What You Should Know About Industry Conferences
Guest Post by James Martell
Do you ever hear about conferences for your particular industry and wonder if you should go?
Do you worry about whether a trade show is worth the time and expense involved?
I was struggling with those issues when I went to my first affiliate marketing conference in 2002. I had been an affiliate marketer for about three years, and I wanted more information on growing my business. Yes, I enjoyed the travel opportunity. Yes, the weather in Santa Barbara was gorgeous and the hotel was nice as well.
Seriously, though, if I were only looking for a short vacation, Seattle is closer and Portland is much more affordable.
Specific to my situation, I would have had a hard time convincing my wife Arlene to cut me loose for three days if all I could promise her on my return was a suitcase full of dirty laundry.
Fortunately, I was able to attend the conference because both Arlene and I knew why I was going. Better yet, our expectations for the trip were met and then exceeded.
Reasons to Attend Online Marketing Conferences
When I returned from my first Commission Junction University, Arlene and I were more than satisfied with the benefits I brought home. That’s why, when I returned to CJU the next year, I was accompanied by Arlene and 40 other people.
These days I attend several marketing events every year, and I advise all of my affiliates and colleagues to attend at least two per year. The primary reasons include;
- The time spent at these conferences is actually an investment. When you get back to the office, you’ll be working better, working smarter, and you’ll be far more motivated.
- The money you spend attending these conferences, to include travel and meals, is normally tax deductible. If you happen to own the business, I don’t have to tell you how important that is!
- You’ll have the opportunity to speak with and listen to leaders in your industry, and will probably come away with a few new ideas.
- You’ll be able to tap into a knowledge and experience base far larger than anything you would be able to accumulate on your own.
- The most important reason to attend an industry event, however, is the same reason I kept going back to the Commission Junction Universities; We need to grow.
Over the last decade, I have attended many trade shows and industry conferences, and I have listed a few of my favorites below. I have personally attended each of these events, and I have been invited to speak at several of them as well.
Whether you are an affiliate marketer, or are just interested in what the Internet can do for your business, one of these events offers something you can use.
The Best Online Marketing Conferences 2011
Affiliate Summit
This event is described as the premier affiliate marketing conference, and with good reason. The Summit is held in New York and Las Vegas, and offers a variety of educational events in addition to top industry speakers and acres of merchants and vendors.
Blog World Expo
The Expo gathers bloggers from the four corners of the earth to Las Vegas for three days so they can take advantage of networking events, presentations, and of course, vendors and merchants galore. You don’t need to be a blogger to enjoy this conference, though. If you are just looking for a way to use social media to promote your business, you should plan to attend.
Webmaster World’s PubCon
Most people expect this to be a publishing convention, but the first one was actually held in a pub, so the name actually describes a group of colleagues around a pub table. Well, Webmaster’s World has outgrown the pub, but it still provides an informal, relaxed venue to share marketing strategies and advanced SEO methods.
Commission Junction University
I cut my teeth, so to speak, on this event, and if you actually need a reason to spend three days in Santa Barbara, this conference is a really good one. You’ll get a chance to meet with over 800 industry leaders and top Commission Junction affiliates, like me. You should attend just to find out what affiliate marketing can do for your business.
AffCon
The cool part about newer industry shows is that they’re usually inexpensive, and this one is free, for the moment. This may not last long, though, because AffCon is still packed with leading panelists, all the usual vendors and merchants, and lots of great information for beginners as well as experienced affiliate marketers.
ShareASale Think Tank
What is the difference between a Think Tank and a regular conference? Imagine the level of creativity inspired by great parties, a sports event or two, and one of the best assembled brain-trusts in the industry. Affiliates, managers and merchants would all benefit from this event.
Every business relies on marketing, so it’s likely that your business would benefit from any of these events. If you’ve never attended these or any other online marketing conferences, 2011 might be the year your business really takes off.
Of course, if you aren’t a full-time marketer, there are probably other gatherings which are more focused on your specific industry. You should also least check out the ones that sound interesting.
