haha Oh man, best manparty ever.

Ding Ding Ding! We have a winner! :1orglaugh

So is everyone all smiles again? I got screered... :Oh crap

http://www.lolcats.com/images/u/07/2...tf8ewm1rs7.jpg

http://icanhascheezburger.files.word...e-squished.jpg

http://icanhascheezburger.files.word...-to-panda1.jpg

http://icanhascheezburger.files.word...eeds-a-hug.jpg

http://icanhascheezburger.files.word...oobie-trap.jpg

http://icanhascheezburger.files.word...n-caturday.jpg

Maybe this question will disappear on 4th page, but I'll throw it out there anyway.

Why should an affiliate go to shows? Let's pick the average full time webmaster, has a bunch of sites, submits galleries, trades traffic, etc, has been doing this 2-4 years, makes a respectable middle to upper class salary working out of home. Isn't this who everyone wants at their shows?

Why should they go? What's in it for them, other for them to get spammed at by reps (as if there isn't enough of that on GFY)

[QUOTE=stickyfingerz;14468509]So is everyone all smiles again? I got screered... :Oh crap

http://www.lolcats.com/images/u/07/2...tf8ewm1rs7.jpg

[QUOTE]

FUCK YES THE STUPID CAT PICTURES ARE BACK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have a great answer for this, but I am about to head out...I will check back later.

1) Might learn something at seminars, 2) networking in person builds contacts and relationships, 3) it's fun.... parties.

There are additional reasons... but I've been in the industry since 1997 and I always attend a bunch of shows every year. It's often worth the expense.

You guys can't just pass me around on GFY like it's some sort of Polish Gangbang!!

Ask first ... sheesh ....

So far Cory is winning .. i get never ending breadsticks with his offer :1orglaugh:1orglaugh:1orglaugh

xoxo,
Megan

threads like these make me really miss the BROMASTER

:(

Megan Max from TMZ sends his love- and says " get it girl!"

:1orglaugh:1orglaugh:1orglaugh:1orglaugh thats a good one we need to get the shirts for next show!!

The last breadstick of the night is the best. But it ends, some times quicker than I'd like. : )

4) new deals (higher payouts, special tours etc etc) is many times easier to work out in person
5) new business / ideas
6) as already mentioned networking, a lot of people attend that normally not post on GFY
It's a good way to get more personal with people you already do business with as well, that bring new business opportunities.
If you find it satisfying and you reached your goal earning a middle to upper class salary, working from home, then you probably have no reason to attend, if you wanna take it to the next level you would likely need to meet with people :2 cents:
That's my personal experience, may not be the same for everybody :winkwink:

Well... I'm not a balling affiliate... but I can think of at least five different times where going to a show has paid off significantly. Trades, tips, better listings, better rates, etc.

Meeting people can help out significantly... even to affiliates...

Plus I got to meet you! that is worth millions alone.

To drink on the program owners tabs and ask for higher payouts?

I agree 75% with what you said above. I've been the first to be happy to get free registration for the show an I thank them

The other 25% : Where our industry is VERY different from meainstream's though is that we deal with Tits & Ass and that's why we need to heavily filter who is getting inside. That's where a registration fee help to do that. XBiz is HUGE and they can afford it, good for them, I'm more than happy for them and I wish one day I can do the same...

That being said : Nobody care about an accountant convention unless they're accountant themselves, but when it comes to sex in any form, some people will do almost ANYTHING just to get in with the thought that our shows are simply big orgies where they can do anything they want with "our" girls, which of course is not the case even for insiders...

So big companies in the biz can afford to do "free" shows for everyone, thanks to huge sponsorships and also to huge revenues already from their core business which is not running shows...

As being a small show here, we can't afford (yet) to do a FREE FOR ALL show, but we do our very best to make sure that every attendees, sponsors and exhibitors have the best return on their money as possible. So in the end the Free show is not always the less expensive as someone else highlighted

Love you all :)

sheeesh.. don't my chocolate covered nuts count for anything?!?!?!?!??!


