[Heyder]

Originally Posted by Rexanne

Amazing that 2 AFFILIATES have offered to supply prizes and no merchants have volunteered. Well, OK, Anne is also now a merchant but still ....

Well,

If shareasale had done any amount of work in actually telling us merchants about think tank and encouraging us to participate in any way I for one would be on this like flies on stickytape. Instead I never heard of think tank until I read this very post. WTF is with shareasale?

[loxly]

Mike, there was a lot of "press" leading up to Think Tank, including an entire site where you could "apply" to attend.

[Heyder]

I am a merchant, they should have contacted me personally. Please allow them to answer for themselves. You don't need to come to their defense on this obvious blunder. I like shareasale but they need to go the extra mile on things like this. A nice website and some links on abw just doesn't cut it.

I along with all of their merchants should have been contacted directly by phone, postal mail or at least email.

It only helps shareasale when their merchants develop better business so it's not like I am expecting too much. Oh and it also helps affiliates of SAS when their merchants do better. So lets avoid the dancing and get straight to the action.

[oranges]

Hayder,

The poker game is an unofficial part of the think tank. I don't represent SAS, I am simply providing the poker chips, cards and dealing services for my own enjoyment :-) Hopefully a good time will be had by all those who play. Right now my biggest concern is that the poker chip/card set comes in an alluminum case and I'm worry it'll cause problems going through the metal dedector at the airport :-)

[MichaelColey]

ShareASale doesn't make a big deal about Think Tank because it's a very small, invitation only event. This year they let people request an invitation, but I get the impression that they weren't able to accomodate most of the requests (based on the responses here on ABW). If they publicized it even more (by contacting 3000 merchants), there would just be more disappointed people.

I like the more exclusive format. We already have Affiliate Summit where EVERYONE goes. Think Tank is a small, very focused event.

[Moderator Note: Perhaps we should split this off-topic discussion out? I'll try to get to that later today if someone doesn't beat me to it.]

[John Powell]

Originally Posted by MichaelColey

This year they let people request an invitation, but I get the impression that they weren't able to accomodate most of the requests (based on the responses here on ABW). If they publicized it even more (by contacting 3000 merchants), there would just be more disappointed people.

Big mistake in my book. If you create an application process then have the resources to respond to the applications. To leave people unanswered and hanging makes SAS look disorganized.

And then think of those hanging having to read the threads here at ABW of those planning their fun, and not knowing whether they would get an invite. Of course it doesn't bother me.

[loxly]

Split from the poker thread.

[redtagdeals]

Perhaps TT should consider allowing some by paying up for the privilege to attend and make their own accommodations. This way there will be no one getting disappointed as long as they register in-time by paying the fees.

[Heyder]

Thank you Loxly for splitting this topic apart.

I would like to point out that I do not need to attend this event if it was meant to be kept small. What I would like is for SAS to have at least contacted the merchants to see if we would offer up sponsorship in various forms including prizes etc. I would have been quite receptive to the idea of offering many things if it meant I was getting my name in front of the best affiliates SAS has to offer.

My second point is that the whole idea of lets get the best of the best and cut everyone else out is assinine for an industry that depends upon growth to survive. Here in Wisconsin a farmer doesn't just milk his best cows. He milks them all.

[Rexanne]

Originally Posted by Heyder

the whole idea of lets get the best of the best and cut everyone else out is assinine for an industry that depends upon growth to survive. Here in Wisconsin a farmer doesn't just milk his best cows. He milks them all.

Mike, SAS doesn't just invite the top dogs - most of Think Tank attendees are probably medium to small time earners. The exclusivity is to keep the event on track, manageable and intimate, as opposed to a huge gathering like Aff Summit where some merchants and affiliates gets lost in the crowd. With a small gathering, all parties are able to communicate and interact to the benefit of all.

Opening Think Tank to requests this year was a step in the direction you're talking about but it would defeat the point if there were a lot more people trying to be heard or noticed.

[Heyder]

Okay no problem I understand keeping it small I was just replying to a post made stating the suprise that merchants weren't offering up prizes. I want everyone to understand why merchants aren't offering up prizes. I'm trying to let eveyone know that I would be more than happy to do so if I were involved.

[Rexanne]

I do understand what you're saying and see the point.

Brian is pretty good about listening to suggestions and in the future he might consider alerting all SAS merchants farther in advance and about promotional opportunities. Those are some of the ideas thrown around at Think Tank. :-)