Odie pls let me know the next time you plan on doing a webmaster gathering in TO, I would love to come and meet some of the new Toronto webmasters

Hmmm - and to think that I was told by 12clicks that I was obviously no longer in the business because I stopped going to shows :) You mean there are other people who actually feel the same way I do? You must not be in the business either ;)

I didn't go in 2007, but in 2006 and this year, 2008, I was in Vegas and saw the people I wanted to see but didn't attend Internext. I see others as I travel for other business and non-business related reasons. I've met pretty much everyone I want to meet in the biz.

For the vast majority of my "career" I've been an affiliate. I went to shows to meet people and/or spend time with people I like. I was the customer - no need to kiss butt unless I wanted to ;)

Now I can see everyone I want to see w/o the madness, crowds and I hate to say, the fakeness of the shows.

I made some good deals and met some great people but the thruth is that party are not so good anymore and ICQ is the only tool you need to make good deals nowaday.

Plus making the show always at Vegas or Miami is annoying. (what about LA, New York, San Fransisco etc...?)

No shit!! :) :) :) :) :) Congrats!

Love always,

One of your friends from the Natnet Suites :thumbsup

Hummm... Beside 1 or 2 private events, most of Internext's parties were open for every registered attendees. Sunday night GFY openening perty was open to everyones.. (Thanks Joe and Eric) I remember 2 full stories of suites open to everyones Monday night + some others...

:2 cents:

BTW : our parties at QWEBEC Expo ar all open to all registered attendees too :winkwink:

For me, because all the shows are in the USA, it's really way to far for me to go. 12,000 kilometers from sydney to vegas.

It's OK...you can say it.....
"I can't BELIEVE IT!"...
(neither can I :1orglaugh :1orglaugh )

thanks hon....you *know* you're one of the people I *do* miss seeing :winkwink:

I may have been in this industry for 10 years, but I'm still a small time webmaster so going to shows would be pointless. I'm not whale so I would get ignored. If the shows actually had things that could help/benefit the small to medium webmasters than it would be worth going to.

informative seminars based on different aspects of the industry would be a big plus, but that's not going to happen. All the deals that get made at these shows are between 2 or more big fishes and never any small to medium ones. So it's a complete waste of $ for us small to medium guys/gals.

I've never been to any shows and never will unless they actually become helpful for everyone that attends. Ya, partying is all fun, but that doesn't accomplish anything. People get drunk and make "deals" that they will never do so what the fuck is the point?

Of course, the way this business now is fuck the little guy. Not help him/her to be successful. But, if you're not in the "bro" club you're shit out of luck. Don't we help each other anymore? Then we wonder why so many people do no so legal things in order to make $.

Well, I went there and here's my feedback.

REASONS FOR GOING:
1. Meet people face to face and know who they are
2. Learn what everyone else is doing and see if there are people I want to work with
3. Find out what products and services are out there that may help me out.
4. Talk to other webmasters and find out what works and doesn't work for them.

In general, there were very few "webmasters" there. Mostly program pushing programs. Wished there were more of them. I wanted to ask them what they were doing and get ideas for myself.

The free drinks and party atmosphere made it easy to network I thought. All the smoking fucking sucked though. I could only stay a few hours each day. Fucking disgusting. Wished it was smoke free. Very hard to have a good time when your throat hurts and eyes are hurting. Not to mention all my clothes smell like an ash tray now. May others said the same.

For the most part I met my objectives. It was also good to develop my networking skills since I'm mostly an introvert and not a people person.

I got a few new ideas for things I want to try as a result of the convention. Being a photographer as well as a programmer I had several people interested in hiring me as well. That made it worth it as well.

That's just Vegas. Shows in other locations never seem to have the "OMG, I opened my suitcase when I got home and a puff of smoke actually appeared" conclusion :thumbsup I've learned to pack lots of sachets in my suitcases when I go to Vegas. It helps but I usually have to throw them away because even the sachets smell like smoke, lol.

While I contract people (photo/video shooters, production assistants, make-up artists, etc) on a per project basis, I'm basically a one-person show, shooting my own exclusive content for my own sites that I operate by myself (I'm going on my ninth year in the adult biz).

Even though I am not a Sponsor or Affiliate, I still go to a handful of shows a year. I have pretty clear cut goals ahead of time, therefore I get what I want out of the shows I choose to go to - be it cutting deals, lining up talent for future projects, or whatever else.

I also attend because I do work fairly independently, and it's nice to meet and hear what others are doing. Plus, I do enjoy putting faces to the personalities I meet on the Boards (I spend 98% of my Board time on GFY).

One other big reason I go (and I know not everyone here pays taxes, hehe), but for me it's a nice tax write-off for a mini-vacation.

ADG

This is where CE Cash is different. CE cash is doing what no other program out there would do? We will work with you one on one and do what ever it takes to improve your bottom line! Weather you are big or small we are here to work with you...

$300 a ticket to attend.

Why not make it $50 for webmasters? More of the newbies will come, and thus the exhibitors will actually have people worthwhile to exhibit for.