Fight the M&M!

One day my friend, I will get to meet you. I keep my fingers crossed. :)

brilliant!

and don't forget to include:

- under-reporting the signups so that money can be pocketed (shaving)

- over-hyping what is on the outside in the "tour" (bad marketing)

- stealing booths from other conventions to fill up the floor (copyright infringement)



Fight the analogies!

It is not just accounting trade shows that allow for free access - CES - AD Tech etc.

Charging an entrance fee does not curb the riff raff. I promoted clubs for many years, back when $5 was too much of a cover we were charging $20 and still had the most violence out of any club in Seattle till finally the city decided to shut the club down by paying off the owners to leave.

JFK mentioned all the problems we have had in the past with shows were good money was paid to get in. Laptops stolen, money stolen, cameras stolen, fights etc.


Bottom line is what you said Michael - If you are promoting a trade show and you do not have the sponsor backing like some of the larger shows then you need the entrance fee to make it profitable. :2 cents:

Man, can't we all just get along :). Seriously though, although the XBiz show had big numbers, the quality of business conducted in San Francisco at Cybernet was definitely higher. I made plenty of contacts in Vegas, but the biggest problem with that show is that most everyone is outside in Cabanas where it's hotter then hell. Not exactly conducive for holding a business meeting. I had to encourage the people who I met with to come inside. I know Starbuck's appreciated it! I went outside a few times and hated it. And I live in Thailand half the year.

And no, a registration fee wouldn't have kept me away and I agree that if you're serious you will pay to attend a show. You pay anyway. Vegas must be the most expensive city in the world.

I agree the fee hasnt stopped all the shit that has happened over the years. You can screen use as good if not better for free and I think a screened crowd may be smaller but worth more to sponsors in theory.

Two shows a year made a big difference now there is one a month

I agree:thumbsup
"we need affilaites, we know all the program owners and reps already.. We need to do new business, not business with the same 40 or 50 people we already do business with.. lol.."

I'm all for bringing new blood to the shows..[/QUOTE]

Well that's why I go :1orglaugh :thumbsup

I was trying to play devils advocate. Most shows I've been to I have only met maybe 1-2 other people who are only affiliates and not also starting their own programs or b2b services.

couple few about free badges, which i think are a bad idea...

1) the cost for badges for adult shows is still many times lower than the cost for badges to mainstream shows. ever bought a badge to an seo or mainstream marketing show? those go for $1-2k depending on how many days you want to stay for. compare that to a $300 badge to internext where you get all the booze you can drink. i will easily be drinking at least $300 of free booze at internext.

2) if you can't afford the $300 badge price to a show, you need to re-evaluate your setup. i get it... yes to some newbies $300 is a lot to pay, but if you leave a show without producing at least $300 worth of business that you wouldn't have done had you not attended, you are doing something wrong. seriously. if you put your all into any show you will come out with more business than you know what to do with. *investing* a few hundred bucks to do this business should not be a problem for you.

3) badges that cost something keep civilians out and also *lock people into going* i went to xbiz and noticed a few things. first, a lot of civilians. these people had no clue about the industry, and while i'm all for meeting new contacts, i don't want to talk to a dude who has only 'thought' about starting a 'cool porn website.' second, the turnout at xbiz was not what i expected. i'm sure that 1200 plus people registered like xbiz says, but how many of these people backed out at the last minute because they didn't have to worry about losing their registration fee? my guess is lots since the scene by the pool was not crowded at all both days and other show functions weren't packed.

last year i remember both afternoons by the pool were packed with awesome music and frisbee throwing. i went out there in the afternoon both days and that place was empty. nothing going on. don't blame it on the heat cause it was just as hot last year.

i thought xbiz was good over all and xbiz shows are always super well organized so i'm not knocking anyone, but i think that free badges are bad and that the show would have been better had registration been paid.

