I agree. The shows are nice to met the people behind the nickname/icq/mail. Also what Trax said, it's a fun and tax deductable. However, the prices are going up a lot more then inflation and also more then the "normal" hotel rates.

It's not that I can not afford it. It's just, do you WANNA spend it...

Andre

"Need"? Probably not. Is it a good idea? Actually, yeh it is. As an average at-home webmaster I have gained a lot by going to the shows. Meeting people helps more than you would believe. Makes getting partner accounts and "special privileges" SO much easier. You can also learn quite a bit at the shows, not from the seminars necessarily, but by talking to people. Ideas flow much better and much more often in person. I've had fairly large program owners sitting next to me sharing great traffic generation tips over a steak and beer. You would have to be crazy to think that isn't beneficial to your business.

If you all think its too expensive, fine, so be it. You don't need to bitch about it in every thread. I have been to shows that were more expensive and am planning a couple more as well. Shows are what you get out of them, I personally get a lot out. The best part is its a mini tax deductible vacation. Whenever I get home from a show I'm always ready to work and productivity increases.

damn $300?

Well Everyone--you can all save money on the trip from the airport by Arriving in Style with a Vod.TopBucks limo :2 cents:

From what I've seen from pics shows are all about guys gawking at naked boobies and lots of drinking, 2 things I am not into so there is no reason for me to ever go. That's not my idea of fun really.

Also from the pics it seems shows are now about guys getting free lap dances, blowjobs, hookers and whatnot. Doesn't seem very professional, I would much rather stay home.

Everything is geared towards "men"...

Sounds like good business to me.

in what other thread(s) have I "bitched" about it?
anyways, its not mandatory to go to the shows in order to succeed, is my point.

I wasn't specifically referring to you. I said "you all". There are certain people that are in every AVN thread.

Sounds like every convention I've been to in the business world :)

There are PLENTY of things to do besides what you're mentioning as I've never done any of them in 20+ shows (besides the hookers.....).

Again, it's not a "one size fits all" situation :)

Woah, slow down... We're in the middle of Cybernet right now! This is my first moment back online in hours.

I've personally answered this question all over the place many times. I have absolutely no problem doing so again; infact I appreciate your giving me the opportunity to do so, but please don't suggest that the such things are falling on deaf ears simply because you haven't seen the answer yet. :winkwink:


Regarding Internext badges now being $250 ($300 after June 17) for all attendees... This comes as a response to feedback from webmasters. This year, Summer Internext is not a Convention; it's a Conference. The difference is that it is no longer all about booths and a trade show floor; it's now about communication, education and networking throughout the resort.

In the past, all event costs and revenue were generated by the sale of booth space and attendee badges. This year, that model doesn't fit because participants have become more interested in throwing networking events and parties instead of exhibiting with a booth. As a result, the hotel has been closed to the public completely to address the concern of non-industry people coming to the event for the wrong reasons. In order for Internext to still cover it's costs, sponsorship opportunities have changed, and all attendees are charged entrance to the event. Personally, I'm not convinced that this will actually make Internext more money than in the past; the costs to do it this way are much higher than in the past.

I don't have a full list of Internext costs to hand but, to name a few: the show has a huge contract with the hotel that includes lower room rates but makes the show liable for all rooms whether they're sold or not... this also includes fees for shutting hotel properties off from the general public... the bars and restaurants and so on - it's kind of like a rental fee to rent an entire hotel including bars, restaurants and all facilities; there's a separate fee to rent the convention centre; there's a large insurance fee; temps are hired to run registration; a separate company is hired to manage the online and on-site registration process; a decorator and labour are paid to deal with exhibits and signage etc; breakfast and lunch is included each day; medics are paid to be on site 24/7 incase of an emergency; there's a fee for setting up wireless coverage across the entire resort property (poolside for example); there's a strong marketing push, which costs money; there's also the overhead involved with running a trade show business... attorneys, salaries, health benefits, office space etc. I guarantee I'm missing a lot, but there are enormous costs to do this sort of thing.


Here are a few of the key benefits to the new format.

- They've paid the hotel a lump sum for wireless Internet access to be turned on in every possible corner of the property. Meeting space, the exhibit hall, seminar rooms, the lobby, restaurants, swimming pool....etc. This allows for all attendees to do get online freely.

- I'm building up the Seminar program so that it is as compelling, informative and timely as possible. Typically the summer event has only had 6 or 7 seminars, this year there will be 12, plus additional training sessions and roundtable discussions.

- They will be providing complimentary Breakfast (in the Feature Pavilion/Exhibit Hall foyer) and Lunch outside the seminar room.

- They are shutting down the entire Diplomat Resort for Internext. Other than the convention center lobby (registration area), no one will set foot on hotel property without a badge. This is an exclusive Industry event.

- As requested, they are mailing badges out prior to the event to all pre-registered show goers. This will cut down the wait time on-site.

Overall this event is about ACCESS:
Participants pay for a badge that grants them access to the market they want to reach ? the people they want to do business with, access to the seminars, access to parties, access to do business without restriction anywhere and anytime. The point is, once you get the badge - the entire resort property becomes your business forum. You are paying for access and Internext is creating the optimal atmosphere conducive to your business needs.

Changing the show is a risk, but it's one that's been built around feedback from the Industry. In my opinion, that's worth trying.

Feel free to email me - [email protected] if you want to communicate personally.

50..........

Well said dahling ...

awesome aly, that was exactly what I was looking for, and you explained it VERY well...and that makes total sense...basically, the summer show is more about attendees than it is about a show floor...

so, let me ask you this, is there a show floor? and is it full of exhibitors? and if it isn't full, are exhibitors aware that you all aren't gearing the show towards them and did they get a discount because of this?

with most conventions, non-porn, that I have been to, it is the sponsors that pay for the attendees, which I think is a good system.....the idea is for the sponsors to get attendees to use their product, and what better way than pay for the attendees to be there.

also, why is it that other shows still can do the format you are suggesting (less show floor and more private time and networkiing), and still not charge attendees an arm and a leg? I know of one show right off the top of my head that still only charges $100 or so, but still has the amount of people and awesome networking that internext has

also, will vegas 2006 be in this format? and if so, will the hotel be shut off to outsiders? or will avn be going back to prior format for internext for Vegas? I don't see them charging $300 a badge in Vegas and you coming on here with the same explanation and it flying

thanks for the response though, and I now can see where they are coming from...but in the future, you all should think of raising sponsor prices instead of attendee badges...

want a good business model, see the Players Ball...ALL free, worldwide #1 acts like snoop dogg, etc, and not one person pays to get in because sponsors foot the bill, like it should be....

JBM show is $199. If you can not afford it, stay home.

but are you charging both sponsors and attendees?

also, it has nothing to do with not being able to afford it, it has to do with ripping people off...if your going to charge sponsors an arm and a leg, you can't do the same to attendees

also, there are WAY better shows going on for a fraction of the cost than internext, and it is a fact that more business gets done at the free/low cost shows than it does at internext

check out cybernet this week...tons of work getting done, awesome show...for $99

I'll just take an old convention badge, print up a piece of paper with bold lettering saying BVF and stick it in the plastic and stand outside.

But even so with Florida, the showfloor was boring...most of the action is in the hotel and at the pool bar anyway. You don't need a badge for that....Las Vegas would be different.

did you read florida's rules, you can't even get into the hotel without a badge...PERIOD

fuck I guess idiots throwing chairs fucked it up....and I also remembered that even before that you couldn't get access to the pool area without the badge...So in essence, you gotta pay to play.

That is getting pricy..

But hey, It is all business.