Affiliate Summit West 2012

Come by Saturday evening to pick up your badge and attendee bag so you can enter immediately at noon on Sunday when the show opens!

Advice for people attending the Affiliate Summit conference for the first time.

• Shawn Collins, Co-founder, Affiliate Summit (Twitter @affiliatetip)

Vincent O’Hare, Owner, Vincent O’Hare Consulting (Twitter @vinnyohare)

Top 25 things webmasters should look at when building a site or evaluating their website performance. Attendees will leave with actionable items to improve their sites with easy to implement steps.

Experience level: Beginner
Target audience: Affiliates/Publishers
Niche/vertical: Newbies

Carl Holmquist, Founder, Freespee (Twitter @Freespee)

Online and Mobile Affiliate networks are represented new opportunities to tap into the $21.7B local advertising market with automatically distributed ad inventory powered by CPA Phone Calls.

Experience level: Advanced
Target audience: Networks
Niche/vertical: Pay-Per-Call

• Timothy Kerber, CEO, MemberGate Solutions, Inc (Moderator)
• Mike Allen, Chief Executive Shopper, Shopping-Bargains.com, LLC (Twitter @mta1)
• Tim Ash, CEO, SiteTuners (Twitter @tim_ash)
• Jennifer Myers Ward, CEO, ebove & beyond, inc. (Twitter @jenmyersward)

Learn strategies to explode your conversion rates, including 5 easy ways to increase conversion, 3 ways to monetize blogs, 4 ways to clear costly clutter, and 7 ways to make more money.

Experience level: Beginners
Target audience: Affiliates/Publishers
Niche/vertical: Monetization

• Murray Newlands, Founder, Influence People (Twitter @murraynewlands) (Moderator)
• John Chow, Editor In Chief, TTZ Media, Inc. (Twitter @JohnChow)
• Ian Fernando, One of the Best, DotCom Evolutions (Twitter @ianternet)
• Steve Hall, Publisher, Adrants (Twitter @stevehall)

Publishing is going through change but where it is now and what practical ethical steps can publishers take to increase revenue while improving content.

Experience level: Intermediate
Target audience: Affiliates/Publishers
Niche/vertical: Content monetization

Heather Smith, Blogger, Beautiful British Columbia (Twitter @heatherinbc)

The Blogger’s Lounge is an area reserved for credentialed bloggers/press to grab some desk space, blog, interview, relax and network. Heather Smith will be the BlogMistress of the Affiliate Summit Blogger’s Lounge, where she’ll be acting as liaison between Affiliate Summit and the press and bloggers attending the show.

Affiliate Summit kicks off with an extended session of structured, face to face networking. Merchants will have tables set to meet with affiliates to discuss their affiliate programs and cut deals. Vendors that cater to affiliates and merchants will also have tables to share information about their products and services. Each table is a meeting spot for teaching, learning, closing deals, creating partnerships and finding new opportunities.

See who is hosting a table at the Meet Market.

Adam Riemer, President, Adam Riemer Marketing, LLC. (Twitter @Rollerblader)

This session will help you determine if your affiliates are adding value to your company or poaching sales from your site through adware, PPC, SEO, email, coupons, and more.

Experience level: Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced
Target audience: Merchants/Advertisers
Niche/vertical: Theft

Oliver Roup, CEO, VigLink (Twitter @oroup)

Social media has changed how consumers research purchasing decisions (it’s not just Google search now). This session shows how affiliates can create & leverage social behaviors to increase revenue.

Experience level: Intermediate
Target audience: Affiliates/Publishers
Niche/vertical: Social

James Martell, President, Net Guides Publishing Inc. (Twitter @JamesMartell)

A visually-rich presentation detailing the 5 industry players, 7 popular affiliate models, 5 tips for choosing profitable topics, 5 web development strategies and 10 tips to get on the fast track.

Experience level: Beginner, Intermediate
Target audience: Affiliates/Publishers
Niche/vertical: Training

• Bruce Clay, President, Bruce Clay, Inc. (Twitter @bruceclayinc) (Moderator)
• Stephan Spencer, Principal, Koshkonong LLC (Twitter @sspencer)

Get a full-spectrum view of cutting-edge thinking and have your own opportunity to ask for SEO advice from some of the most respected and trusted search engine optimizers in the business.

