Affiliate Summit started up a Mentor Program years ago, based on feedback from attendees that they thought attending the conference would be a richer experience if they knew more people and had a better understanding of the opportunities available.
Over the years, a number of fantastic volunteers have stepped up to help first time attendees find their way around Affiliate Summit, and the process has enabled countless connections.
But there has been a reoccurring problem. Some folks understood a “mentor” to be somebody who would train or consult them.
Each Affiliate Summit, there would be mentees who expected business coaching, and their mentors were put in a position where they wanted to help, but they weren’t equipped or didn’t have the bandwidth to dedicate themselves in that capacity – since that’s not what they signed up to do.
So, we’ve changed up the name to be the Newcomer Program. No more mentors, but the same program with hopefully a clearer perspective of purpose.
The Affiliate Summit Newcomer Program is provided to help first time attendees gain a better understanding of what to expect when attending Affiliate Summit.
The volunteers offer their time and past experience knowledge to help newcomers optimize their time at the event.
If you’d like to participate as a volunteer or you are planning on attending the show for the first time, sign up for the Affiliate Summit Newcomer Program today.
{ 2 comments }
@Buck Woods:
The misunderstanding was across the board – affiliates, merchants, networks, etc.
The signup page has explained the purpose, but I guess few people were reading it before signing up.
.-= Shawn Collins´s last blog ..Affiliate Summit East 2010 Commercial =-.
I think that this is a good change but I don;t think that it was just affiliates who misunderstood the purpose of the “mentor” program. In my opinion, both affiliates and mentors need some guidelines of purpose.
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