There are just two weeks left to submit your Performance Marketing Awards nomination for both the Hotshot Rising Star and Industry Choice of Partner categories.

Ahead of the deadline we revisited an interview with last year’s Hotshot Rising Star, iProspect’s James Baigent, who gave his thoughts on education within the industry and tips to keep on top of the ever changing performance landscape.

How did you cope with the learning curve when you first came into contact with performance marketing?

James Baigent: I was fortunate to have joined a fantastic affiliate team, who gave me the structured learning that enabled me to have a good understanding of some of the key principles and fundamentals of performance marketing and the role affiliate marketing had to play. I focussed my time really getting to grips with the how, who, and the why so that I could begin building up a well-rounded perspective of my channel and then use that to improve the strategies and service we provided our clients, an approach that has stuck with me throughout my career to date.

What were the big things that helped you in getting up to speed?

JB: For me it was really about just immersing myself in as many of the key aspects as possible. I spent a lot of time learning the basics of everything from tracking to understanding who the big affiliates were and what their propositions were. This approach was really the only way to learn as much as possible in a short time frame, however in an industry that is constantly evolving and changing this process never ends in order to stay up to date with emerging trends and technologies. Networking events and IAB meetings were also a big help in getting to grips with the wider industry updates, as they often focussed on the core themes and brought together influential speakers to give real world insights.

How do you maintain your knowledge of performance marketing? What tips can you offer your peers?

JB: My top tips would be:

  • Stay up to date with the trade press and key online outlets.
  • Meet as many new tech startups as possible as they could be the super affiliates of tomorrow.
  • Attend IAB and PerformanceIN events to stay connected with fellow peers.

The deadline for Hotshot Rising Star and Industry Choice of Partner nominations is February 28 2014. For more information on either category and to submit your nomination please visit the Performance Marketing Awards website.​

April 29 2014 will see the very best in performance marketing together under the same roof, providing an unrivalled platform to enhance and build key relationships within the industry.

You can position yourself alongside the leading names in the industry and save on the cost of a table by taking advantage of our Earlybird offer. Tables are allocated in order of purchase, so book now to secure your table position amongst the best seats in the house.