Shawn Collins' Blog

Affiliate marketing and other stuff from Shawn Collins, co-founder of Affiliate Summit.

The First Affiliate Summit Was 20 Years Ago Today

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My life changed in a big way twenty years ago today. It was the first Affiliate Summit that I organized with Missy Ward and it took place at Baruch College in New York City on November 3, 2003.

Shawn Collins, Andy Rodriguez and Missy Ward

Pulling the whole thing together happened pretty fast. We chatted on the phone about trying to start a conference and registered AffiliateSummit.com on May 19, 2003.

The original goal was to put on a conference on a cruise in 2004, but we decided to do a small event before that to get the name out there and build a list.

I heard about an opportunity at Baruch College, which was a few blocks from where I worked at the time, and I went over to speak with them. We were able to get a room for 200 with chairs, tables, A/V, etc. for free in exchange for giving some passes to their marketing students.

That was perfect since we didn’t have money. If it wasn’t for that free spot from Baruch, the rise of Affiliate Summit may never have happened.

Affiliate Summit 2003 bag

In the months we had to set up out first conference, we called in favors from friends to staff the event, and did everything very primitive. All sales went through my PayPal account and confirmation emails for people who registered were manually pasted from a Word doc and sent from our emails.

Industry friends volunteered to be speakers and we got a bunch of friends with companies to “sponsor” it (we didn’t charge them, so we would have a bunch of “sponsors” out of the gate).

We scheduled it on the first day of the ad:tech conference in New York, which was a huge event at the time, so we could capitalize on people coming into town, and we set a low price point ($75 for all day and lunch).

Our only expenses were lunch and printing for the day, and with ticket sales we broke even but became rich in industry reputation for Affiliate Summit.

Affiliate Summit 2003 was a sell-out a handful of days before. We had a dozen or so people show up hoping to attend, and we quietly loved that we couldn’t fit them, because it created a buzz and demand when we started promoting our next event.

Networking lunch at Affiliate Summit 2003

So many things worked out just right and propelled us into a dream that lasted nearly two decades.

Check out photos from Affiliate Summit 2003.

Watch Netflix with Friends Using Netflix Party

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Since everybody is cooped up and unable to socialize outside of things like Zoom and FaceTime, there is a fun option called Netflix Party to watch shows or movies with friends.

Netflix Party

With this Chrome extension, you can watch in sync with people and chat while you are streaming together.

It’s a quick and easy installation when you are in the Chrome browser.

After all, Tiger King is more fun to watch with people.

Is Affiliate Marketing Still Profitable?

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Q: Is affiliate marketing still profitable?

Shawn's first affiliate management job

A: Affiliate marketing started back in 1994 when CDNow launched the first affiliate program, and ever since people have been wondering if they can still make money with it. The answer is and always has been yes.

The picture with this article is me at my first affiliate marketing job, which I started back in 1997. Prospective affiliates I pitched then were unsure and people new to the industry are still skeptical.

James Marciano, who founded Refer-It (my next affiliate marketing job), the first affiliate program directory back in the ’90s, said it best when he dubbed affiliate marketing a “recession-proof marketing channel.”

“When the economy tanks, the CEO cuts the marketing budget first. The sales budget doesn’t get cut. With these programs, you’re out there already making money for nothing,” continued Marciano.

We saw this play out when the dot com bubble burst, as well as in 2008 when the economy was in bad shape. Through it all affiliate marketing has persevered.

And you know how there are always articles around Christmas-time how the latest year had the highest sales in the history of E-commerce? Well, as E-Commerce grows, so does affiliate marketing and the opportunities around it. Virtually every big brand has an affiliate program, and they are commonplace with small and medium-sized businesses, too.

So, yes, it’s still profitable, but not for everybody. Lots of people want to be affiliates and they are lazy about it and don’t add any value to a transaction. Strive to provide a solution or solve a problem as an affiliate and keep at it and you can make money.

7 Building Blocks of Affiliate Program’s Success from Affiliate Summit East 2017

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This was a conference session titled 7 Building Blocks of Affiliate Program’s Success at Affiliate Summit East 2017, which took place July 30 – August 1, 2017, at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in New York City.

Geno Prussakov at Affiliate Summit East 2017

Session speaker(s):

  • Geno Prussakov, CEO, AM Navigator LLC

Session description:
Thriving affiliate programs are run by managers who devote their time to 7 specific things. Come to this session to discover what these are, and how you can improve your own approach. Q&As at the end.

Experience Level: Intermediate
Target Audience: Merchant/Advertiser
Niche/Vertical: Affiliate Management

Slides: 7 Building Blocks of Affiliate Program’s Success

If you liked this video, be sure to register for the next Affiliate Summit.

Note: the companies and positions listed above were current as of the time of the conference. Some of this information may have changed since then.

How to Find New Business Opportunities as an Affiliate from Affiliate Summit East 2017

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This was a conference session titled How to Find New Business Opportunities as an Affiliate at Affiliate Summit East 2017, which took place July 30 – August 1, 2017, at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in New York City.


