Why Do We Leave Events Empty-Handed? Experts from PropellerAds and Exness Affiliates on How to Choose Events, Network, and Build Business Connections

The goal of events in affiliate marketing is to meet the needs of all market participants: At these events, webmasters and affiliate marketers negotiate the best terms with advertisers, service providers find new clients, and affiliate networks attract affiliates with profitable offers. However, making valuable connections isn't as easy as it seems: even minor issues can negatively affect your chances of meeting potential partners.

Imagine this scenario: the venue has poor lighting, causing you to squint while looking for useful contacts. When you finally find a representative from a necessary company, starting a conversation can be challenging with the loud music around you. Lastly, the venue isn't prepared for a large crowd: you can't find a place to talk to a potential partner privately and end up parting ways after barely exchanging Telegram contacts. This way, the chances of further cooperation become slim.

Even a flawless event doesn't ensure that many new connections will lead to deals or meetings. You might meet 40 new people, but only a few might turn into partners, or none at all. Events are short, and it's hard to remember everyone you meet.

We decided to discuss all the problems that can arise at events with the organizers of the Affiliate Retreat — a networking party taking place on May 29 in Yerevan, ahead of the MAC-2024 conference. We talked to the representatives from the advertising network PropellerAds and the trading vertical affiliate program Exness Affiliates. Here’s what they shared in our interview:

• What problems exist in the affiliate event niche and how to choose the right event;
• How to meet future partners and discuss cooperation within a limited time frame;
• How to establish a strong connection from the first handshake and what beginners should do at events;
• How Affiliate Retreat is organized, what to expect from the party, and why the two companies decided to hold a joint event.

Check out the details below. Enjoy!

Challenges in Affiliate Marketing Events: How to Choose the Right One?

Hi, everyone! What issues is the affiliate marketing event niche currently facing? Could it be inadequate organization, limited networking prospects, or the overpowering presence of affiliate program representatives compared to webmasters and affiliate marketers at events?

Yulia, Head of Marketing at PropellerAds: Nowadays, I rarely see blatantly poor organization. Sometimes, one aspect might "fall short": food-water-coffee at the venue, bad internet, inconvenient navigation between rooms, or lack of a rest area. But all this pales if you make interesting connections at the event.

Networking, however, is more challenging. I've heard guests at one meetup say, "We won't go network unless we're forced to." These were, of course, not affiliate program representatives but those very affiliate marketers everyone seeks to communicate with.

Regarding the dominance of affiliate program managers at events: yes, I've been to a couple of such events. But for us, it's not a problem: many companies buy traffic from us, so meeting an affiliate program manager is a potential deal for PropellerAds, possibly even more profitable.

Another point  is that the same community with the same influencers and experts forms around certain conferences. The community doesn't grow quickly enough for attending the same events every year to be worthwhile. The traffic market is quite narrow, and it becomes even narrower in the context of events. As a result, you meet the same people at different meetups, and it's challenging to discover a new audience.

How do you choose the right event? What should you pay attention to so you don't waste time?

Yana, Exness Affiliate Marketing Lead:

It all depends on what you want to get from the event and what business goals you set for yourself.

If you're attending an event as a participant, you’re likely looking for "everything at once": relevant content, quality networking, and, of course, relaxation, because for most, any event is a getaway from everyday routine. With each passing year, there are more and more events, truly the competition increases: participants become more demanding, and organizers put in great effort to stand out and make their event memorable.

Determine what the "cool event" means to you, but don't be afraid to attend new, not heavily promoted exhibitions: with experience, you'll understand what "the best event" means to you.

If you are a company and your main goal is brand awareness and lead generation, identify the largest events in your industry where these goals are easily achieved. Don't spread yourself too thin by attending all the events offered by organizers. Otherwise, you could spend a lot of time and resources on preparation and ultimately not recoup your investments.

The reputation of the organizers is another important aspect to consider when deciding whether to attend an event. We've been attending Affiliate World conferences worldwide for many years and are always confident that the organization will be top-notch and the ROI of each event will be positive.

It's also crucial to create a convenient and well-thought-out yearly event plan so that, amidst the constant events, your managers have time to "take a breather" and process all potential partnerships.

How to Meet Partners and Discuss Cooperation?

 How do you meet future partners at an event and where do you find them? There are lots of people around, the music is playing loud. Do you approach everyone or squint to read badges? How do you start a conversation and make small talk?

