceparty and stopped by said local street vendor (street meat) on the way back to the hotel Ihave and I paid for it

How to Prepare

Unfortunately the only thing you can do to prepare for this one is make sure you pack anyand all possible over the counter stomach medicines (ie Imodium ibuprofen Pepto etc) Often times at conferences I feel like a walking over-the-counter pharmacy but at least Iknow that no matter what bug comes my way I will be armed and ready

Scenario 3 The Forgotten Articles

Most of us have probably seen ldquoHome Alonerdquo morenotably the scene with Kate and Peter McCallister where they are on the plane and she feelsas though she forgot something Itrsquos also probably safe to assume that most of us have hadthat feeling at least once Usually when I travel that feeling is almost a guarantee Youmight be asking ldquoWHYrdquo and ldquoHOWrdquo Itrsquos because usually I do forget something There havebeen times when I somehow forget to bring shoes a belt or an additional pair of pants

How to Prepare

Again a lesson that Irsquove not learned until recently After having this happen a few differenttimes I have a new method to packing For my toiletries I actually have all travel sizedthings ie toothbrush deodorant etc After traveling I simply do not unpack my toiletriesbag I leave it in my suitcase for the next trip That way I know at all times that if I have toleave on a whim Irsquom set to go Clothes are a different story though Irsquove now turned into an


ldquoover-packerrdquo I literally write down a checklist for each day and each possible scenariohellipthenpack from there It is always better to be over prepared than under prepared That way Iready to combat the next unexpected hurdle that might come my way at future conferences


14 Four Best Shoe Buys forConferences

The look he shot her was incredulous in the extreme You have a filingsystem for your shoesrdquo ~Wilson

I should start out this post by saying I may be one of the most if not the most shoe obsessedperson here at ShareASale In fact the quote above only slightly fits my obsession Myproblem has gotten so bad that I am contemplating moving to a larger apartment just so Ican have a room where I can see all of my shoes lined up and not to have to hide a few in mycloset Based on this problem I have it should come as no surprise that I seriously considerwhich shoes to wear to conferences and more importantly where to buy the shoe Whenthinking of conference shoes I am normally trying to accomplish a few things First I want tohave a shoe that is professional but retains my own sense of style I am usually the personwho has on some really wicked oxfords about which I have received a few compliments Iwill note that in after conference hours I like to dress it down so there needs to be analternate pair of shoes for those occasions The second really important factor is comfort Aswe all know the conference floors seem not to be made for comfort so a really high qualityshoe is a must This leads to the third factor which is quality Due to my obsession I do buya lot of shoes but I want them to last So I pay really close attention to the brands I buy andthe reputation of that brand After doing some research I have found the 5 best brands fromwhich to buy shoes for conferences

1 My first choice for either mens or womens shoes is Johnston amp Murphy The brand hasreleased a collection of both classic shoes as well as some newer brighter color lines that arereally interesting They also have a very long history of high quality craftsmanship thatshould result in you loving your purchase long after the conference has ended You can signup for the Johnston amp Murphy program here

2 My next favorite place is Altrec Altrec has a number of great brands but what attracts me


to them is their 100 Satisfaction Guarantee They really take into consideration thecustomer which is something that I value in the merchants I frequent Sign up for Altrec here

3 One of my go to pairs of shoes when traveling back and forth from conferences is a pair ofcomfy gym shoes that are easy to slip on and off For this I love Reebok shoes because theprice point will fit anyones budget and they are uber comfortable You can sign up for theprogram here

4 The last place I would suggest checking out for conferences is Shoedazzle This is more forthe after conference times where you might like to let your hair down Shoedazzle allows thecustomer to design a great unique looking show that will set them apart from others Sign uphere

This is my list of Merchants who will provide you shoes that will navigate you through all of thevarious aspects of conferences from networking to the well earned after hours cocktail Seeyou at the next conference


15 Organize amp Motivate Sign-upsThe task of organizing and motivating all the new Affiliates you meet at a conference can bevery time consuming So today lets talk about how you can make this process more efficientand effective with

Auto-Tagging amp Rule-Based Commissions

Do you want to know which Affiliatessign up for your program from thisparticular conferenceevent

