Here are my suggestions for Affiliate Summit – take it or leave it, it's free:
- get a good moderator who keeps people on topic and keeps the discussion centered (unless really interesting tangents occur)
- have a bloggers lounge area, maybe even blogger seating towards the back of a session (with plugs nearby and wifi)
- public computers set up for people to check email and/or blog
- label some of the lunch tables: ABestWeb table, bloggers table, press table, search affiliates table, etc. to maximize networking
- a public PA system where you can tell people the sessions are starting and announce changes in schedule or reminders
- a place where people can hang out and chat between and before/after sessions (the casino bar isn't a good place because there's a lot of noise, it's too far from the sessions, and too many other people. In Florida this happened a lot easier).
- choose presenters based on the content and their presentation ability…there's a wide range of talent or lack of talent…don't ask people to speak who don't have people or public speaking skills no matter how brilliant or successful they may be…find another way to use their talents. ask presenters to interact with the audience (walk around in the audience as they speak, or at least get them to move in closer)
- better sound (the last one in Vegas had a professional company not the hotel handle sound and it was great)
[tags] affiliate summit, affiliate marketing [/tags]
Thanks for your suggestions – we’re always looking to improve future shows. Some responses to your comments…
> get a good moderator who keeps people on topic and keeps the discussion centered (unless really interesting tangents occur)
If you didn’t fill out the feedback sheet for any sessions you liked or didn’t like, please share your input at http://www.affiliatesummit.com/contact.php
> have a bloggers lounge area, maybe even blogger seating towards the back of a session (with plugs nearby and wifi)
The area adjacent to the exhibit hall had tables and wifi. No plans to provide wifi inside of sessions – it’s actually not in there deliberately. I think it’s rude to the speakers when people are making a racket and working while sitting in a session.
> a public PA system where you can tell people the sessions are starting and announce changes in schedule or reminders
Unfortunately, we didn’t have the option – it didn’t exist in the hotel.
> a place where people can hang out and chat between and before/after sessions
The area next to the exhibit hall was set up for this purpose.
> choose presenters based on the content and their presentation ability…
We take the speaker roster very seriously. Please provide feedback on any session you didn’t think was up to par.
> better sound (the last one in Vegas had a professional company not the hotel handle sound and it was great)
We worked with the same company, Encore Productions, both last year and this year for A/V.
Thanks Shawn! Could there be wifi right outside the sessions? It just wasn’t practical to go to the exhibitor hall (takes me totally out of the action).
I think Wayne Porter should have a round table discussion. He’s in a different league and although he might not be ideal as a presenter, he’d be great to lead discussions about the future of affiliate marketing.
I wanted to fill out the forms but honestly I was too busy taking notes, networking, and moving to the next session. BTW, keep Jay Berkowitz. We flew through the web and he was a great tour guide with affiliate suggestions at every point.
I only went to the exhibit hall to eat or look at exhibits. I don’t think people will go there to chat. We need a more central place that’s more condusive to hanging out (a lounge). Women were in the women’s restroom because they had comfortable chairs…but that’s a pretty exclusive club 😉
All in all a great show that I hope only gets better! I loved being a part of it. Thanks for listening to my feedback.
Janet
Hi Janet –
All the feeedback is appreciated. I’ll look at how feasible it is to do this stuff given the layout and limitations of the Intercontinental in Miami.
Shawn