Affiliate Summit West 2010

I love conferences. I really do. There is something about the camaraderie you have and feel when you meet someone officially face to face, after having been dealing with them over email and phone for sometimes years at a time. That familiar voice you heard so many times on your headset now stands in front of you as you extend a handshake or embrace in a “long lost relative” type hug.

It's funny to me as you sit there, waiting for a meeting with someone you haven't officially "met". It's a crazy combination of tension and excitement, as if you were almost on a blind date. You have what you think someone looks like in your mind, and each person that walks down the hall in your direction, a part of your mind says "is that them?"....they pass by, and your heart sinks just a tad with disappointment.

Then that fateful moment comes where they walk up to you and you glance at their name tag to reconfirm it is in fact the person you are waiting to arrive, so you can avoid asking them who they are. Each of you smile, ask about their flight in or where they are staying, and then exchange business cards and discuss ways to work together.

Maybe that is over the top on the description, but we need to feel that excitement, right? To do your best in what you do, you have to ENJOY and be EXCITED about what you do.

Affiliate Summit in Las Vegas this past week allowed me to do just that... Reintroduce myself to the affiliate world and promote the new, improved and exciting Credit.com affiliate program. I had meeting after meeting, each more exciting then the last, as we spoke about our credit card list widget and credit report products. It was apparent that what we are doing on this side to please our publishers was exactly what they wanted to hear. Whether it was discussing ways to work together over coffee, at a restaurant, or strolling down the Vegas strip, wherever we chatted, it was productive and positive.

So on Tuesday, I bid adieu to Las Vegas and all my fellow interactive marketers and flew back home. I was reassured that this trip was indeed well worth it as I compiled my notes and business cards I collected that week. I didn't hit any jackpots while I was there, but I did feel like with all that happened and all those I reconnected with, that I was truly "lucky" and left truly as a big winner.

Ryan Zimmerman is a Senior Affiliate Sales Executive for Credit.com and has worked in the affiliate marketing arena for almost a decade. Ryan shares his experience and insight on email marketing and affiliate promotional tactics.

Comments

[Deanna Templeton]

I can't agree more, Ryan. We DO need to feel that excitement and ENJOY what we do. In fact, the feeling around the team lately has been just that - it's palpable even. We're on the verge of something 'really big' and we're all excited to be a part of it! There's no doubt about it - 2010 is going to be a great year for us! :)