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50 "the show must go on"
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I have to ask. Why are you asking on THIS board? From what I see, there are no "webmasters" here. *tsk tsk tsk
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I never went to a show because I'm anti social and am unable to talk to "new people" and socialize. I'd rather hide in my house. I also don't party. I don't drink, and I don't dance. I don't really talk either, I can't talk to "new people" or meet new people. That's why I'm a webmaster, no need to talk to anyone.
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We had booths at the shows for years, starting at the very first IA2000 show, and also sponsored parties and seminars. It just became a waste of money. At first, we did quite a bit of networking and business through the booth and the parties, but that quickly changed. It got to the point that the only people hitting up the booths were sales reps from other companies trying to sell you something!
It just got to the point where the larger shows just weren't any fun anymore. We stopped bothering with the parties, and would spend time at dinner with friends we already knew. Next thing, we just stopped going. We do intend to start going to the smaller shows again, and see where those may lead. Carol xoxoxo |
Going to big parties is a waste of time usually. If you fall into the whale category it's even worse. No one pays attention to you unless they finally realize what amount of sales can you send to them. At that moment you get like 5 or 10 sales reps annoying you all the day asking you to send traffic to them.
The funny thing is that they don't even have power to negotiate some decent deal... so it's not only a major annoyance but also it's a waste of time and nerves. So... if I go to some gathering or party I expect to make business... what's the point of going there if the person who is supposed to make the deals with me is unable to negotiate a custom deal because he has no decision power? Also don't think that everyone wants to be in the GFY "Bro" club. There are other webmasters "Bro" clubs that are for webmasters only and we do our own parties and business without sales reps and other useless people. Last one was this last weekend in London... and we did lots of good business as usual :) |
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i had soooooooo much fun at your studio party in montreal at webmaster access a few years ago carol! |
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When I worked full time as a webmaster I never went to a show for different reasons.
To expensive Going to the US, $200-300 for the pass, the hotel where the show is held is the same price per night. 4 nights, pass, plane ticket and spending money + a couple of extra days now the trip is made quickly gets expensive and not knowing what to expect for a small time webmaster its not worth it. Get a group of 5-8 sponsors together of different kinds, paysites, cams, dating, pills and so on. Then have smaller local events focusing on the small to medium sized webmasters and have seminars that are useful: TGP scripts and how trading is done best. TGP/Free site submissions how to get the best results. How to promote cam sites. How to sell penis enlargement programs. Filtering traffic. Know your niches. And so on you know useful stuff so if someone only doing cams want to venture into something else he could pick up some info. Have "trade with me" meetings where webmasters can meet and find some new trades, exchange partner accounts and so on. Have a decent registration fee, no need to have it in a 5 star hotel, keep it simple and at a fair price. Have a few parties but they shouldn't be the main events it should be main focus for everyone to learn how to make more money. |
yep the dutch webmaster events are very cool as well, small but loads of business I am told, since I did not get a chance to visit them of various reasons do not flame me if the above is not accurate.
anyway yes I am sure that webmasters ( the lowest of the lowest? ) do not attend because as stated by various webmasters what is the point? getting a picture taken with JDL? bombarded by reps? getting insulted by fat fuck Sleazy? and so on and so on and so on |
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I even lost one of my bartenders to a group heading back downtown toward the end of the night. She ended up becoming someone's content! We did get some great pictures of various webmasters in very compromising positions. Remember the Glory Hole set-up?? :winkwink: Carol xoxoxo |
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Kelli58 how do I get in touch with you?
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why didnt i go?
because i would much rather spend 500 bucks on hardlinks and plugs, rather than have somebody saying send me traffic all day long. oh yeh i am also 19, so vegas would be pretty shit for me at my age. doubt i would even be allowed in the show! |
having said that though, i would like to go for the experience. there is no denying that. I have never been to vegas. i wonder if its like what they show it is in the movies.
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Going to a show is pretty expensive and thus you will exclude +- 50% of the adult webmasters..
There are a few big fishes but _alot_ of small fishes which you can't catch via shows but via GFY! |
After talking to a few webmasters I think a number one concern is cost. I mean if one of your sponsors was willing to pay your way to a show would you reconsider going? I know I would, I would also be willing to work a lot harder to send that sponsor traffic (provided of course that it converted).
I agree with the hotel choices being on the pricey side. There are plenty of mid range hotels that would be just as good as the ritzy $200+ dollar a night places. I only met with a couple of real webmasters at Phoenix Forum and Cybernet, other than that it was "retailers" of some sort or another be it content, processing or other. All in all it does very much reek at times of favoritism towards the fat cats. I think it's sad that more consideration isn't give to webmasters at shows. I love the idea of a Trade Party, that would be a great addition to any of the shows. I'm sure there are other things that you could do in order to bring in more webmasters. Better seminars and workshops, events that don't involve booze for the non drinkers and I'm sure there are others... |
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im willing to bet if the affiliate managers had to pay their own way to the show 90% of them wouldn't show up to shows either. :2 cents:
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gains/business/rewards < costs for travel, tickets to the show etc.