Somebody should start a show over here in the UK. Its kinda expensive to fly out to the USA just for a show. Would be nice to get all the UK webmasters together with some program owners from the USA and the UK

Would even be nice to have live cams or something hooked up to the shows in the USA for us poor affliates that cant get over their at least we could talk to some of the program owners and other webmasters..and get to see all of the fun you guys have :)

Wow...I just read through the entire thread and found some very salient points among the inevitable interwoven drama.

All here should bear in mind that the companies that create and operate any show or industry event have specific objectives for them which are typically revenue-oriented, although they may different (i.e. branding, product launch, etc). The goals of these shows are set by the organizers and are not necessarily made public and in order to attain them it may/may not be necessary to charge a registration fee, which is at their discretion.

This business is tremendously fragmented and each show draws a somewhat different segment of attendees so, in my opinion, they are really about what the show attendee makes of them. For many webmasters, shows offer one of the only opportunities to hang out with their industry peers, where for others they are a venue to get off their keyboard and do a little partying. It all depends on what the individual's objectives are and if they do/don't want to pay for that access it's their choice.

In many industries, it is standard practice to charge an admission fee to cover costs for the venue at the very least. Also, some shows mentioned here i.e. AdTech or SES will offer a free Exhibits Only registration which is basically the same as a limited access membership. If you want to attend the conferences and workshops there is a significant additional cost.

Most of the parties are invite-only and require a wristband of sorts which is provided by the sponsors and/or show organizers. This practice effectively keeps out the majority of party-crashers but is not 100% effective.

Our industry differs a bit in the sense that non-industry people are drawn by the opportunity to see/meet adult performers, which is why it makes sense for shows like AEE to have Industry Only hours and Fan hours. CES is a consumer-oriented show where the exhibitors are seeking to directly interface with the end-user, whereas adult online shows do not want the consumer present.

Ideally, we would see and meet a lot more of the webmasters at shows, but as stated, it seems many of them do not want to be bombarded by affiliate reps there which is unfortunate because I have found in my 15 years of marketing that face-to-face contact is the best way to create and solidify relationships no matter what the industry.

But that's just my 2 cents. :2 cents:

:1orglaugh:1orglaugh

sheeeeet, i call ppl douche bags all the time

not you, you're a scum bag ;-))

But I am the most famous scumbag you hang out with-


Besides I am more of a WN anyway
:thumbsup

I wish I had a dime for the "new guys in the business" that I've met over the last 10 years I've been going to shows and how many of them are still around. Lots of big dreams get dragged around a convention but then you never see those people again. Heck, most of the people I met at my first show in Miami (which actually may have been 9 years ago) are either retired, broke or don't attend shows any more. I'm all three ;)

Connor,

You guys have always done a great job at keeping costs low. $150 rooms and low cost admission surely did the trick and you guys had a great Cybernet in San Fran. I loved it. Of course you guys have to make a profit. Otherwise, there is no reason to go through the painstaking process of putting together an event. We see this on a smaller scale with the Porn Poker Tour events that we organize. All I am saying is that with the dozen or so main shows going on every year now, you guys need to bring in attendees.... at whatever it takes to do so.

Sorry man , but CES show does not allow the public at large. The attendees are retailers, wholesalers or in the business in one way or another:2 cents:

Point taken. They always let me in though with just a business card and checking the 'e-commerce' box :thumbsup

Ohhhh KB you are my fucking Hero!!!!

xoxo,
Megan

You cant compare the cost of serious seo and mainstream marketing shows. Look at the 4 day agenda for this show and its over $1700 a person. http://www.searchenginestrategies.co...se/agenda.html
That show would pay for itself in information.

I'm not sure $300 for a show pass is ideal, but neither is $0.
$75-$125 would at least keep the gun toting homeboys out no?

Money doesn't keep scum out.Filtering by who do you do business with, what sites do you have would actually do a better job.That would be much more effective whether you charged or not. Also probably another way to weed out the homeboys is everyone have their real name on their badge not a nick.