Experience level: Intermediate
Target audience: Other
Niche/vertical: Search Engine Optimization

Justin Rondeau, Director of Marketing, TemplateZone (Twitter @jtrondeau)

A clearly defined social strategy is integral to your success. Learn to set goals, identify key metrics, increase your market funnel, and turn micro-conversions into qualified marketable leads.

Experience level: Beginner, Intermediate
Target audience: Merchants/Advertisers, Networks
Niche/vertical: Social media

• Scott Ginsberg, Director, Publisher Development, Commission Junction (Moderator)
• Peter Hamilton, Partner/CMO, HasOffers (Twitter @PeterHamilton)
• Carolyn Kmet, Director of Affiliate Marketing, Groupon.com (Twitter @catango)
• Rafael Zelik, Marketing Director/Partner, affiliaXe Ltd

Daily deals have exploded for affiliates over the last year. Learn from the advertiser perspective to the affiliate view to the stats and tracking surrounding daily deals.

Experience level: Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced
Target audience: Affiliates/Publishers, Merchants/Advertisers
Niche/vertical: Daily deals

Robert Adler, President, The Link Builders, LLC (Twitter @Bofu2U)

Link building concepts, ideas and methods from the traditional whitehat tactics to the dark shadows of blackhat.

Experience level: Intermediate
Target audience: Affiliates/Publishers
Niche/vertical: Link building

• Robert Glazer, Founder, Accelertion Partners (Twitter @affiliatemgr) (Moderator)
• Angel Djambazov, OPM, Custom Tailored Marketing (Twitter @djambazov)

Getting low values affiliates to join you program is easy. We’ll give you examples of outside the box recruiting ideas to find non-traditional affiliates to add value and drive incremental sales.

Experience level: Intermediate
Target audience: Merchants/Advertisers
Niche/vertical: Recruiting

• Daniel M. Clark, Founder, QAQN (Twitter @QAQN) (Moderator)
• Mike Buechele, Chief Performance Marketer, Adalytical (Twitter @mikebuechele)
• Trisha Lyn Fawver, Client Services Manager, For Me To Coupon (Twitter @TrishaLyn)
• Eric Souza, Director, Delta Leads (Twitter @ECSouza)

Four industry veterans brainstorm marketing ideas for items/services with audience participation. Ideas to actionable solutions in one fun, lively hour. Come get your creative juices flowing!

Experience level: Beginner
Target audience: Affiliates/Publishers
Niche/vertical: Education

Todd Crawford, Co-Founder, Impact Radius (Twitter @toddcrawford)

In this session, Todd will detail the various methods for tracking performance-based relationships and outline the pros and cons of each tracking method.

Experience level: Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced
Target audience: Affiliates/Publishers, Merchants/Advertisers
Niche/vertical: Tracking

• Rae Hoffman-Dolan, CEO, Sugarrae (Twitter @sugarrae) (Moderator)
• Michael Gray, President, Atlas Web Service (Twitter @graywolf)
• Kenny Hyder, Founder, Hyder Media (Twitter @kennyhyder)
• Michael Martin, Senior SEO Strategist, Covario Inc. (Twitter @googleandblog)

The SEO Clinic is back! Have your website reviewed by four respected industry veterans to get tips and tricks for improving your organic search engine optimization efforts.

Experience level: Beginner, Intermediate
Target audience: Affiliates/Publishers, Merchants/Advertisers
Niche/vertical: SEO

• Penny Stevens, Account Manager, Google Affiliate Network (Moderator)
• Michael Herrera, VP, Affiliate Marketing, Citibank
• Howard Schaffer, VP of Business Development, Offers.com Published by Vertive, LLC (Twitter @howardschaffer)

Take a closer look at how top advertisers and publishers invest in innovation and diversify their performance marketing “portfolio”.

Experience level: Intermediate
Target audience: Merchants/Advertisers
Niche/vertical: Diversification

As you enter the room, you will drop your business card in the Bingo Networking box. You will then be given a bingo card where you will write your name in the center square.

Next, you circulate with everyone throughout the room. To complete the bingo card, you will need to meet 24 other people, collect their business cards and have them write their names in the open squares.

Then, we will call off the names on the business cards that everyone dropped in the Bingo Networking box when they arrived. Regular bingo rules apply thereafter. The winner is the first person with five names in a row, either across, down or diagonally.

In addition to the prize for the winner of Bingo Networking, everybody that participates will walk away a winner, because everyone will be making new contacts while playing the game.