Yulia, Head of Marketing at PropellerAds: Ideally, the badge should work, but in reality, as you mentioned, it often turns into awkward squinting. So I see only two options:

• If you're in the mood, have KPIs, or are a salesperson with impeccable charisma — try to meet as many people as possible at the meetup. This way, you'll also get an idea of the audience and can tell your marketing team whether it's worth investing in next time. You’ll need a lot of energy for this.
• If you don't have the energy or mood, use a more selective strategy: find acquaintances and ask them if they've met anyone interesting. If they have, ask to be introduced. You may need to repeat this approach several times.

How to start small talk? With something that interests you. "What do you do?" is a phrase I use. "What are the tastiest snacks?", for example, also works to attract attention.

 How do you properly exchange contacts and what should you discuss with a future partner at the event to continue the conversation from where you left off?

Yana, Exness Affiliate Marketing Lead:

If there is a potential «match» during the conversation,  immediately exchange contacts in a convenient messenger and create a working group for a brief follow-up summary of what was discussed.

Some tips that work for me:

• I would advice to take a photo with the new contact right in front of your booth: this way, you'll remember them better and be sure that you met them at the event. If you have a bit of free time, send new contacts a link to your website, offer, or registration page so the future affiliate can learn more about the program in details with the information at hand.
• Also, photos can be used for post-event publications on LinkedIn. For example, I always write a post with feedback on how the event went and tag new contacts on my page. This helps expand the business network, increase the visibility of Exness Affiliates at key conferences, and maintain communication with the industry.
• And the classic approach: after each event, create a clear and convenient Excel table with leads, containing all the necessary information to remind the partner about yourself.

 Let’s imagine: it's my first time at an event or conference. What should I do? What would be my first steps?

Yulia, Head of Marketing at PropellerAds: The first time at a conference can be tough. Don’t expect to immediately fit into the community and collect a bunch of useful business cards.

Look around, explore the venue at your own pace, and approach the booths of familiar companies to chat. Also:

• Prepare in advance. Each major conference website has a map showing the locations of sponsor booths. Make a small plan to avoid getting lost — it will be noisy and hectic.
• Be sure to attend meetups and parties around the conference. The informal setting helps you relax, making it easier to start a conversation. You can find such events on Conference Nights or the conference website. Various media and Telegram channels also announce conference selections in advance.
• Don’t hesitate to introduce yourself. Remember, people come from all over the world to interact with market participants. It’s easier to network at a conference than anywhere else.
• Try to enjoy it. Your first conference or meetup is unlikely to be very productive, but you need to go through this stage to gain experience.

A conference is a simple and quick way to find yourself among market experts. Use this opportunity: ask marketers for their opinions and learn about trends while people are in a communication-focused mindset.

Strengthening Contacts: How to Create a Strong Connection with a Partner from the First Handshake

 How do you make a lasting impression on a partner and remember them if you’re interested in each other? Is it worth spending more time together at the expense of other meetings during the day?

Yana, Exness Affiliate Marketing Lead:

I’ll start with a fun story I can’t help but share. Once, we were changing the design of our business cards, and at one event, I had both old plain cards and new ones—beautifully designed, textured, pleasant to the touch.

Before handing out my card, I would ask, "Which business card do you want: informative or beautiful?" Usually, after asking for one, they would then ask for the other out of curiosity about the differences. This "fun" element acted as an icebreaker and helped make the conversation more engaging. Since then, it’s been my hack — if you want to be remembered, this works 100%.

Don’t forget to note key points of the conversation on the business card/notebook/laptop: for example, traffic type, GEO, and contact details, to use in future meetings. At Exness Affiliates, we’ve come up with our own trick: to save partners time on making notes, we prepared business cards that already contain a brief overview of the main advantages of our CPA program, target GEOs, and types of accepted traffic — and every time, we’re told how convenient this is!

As for the amount of time to spend on a conversation — it’s always individual. If the conversation is going smoothly and you enjoy it, you can talk for as long as you want. At our Exness Affiliates booth, we always have enough staff to give attention to all interested parties.

How to Make the Most Valuable Connections During an Event?

Yulia, Head of Marketing at PropellerAds: Participate in activities organized by the hosts: quizzes, speed networking, and other social "games." I think this helps make initial contact with as many people as possible, and then you can choose whom to continue talking to.