Yes of course you doHere is how

Important Tips to RememberShorten the link There are a number of URL Shortening services from which to choosePick your favorite and shorten up this linkThe tag needs to be set up as shown above Signup From - DESIRED TAG to function


properlyRun reports by your conference tags Next year when you are deciding whether or notto go again see how well your BlogHer2013 Affiliates performedYour co-branded page pulls from your Program Bio (My Account gt Edit Settings) Makesure it looks nice

Do you want these Affiliates toautomatically be setup on a specificbonus or commission structure

Yes of course you doIt will help with motivation and activation

Now you have a dedicated link for Affiliate signups that will automatically tagthem within your ShareASale Account - AND - these Affiliates are automaticallysetup to earn double commissions on sales within the first 30 days

Want more bonus structures andpromotional ideas Check back nextweek for a Promotional Ideas Postfrom Sarah


16 Staying Focused amp OrganizedSo youre registered for a conference and youve booked your hotel and travel plans Nowwhat Preparation isnt close to being done Conferences can be very overwhelming especiallyfor first-time attendees One of the most important aspects of preparing for a conference is tocreate a solid game plan and stay organized or you wont get as much out of it The keycomponents to every conference is to make connections and get educated I have five easysteps to help you achieve success for every conference you attend this year

1 Check out the sessions and speakersBuild your schedule around the most important speakers and what will have themost value for you and your company

Speakers for IRCE Affiliate Summit East Agenda

Remember to bring materials to take notesIn addition to sessions be sure to also make time for the exhibit hall and othernetworking opportunities where you can invest time interacting with otherattendeesLook at the list of social gatherings and parties after hours and go to a few -this is a great way to meet people in a laid back fun atmosphere

2 Know who is going to be thereCheck out the list of companies that will be in attendance and highlight wherethey will be exhibiting on a mapPrepare a list of questions youd like to ask particular companies

Companies attending Affiliate Summit East 3 Take notes on business cards

It helps to write down notes on the back of the card after your conversation tohelp you better remember people you meet - this will help you createpersonalized follow ups and organize all the cards you receiveStore your all business cards in a safe placeIdeas for business cards

4 Put your day to day work aside for a couple days If you spend all day working on your laptop during the conference you will


miss out on opportunities to network and connect with othersSetup an auto reply email and change your voicemail to let people know youwill be gone so it wont serve as a distraction

5 Have a presence on social media First make sure you follow the conference organization on Twitter Facebooketc to be aware of any changes to the schedule and for reminders of what todo - they often create specific accounts with tips and advice for conferencegoers throughout the dayLet your followers know that you will be in attendance and use the officialhashtag of the conference its another great way to make connections

There are many tips and recommendations on how to make the most of each conference butit starts with careful planning and organizing Once the conference is over and youve madenew friends treat yourself to a fun night on the town


17 Finding NetworkingOpportunitiesHaving been to just a few industry conferences so far I would not consider myself an AffiliateMarketing conference veteran per se but I quickly learned from the shows I have attendedthat networking and meeting other attendees is essential ndash and fun Whether at conferenceevents or simply walking through the lobby I see a flurry of interactions and meetings takingplace There are so many opportunities to meet other attendees both during and outside ofthe conference so get your networking hat on and Business Cards ready

Join all Social Networks for the conferences such as Facebook Twitter and stayup-to-date with their blog You may even find that there is an app available for theshow too Before during and after you will find event announcements information andupdates

Use the conference website to download or print the entire day or weekend AgendaPlan which sessions workshops events etc you would like to attend

Attend a first-timers orientation or the opening remarks for conference information andto meet other attendees If you are a first-timer to Affiliate Summit conferences try theAffiliate Summit Newcomer Program to connect with veterans and gain an insight on


what to expect

Many conferences host a kick-start event similar to the Meet Market at Affiliate Summitconferences These events are a great place to create partnerships and explore newopportunities To gain the most from the kick-off events I would suggest downloadinga list of the companies exhibiting beforehand Prepare a list of the tables or booths youplan to stop at along with any questions you might haveBe sure to attend the post-conference nightly events to continue the networking andunwind ShareASale has been known to host a party at Affiliate Summit conferenceswith an array of themes such as 70rsquos Disco Masquerade Barn Dance ndash to name a few