Make your $$ off the exhibitors. :2 cents:

So you aren't going because other people that aren't going said they were not worth it?

As far as being "just an affiliate" is concerned, you would be surprised what a face-to-face meeting will do.

Last week an affiliate rep told me they could not provide what I wanted. A few minutes talking at Internext and I had what I wanted.

As far as doing all your biz via ICQ, that will never work, because people have a tendency to abbreviate their thoughts when forced to write it out, whereas, when speaking the conversations can get deeper since there are no worries of cramped fingers.


Never. I am never really sure if you are looking for more work or not, so my comments may or may not apply to you.

Hanging out at the NatNet suite with SweetT and the boys was always fun and relaxing. Those were fun times.

carol xoxoxo

Great thread.

This is why I had my little infamous "Ghetto Playboy Illegal" Afterparty in the lobby at webmasteraccess. I must have met at least 30 people who were at Webmaster Access but had no tickets to the playboy party. So their friday night was basically sit in their hotel rooms while everyone else partied.

I met about 25 people at that little get together and ended up doing business with at least 5 of them. And all of these guys would fall into the "small, webmaster, one man shop" folder.

I went and hung out with Green Guy . GFY doesn't give me love :(

Here's some pics anyway

http://leftysbucks.com/internext2008/index.html

As an affiliate I wouldn't bother. I would just spend the grand on hookers and blow. Knowing what goes on there. Hookers and blow would be way way better.

As a Program Owner I would be stupid not to go. my .02

IME, most of the big and medium sized paysite program owners don't go, they send their employees. Most of whom are not decision makers and must then go back to the office and see if the deal they just "made" is acceptable to said program owner.

Someone told me this weekend that he would make 500 deals during Internext. Maybe 2 or 3 actually went through :helpme

ok as a new program owner . I would be stupid not to go.

As an old program owner "hookers and blow" for sure . Let the reps go with teh Black Card.

:2 cents:

How do you find them? There are a ton of noob threads on this board. Start with that. Help them out. REALLY help them and you would be surprised how amazingly loyal those people will be. Your help may not always pay off but with some it will and those are the ones that will be extremely loyal and some of them will one day have decent traffic.

The things I think the bigger companies need to focus on is spending less time on coming up with new hosted galleries or whatever and spend more time on education. Teach your noob webmasters how to be successful, REALLY provide them tips and advice.

They can then take what you've taught them to improve the quality of the site and the amount of traffic they get. They will appreciate your efforts and hopefully pay you back in kind by sending your program their new found traffic and hopefully if you helped them enough, new found 'higher quality' traffic.

About how going around the country and offering seminars in 5 or so major cities that will -- get this -- not promote your affiliate program but actually provide quality advice on how the people attending your seminars can improve the quality of their website and get more traffic. Bring with you 2 or 3 hot "booth babes" as if you were at a show and make sure they all have your company logo on their shirts but minus that one tiny promo, really really really really really focus on teaching these people something.

Now that would be money well spent. I think a company would get far more business out of those kind of things than by spending the money they do as shows like AEE. If you factor in the cost of a booth, the money for each employee to attend, the cost of models, rooms for everyone and then a party suite which in some cases can run $5,000 to $10,000 per night .... then yes .... it's just not worth it.

Anyway I've completely gotten off subject here. If you want to find webmasters that need your help a) look on this board and dig up all the posts in the last 6 months with people who ask questions like "I'm about to start my first blog and ........." and b) go through your own program and find webmasters who have signed up and have really low traffic. Go through their websites and if you see they suck, help them. Invite them to your private classes, etc.

But why waste your money going if it doesn't make financial sense to go? Why would you spend let's say $5,000 to earn $50? That's what doesn't make sense. I'm sorry but I disagree with you. A smart program owner would spend his or her money wisely. I would rather spend the entire AEE budget for a company trying to get one big deal with one decent webmaster, then go to Vegas, spend all the money on a booth, promo materials etc, and be sorely disappointed to see that I didn't get a return on my investment.

I didn't see you in Vegas Gianna... :(
WG

amen Kelli!

My first Vegas show, I was on the show floor everyday and then I spent my nights at the circlebar b/c every time I tried to leave someone else that I wanted to talk to showed up! Before I knew it, it was 6 am...damn oxygen pumping casinos! lol I attended ONE party, saw Blue Man group w/ Lightspeed, screamed my lungs out, and got to know my webmasters and fellow sales reps.

I now am a small webmaster trying to start my own stuff and am learning slowly but surely from those around me. I now have my former webmasters teaching ME things I didn't understand or know before. :)

Gianna, a bunch of us are doing dinner in the next couple weeks as some ppl are in town after Vegas.

there is a ton of sadly inaccurate info in this thread. Some from people who don't know, some from people who want to justify their poor decision of not going.
First, all of the big parties can be attended by all. The show floor is a great networking opportunity as well. This is also one of the only industries where the lowliest person in the business can speak to some of the true superstars.
at this show for example, you could have walked up to Tony Morgan, Ron Cadwell, Lars, Mojo, Brad Shaw, wired guy, etc etc.
there's not a single big guy who wouldn't spend a few minutes talking to a webmaster as long as you don't act like an ass.

