My ‘One Man Wolfpack’ quickly grew as Matthew Wood, Kieron Donoghue, Chris Clarkson and Chris Brown joined me for some civilised drinks at Gatwick Hilton before we were met in the Palazzo, Las Vegas by Chris Frost and then conference and party hoppers Duncan Pollard and Jim Banks.

If you’re a regular reader of this blog, you likely followed our experiences via Twitter and Facebook. We had a ball but it was a business trip after all.  I later caught up with Chris Clarkson, of Sunshine.co.uk, who kindly supplied the limo Airport Transfers to our hotel and who was an ever present during the 3 days of sessions from breakfast until close.

* I gave away one business card to a pretty lady, how much networking did you do?

In all honesty not as much as I would have liked. If you weren’t in “Lead Generation” no-one seemed that interested! I did get to meet a chap with the moniker “Danger Brown” which was kinda cool, sort of.

* If an American turned up at your lunch table with an empty notepad and a lot of questions, what one piece of advice would you give?

That Affiliate Marketing is not a get rich quick scheme. There is no short cut, stop reading bullshit bloggers.

* I found the opening keynote session interesting but it seemed to be targetted to a print audience. Did the sessions hit the spot for you?

The Doctor was in the house. The first 15 minutes were fairly interesting, but then he seemed to wander into the promotion of the infamous one page website, big headlines, lots of arrows, highlighting, adding a “notary seal” because it made the page look official, and obviously lots of head shots. The PC he was using for the presentation went into hibernate mode twice and a sharp wit in the audience tweeted “even his computer has gone to sleep”, which summed it up pretty well.

* The Wil Reynolds session seemed to be 10/10 for content. Anything to takeaway for your 2011 projects?
I think the Wil Reynolds session was worth the ticket price alone. One of the takeaways from that session – Social Linking currently accounts for no more than 5% of ranking influence, so he only spends 5% of his time on it. Dear UK conference organisers, please arrange for this man to be a speaker at your next conference, thank you.

* I fortunately got a Press Pass so avoided having to pay for expensive passes. Were the prices justified?

Flying from the UK and staying in a decent hotel meant the actual ticket price was fairly small in comparison. Was the Summit worth the price? As above, for Wil Reynolds and the Dave Taylor closing keynote I’d grudgingly say yes. Lots of other sessions that seemed to be fillers or self promotion. The most packed sessions seemed to be those involving the bullshit bloggers flogging their get-rich-like-me BS.

* I’m personally disappointed that I didn’t attend Matt’s EuroSphere event as I caught up with sleep. Any disappointments for you?

The first session we attended on the first day about “Mastermind Groups” held great promise, but was easily the worst conference session I’ve ever had the privilige to attend. The speaker spent 20 minutes telling us how successful he was and how cool his super secret Mastermind Group was. Then spent another 20 minutes encouraging the audience to start their own (“you can charge for it you know”). I left still none the wiser as to what a Mastermind Group was, but safe in the knowledge I could sign up to the speaker’s website for only a few bucks to find out more…

* Our tweets and images seemed to capture the imagination of our UK online followers. What was your favourite tweet and picture during ASW11?
My favourite tweet sadly was one of my own. Egotistical or what?

My favourite picture. The group sprinkler shot from the balcony of the Voodoo Lounge!

* The planning for our trip started four months prior with flights, hotels and show tickets. What should any UK affiliates prepare and watch out for if they’re attending in 2012?

I think the decision we made to get their earlier this year paid off. Also, bring lip balm and try and get outside every couple of days

* I could have spent all day in the new AllSaints store. I did spend all day at AVN Expo. Did you get to enjoy any other new sights whilst in Vegas?

Places that stick with me are the VooDoo Lounge balcony, Blue Man Group and of course iloveburger!

* I only walked away from the casino tables once with a profit. Did you get lucky?

I had one bet on roulette, $100 across 4 numbers. Didn’t come in but at least I had a go this year.

Thanks Chris. These are great answers and I hope the ‘Wolfpack’ will see you in Vegas again. In the meantime I look forward to seeing you in Leeds for ThinkVisibility.

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Meanwhile downstairs porn legend Ron Jeremy was hosting his own themed soiree.

ASW11 started a week earlier this year and hotels were full as all niche and mainstream stars of the adult film industry were in town for their annual Adult Video News Awards and plenty of geeks were here for the Consumer Electronics Show.

For many of the UK contingent of affiliates who made the trip over, this was the third back-to-back party. The previous two were hosted by adult stars Jessica Drake and Sasha Grey.

There’s plenty more parties to come over the next few nights but it is a business trip
after all so for the next three days we’ll be inside the Wynn listening to US speakers and doing a bit of networking.

