My first three weeks with AKMG have flown by and I finally have some time to reflect on our trip to Las Vegas for Affiliate Summit West. Having no experience with affiliate marketing outside of personal relationships with a few publishers I had no idea what to expect coming into one of the largest industry events. Thankfully the lovely ladies of AKMG put me to work on something they knew I could handle, setting up the booth. Located in the luxurious Wynn hotel, the ASW Exhibition hall was chalk full of merchants, advertisers, and networks. After assembling our booth and spending some time at the meet and greet, I decided to pop into a few seminars and see what I was getting myself into. Unfortunately, security for these seminars was more stringent (and less accepting of bribes) than the bouncers at XS. Even without the coveted Diamond Pass I was able to slip into an informative presentation on lead generation put on by one of the owners of Underground Elephant.
When the Exhibition Hall opened on Monday morning I was excited to see that despite being sandwiched between the hired girls of Guppy and Clickbooth's monstrous setup, AKMG attracted the most attention. The positive reviews coming from affiliates and advertisers reaffirmed the pride demonstrated by our team. Time and time again, after introducing myself as the newest member of AKMG I was reassured that I had become part of an outstanding group. All around me, new connections were being formed and current connections strengthened, while business partners from around the world had the opportunity to meet face to face. Business was conducted at a furious pace through scheduled meetings, chance acquaintances, and networking events. If manning the booth throughout the conference and fending off skatedeck groupies wasn't a trial by fire in affiliate marketing, the after parties certainly were. I'm sure you've all heard enough stories on this topic so I'll spare you the details. My only advice is when you get into a limo with strangers; make sure to ask where it's headed.
Everyone returned to Santa Monica with new stories, new friends, and most of all new opportunities. The sleepless nights in Vegas are well behind us and the office is buzzing with excitement as we step into February. If you missed your chance at finding love in Sin City, don't worry because Valentines Day is around the corner! And while that may be exciting to our significant others, Valentines means big money for affiliates and advertisers. We've stepped up to the plate and brought on some of the best offers in the space with the highest payouts around. So if you've been waiting for the post-holiday lull to pass, now's your chance. As the newest member of AKMG I'm looking forward to growing my business and yours. And with a little help from our friend Cupid making this a February to remember.