Daniel M. Clark, Founder, QAQN (Twitter @QAQN)

Open to all attendees enrolled in the Affiliate Summit Newcomer Program

Eric Nagel, President, Eric Nagel & Associates, Inc (Twitter @ericnagel)

Are you an early bird? Nothing to do before breakfast? Want free coffee? Bring your sites to this open session and get advice on usability, SEO, conversions and revenue streams.

Breakfast is Open to Platinum and Diamond Pass Holders with Breakfast Tickets Only

Heather Smith, Blogger, Beautiful British Columbia (Twitter @heatherinbc)

The Blogger’s Lounge is an area reserved for credentialed bloggers/press to grab some desk space, blog, interview, relax and network. Heather Smith will be the BlogMistress of the Affiliate Summit Blogger’s Lounge, where she’ll be acting as liaison between Affiliate Summit and the press and bloggers attending the show.

• Sarah Beeskow, Sr. Manager of Merchant Development, Client Services Department, ShareASale (Twitter @sarah_bees)
• Jon Spoelstra, Author, Marketing Outrageously Redux

Exhibit Hall map for Affiliate Summit West 2012

• Geno Prussakov, CEO, AM Navigator LLC (Twitter @ePrussakov)

What is parasitism and channel cannibalization? What KPIs and metrics are important to analyze? How can competitive intelligence help you grow the program? We’ll tackle these & other vital questions.

Experience level: Intermediate, Advanced
Target audience: Merchants/Advertisers, Networks
Niche/vertical: Affiliate program management

Joanna Lord, Director of Customer Acquisition & Engagement, SEOmoz (Twitter @joannalord)

I’ll cover what retargeting is, how to segment and sequence retargeting, as well as how you use this as a cheap testing vehicle, a branding campaign, and a bottom-line gain to your returns.

Experience level: Intermediate
Target audience: Merchants/Advertisers
Niche/vertical: Paid Marketing

Gary Kibel, Partner, Davis & Gilbert LLP (Twitter @GaryKibel_law)

Interactive companies undoubtedly speculate about their preferred exit strategy. When to sell; when to make acquisitions; when to engage in strategic relationships.

Experience level: Intermediate
Target audience: Networks
Niche/vertical: Finance

• Eric Nagel, President, Eric Nagel & Associates, Inc. (Twitter @ericnagel) (Moderator)
• Todd Farmer, CEO, PerformStreet Media (Twitter @toddfarmer)
• Tricia Meyer, Owner, Sunshine Rewards (Twitter @sunshinetricia)

Although Mastermind Groups sound complicated and mysterious, they are an easy way to network with other Internet marketers regularly to grow your business. Learn why and how to start your own.

Experience level: Beginner
Target audience: Affiliates/Publishers
Niche/vertical: Mastermind

Lunch is Open to Platinum and Diamond Pass Holders With Lunch Tickets Only

• Tom Cohn, Of Counsel, Venable LLP

Recent FTC cases showed it will act against anyone imitating news sites or making false ad claims online. This session will help you review compliance and avoid federal/state law enforcement actions.

Experience level: Intermediate
Target audience: Affiliates/Publishers
Niche/vertical: Compliance

• Hunter Boyle, Sr. Business Development Manager, AWeber (Twitter @hunterboyle)

We’ll explore proven ways to optimize your marketing with email, from forms and autoresponders to social media and landing pages. These tactics and tips will help you grow your lists and profits.

Experience level: Beginner, Intermediate
Target audience: Affiliates/Publishers
Niche/vertical: Email

• Kim Salvino, Head of Publishers, buy.at US (Twitter @kim_salvino) (Moderator)
• Liz Gazer, CEO/Consultant, Growthspurt Media (Twitter @lizgazer)
• Erik Hom, Sr. Director, Business Development, Nextag (Twitter @Route53)
• Eric Schwarzer, President, Allspun (Twitter @schwarzer)

Consumers drowning in false claims & spam are wary. Quality brands hesitate to invest in affiliates. Panelists will engage in open discussion with insights on why it pays more to sell with integrity.

Experience level: Intermediate
Target audience: Affiliates/Publishers
Niche/vertical: Integrity

• Rooshina Modi, Senior Manager, Online Marketing, Barnes & Noble (Twitter @rooshina) (Moderator)
• Dannielle Brantley, Senior Marketing Manager, LinkShare Corporation
• Sylvia Cintrón, Afffiliate Marketing, AREA203 DIGITAL (Twitter @sylviacintron)
• Stephanie Laughon, Account Executive, ShopAtHome.com (Twitter @stephlaughon)

Merchants will learn the art of communicating and building strong relationships with publishers, to maximize the affiliates’ earning potential and in turn growing the merchant’s business.

