Kevin King: Conference Season, Networking & The State of Amazon Selling
The King is Back!
Host Danny McMillan welcomes back Kevin King, a well-known figure in the Amazon selling space. Kevin has been on a whirlwind tour, hitting 17 flights by March as he gears up for the busy conference season. In this episode, Kevin shares insider insights on key Amazon events, the evolving seller landscape, and why stepping outside the Amazon bubble is crucial for long-term success.
The Amazon Conference Circuit
- Titan Event in Cancun: A high-level mastermind with seven and eight-figure sellers. Kevin notes a big increase in expertise at this year's event.
- Prosper Show (Las Vegas):
- Not just an expo—MDS (Million Dollar Sellers) Inspire Event kicks off before the main show.
- "Every night there are 2-3 major parties surrounding Prosper," Kevin says.
- The growing trend of "satellite events" around conferences, similar to Amazon Accelerate in Seattle.
- Iceland: Billion Dollar Seller Summit (BDSS):
- Kevin's last BDSS in its current form before shifting to a new event model.
- Over 120 high-level sellers attending, with an average revenue of $7.5 million.
- AI Contest, Market Masters, and Ted Talk-style sessions.
- Streaming available for those who can't attend in person.
- Post-BDSS event Elevate 360 focuses on non-Amazon marketing, featuring experts like Mr. Beast's YouTube strategist and Google Ads expert John Moran.
Why Amazon Sellers Need to Expand Their Horizons
Kevin emphasizes a major issue: Amazon sellers operate in a small fishbowl.
- "We stay in our little ecosystem and don't learn from general marketers," Kevin warns.
- Successful sellers must learn skills from outside Amazon, such as YouTube, funnels, paid ads, and branding.
- Many Amazon educators only teach TikTok or PPC from an Amazon perspective, which limits sellers' potential.
- Kevin's Elevate 360 event brings in non-Amazon experts to teach sellers real marketing strategies.
The Importance of Amazon Events & Networking
- Conferences aren't just about content, they're about networking and high-value connections.
- Kevin shares a powerful success story:
- A seller with a multi-million-dollar supplement brand was suspended for 8 months.
- After a hot seat session at Market Masters, Kevin advised them to attend Amazon Accelerate's Genius Bar in Seattle.
- The seller flew there, met an Amazon rep, and got reinstated in 24 hours.
"These events can literally save your business," Kevin says.
Seller Sessions Live: A New Approach
Danny shares details about his upcoming Seller Sessions Live event, which shifts from the traditional conference model to a more hands-on learning experience:
- Built from the ground up with full participation from attendees.
- ClickUp documentation for frameworks, prompts, and strategies.
- Custom AI tools to reduce seller decision fatigue.
- "Most conference attendees take notes but struggle with retention and implementation. This new format solves that."
Kevin King's Newsletter & Industry Influence
- Kevin's Amazon newsletter is now the #1 source of industry insights.
- "More people come up to me at events and say they love the newsletter than anything else I do," he says.
- He also runs four major events per year, including:
- BDSS & Elevate 360 (Iceland)
- Billion Dollar Seller Summit (Virtual)
- Market Masters (High-Level Mastermind)
The Future of AI for Amazon Sellers
- AI tools must go beyond basic ChatGPT prompts—sellers need practical, plug-and-play solutions.
- Kevin and Norm Farrar are launching DragonFish, a new service suite that includes:
- AI-driven branding
- Advertising & content creation
- Managed services for Amazon & Shopify sellers
Final Thoughts
- Attending the right events is crucial—it's not just about learning but also making connections that can change your business.
- Amazon sellers must think bigger—general marketing skills will separate average sellers from great ones.
- Kevin and Danny both challenge sellers to step outside their comfort zones and level up.
🎟️ Grab Tickets: Seller Sessions Live is Back May 10th!