So far the parties have been the highlights of the trip. This first session I
am sat in right now is very very dry.

I’m a UK affiliate. Get me outta here and bring on the Strawberry Daiquiri’s and
blackjack.

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Even before I got to London I’d invested £900 in attending, with my half price affiliate ticket, 3-night stay at the Ramada hotel and first class train tickets.

I also had to take time off as holiday and so with working part-time it meant being away from the office for a week.

Whilst it is expensive, my business has grew year on year as a direct result of this networking. Meeting network account managers, agencies, merchants and competitor affiliates, sometimes for the first time, brings plenty of new opportunities and ideas.

I’ve previously blogged of how a chance ten minute conversation with a gambling site paid for my trip to a4uexpo Amsterdam 15 times over. I am still today benefitting from that meeting.

The twenty minute meeting I had in London with a Texan could drawf that.

He represented a US  company with over $30m of funding, with the purpose of acquiring profitable voucher code sites.

I’ve got to sit up and listen. This year Kieron sold his discount site, Pete Anderson wanted £171k for his and more recently a discount voucher domain was purchased by an affiliate to protect his brand for £100k.

I had a very detailed honest chat about my site, how I operate and my current turnover and traffic.

Whether I sell during 2011, 2012, or next week, I’d be looking at four times my annual profit.

Would someone pay £500,000? Could be an interesting journey to find out.

I’ve already purchased my a4uexpo Munich ticket for June 2011. Maybe some affiliates could speak on the practicalities of selling a website.

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It was an opportunity to catch up with late night Vegas friends @ChrisClarkson, @KieronDonoghue and @BonyToad on my doorstep whilst also welcoming @ClarkeDuncan and his mate @ukstripclubs to sample the delights of Leeds.

It was again hosted in my local, Alea Casino, which is a great choice of location, particularly for the early Saturday morning start, which unsurprisingly I still missed.

I didn’t get to see all the talks, as the Peroni and chat was flowing at the Royal Armouries square but I did get to see my voucher code site on the Alea cinema screen.

ShopCodes on the Alea cinema screen with the Think Visibility SimpleUsability results

Thanks to @SimpleUsability for dragging people off the street to use my “very busy” site.  It was insightful to see how the users actually interacted and copied the voucher code and which links they clicked.

There were a few surprises and so I’ll be re-installing Crazy Egg, as there’s 7 Things Affiliates Can Learn From Heatmaps, writes @GetVisible.

At the end of the evening I signed up to a No-Limit poker tournament. I finished in the money but it was no compensation for my disastrous blackjack play earlier in the afternoon. Plus poker is a very long game, too long, when you’re missing out on a free bar and VIP entry to a local strip club!

Chip stack when 2 tables remaining

I’ve been to all three Think Viz’s and it was good to see people venture to and have a great time in Leeds.

Well done to @TheHodge and to all these people for another great conference and if you’re able to handle 5am finishes, then see you in September for the next DrinkVisibility.

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He then proceeded to project a collection of humorous tweets which seemed to be mainly from the legendary AlCarlton and a fair few from that Befuddle guy.

So I thought I’d mull over my live tweets from A4UExpo London 2009, which sadly aren’t that humorous but reflected what I was thinking at that time.

Blimey not been here 2 mins and Novotel Excel have charged me £150 for extras. Best abuse the free bar!
7:02 PM Oct 12th

As Chris Clarkson said on Facebook, “Lol, your reputation preceeds you!”

#a4uexpo pre-party has changed with bar well closed and everyone in bed before 4am. I remember when …
4:00 AM Oct 13th

OK it was 4am on the night before the actual event, so I’ll let people off. I loved that I woke up at 8:50am with my phone in my hand and 8:00 typed into my phone alarm clock but I’d fell asleep before pressing done. I skipped breakfast, grabbed a large Mocha and shuffled into Dave Naylor’s SEO strategies talk.

@3wdl it’s all waffle
10:55 AM Oct 13th
Voucher code session at #a4uexpo full of facts but not heard anything new
11:03 AM Oct 13th

I’ve got a vested interest in voucher code discussion but I don’t think the content answered the question that was posed.

