CAMA, Affiliate Summit and Wade Tonkin

Praise the Lord and Pass the Biscuits!

I had a chat with my new friend, Wade Tonkin of the Christian Affiliate Marketing Association the other day, and he filled me in on some interesting happenings at this year’s Affiliate Summit in Las Vegas, February 24-26. I kept bumping in to Wade in various places on the Internet and was glad to finally get to know him a little better. Wade is a fellow Christian believer, affiliate marketer and blogger.

I’ve haven’t had the opportunity to go to an Affiliate Summit yet, but it is at the very top of my list for conferences to attend. From what I have heard from those who have attended, Affiliate Summit is a very rewarding experience. It kind of goes against what I would have thought, that affiliate marketers would be competitors and therefore suspicious about socializing and giving away secrets at conferences like Affiliate Summit. I guess I’ll find out first hand one of these days when I have a chance to attend one.

Wade has a passion for bringing Christian affiliate marketers together in fellowship. Wade told me that CAMA is organizing the second annual CAMA Gospel Brunch Sunday, February 24th from 9:15-11:30 AM at The House of Blues at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino. Anyone can attend (I just heard it is sold out) to share food, fun and fellowship. Wade says CAMA is “expecting 50 attendees that represent a cross section of the online marketing business: affiliates, merchants, agencies, search professionals, media will be in attendance.  We have attendees coming from as far away as Singapore and South Africa to attend.” He says the goal of the event is to “present a spiritual kick off to the Affiliate Summit event and provide a Fellowship opportunity for Christians  in the industry who are away from their home church.”

I got permission from Wade to mention that one of the high points of the event will be the unveiling of the “CAMA Certified” badge, a program that will certify merchants with legitimate Christian values, sites and offers.

The badge will serve to provide Christian marketers with a source for offers that they can be proud to promote on their sites or blogs. merchants that would like to be “CAMA Certified” will submit an application that will be reviewed by a panel of industry professionals of faith. They insure that the merchant is truely one that aims to advance the gospel with their products and services and looks to the Christian consumer as more than just “another niche to monetize” and that the structure of their offer and business practices are in keeping with Christian values (fairness, integrity). They also look to offer an  Affiliate Membership which will certify the affiliates site or sites and hopefully earn Member affiliates additional commissions and benefits from member merchants.

Sounds pretty cool, huh? Wade also said:

I am expecting great good, inspiring fellowship and networking and really incredible music that will send  all attendees - believer or non believer into the rest of the Affiliate Summit on a spiritual high note. It’s really an awesome event.

Wade said last year’s CAMA brunch was a blast. He expects to get some footage as he’s bringing his flip cam. Also, he expects Jim Kukral and Sam Harrelson to have their cams with them as well–if you listen to these guys on WebmasterRadio.FM or elsewhere, you know they are great marketers and lots of fun.

I am looking forward to hearing more about the CAMA event as well as the usual Affiliate Summit goodness. Hopefully there will be a third annual CAMA Gospel Brunch and I’ll be able to attend and meet some of these interesting folks. In the mean time, I am praying that this year’s brunch is a success.