Shopping for Your Own Trade Show
Matt Papas is an associate of mine who has a weight loss website. Matt could benefit from nearly any Internet marketing conference, but he could also get some great information at fitness or medical conferences. For instance, he could learn more about how to market to clients who are looking for a Medifast coupon code, or looking for the right answer, complete with details, to the question, “Does the Nutrisystem diet work?”
Arlene, of course, attends some events with me, but occasionally she should take in other events as well. Arlene’s website, epliepsymoms.com, offers support and information for parents of epileptic children, so she could also benefit from medical conferences. She could also add conferences specific to epilepsy support organizations and other childhood diseases.
Regardless of your industry or interest, finding the right trade show could only take a minute or two on your favorite search engine. Search for a phrase like “Restaurant Trade Shows” and you’ll find a list of events and probably a Facebook page or Twitter account you can connect to as well. Someone out there is dying to show you how to attract more customers using Google Plus or how the right color of interior paint will keep customers in your store longer.
Will You Be Attending an Industry Conference This Year?
Well, why in the world not? If you have yet to attend one of this year’s online marketing conferences 2011 is not quite over yet . The amount of time and money you’d put into a conference will be more than justified by the ideas and motivation you’ll bring home. The only real question, then, is;
Which of these conferences will you attend?
—
Author and website developer James Martell is the President of Net Guides Publishing Inc. and is a popular speaker at many national events all over the country, including Commission Junction University and the Affiliate Convention. When James isn’t working or traveling, he enjoys the coastal life just south of Vancouver, BC with his wife, Arlene, and their four children.
Read MoreAffiliate Marketing Fanatics 40: Interviewing Susan Bratton #BWE10
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Affiliate Marketing Fanatics – A couple of hyper-caffeinated affiliate marketers (Mike Buechele) and (Trisha Lyn Fawver) talk about all things Affiliate Marketing. From blogging to branding, social media to search, video and more!
We’re continuing our series of interviews, this time talking to one of the keynote speakers at Blog World Expo, coming up in a couple of weeks in Las Vegas at Mandalay Bay. Today we talk to Susan Bratton about her origins in podcasting & her panel interview “The Future of Web Video”. Susan shares with us some great information and was truly a delight to speak to . In in this episode we discuss:
- The shows on Susan’s podcasting network, Personal Life Media.
- Susan’s info products that she’s started to sell at members.personallifemedia.com.
- Susan sells her info products via RevShareNow.com affiliate marketing.
Want to catch up with us & ask questions for the next show? Find us on Twitter: @AMF_Podcast, @MikeBuechele & @TrishaLyn. Like us on Facebook! You can also ask Trisha questions through FormSpring.me. Or leave us a comment!
Read MoreAffiliate Marketing Fanatics 39: Interviewing Karen Garcia & Wade Tonkin #BWE10 #ASW11
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Affiliate Marketing Fanatics – A couple of hyper-caffeinated affiliate marketers (Mike Buechele) and (Trisha Lyn Fawver) talk about all things Affiliate Marketing. From blogging to branding, social media to search, video and more!
We’re continuing our series of interviews, this time talking to folks involved with Blog World Expo, coming up in a couple of weeks in Las Vegas at Mandalay Bay. Today we talk to Karen Garcia & Wade Tonkin, co-founders at GTO Management and managers of the Blog World Expo affiliate program. We chat casually about what they’re looking forward to about Blog World Expo, and a bit about our proposed panels at Affiliate Summit West 2011 in January. In in this episode we discuss:
- Register for Blog World Expo now! Book your flight & hotel too!
- Vote for Mike & Wade’s Panel Affiliate Improv!
- Vote for Karen & Trisha’s Panel Behind the Curtain of Affiliate Management
- It’s not too late to join & promote the Blog World Expo affiliate program on ShareASale!
- Visit the GTO Management booth at Blog World Expo!
