For the first time in a long time I will have to miss a Shareasale ThinkTank. My heart aches, my tears are streaming down my face. I know after reading this you are probably just as sad as I am and if you email me I will send you a box of Kleenex to dry your tears.

Every year I look forward to the Shareasale ThinkTank more than any other industry event. Brian and the crew at Shareasale always put on a top notch event and I come away from the conference with a bunch of new ideas, a bunch of new merchants to work with, and most importantly, a bunch of new friends. What makes the Shareasale ThinkTank so good? I will give you three quick reasons:

1. Great connections with people – When you have a conference with thousands of people it is always hard to make good connections. But at ThinkTank where there are 100-200 people or so it is much easier to connect with people. I love conferences like Affiliate Summit and they definitely have their place but with smaller get togethers like ThinkTank I can more easily talk with friends and other people in the industry.

I would guess I know at least 75% of the people that have attended the past Shareasale ThinkTanks on a first name basis and talk with dozens of them regularly. When you have a conference with 5000 people how many do you acutally know? 1%? 4%? I don’t know but it most likely a small number. I love that ThinkTank is more intimate and there are so many great opportunities to chat with friends and other affiliate people.

2. Awesome time with merchants – Like I mentioned earlier I almost always come away from ThinkTank with some great new merchants to work with. The way the Shareasale ThinkTank is set up it gives you some great one on one time with the merchants and OPMs to discuss their affiliate programs. It is good to give the merchants some feedback on what they can do better with their programs but also good to get some ideas from them how I can better promote them.

3. Good time with friends – Honestly the only reason I go to any industry conferences is the people. I couldn’t imagine going to a conference for 100% business purposes. Even 50% would kill me. The Shareasale ThinkTank is designed for people to connect and I always have a great time hanging with my affiliate friends. It is so nice to be around a group of people that I have business relationships with but also close friendships. Whether it is on the golf course, in a restaurant, hanging in the hotel lobby, sitting at the bar until 4 AM, or whatever it is always a great time to be with some of my closest friends. I could list all of them here but they know who they are.

Anyway, after writing that it pains me even more that I will be missing this ThinkTank. My wife’s family (all 11 siblings, 3 spouses, 2 girlfriends, 1 niece, 1 nephew, and her parents) will be getting together in Hilton Head, SC for the week. We really only get to see her family about once a year and this was the only time that would work so I will be there instead of in Chicago.

I will probably hold a candlelight vigil every night as I think about all the people enjoying themselves up in Chicago. On Wednesday, May 25th there is the hangout at the Epic Restaurant and Rooftop Sky Lounge, Thursday will be different educational sessions and the merchant meetups, Friday will be the Things We Need To Fix session and then the Cubs game from the rooftop bar.

I do love my wife’s family and really am looking forward to seeing them but I will also miss ThinkTank. I hate that I will have to miss it.

If you still aren’t convinced read my writeup on one of the past Shareasale ThinkTanks and maybe you will get a taste of how awesome it is. And check out Logan Thompson’s post about this years ThinkTank.

If you haven’t signed up yet YOU NEED TO SIGN UP NOW!!! You only have 2 weeks until it starts and you don’t want to be like me and miss it.

And don’t worry, we will still be able to hang at Affiliate Summit East 2011 which I am looking forward to more than ever now. 

Now for the real kicker

I did already register and pay for this year’s Shareasale ThinkTank and since I won’t be able to make it I want to give my spot away to some deserving soul. If you haven’t signed up yet and want to go just leave a comment below and let me know why you want to go. In a couple days I will contact the person I will give the spot to. You still need to get your airfare and hotel and all that but I will cover the registration fee. So leave a comment and let me know why you want to go.