Doing this post as much as a diary for myself as for any other reason, anyone want anything adding just give me a shout.

• 26th March – London Pub Meet Farringdon (sold out) – managed to beg a place for this last minute.
• 2nd April – Linkshare Symposium – I cant get to this one unfortunately
• 28th – 29th April – a4uexpo Amsterdam.
• 2nd June – A4uAwards – win tickets with Existem AM
• 19th June – Affiliate Future Barbados event – fingers crossed I can get a ticket again loads of ways to win including Sunshine who sponsored my ticket last year and are giving away 6 places this year.
• 13th August – Existem AM Summer BBQ – Plymouth
• a4u expo roadshows – dates and venues tba
• 12th September – Think Visibility – Leeds
• 13th – 14th October – a4uExpo 2009 – London – the big daddy of events if you only get to one make it this one

I’m sure I have missed something :0

The nominations for the 2009 A4uAwards are now open, so make sure if you are a member of the forum that you get your votes in as it really does count.

Here are who I am nominating and why.

Publisher’s Choice Of Network 2009

Paid On Results ~ Constantly ahead on the technology stakes

Publisher’s Choice Of Account Manager 2009

Hannah Swift – Existem AM ~ proactive and dedicated above and beyond the call of duty

Publisher’s Choice Of Affiliate Manager 2009

Elise Newman – Blue Chip Vacations ~ new to the game but picking things up fast and really moving her company forward in the affiliate arena.

Affiliate Management Agency of 2009

Existem AM ~ on a hatrick but still leading this field and constantly pushing the boundrys, plus the only management company that always gets deeplinks right in emails.

Affiliate Marketing Blog Of 2009

Kirsty McCubbin ~ http://www.affiliatestuff.co.uk ~ Always an enjoyable read with great tips for newbies and old hands alike

There you have it and regardless and whether you agree with me or not please get your nominations in.

Nominate here.

Triple whammy today from Blue Chip Vacations (BCV) the specialists in self catering holidays in Devon and Cornwall who have an affiliate programme with Affiliate Window.

First of all their wonderful affiliate manager Elise Newman informed me that I had won a short break at the gorgeous At The Beach apartments in Torcross. Thank you Elise and Blue Chip.

Also today they announced a change in commission structure to 5% of the sale this was previously £20 per lead, a quick check through my stats reveals that this is a significant pay rise, enough to get me pushing the programme even more.

Thirdly BCV now have an affiliate blog, something I have long advocated that all merchants who are serious about affiliate marketing should have and which many of the most successful merchants now do, so check out the Blue Chip Vacations Affiliate Blog today.

I only started promoting BCV after chatting to Elise at A4uexpo in October but my efforts are already starting to produce a decent return, that is what affiliate events are all about, getting merchants and affiliates together and forging business relationships, so anyone who is undecided about going to events, thats includes merchants, affiliates, networks, management companies and agencies get yourselves to as many as you can you may be pleasantly surprised at the impact it has on your business.

Would have called it 100 things I want to do before I die but everyone who makes this type of list does that and also I don’t want to tempt fate by mentioning dying.

1. Live somewhere with a sea view
2. Go skiing (suppose learn to ski should come before this)
3. Tour Africa
4. Ride a tandem (god knows why but a 3 person one like the Goodies had would be cool)
5. Scuba dive
6. Ride in a helicopter
7. Tour Australia
8. Go abseiling
9. Write a book
10. Visit the Falkirk Wheel
11. Learn to ride a horse
12. Go bodyboarding
13. Swim with dolphins
14. Go deep sea fishing
15. Walk the Great Wall of China
16. Visit an active volcano
17. See the Northern Lights
18. Take my mum for a ride in a hot air balloon
19. Be a film extra
20. Fly a microlight aircraft
21. Take a watercolour class
22. Give blood
23. Celebrate Chinese New Year in China
24. Go racing at Happy Valley (Hong Kong)
25. See my great grand children
26. Own a racehorse (had shares in the past but would like at least a quarter not a nostril)
27. Do a charity walk, run or cycle
28. Go dog sledging
29. Drink Guinness in Dublin
30. Learn authentic Chinese cooking
31. Visit the Taj Mahal
32. See a West End Show
33. See a Broadway Show
34. Own a Vineyard
35. Ride an Elephant
36. Go to top of Empire State Building
37. Take a gondola ride in Venice
38. Go to the Carnival in Rio de Janeiro
39. Ride the London Eye
40. Fly through the Grand Canyon
41. Attend the Dubai World Cup (horse racing)
42. Visit Lake Titicaca
43. Enjoy Mexican beer at a beach bar in er Mexico
44. Visit the Las Fallas festival in Valencia
45. Take my Daughters to Lapland
46. Own a broodmare
47. Visit Soaring Dragon Cave (China)
48. Take golf lessons (and if I like it take up the game)
49. Go wine tasting in the Loire Valley
50. Visit the Uluru national park (ayres rock) and explore the none touristy bits
51. Do a firewalk
52. Tackle a Jasperizer at the famous Cap’n Jaspers on the Plymouth Barbican (already done the ½ yard hotdog)
53. Get this list up to 99 complete them and write another one. (this is 53)