It's just not worth it anymore. |
i used to like going to the big shows....the bros' were always nice to me, i got lots of free drinks, got to go to the cool parties/private dinners and even met Gianna at her first show...but my health isn't good now and i cant travel too far...
but i would recommend going to at least one big show, even for the newer webmasters.. |
I really don't see the point for the webmaster to attend a show anymore either.
Firstly, the admission cost (in addition to the travel/hotel expenses), makes no sense. Companies paying to showcase their stuff (ie. a booth) should be the only ones charged anything. Do that and you may just see a few more webmasters at shows. Making them pay however is like me paying a cover charge to enter Wal-Mart. I think the few webmasters that go these days fall mostly into these categories: - Vacation - They like to party - To see friends - To collect swag - They are HUGE affiliates so their main sponsor invited them and covered the costs (rare but still happens) Shows are pretty much all B2B now. |
Im a noob so wouldent even consider going
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Im looking forward to attending the costa rica bash :thumbsup
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I remember at Internext last year or the year before, I was introduced to a company owner and he asked me where I was from.
I said "Australia but living in Vegas" He said "No no no, I mean what company are you with?" I said almost apologetically "uh no I'm just a webmaster, a one man show" "Ooohhh ok!" he exclaimed. I felt like saying "Is that ok or should I get the fuck outta here?" but I think sadly he was just shocked that I wasn't yet another sales rep about to start my sales pitch on him. :error |
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myself stopped going to shows over 3 years ago... not sure if I'll go again.. limited time and limited return on the time to go to shows.. :2 cents: |
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As far a being socially unplugged, that is your own fault. You are a well-known, popular guy. Your successful avoidance of cameras plays against you. If you introduced yourself to more people (ie: conventions) I think you could generate more biz than you would know what to do with. JMHO |
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One more point
In the old days - there where maybe 2 or 3 shows max per year. Now shows are saturated - I don't know of any industry that averages 1 trade show / event per month - which this is what seems to be the current rate for this biz. Reduce the number of shows per year to 2 or 3 and the interest may jump up again - and become more interesting for both the established and new-comers alike. :2 cents: |
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Best response in thread. Cheers to you and the well thought out response. You are definitely the kind of person we would like on our team. |
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It's good to see you on here!!! That first show was the best!!! I am really grateful that you and I met and that we still manage to stay in contact after all these years?. I hope to see you again soon! All the best! |
Because I realized that if I want to listen to a bunch of overweight guys try to convince me of how important they are I can just take my bike for a spin a little too fast. A speeding ticket is only $100 and the whole experience gets condensed in to 15 minutes rather than 3 days.
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The first show I was at was the very first Adult Internet show! That was back in October (I believe( 1995 in Orlando. It was IA2000, which was mainly a "Phone Sex" convention but added an Adult Internet component. There were no booths for "us", and only about 40 Internet industry people showed up. We all hung-out together and had a great time. Most of those attendees became the original YNOT members way back at the beginning.
The early pre-2000 shows were still the best, IMHO. We were all learning, and the networking was excellent. Carol xoxoxo |
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It's good to hear that I'm not the only one that got a weird vibe when I told people that I'm just a webmaster. I fall into the comfortable range where I'm not a "bro" but I make a decent living.
I'll just confirm that the ROI is too low. The money isn't an issue its really about the time invested and what I get out of it. I can think of two panels that were helpful out of my show experience. The rest of the time was spent eating and drinking. Frankly it's more valuable as a tax write off than an actual investment in improving my business since people are accessible in so may ways online. Yes it's very clickish but I have yet to have someone tell me to fuck off when I walk up and introduce myself. If I don't meet new people that's on me but I admit to getting swarmed with reps who don't know a damn thing about the biz. They are like networking land mines. You don't know they are one till you shake their hand and get a half-assed pitch and a request for a follow up. |
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What reason do they give a guy like me to go to a show? A guy whom just runs TGPs and Blogs and isn't a big fish in any way. In reality even if I did go to a show I really wouldn't want to talk to a bunch of affiliate reps anyway. I mean really what can they do for me other than ask me to send traffic? If I went to a show, I'd want to talk to other webmasters not Reps to programs (sorry). Seems to me the topic is about webmasters not attending shows, so that's a catch 22 all over again. Personally I've toyed with the idea of trying to put something together for the local webmasters in Central Florida. I'd love to see a simple once a month get together to talk biz and share ideas, maybe in Orlando so it's centrally located. That's the kinda stuff I'm interested in, not glamor shows in Vegas.. yea would be fun but well, I think I already covered that. |
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you guys are all just anti-social
i have a blast at shows & meet tons of new people....close tons of deals free dinners/hookers/shooting range/helicopters/jet fighters......all on the companies comp cards why not fucking go? |
I've always preferred meeting and networking with the smaller webmasters. They could always do more for me and my sites than the larger companies would or could.
Carol xoxoxo |
Unless you're selling something, the only plus I can think of is being able to write off a vacation (or 50% of a vacation, whatever the tax rules are in your area). Otherwise, when I vacation I'm usually trying to get away from work related stuff.
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i just go to be the token darkie
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