Check out the ShareASale blog ldquoPrepare For The Partiesrdquo to see pictures frompast ShareASale events

Remember You donrsquot have to limit yourself to just the organized events Take the initiativeand contact the clients or potential partners you are interested in working with before theshow as well This way you can have a few scheduled meetings already set up before youeven land at your conference destination


18 Things You Wont Pack But WillNeed

Following up on a previous post on things you will pack for a conference but wonrsquot need letrsquosgo over some items you will need that you might forget to bring along

Therersquos nothing worse than getting to a conference destination and realizing youre missingimportant gear or necessities You donrsquot want to waste unnecessary time and money runningaround town during the conference trying to find these forgotten items Write up a quickchecklist before you start packing up your stuff and make sure you include these items in yourbag for the trip

SweatersThese conference halls and speaker rooms in the Summer are frigid Thankfully this is thecase as the alternative is worse Bring a sweater or wrap or even a fleece to carry with youduring the day or the air conditioning will get you Maybe even a sweater vest

Vintage Argyle Sweater Vest Brown 80s Retro bycolourfulclothesPrice $3000via wwwetsycom

GoalsIf you come to a conference just to hang out with pals and see old friends you can skip thisstep However if you are looking to really improve your business and get a ton out of aconference - you need to come with goals in mind Write down who you want to meet whatyou want to learn and what you hope to accomplish Carry it with you all the time and get itdone

Write down who you want to meet what you want to learn and what youhope to accomplish Carry it with you all the time and get it done

Something to Hold All of those


Business CardsOver time the more people you meet the more cards you get and the more cluttered yourpockets get Keep yours organized bring something with you so that you make sure you dontlose the card of the one most important person that you came to meet

ThinkGeek Han Solo in Carbonite Business CardCaseWhat appears to be a solid block of carbonite containing a tiny Han Solo isactually a spring-loaded case that holds a dozen business cards This is thecase youre looking for Grab one then go about your business MovealongPrice $2499via wwwthinkgeekcom

EyedropsEye drop - Wikipedia the free encyclopediavia enwikipediaorg

Late nights long days dry air-conditioned air this is all a perfect scenario for red-eyes Bring with you a bottle of eye drops so those early morning meetings come off the way thatyou want them to

The AgendaI cant tell you how many times people have told me that they missed out on a great eventgreat presentation or even a great party just because they did know it was going on Takethe agenda with you - read it on the plane - make sure you are aware of everything that isavailable It will come in double handy when you cant figure out what room youre supposedto be in )

Affiliate Summit East 2013 Agenda - AffiliateSummitFor example The agenda for the upcoming Affiliate Summit Eastvia wwwaffiliatesummitcom


19 Lets Talk ChicagoSince there are quite a few conferences this year in Chicago - and that is ShareASaleshometown Im going to give a brief rundown on some of our favourite places and things to dohere

Two Major Conferences this SummerInternet Retailer Conference - June 4-7 ChicagoILFor Online Retailers - billed as the Worlds Largest Exhibit Hall this is anabsolute must for any retailer The exhibit hall covers everything from howto build a better cardboard box to how to better effectively utilize onlinemarketing tools Huge variety - should be on every Retailers list Comemeet ShareASale there we will be exhibiting and look forward to seeingyouvia wwwinternetretailercom

BlogHer 13 - July 25-27th Chicago ILBlogHer 13 is open to anyone and everyone who considers themselvespart of the social media landscape All genders ages ethnicities andlevels of blogging experience are encouraged to attend Theres somethingfor everyone This is one of the larger blogging conferences and definitelycomes recommended This is a fantastic show and ShareASale will bethere as an Exhibiting Sponsorvia wwwbloghercom

Must-sees in ChicagoArchitectural Cruises -- Chicago Line CruisesThis is a phenomenal experience - basically you hop on a boat and go upand down the Chicago River while a seasoned guide tells you all about thishistory of the buildings If you like history architecture or just sun andwater you will love this Youll learn which buildings have secret mafiaera features as well which is really cool to learnvia wwwchicagolinecom


Castaways - North Avenue Beach Bar and Grill -Chicago ILYes - Chicago has a beach It is packed in the summer when us localChicago-ans come out from a long winter Go there - enjoy - and grab adrink on the Castaways Bar and Grill an old boat of sorts that sits onthe beach and overlooks the whole North Beach scenevia wwwcastawayschicagocom

