PubCon 2008 Recap

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I just got back from checking out PubCon in Las Vegas last night. It was my first time going to PubCon after all these years of meaning to get out there.

I was speaking on a panel on the first of four days of PubCon and neglected to check the schedule for other stuff going on. They had lots of interesting panels on the first day, but the exhibit hall wasn’t opening until the second day (when I was flying out).

It was a good day of learning and networking, since the crowd didn’t have an exhibit hall to visit that day.

Before my session, I was interviewed by Dr. Ralph Wilson for a video series he has up on YouTube. We chatted about using social media to promote affiliate links, as well as recruiting affiliates.

It was nice to meet Dr. Wilson, as I’ve been following his stuff for many years, and he put out a couple editions of the definitive report on affiliate program software back in the day.

Check out his YouTube channel for his PubCon interviews in the coming weeks.

Before my panel, I checked out an interactive site review panel with Wil Reynolds of SEER Interactive and a few other folks.

I prefer that format myself, where the panelists take sites on the fly and critique them, over the more rehearsed kinds of sessions.

Later on, I was on a panel, moderated by Lisa Riolo, on relationships between affiliates and merchants. Also on the panel were Bob Rains, President of Lets Make it Awesome; Brook Schaaf, CEO of Schaaf Consulting; and Beth Kirsch, VP, Business Development & Marketing for uAmplify.

I also checked out a panel on working with affiliate networks, moderated by Chuck Hamrick, and panelists Karen White, who used to be Vice President of Marketing & Business Development at Partner Fusion and is now at a new company whose name escapes me; Jamie Birch, Owner of JEBCommerce; and Durk Price, President of eAccountableOPM.

After the panels wound up, I headed down to the exhibitor reception. I think they may have had the longest lines I’ve ever seen for bars.

My camera literally could not fit the entire line in a frame from far away.

But it was a good time meeting people and the line enabled me to learn about an area that I’d never heard about before… medical tourism. It was equal parts intriguing and creepy.

Lots of new faces and information jammed into the one day I was there. So, I felt compelled to celebrate with a song at the end of the evening.

I was sort of dreading a visit to Las Vegas for the third time this year, but I think I’ll do the same in 2009 for Affiliate Summit, Blog World, and PubCon.