Key Takeaways from #ASW18
Last week, All Inclusive Marketing attended Affiliate Summit West, which was held at the exciting Paris Hotel and Convention Center in Las Vegas, Navada.
It was the 12th Affiliate Summit for some of our team members, while others got to attend for the first time. We wanted to share our highlights from the event, and some reflections from the team post show.
Team Accomplishments and Key Highlights
Speaking on stage with other industry heavyweights on Values, Predictions & Strategies going into 2018.
Moderated by LinkConnector’s Tara McCommons’s we got to speak with a group of award winning thought leaders on a Panel called “Values, Predictions & Strategies from OPM Heavyweights”. A summary of the panel key takeaways can be found on the LinkConnector blog.
Winning a Finalist Award at the Pinnacle Awards for Affiliate Marketing Advocate of the Year
The award goes to our long-time friend and mentor, Pat Grady of Rhinofish, who has spent his life promoting and protecting the affiliate marketing industry. We are proud of his accomplishments, and honored to be included in his great company as a finalist for this award!
Hanging out with teams of innovative brand leaders who are pushing the boundaries of what performance marketing can be
One of the thing we value at AIM is Innovation. It’s the “I” in our DIGG (Delight, Innovate, Grow, Giveback) philosophy. We value thought leadership, pushing the limits and boundaries of what’s been done before, and lead change with teams who are open minded and collaborative to create growth and incrementality.
This year at Affiliate Summit, we were thrilled to have many conversations with brands pushing these limits and trying new things, and the results produced a list of action items to implement and test, designed to drive more growth.
Here is a picture of us hanging out with our friends at Shopify, who are doing some really cool and creative things with their affiliate program. Their approach to performance marketing is different, and highlights some of the innovation and thought leadership brands are implementing to drive valuable growth for their programs, all while building lasting relationships with their partners.
Hosting some VIP Publishers and Partners in AIM’s Cosmopolitan Wrap Around Suite
Each year, we have a little get together with a few leading publishers, bloggers, content writers, social influencers and technology partners to collaborate, meet each other, make new friends and build relationships with and for our clients. This year, Avantlink sponsored the food and drinks, and about 70 VIP guests came by and hung out to have a drink, check out the fabulous view of the Paris hotel (while watching the water show at the Bellagio) and enjoy some time together with the AIM team. The event was a great success, and people left with new relationships and new business opportunities they didn’t have before.
Meeting new People at the Exhibit Hall, Meet Market and Rev Share Roundup
As always, it’s great to walk the floors of Affiliate Summit in the Exhibit Hall, Meet Market and Rev Share Roundup, to see what’s happening in the industry, what new companies and technologies are being introduced and to connect with new names and faces. Some of our most surprising opportunities and connections happen on the floors of these three places, and this year was no exception.
Team Reflection Post Affiliate Summit West
“As a first timer at ASW, I was really impressed by how well organized the event was, staff were very helpful and always available to answer questions, rooms and events were easy to find, and schedules were clear and easy to follow using the app. Combine this with the quality of the events, talks and networking and you have a world-class conference!”
– Brad Williams, Account Manager
“My key takeaway from ASW18 is to focus on quality vs. quantity. There is definitely a major shift in the industry where brands are looking to partner with fewer but higher quality affiliates with high authority and traffic that can drive incremental revenue and value for their affiliate programs. In addition, affiliate marketers are becoming even more analytical in their approach to managing their programs and as such there is a growing need for better reporting, tracking and attribution.”
– Natalie Filion, Account Manager
“My biggest value and take away from ASW18 in Vegas was the opportunity to interact, connect, network and create realistic & actionable business development next steps in moving initiatives forward with Partners, Clients, Prospects, and Team Members. Also, getting the chance to meet the team and actually “work” and interact was priceless, enjoyable and very productive.”
– Derik Paatan, Business Development and Strategic Partnerships
“Affiliate Summit is an incredible opportunity to learn the latest trends in performance marketing, while meeting the people who make it happen. I love the networking and sharing of knowledge all happening in one place.”
– Stephen Robinson, Senior Account Manager