This session is just a subtle advert for AOL buyat. Got to get out. Where’s the beer? #a4uexpo
12:33 PM Oct 13th

I was set to attend the Affiliate Doctors panel but from experience wanted to go to more challenging sessions, so I made the last second decision to pop next door for ’10 Things To Do Before You Thrive As Affiliates …’

Did that say ’10 Things’ because the slide they presented said only ’3 things’. As for my Twitter comment, to me, it was a network basically saying ‘use a network and by the way we know of a network…’

Class! Walk late into #a4uexpo Twitter presentation to see my funniest status updates being showcased
5:30 PM Oct 13th
JoannaButler @befuddle They were legendary! @thehodge has a great tweet collection!
5:34 PM Oct 13th from Tweetie in reply to befuddle

The Hodge was showcasing some of my funnier Tweets, here’s one of my earlier ones:

befuddle: “just completed the Bupa online health check whilst eating a Balti”

Bored at #a4uexpo party but Al Carlton’s mugging sounds fun
1:15 AM Oct 14th

The free Oxygen at the party wasn’t enough to keep me perked up so I logged onto Facebook to catch up on Al Carlton’s evening, to which he replied ‘Lol, I’m still turning it over in my head, it was just odd.’.

End up arguing with dozen 02 bouncers for an hour after #a4uexpo party ends. No blood spilled.
3:23 AM Oct 14th

I went to the bar to order five JD & Cokes and paid twenty quid and Gulshan shot another twenty quid forward. I took that back as we didn’t need ten but after a quick count on the fingers, worked out we needed eight, so may as well get ten and handed forward another £20. Still with me? Well the bar lady wasn’t and lost it.

The 02 club bar staff, management and security told us we owed them £20, then we owed them £1.26 and then that they’d returned the full £40. All of which they’d seen on their camera. The £20 they owed us (and not us them) was irrelevant but I’ll always defend my corner. But when you’ve got the biggest bouncers – and these were huge – circling you saying ‘stop playing games’ you know it’s time to just shut up and let them share the twenty quid between themselves and all the cleaners that were witnessing.

lammo77 Last men standing at the #a4uexpo bar.. @jasonjbrockman @befuddle and @duncanp
4:11 AM Oct 14th

Another 4am finish!

This is the life. Teresa from Stream:20 giving me a back massage on a #a4uexpo beanbag
1:24 PM Oct 14th

You scratch my back and I’ll scratch yours.

@Thehodge Grab their beer tokens
2:32 PM Oct 14th

In reply that it seemed that not many were planning to stick around for the closing party though plenty did.

@3wdl Where do pirates chat online? Twittaaarrr
3:13 PM Oct 14th

My effort to ‘win’ some rum and coke from the Affiliate Future stand during their pirate hour.

My Leeds Clarence Dock neighbour Gary Beal offering half hour SEO site review (worth £4k) for free #a4uexpo
4:10 PM Oct 14th
andybanksuk @befuddle Half hour SEO review worth £4k???? Are you sure you got the figure right?
5:00 PM Oct 14th in reply to befuddle

By this point I was lagging and after freshening up, was ready to party …

Vodka luge my face off
5:52 PM Oct 14th
jimbanks @befuddle can i get it on video ? I am sitting right by it.
5:56 PM Oct 14th in reply to befuddle
claireellison @befuddle dirty b@st@rd ;o)
6:15 PM Oct 14th in reply to befuddle

Vodka luge, every party should have one! Stick Sambuca in it and then you go do and say crazy stuff …

Befuddle loves Elissa Benson who I’ve just met #a4uexpo
10:15 PM Oct 14th
jimbanks @befuddle easy tiger!!
10:37 PM Oct 14th in reply to befuddle

One big France Telecom love in

messydesk With @befuddle and @KeithBond having a good last night at a4uexpo
10:42 PM Oct 14th

Thanks for the Spotify invite Keith and more importantly mentioning my Hong Kong interest to Ken. My .hk site project may finally come off the ground.

jimbanks @befuddle im on the train going home but have video of @judithlewis doing the vodka shot and a full frontal (of the ice that is)
10:51 PM Oct 14th in reply to befuddle

I fortunately managed to avoid starring on Jim’s YouTube’s page.

Another befuddled #a4uexpo. Will return back to London soon, then next stops Vegas, Munich & Leeds
3:41 AM Oct 15th

Bed before 4am. Woo hoo! Joe Connor spotted that organiser Matt Wood was giving away free passes to Munich, I just thought they were beer mats. I’m off to Vegas in January with the likes of Kieron, Clarkson and Frostie then I look forward to seeing you all in Leeds for the third ThinkVisibility.

@befuddle Mucho love for Mr Befuddled at the a4u conference… less love for the vodka flu that has now set in
10:21 AM Oct 15th

After a night of champagne, Sambuca, Vodka and lots of JD I don’t know how I got to Kings Cross for my 10:35am train – but I did. And it allowed me time to catch up on my notes of the week, so I write …

I’ve got the taste and I want a lot more
11:34 AM Oct 15th

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As soon as I posted a few pictures of me along with Joshna, Jess, Jo and Teresa onto Facebook, a close friend of mine said, ‘Ray you look like a butler??? class!!!’ instead of commenting on the pretty girls of affiliate marketing.

