Originally Posted by Sly

"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.