I first started going to conferences in 2000 – when it cost me practically all the spare cash I had in order to make the trip. Back in those days, there were no aff conferences – only industry conferences – and the only aff I can remember going to these conferences besides me was Antoine, and islandmaan. Casinomeister joined me in 2001 when I dragged him out to ICE.
Marc was already around as well but he was more industry-related, he certainly wasn’t an aff. But he knew where the future opportunities lay – one day he invited me to go to see the Blue Man Group at Luxor, and we haven’t looked back since. I told him I thought it was time for an affiliate-focused conference, and next thing I knew he and his former partner had one set up in Vancouver.
Since then he hasn’t looked back. I don’t always show up at his conferences any more because I can’t always justify the trip – but people like him and Lou played a major role in the growth of the online gambling affiliate industry and, despite the occasional misstep, Marc is still somewhat of a pioneer in the industry and should be respected for that.
Now, for me, I no longer have to spend my remaining cash to attend conferences (though it’s been a tough road). I can tell you, however, that it is worth every penny just to meet other affiliates and compare experiences, as well as get to know operators and their representatives face-to-face. It may not necessarily increase your bottom line directly, or perhaps you just won’t notice it that easily – but you will, over time, realize the huge benefit in the long term if you learn anything at all from these trips and experiences.
Can you justify the budget in the short-term? Probably not that easy to account for. But if you haven’t attended at least one or two of these conferences, you may never know if you’ve missed the one thing which stands between you and a large, stable income.
By the way, I’m not a partier either. I missed the last three Fire and Ice parties in London – if anything, the one party I should not miss just to give my good friends a little face – but if I can’t talk without raising my voice I’d rather not bother. Thank goodness my friends understand me well… to the point of automatically ordering a Coke for me along with their beers…