So, on that note, how can this Befuddled Butler help you for the next few days?

If you affiliate managers have one request of me, just one single thing that you’d like me to do, then please let me know.

I haven’t really updated my site since April and so I know there’s lots of requests and day-to-day nitty gritty tasks that just haven’t been tackled.

So, if there’s one single thing you’d like me to do between Saturday and midnight Tuesday then just let me know. I am moving home on Thursday and don’t even know when I’ll next have a broadband connection, so get in touch quick.

Resend that email that I’ve ignored and put the word butler in the message. I will action it!

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It was also good to be able to attend an event in a country alone and be able to socialise with people across the affiliate industry who are now friends. That is priceless.

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There will be another Think Visibility event in Leeds in September and it will sell out and it will be a late night both before and afterwards … if you follow me at least.

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Well with no beau to wine and dine in a UK or Irish city, it took me until the last week of January 2009 to actually get to use the prize as I went to attend one day of the the CAP Euro London event.

Although I was travelling on my own I knew I wouldn’t be alone. Regular a4uforum posters such as Purple and Swifty were there and planned to catch up in or around the event.

By logging onto Twitter on the outdoor tube ride to the Novotel I could see that Matthew Wood and a few of the Existem crowd were present and I knew exactly where they’d be on the numerous floors. Very handy when I’d made the conscious decision to not to make any new business but just see recognisable friendly faces.

During the 5 hours that I was at CAP I met up with people I’ve met at previous networking and affiliate events and others who I thought I was talking to for the first time but it transpires I’ve had drunken conversations with at previous networking and affiliate events.

When CAP finished there was a few hours to spare before the evening party at Leicester Square. Fortunately pretty and funny girls Jo and Teresa were up for a night out, whilst most others got trains home.

After an entertaining meal in China Town we head to Leicester Square and took advantage of the free Jack Daniels at the bar.

I then caught up with some old friends from London before navigating my way back to my hotel at 5am via the casino. I only went in to spend a penny (as I was busting) but it cost me £120.

Despite falling asleep at 5:30 I did manage to wake up, shower and get to Kings Cross on time for 7:45.

I didn’t however jump on the correct train as it set off up North.

Befuddled indeed.

Now, here’s the same story again. Only backwards. As recorded live @Befuddle in Twitter.

# is a shell of who I was last night. Exhausted and now home to sleep. 8:03 PM Jan 31st from mobile web

# has made it to Boro before noon! Now quick change then catch up with the lads for all dayer! 11:54 AM Jan 31st from mobile web

# thanks train guard #1 for not charging me £60 for being stupid. Now ready to haggle again at Donnie 9:41 AM Jan 31st from mobile web

# is a proper twit. Got the train to Leeds and I’m not even going to Leeds! 8:15 AM Jan 31st from mobile web

# is at Kings Cross to start the next leg of the weekend albeit in the same jumper as last night 7:42 AM Jan 31st from mobile web

# is in no mans land. If I fall asleep between 515am and 7am I miss my train, match and weekend 5:13 AM Jan 31st from mobile web

# is in China Town having a meal with and courtesy of Sky. Thanks Stream20. 9:05 PM Jan 30th from mobile web

# forgives the blonde masseuse for messing my hair up. It was quite arousing for 3pm in a packed conference hall 3:11 PM Jan 30th from web

# @matthewwood en route for the first freebie of the day 1:05 PM Jan 30th from mobile web

# heading to the hotel gym. Too early in the day to make eye contact and discuss Rev Share and CPA 10:31 AM Jan 30th from mobile web

# made the £18 courtesy cooked breakfast by 5 mins. Get in 9:58 AM Jan 30th from mobile web

# just leaving China Town. Hot stuff 1:26 AM Jan 30th from mobile web

# is ha ha in a very busy Brixton to see The Streets and there’s been a powercut so it’s off 8:39 PM Jan 29th from mobile web

# is on the Guinness as the lager is like shandy 7:05 PM Jan 29th from mobile web

# easily found the Webgains pub using the GPS on my phone and Orange Maps 6:31 PM Jan 29th from mobile web

# requests Hannah Swift’s mobile please. Meeting her for drink by Webgains 5:15 PM Jan 29th from mobile web

# is ready to rock and roll in London for the next 42 hours 2:15 PM Jan 29th from web

# missed a trick? Stars say ‘New love first says hello in a coffee bar’. While in Starbucks the server told me she loves lots of cream! 12:34 PM Jan 29th from web

# is having a bad day at the office and I’m not even in the office. I’m on the train. 12:10 PM Jan 29th from mobile web

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My Twitter feed is set up to update my Facebook status so I use that instead, whilst I’m on the move.

Catch me on Twitter

@befuddle

Follow you soon.

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