Teodora Dobjanschi at Affiliate Summit East 2017

Session speaker:

  • Teodora Dobjanschi, Affiliate Network Manager, Avangate | 2CHECKOUT

Session description:

Learn how to position your business to a new vendor, how to select new vendors to work with, how to find them, and what to look for to build a successful relationship with them.

  • Experience Level: Intermediate
  • Target Audience: Affiliate/Publisher
  • Niche/Vertical: New Business

Slides: How to Find New Business Opportunities as an Affiliate

If you liked this video, be sure to register for the next Affiliate Summit.

Note: the companies and positions listed above were current as of the time of the conference. Some of this information may have changed since then.



Turbo Charge Your Landing Pages with Best Practices at Affiliate Summit East 2016

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This was a conference session titled Turbo Charge Your Landing Pages with Best Practices at Affiliate Summit East 2016, which took place July 31st through August 2nd, 2016 at the New York Marriott Marquis.

Beth Kirsch, Jason Owen, and Claire Vo at Affiliate Summit East 2018

Session speakers:

  • Beth Kirsch, VP of Marketing, Freedom Financial Network
  • Claire Vo, CEO & Co-Founder, Experiment Engine
  • Jason Owen, VP of Marketing, Progrexion

Session description:
Landing page optimization can fuel your marketing ROI and ramp you bottom. Four experts in the field discuss approaches, available technologies, myths and best practices.

Experience Level: Intermediate
Target Audience: Affiliate/Publisher, Merchant/Advertiser
Niche/Vertical: Landing Page Optimization

Slides: Turbo Charge Your Landing Pages with Best Practices

If you liked this video, be sure to register for the next Affiliate Summit.

Note: the companies and positions listed above were current as of the time of the conference. Some of this information may have changed since then.

Africa – the Next Affiliate Marketing Frontier at Affiliate Summit East 2016

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This was a conference session titled Africa – the Next Affiliate Marketing Frontier at Affiliate Summit East 2016, which took place July 31st through August 2nd, 2016 at the New York Marriott Marquis.

Jonathan Miller at Affiliate Summit East 2018

Session speakers:

  • Jonathan Miller, Forge Media

Session description:
With 600 million connected consumers, Africa is fast becoming a hotbed for online and mobile engagement, innovation, and services. Learn how to dominate this new market though affiliate marketing.

Experience Level: Intermediate
Target Audience: Affiliate/Publisher, Merchant/Advertiser, Network
Niche/Vertical: Africa

Slides: Africa – the Next Affiliate Marketing Frontier

If you liked this video, be sure to register for the next Affiliate Summit.

Note: the companies and positions listed above were current as of the time of the conference. Some of this information may have changed since then.

Please Help Me Fight Breast Cancer

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I’m doing the AVON 39 The Walk to End Breast Cancer, which is a 39.3 mile walk through New York City over October 14-15, 2017, and I need your help.

The finish line of the AVON 39 in 2016

This will be my fifth walk – I completed the Avon Walk in NYC in October 2012, 2014, 2015, and 2016, and I can’t wait to return to take on this inspiring challenge.

Would you please help me in the fight?

All money raised by the AVON 39 is managed by the Avon Breast Cancer Crusade, a 501(C)(3) public charity that funds a comprehensive network of programs and services dedicated to serving breast cancer patients and their families.

Here are some ways your donation can make a difference…

  • $50 offsets the cost of a patient’s transportation to-and-from oncology appointments
  • $100 ensures that a low-income breast cancer patient has childcare during chemotherapy
  • $125 allows a young breast cancer survivor to connect with other survivors and learn crucial information about their health, fertility and prevention of recurrence
  • $250 connects a medically underserved patient to a screening mammogram

If you’ll be in NYC during the AVON 39, please come out and root on the Affiliate Marketers Give Back team.

Get a VIP Pass for #ASE17 Before They Sell Out

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We’re on the verge of selling out Affiliate Summit East 2017. If you haven’t registered, yet, you’ve got a few pass options (depending on when you read this).

Shawn's dogs in deep thought

The Networking pass ($249) is best for those who want basic networking access.

Then there is the Networking Plus pass ($349), which is geared towards folks that want to network with other industry professionals and receive access to select content.

Finally, there is the VIP pass ($649), and it’s ideal for people looking to connect with and learn from industry insiders. This pass also includes meals, access to all sessions, and many other perks.

Get more details on the pass types and register before it’s too late.

Don’t Miss the ShareASale Party at #ASE17

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ShareASale has announced the details for their annual party at Affiliate Summit East in New York City – the ShareASale Under the Stars Party.

ShareASale Under the Stars Party at Affiliate Summit East 2017

The party is taking place on Sunday, July 30 at the ARENA Event Space – a short walk from the New York Marriott Marquis – it will go from 9:00 PM through midnight.

In order to attend the party, you must RSVP, and you will also need your Affiliate Summit badge.