The Affiliate Leaders Summit brings more than 10,000 professionals from across the affiliate and performance marketing ecosystem together in Lisbon.
That creates plenty of potential connections, which also makes knowing who you want to meet before you arrive even more important.
That’s where the Affiliate Leaders Summit’s very own version of SBC Connect comes in.
Separate from the wider SBC Summit platform, the dedicated event app gives Affiliate Leaders Summit attendees exclusive access to the people and companies attending this event dedicated to all things affiliate and performance marketing.
Every pass holder receives advanced access, allowing you to search the attendee and exhibitor lists, start conversations, and arrange meetings before arriving in Lisbon.
Whether you are an affiliate looking for new operator programmes, an operator searching for traffic partners, or a supplier hoping to reach affiliate and acquisition teams, SBC Connect helps you turn a large audience into a focused list of relevant opportunities.
Below, we explain how to find the right contacts, make your outreach count, and start building your Affiliate Leaders Summit meeting schedule before the show begins.
Start Networking Before You Arrive in Lisbon
Three days can disappear quickly when there are thousands of people you could potentially meet.
SBC Connect helps you narrow that audience down to the people who actually matter to your goals.
With all Affiliate Leaders Summit pass holders receiving advanced access to the app, you can:
- Browse the full Affiliate Leaders Summit exhibitor list
- Browse the full Affiliate Leaders Summit attendee list
- Message attendees to initiate networking ahead of the show
- Arrange meetings to take place in the SBC Connect Lounge (F741) – Note: if you schedule a meeting with an exhibitor, this will take place at their booth.
The real value is what happens before you set foot in Lisbon.
- Affiliates can identify operator programmes that match their traffic, audience and target market profile, and introduce themselves early enough that commercial conversations are already underway by the time the show opens.
- Operators can start finding publishers, creators, networks, and performance marketing partners weeks in advance, rather than hoping to spot the right people on the show floor.
- And suppliers can get in front of the affiliates and operator teams most likely to need their technology, with product conversations already in the diary before the exhibition even opens.
That means your first day in Lisbon doesn’t start with searching; it starts with meetings already booked. You’ll arrive knowing who you are meeting, where you are meeting them and what you want to discuss.
Why the Affiliate Leaders Summit Has Its Own SBC Connect Platform
The Affiliate Leaders Summit runs alongside SBC Summit, but the two remain standalone events, each with its own SBC Connect platform.
For Affiliate Leaders Summit attendees, that separation is one of the platform’s biggest advantages. Instead of trawling through the wider SBC Summit audience, your platform focuses purely on the affiliate ecosystem: affiliates, operator affiliate teams, networks, agencies, media businesses, creators, and the technology providers behind acquisition and programme performance.
The result is a tighter networking environment, one where contacts are easier to identify around the commercial conversations you actually came to have.
Your Affiliate Leaders Summit VIP Pass still gets you into the wider SBC Summit exhibition, conference programme, and evening events. But for meetings and contacts specific to the Affiliate Leaders Summit, use the dedicated Affiliate Leaders Summit version of SBC Connect.
How Outreach Credits Work
All Affiliate Leaders Summit attendees receive 200 outreach credits to help them start conversations through SBC Connect.
Starting a new chat or sending a meeting request costs one outreach credit. If the attendee replies to your message or accepts your meeting request, that credit is returned to your balance.
You do not need to use a credit when responding to somebody who has contacted you first.
The system is designed to encourage targeted outreach rather than mass messaging, so use your credits to focus on the contacts most relevant to your goals in Lisbon.
How to Find the Right People to Connect With
Finding the right person to connect with is quick and easy using SBC Connect.
Open Attendees to browse the Affiliate Leaders Summit community or search for somebody by name. You can also use the available filters to narrow the list based on criteria such as company, country or area of responsibility.
Start by thinking about what you actually want to achieve in Lisbon.
If you are an affiliate, that might mean identifying operator programmes active in your strongest markets. Operators may want to find affiliates capable of delivering particular audiences or traffic sources, while suppliers can search for the teams responsible for affiliate management, acquisition or marketing technology.
Building that shortlist early means you can focus your time on relevant opportunities rather than trying to work out who to approach once the show floor is already busy.
Make Your First Message Count
Once you have found somebody you want to meet, open their profile and select Chat to introduce yourself.
Avoid sending the same generic message to every contact.
Explain who you are, why you are reaching out, and what you think could make a conversation useful. Mentioning a shared market, potential partnership, or specific business need gives the recipient a much clearer reason to respond.
Your own profile matters too. Make sure your photo, job title, and company details are up to date and give other attendees enough information to understand what you do.
Remember, the people you want to meet are likely receiving other requests. A clear and relevant introduction gives you a much better chance of turning an initial message into a conversation in Lisbon.
Starting a new chat costs one outreach credit. This credit will be returned to you if the attendee replies. This system is designed to prevent spam and encourage meaningful conversations.
Requesting a Meeting
If you are ready to take the conversation further, you can request a meeting directly through SBC Connect.
Open the attendee’s profile and select Request Meeting. You will then see your available time slots and can choose when you would be free to meet.
Once you have selected your availability, you can either:
- Choose I’m flexible if any of your selected times would work
- Choose Suggest a time if you would prefer a specific meeting slot
You can also add a personal message to the invitation, which is strongly recommended. Even if you have already introduced yourself, briefly explaining what you want to discuss gives the recipient useful context when deciding whether to accept.
Requesting a meeting costs one outreach credit, which will be returned if the attendee accepts.
Until they respond, the request will appear under Pending Meeting Updates. Once accepted, it will move to Confirmed, appear under My Event, and your outreach credit will be returned.
When a meeting is confirmed, a seat will also be reserved for you in the Affiliate Leaders Summit SBC Connect Lounge (F741), giving you a dedicated place to meet. Meetings involving exhibitors will instead take place at their booths.
Arrive in Lisbon With the Right Meetings Already Booked
The biggest advantage of using SBC Connect before Affiliate Leaders Summit is arriving with a plan already in place.
Instead of spending your first day searching the show floor for the people you want to meet, you can arrive with priority contacts identified, introductions already made and relevant meetings in your diary.
That gives you more time to focus on the conversations themselves, explore new opportunities and make the most of three days surrounded by the affiliate and performance marketing community.
The earlier you start using SBC Connect, the better your chance of arriving in Lisbon with the meetings that matter already secured.
Secure your Affiliate Leaders Summit VIP Pass and start planning your three days.