Experience level: Intermediate
Target audience: Merchants/Advertisers
Niche/vertical: Communication

• Lindsey Savoie, Merchant Development Manager, ShareASale.com (Moderator)
• Jamie Reardon, Digital Marketing, LifeLock
• Jared Saunders, Affiliate Program Manager, Jenson USA (Twitter @TurboJared)
• Missy Ward, Co-Founder, Affiliate Summit, Inc. (Twitter @missyward)

Inspire affiliate loyalty with unique, out-of-the-box affiliate bonus campaigns. Discuss the development, implementation, and analysis of these promotions!

Experience level: Intermediate
Target audience: Merchants/Advertisers
Niche/vertical: Promotional

• Paul Schroader, President, PS Web Solutions, Inc. (Twitter @pswebs) (Moderator)
• Brad Brewster, Creative Director, Bent Media (Twitter @BentMedia)
• Chris Kramer, Founding Partner, NetX (Twitter @ChrismKramer)

A panel discussion on where Affiliate Marketing fits in most Media Plans. We’ll discuss perception versus reality in regards to value and accountability when compared to other marketing and metrics.

Experience level: Intermediate
Target audience: Merchants/Advertisers
Niche/vertical: Online media

Scott Jangro, President, MechMedia, Inc. (Twitter @jangro)

As consumers of content online, we know that there is simply too much of it. How do we know we’re reading the best information? That’s the role of a curator, and many of us are curators already.

Experience level: Beginner
Target audience: Affiliates/Publishers
Niche/vertical: Content

Dush Ramachandran, President, The Net Momentum Corp (Twitter @DushR)

Having built and sold two businesses and worked with 100s of entrepreneurs, Dush gives you the 7 key secrets to building successful sustainable businesses.

Experience level: Intermediate
Target audience: Affiliates/Publishers
Niche/vertical: Strategy

• AdWords Triage & Treatment – PPC Emergency Room – Miles Olson, President, Hoot Interactive
• Are You FTC Compliant? – Bill Rothbard, Attorney, Law Offices of William I. Rothbard
• How Students Will Change Affiliate Marketing – Merianna Neely, Teacher Affiliate, Meriannaneely.com (Twitter @meriannaneely)
• Leverage Social Media to Explode Dating Niches – Heather Havenwood, Owner, Only Date Younger Women.com
• Making Money as a Software Affiliate – Cristian Miculi, Affiliate Network Coordinator, Avangate (Twitter @affiliatedoc)
• Rehab – 12 Steps to a Better Program – Karen Garcia, CEO, GTO Management (Twitter @karengarcia)
• The Untapped Small Business Affiliate Opportunity – Don Campbell, President, Expand2Web (Twitter @doncampbell)
• Writing Off SEO Before It’s Dead? – Emily Leach, SEO Strategist, SEO Strategy Group (Twitter @emilyleach)

Ask the Experts Roundtable Discussions will be an opportunity for merchants, networks and affiliates to ask questions about various specialties and issues.

Hand picked experts will handle topics in their specialty, and conduct chats, answer questions and share opinions during this networking and education session.

Back by popular demand! Affiliate Karaoke is the ultimate stage that will give your amazing (or not so amazing) voice a chance to be heard. Channel your inner Astro or Susan Boyle and head on over for your chance at affiliate marketing stardom.

Eric Nagel, President, Eric Nagel & Associates, Inc (Twitter @ericnagel)

Are you an early bird? Nothing to do before breakfast? Want free coffee? Bring your sites to this open session and get advice on usability, SEO, conversions and revenue streams.

Breakfast is Open to Platinum and Diamond Pass Holders with Breakfast Tickets Only

Heather Smith, Blogger, Beautiful British Columbia (Twitter @heatherinbc)

The Blogger’s Lounge is an area reserved for credentialed bloggers/press to grab some desk space, blog, interview, relax and network. Heather Smith will be the BlogMistress of the Affiliate Summit Blogger’s Lounge, where she’ll be acting as liaison between Affiliate Summit and the press and bloggers attending the show.