It just sounds likecyou all want to be treated like kings and get invited to private events.
Bill Gates doesn't have dinner at CES with the guys from radio shack.
you have to earn your way to that table, its not a FHG :winkwink:

I'll throw out one more reason: with the "upscaling" of the strip, Las Vegas hotel rooms are now ALOT more expensive than they used to be.

Yeah, i'm biased but putting focus on the webmaster, quality of seminars, and lowest possible prices is what we strive for every year for Cybernet Expo. We aren't getting rich doing it, but both the ROI and the fun is there.

show's = too much fake people, and spam-in-person

so many ppl i've seen that think cuz they are rich they are automatically have a "cool" personality :1orglaugh

where you there?

I think you more or less explained why a lot don't go. What is in any of that for the webmaster? Sure a sponsored dinner and drink is nice, but really what am I really getting out of it? You guys asking for more traffic? If I've needed anything from you guys, I've dropped Ardy an e-mail and gotten a quick response.

Shows were more beneficial years ago when news didn't travel as fast. It was the place to go to find out who the hot new companies were, what the hot new sites would be, and what the new products we'd all need. Now you can find out all of this on the boards. Companies spend thousands to keep reps on the boards filling everyone in on exactly what they have going on. Not to mention that we haven't seen a whole lot of innovation in the industry lately. Programs seem to be recycling themselves, offering the same things, the same sites, and so on.

But ultimately, I just haven't felt it would make me more money. I'd rather take a few days and go to the Super Bowl or on a trip with friends. I promote the companies that make me the most money, not the ones that buy me dinners and drinks. The only time I've been really tempted to go was when I've been offered passes by a few companies to the Playboy Mansion. But then again, it would have been just to see the mansion, grab some pics, and head home. If I have a situation where I need to meet face to face, I'd fly out there to do so.

The shows really don't offer anything anymore. Simple as that. In Vegas people are spending all their time running from one thing to another... the floors all but dried up and it's really just to hard to actually meet someone. I still like the Florida show better, since it's way more relaxed, but again... it's almost impossible to meet anyone. Been doing this now since 1999, been to MANY conventions, but I'm guessing very few of you could even put a face to me.

The only time I really had fun at the vegas convention is the year that Jackie Martling hung out with myself and the Commander during the show... Suddenly we where able to get into every party there was lol. I hooked a few of you up with pictures etc with him... (Juicy) :). But since then not much has been going on.

Things have REALLY changed in the last few years. Back on 2000 you could ask questions if you need help and people actually tried to help. Now, everyone seems to be be afraid they might give some big secret away or something.

Some of the best stuff I ever shot was due to meeting and working with Porno Dan at a Vegas Internex, all because we had scheduled up a shoot with Anton Fury and Rhiannnon. A LOT of good stuff came out of that and some friendships where formed but, I don't see that happening today.

So, it's really hard to justify spending a grand on plane fare, and another grand on Hotel etc (Not to mention thats it's a huge pain to fly anyways) I would rather drive down to Florida from Cincinnati and spend a 3rd of what I would have spent in Vegas, have better weather, Meet the same people, and possibly get some diving in to boot.

If anyone just wants to get together in the Cincinnati area and work out some stuff, I'm all for it. Just Drop me an ICQ at 4009474.

I have no reason to goto shows. I can get drunk and party here with friends. Why fly to vegas to do it with people I don't know? Not like the place is full of hot (non content) chicks.

I'd also add that the perception shows give off on a lot of the boards may also play a part in people not wanting to go. Most of the talk you here about shows is about which parties to go to, who got some cool pics, and what bros bought you dinner/beer. I don't think I've seen a single post or thread about something in business nature coming out of these shows. I haven't seen people talk about something informative they learned at a seminar, or some new product you just had to see. I think if the shows gave off a more professional feel, it may attract more webmasters. For right now, it sometimes comes across as a giant bro circle jerk on which bro bought the next the most beers.

There are a lot of webmasters like me that just don't really need to get into that.

Ahhhhh! That makes me happy! Hail Hail

There used to be a time when only a few sites had affilaite programs, then CCBill came out with the turnkey affiliate program and now everyone is a "program owner"

the only people left to join programs are TGP, MPG's and such and the people who dont have sites so all they do is submit to TGP's.

Personally I do not go to shows anymore because they are boring. All it is is everyone trying to give their card away and trying to get you to send your traffic to them...

It used to be a great place to go to see what new content is out and such, but not any more.

a couple of me from AdultDEX 98 , Las Vegas

http://www.landofvenus.com/adultdex98.jpg
http://www.landofvenus.com/adultdex98b.jpg

Ibill, hahahahahahahahaah

thats the other thing about the conventions, all guys and all have cameras and all standing around like 15 yr old schoolboys waiting for a girl to flash her tits. I tell you just as I told everyone else, I dont flash, you want to see, you buy a membership like everyone else - otherwise dont bore me with acting like a highschool kid who has never gotten laid.

That's awesome, I always thought having a convention with the main party being invite only was in pretty bad taste.