I'll share a couple of hacks for social games. If you're shy, prepare a short description of yourself and your goals for the event. This will come in handy in various situations. Something like this:

Hi, I'm Yulia from PropellerAds marketing. We're looking for partners for cross-marketing and joint meetups before Affiliate World conferences until the end of 2024. I can also help if you're looking for quality Pop and Push traffic for your product — I’ll introduce you to the best personal manager at PropellerAds.

It's always useful to provide specifics that can spark a conversation.

I also always like to add a bit of humor to lighten the mood. If there's room for a fun fact in your description, don't exclude it: we're all human, and your conversation partner will appreciate a smile. This helps break the "ice" a bit faster.

What is Affiliate Retreat and Why It’s Perfect for Networking and Finding New Partners

Affiliate Retreat is the event where you can make connections and achieve the most business touches in a relaxed and calm atmosphere: At the event, you'll find speed networking, ambient music, relaxing entertainment, shoulder massages, gourmet bites, and refreshing drinks. Affiliate Retreat is suitable for everyone working with finance, apps, and e-commerce verticals.

We asked the teams from Exness Affiliates and PropellerAds to tell us more about the event’s goals and posed a few questions:

 What can you say is the main goal of the Affiliate Retreat?

Yana, Exness Affiliates Marketing Lead: Our main goal is to create a relaxing atmosphere that will lead to meaningful interactions and fruitful partnerships. We clearly define the target audience we invite and those who can benefit from the event. It's an invitation-only event for selected individuals in the affiliate industry who can truly be useful to each other. By attending, you'll gain maximum potential contacts even before the main conference starts — then you can just enjoy the exhibition!

Yulia, Head of Marketing at PropellerAds: When we organize an event, we dream of creating a memorable experience for us and our guests — something that everyone will recall fondly. For example, I often remember our first private dinner in Dubai in 2022. We always put a lot of thought into the concept and love to work on the details.

Imagine: conference guests arrive in Yerevan. Everyone is tired after the flight, there’s chaos everywhere, and they’ve just checked into the hotel. Naturally, the question arises: where can one relax in the evening?

That’s exactly what we invite you to do with PropellerAds and Exness Affiliates — reliable partners you’ve known for a long time or have surely heard about from colleagues. Here’s what’s important: we don’t plan any presentations or master classes. Just relaxation.

 Cross-promotion of two brands: Why is it great? How are you working together now, and why did you come up with the idea of creating your own event?

Yana, Exness Affiliates Marketing Lead: Cross-promotion allows our brands to leverage each other's strengths and access a broader audience: together, we can create a compelling value proposition that surpasses what we could offer individually.

Recently, we realized that there’s a strong synergy between our brands, and we can use it to create something special. PropellerAds' reputation as an excellent traffic source, especially in the CIS market, perfectly complements our goal at Exness Affiliates to recommend reliable traffic sources to our partners.

After close collaboration and constant participation in various conferences next to each other’s booths, we decided that a joint event would be the perfect way to strengthen our partnership and bring greater value to our partners and the affiliate marketing community as a whole. And I'll add, is there anyone who doesn't know PropellerAds? Collaborating with such a strong brand is pure pleasure!

Yulia, Head of Marketing at PropellerAds: I love cross-marketing because it allows for quick access to a relevant audience: joint events attract attention, and by doubling communication channels, you get a greater reach. A marketer's dream!

I must say, working with a professional team like Exness Affiliates is a great pleasure. When such great professionals come together, something special is bound to happen.

Who would particularly benefit from attending the Affiliate Retreat? What should attendees know about your event?

Yana, Exness Affiliate Marketing Lead: Our Affiliate Retreat is geared towards publishers, affiliate marketers, webmasters, and ad networks in the finance, apps, native, and e-commerce verticals. We promise a mix of business and leisure with relaxed networking, entertainment, and a smooth transition to the MAC conference. Our slogan, “Unwind. Relax. Connect,” reflects the essence of the event.

Yulia, Head of Marketing at PropellerAds: Be sure to attend if you want to start working with PropellerAds or Exness Affiliates and are familiar with what we do.

We would love to see all our current partners who are coming to Yerevan: contact your manager or simply fill out the application form on the event page and indicate that we are already working together.

If you are a webmaster or an affiliate marketer and we haven't met yet, but you work in such verticals as finance, trading, iGaming, mobile apps, or e-commerce and want to get to know us — come, and we will quickly find common interests.

Sign up for the Affiliate Retreat by using this link!