Skydeck ChicagoAt the top of one of the tallest buildings in the world - they built aglass-box ledge thing that you can walk out on Basically you are (inside)sitting at about 1600 feet up looking over the street below Not foranyone even remotely scared of heightsvia wwwtheskydeckcom

Wrigley Field - Wikipedia the free encyclopediaIts summer - go check out a game in the Worlds most famous bleachersvia enwikipediaorg

Things to EatGirl and the GoatYou cant be picky about your food to eat here but if you are luckyenough to get in you will always remember it - thats for sure Thisrestaurant is for foodies true foodiesvia wwwgirlandthegoatcom

Gourmet Mexican Cooking - from the kitchen ofChef Rick BaylessThis is great stuff and often has lines forming early in the day just to getin for a lunch If you want to eat here or the Topolobampo next door(even more gourmet) - you will need a reservation and likely far inadvancevia wwwfronterakitchenscom


Gibsons Bar amp SteakhouseGibsons is a Chicago place Youll love the steaks and chops but youremore likely to remember the scene - pure Chicago via wwwgibsonssteakhousecom

Mastros RestaurantsSure - theyve got Mastros Restaurants everywhere this isnt just aChicago thing Nonetheless it is my favourite place here downtown and ifyou go in ask to see if the chef can makeup the Chilean Sea Bass Ponzufrom their Sushi-menu It is truly spectacularvia wwwmastrosrestaurantscom


20 Recruitment amp Promotional IdeasBefore you head out to your next conference it would be a swell idea to sit down and map outa plan for making the most of the connections and people you will be meeting to help gain asmany new opportunities for your business as possible Merchants are always looking for newquality Affiliate to help grow their program so when you come across a great prospectivepartner it is always nice to have something in your back pocket that is unique and makes acompelling argument for that individual to join with you So lets get right down to it anddiscuss some promotional ideas you could use at the next conference you attend


Whatever promotion you decide to do at your next conference be sure to always collect datafrom the Affiliate so you can not only keep track of who you talked to or who won what prize


but also so you can follow up accordingly Do not be afraid to show your creativity andpersonality in your promotion and above all have fun


21 Making the Most of NetworkingA lot GREAT networking takes place during the scheduled conference hours but there neverseems to be enough time

Take advantage of your time after hours

Yes the parties and events are a great time and can be a great place to network after hoursbut I find them to be more of a social event Most people at that point are trying to relax alittle bit and leave the work for the next day

For me this is the best time to for high quality networking

In 2009 after attending one of ShareASales amazing parties Eric Nagel and I decided therewas a ton of information that the two of us had learned since the previous conference Withour daytime hours being limited we decided to sit in front of our laptops through the latenight hours and share our latest discoveries The information that the both of us had walkedaway that late nightearly morning has now made this a ritual at every Affiliate Summit sinceThe size of our group has grown since inception and the information that everyone walks away


with is priceless

Im not saying that you should ship a couple of whiteboards to your hotel ampinvite 15 people to your room for an all night brainstorming session

That may be a bit extreme for most but it has been known to happen and may of been one ofthe most successful networking sessions ever JustSayin

What I am trying to say is take advantage of your time Set up your own after hours meetingor session away from the hustle and bustle with others that are like minded and looking tolearn share and contribute to your group

You never know someone that you invite may bring along a person that could be a greatasset to your group or even turn out to be a life long friend



22 Analyzing Conference SuccessAlong with creating a binder for each event I also create a survey or form for each conferencethat rates my success with planning This is not something that is measured easily It ismeasured by how I or my coworkers thought the conference went and also what we thoughtneeded to be changed Now this is not measuring the success of the conference in how manyclients we took away It is purely a tool for me to use in the future when planning otherevents If something went bad I want to know as to not repeat the same thing in the futureThe goal of this form is to be a quick reference tool for me to use when planning the sameevent the following year if we do another conference in the same areacity planning aconference of the same size a conference with the same contractor etc

Here are some of things I look at

Agenda Was the scheduling of everything appropriateTransportation Service Used - Good Bad Would we use it againContractor Orders - Anything changedBooth Size and DesignEmployees Did we have enough staff at the eventPromotional Items Amount of give-aways ordered and used Enough Too much