Want to catch up with us & ask questions for the next show? Find us on Twitter: @AMF_Podcast, @MikeBuechele & @TrishaLyn. Like us on Facebook! You can also ask Trisha questions through FormSpring.me. Or leave us a comment!
Read MoreHelp Me Attend Blog World Expo 2010
I’m on my knees, people! I’m looking to raise some funds so I can attend Blog World Expo & New Media Conference this year October 14-16 in Las Vegas. It was highly valuable for me when I went in 2008, and a lot has changed since then! I’d love to go get an update on some of the trends in blogging. But I can’t do it alone. I’ve determined that I can easily cover the flight to Las Vegas to attend, but I can’t cover the $500 registration fee and the $500 it’ll take to stay in Las Vegas for the duration. So that’s where you come in.
A friend of mine clued me in today on a little thing called ChipIn. ChipIn allows anyone to raise money towards any endeavor so long as they have a PayPal address. This is excellent for charities, schools, community organizations, or poor bloggers like me to ask for donations! So my goal is to raise $1000 (or as close as possible) by 10/8/10 so I can register before the show possibly sells out. Below is my widget, and I’d be eternally grateful if you chipped in a few bucks towards my goal.
What do you get out of this, you ask? I’ll tell you!
- Better content from me on TrishaLyn.com
- Notes from all the great sessions I attend.
- A plethora of photos from the event.
- New tools you can use on your WordPress powered blogs and websites.
- A faster, more efficient TrishaLyn.com since I’ll be looking to switch hosting providers.
- My eternal gratitude and gratuitous public thank yous with links to your company or personal website on my Twitter stream, Facebook page, this blog, etc.
Affiliate Marketing Fanatics 16: Wade Tonkin & Blog World Expo Guilt
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Affiliate Marketing Fanatics – A Publisher (Mike Buechele) and an Affiliate Manager (Trisha Lyn Fawver) talk about all things Affiliate Marketing. From blogging to branding, social media to search, video and more!
This week we are FINALLY joined by Wade Tonkin of GTO Management and the man behind the Christian Affiliate Marketers Association. We had a fine conversation, accidentally recorded in Mono instead of Stereo since I forgot to switch the defaults on this new computer. I think the sound quality is good though, but welcome any feedback. Since we’re all busy people, I opted for no intro music this week and we come in at a sultry 34:25. In in this episode we discuss:
- Who Wade is, i.e. a partner at GTO Management
- Blog World Expo and their affiliate program (which GTO Management professionally manages)
- The events put on by and the Christian Affiliate Marketing Association
- SponsoredTweets and how that’s going to Mike & Trisha
Send Trisha Lyn to Blog World Expo 09!
Have you been to Blog World Expo before? I went last year and I can’t tell you how invaluable it was to me as a blogger to go. There were a ton of great sessions geared for those of us who call a blog home. It was a terrific learning experience!
That said, I want to go again! Unfortunately last year I went on the good grace of using prize money from a contest to pay for the $395 for the Weekend Pass level of registration. Comparatively yes, I’m doing better than some considering the state of the economy, however I still don’t quite have the dough to make the $400 registration + $120 for a hotel + $150 for a flight = $670 is outside my price range!
So, that’s where I ask for your help. I’m looking for a sponsor to swing the registration fee and any part of my travel they have it in their wallet to cover. Or, if you’re going to BWE, willing to share a hotel room for Thursday & Friday night, and I deem you a good person, I’ll totally split a hotel room with you!
So, here’s what a sponsor will get for sending me to Blog World Expo 2009!
- My undying love (link & otherwise) & affection
- A glowing blog post about your kindness in sponsoring me
- I’ll wear a t-shirt with your logo both days of the conference (Friday & Saturday)
- I will send you all my notes before posting them on my blog
- A ton of photos of me with high profile bloggers and affiliate industry insiders wearing YOUR logo
- Tell me what else you might want in exchange – I’m flexible!
I hope to find a sponsor before September 14th when the prices go up. Please contact me through my contact page if you or someone you know is interested in sending this poor blogger to the best blogger and new media conference in years.
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