i think i will get a great ROI on the show, because of the many european companies who attended the show were looking to break into the US.. and since there are hardly any affiliates there (except wiredguy LOL), they need to figure out how to find the affiliates, so t3report.com was well accepted.
affiliate managers were in attendance, and they also liked the idea that t3report v5 has the "affiliate analysis" that helps them help their affiliates to send them more traffic by reviewing linking structures.
the lack of parties like the prior years was a little disappointing, but it did mean that people were focused on having biz meetings and creating their own parties by inviting people to dinners or to suites.
the networking thing was great, should not allow someone to go be on both days as a first pass. they can have a 2nd day if space is open.. this allows for more people to get face time.
some additional suggestions:
- look at the success of mainstream shows where attendance is free. look at affiliateconvention.com (SEguru) who had over 1200 affiliates attending. Sponsors would certainly want to spend money on sponsorships if they knew affiliates were going to be there.
- have indoor booth spaces like the meet-n-greet. its too muggy to go outside for cabanas to hang with people.
- have a dinner dating thing, where people who come to the shows who don't know anyone, could be paired up with a small group. sorta like they do on cruise ships. could even do matchmaking by letting people check-off what kinds of people they want to meet or just make it random because people have such diverse backgrounds and interests. The two dinners that i went to with a group was great, i met new people that i might not normally have been able to chat with ( catalina cruz and hubby, evan the attorney, jonathan the insurance guy, ben from kick ass, etc)
- porn poker tour was great, as another place to hang out.. the side blackjack tables and roulette table was a nice touch for those not into poker, or who couldn't get into tourney, or who got knocked out.
- basically do more to help people connect.... i can understand how hard it is to meet new people when you have so many that do know each other already. if attendees could have a way to connect, they could get more value out of the face time and see the value of coming out to a show.
- social party situations where its not so loud. i enjoyed my time in sitting out on the deck at one of the suite parties and be able to chat with andy from ccbill. we talked biz and we talked about alot of non-biz stuff like our families, his gardening, his love for racing cars, my new dress making venture, etc. its those personal-able times when you get to connect with people that stand out in my mind as why i love going to the shows. i have been going to the shows for last 4+ years, and i am still finding out that there is so many people that i see all the time, and never get a chance to really get to talk ( i remember a japanese dinner at cybernet expo in san diego and sleazydream was sitting across from me and he was starting to go through his marriage issues and I got to connect to him on a man-to-man level about relationship issues to know he was not like his board persona) .... having a social environment that allows for that opportunity is priceless, and i appreciate and cherish all the conversations I have had with people to learn more about them, and for them to know more about me as being more than "that guy" that posts on the boards about biz/industry issues
Fight the sharing is caring!