With so many conferences every year things can get really mixed up in my mind This form Icreated helps remind me of things later on and will make future planning much easier As theconferences go on I am sure that the form will change with the layout and I may add thingsthat I find important to note such as restaurants we went to How does your companymeasure its conferenceevent planning success Dont go to a conference and then just forgetabout it Finding a way to measure or reference what went well and what didnt will make youplanning more efficient and easier down the road


23 Favorite Conference MemoriesWelcome to FunFriday One of my favorite things about the Affiliate Marketing industry arethe conferences There are so many to choose from and to attend They are diverse and filledwith parties networking events and great people Irsquove attended conferences for the past threeyears with the ShareASale team and Irsquove compiled my Top 5 favorite memories accompaniedby some great pictures

My Top 5 Memories

Every conference you attend make sure you make the most of it and take inthe different events and moments to help create memories that will last a

lifetime



Drumroll PleaseMy favorite memory at a conference is


I could go on and on with my favorite memories from conferences If you are lucky enough toattend the different conferences put yourself out there meet new people and make newmemories

Powered by TCPDF (wwwtcpdforg)


Table of Contents

ConferenceSeason is upon us - One Tip Per Day

2 Get those Business Cards Ready

3 Prepare for the Parties

4 Selling Your Boss on Conference Attendance

5 Research the Conference Town

6 What to Pack

7 Get Marketing Material Ready

8 Things Youll Pack But Dont Need

9 Things To Do On the Way To the Conference

10 Dress to Impress

11 Keeping Conferences Organized

12 Success at the Booth

13 Be Prepared for a Change In Plans

14 Four Best Shoe Buys for Conferences

15 Organize amp Motivate Sign-ups

16 Staying Focused amp Organized

17 Finding Networking Opportunities

18 Things You Wont Pack But Will Need

19 Lets Talk Chicago

20 Recruitment amp Promotional Ideas

21 Making the Most of Networking

22 Analyzing Conference Success

23 Favorite Conference Memories

Table of ContentsConferenceSeason is upon us - One Tip Per Day 3

2 Get those Business Cards Ready 12

3 Prepare for the Parties 16

4 Selling Your Boss on Conference Attendance 35

5 Research the Conference Town 37

6 What to Pack 39

7 Get Marketing Material Ready 42

8 Things Youll Pack But Dont Need 46

9 Things To Do On the Way To the Conference 49

10 Dress to Impress 52

11 Keeping Conferences Organized 54

12 Success at the Booth 60

13 Be Prepared for a Change In Plans 62

14 Four Best Shoe Buys for Conferences 65

15 Organize amp Motivate Sign-ups 67

16 Staying Focused amp Organized 69

17 Finding Networking Opportunities 71

18 Things You Wont Pack But Will Need 73

19 Lets Talk Chicago 75

20 Recruitment amp Promotional Ideas 78

21 Making the Most of Networking 81

22 Analyzing Conference Success 84

23 Favorite Conference Memories 86




For Merchants


For Everyone


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How to Prepare





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what to expect















































with is priceless














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Table of Contents






6 What to Pack




10 Dress to Impress
















For Merchants


For Everyone


For Affiliates






















































































































































































How to Prepare





How to Prepare




How to Prepare














































what to expect















































with is priceless














My Top 5 Memories


lifetime








Table of Contents






6 What to Pack




10 Dress to Impress































































































































































































How to Prepare





How to Prepare




How to Prepare














































what to expect















































with is priceless














My Top 5 Memories


lifetime








Table of Contents






6 What to Pack




10 Dress to Impress















How to Prepare




How to Prepare














































what to expect















































with is priceless














My Top 5 Memories


lifetime








Table of Contents






6 What to Pack




10 Dress to Impress

























































what to expect















































with is priceless














My Top 5 Memories


lifetime








Table of Contents






6 What to Pack




10 Dress to Impress
























































with is priceless














My Top 5 Memories


lifetime








Table of Contents






6 What to Pack




10 Dress to Impress






















My Top 5 Memories


lifetime








Table of Contents






6 What to Pack




10 Dress to Impress




















Table of Contents






6 What to Pack




10 Dress to Impress














Conferenceseasonebook

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