• Sarah Beeskow, Sr. Manager of Merchant Development, Client Services Department, ShareASale (Twitter @sarah_bees)

• Eric (ET The Hip Hop Preacher) Thomas, Author, The Secret to Success (Twitter@Ericthomasbtc)

The sixth annual Affiliate Summit Pinnacle Awards will be presented prior to the keynote. These awards recognize exceptional performance in affiliate marketing.

Exhibit Hall map for Affiliate Summit West 2012

• Greg Hoffman, President, Greg Hoffman Consulting (Twitter @akagorilla) (Moderator)
• Jeremy Palmer, President, Quit Your Day Job (Twitter @jeremypalmer)
• Wade Tonkin, Affiliate Manager, Fanatics LLC (Twitter @affile8warrior)

We will review programs randomly or by suggestions to identify strengths and weaknesses. Merchants will learn what affiliates are looking for and affiliates will learn how to find the right merchants.

Experience level: Beginner
Target audience: Affiliates/Publishers
Niche/vertical: Merchant Reviews

• Jason Spievak, CEO, RingRevenue, Inc. (Twitter @ringrevenue) (Moderator)
• Eric Evans, Director, HyperTarget Marketing
• Eric Flottmann, Founder, MobileLeads
• Adam Viener, Chairman & Founder, IMWAVE, INC. (Twitter @AdamViener)

More than 15% of searches take place on mobile. You’re losing money if you aren’t driving calls from mobile search. A panel of mobile experts will cover how you can get in on the action and earn more.

Experience level: Intermediate
Target audience: Affiliates/Publishers, Merchants/Advertisers
Niche/vertical: Mobile

• Gary Allen, Partner, FRWD (Twitter @garylsallen) (Moderator)
• George Hansen, Director of Sales, Digital River – oneNetworkDirect
• Marty Marion, Affiliate Marketing Manager, Deluxe Corp (Twitter @MJMDeluxe)
• Sherry Tingley, Owner, CouponDealing.com

Strategies for lead generation, B2sB product promotion, messaging and customer outreach, plus top 10 things affiliates can do to earn in B2sB.

Experience level: Intermediate
Target audience: Affiliates/Publishers
Niche/vertical: B2B

Beau Blackwell, Client Knowledge Guru, ClickBank (Twitter @beaublackwell)

In today’s market, it’s virtually impossible to be an expert at everything. Learn ways to partner with others and use the relationships you already have to free up your time and make more money.

Experience level: Intermediate
Target audience: Affiliates/Publishers
Niche/vertical: Joint venture

Lunch is Open to Platinum and Diamond Pass Holders With Lunch Tickets Only

Michael Nunez, CEO, AffiliateManager.com (Twitter @MikeNunez)

Advanced techniques that Affiliate Managers can use to recruit affiliates into their program.

Experience level: Intermediate
Target audience: Merchants/Advertisers
Niche/vertical: Recruitment

Dave Taylor, Blogger, Ask Dave Taylor.com (Twitter @DaveTaylor)

A few years ago, affiliate marketing was all about building a Web site or launching a blog and gaining readership. Today it’s all about Facebook, Google Plus, Twitter. What are the NEW best practices?

Experience level: Beginner
Target audience: Affiliates/Publishers
Niche/vertical: Social media

• Marty M. Fahncke, President, FawnKey and Associates (Twitter @FawnKey) (Moderator)
• Don Batsford, Jr., Partner, 31 Media (Twitter @batsford)
• Ruth Ann Cooper, CEO/President, Mobile Zoom
• David Lewis, VP, Business Development, Majoobi (Twitter @thedavidlewis)

2012 is the year of mobile. From mobile apps to mobile sites to mobile advertising to QR codes to pay-per-call, there is a lot going on in mobile.

Experience level: Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced
Target audience: Affiliates/Publishers, Merchants/Advertisers
Niche/vertical: Mobile

John Monarch, President, Monarch Holdings LLC (Twitter @papajohn56)

Your merchant processing might be holding back the true potential of your affiliate program. Learn how to increase conversions with better banking, fraud control, and small checkout tips.

Experience level: Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced
Target audience: Affiliates/Publishers, Merchants/Advertisers
Niche/vertical: Credit cards

• Sarah Beeskow, Sr. Manager of Merchant Development, Client Services Department, ShareASale (Twitter @sarah_bees)
• Jeremy Schoemaker, President, ShoeMoney Capital (Twitter @shoemoney)