Is There Any Reason For Me To Attend A Show?
 

Is there any reason for me, an affiliate, to attend one of the many industry shows?

Yes.

People often underestimate the power of having friends. Friends share information. Strangers don't. Information is worth every penny you would spend attending a show.

Yes,to get drunk.

Yes. BRO drinks are served.

:2 cents:

:thumbsup

And theyre hosted in warm fun cities typically. Vegas/Miami/Tempe/L.A etc

Make it your vacation also. Everybody needs to have some fun once in a while

I also like to go because i find it important to interact with other people that do what I do, i find it gets me thinking about ideas and some other options i have and motivated to make more money and expand. Being in vancouver, there isnt exactly many people I can talk to about what I do

Talking online with somebody you haven't met face to face just isn't the same. Plus the people at shows are alot more upbeat than the general population on these boards ;)

Maybe after leaving a show, being an affiliate isn't all you want to do with your time

I would say if you haven't been to one it is worth going to 1 or 2 as an affiliate. you will meet people and you should have a good time. Some of the contacts you make can either make you money or save you money (on things like hosting and design work etc). Some programs will go the extra mile to help you make money if they have met you face to face. Also other site owners might then want to work with you on link trades, projects etc.

That said, it seems like the value of the shows has dropped a lot recently. I haven't been to one since about 2003 and I always hear how they are smaller, less parties, less people etc so the value of returning to them unless you have something to market might be diminishing.

It depends if you are a friendly, outgoing person. If you are introverted or shy, you will likely wish you stayed at home. You should also be prepared to drink booze ;)

Shows are always good - changes the dynamic. Someone you email or talk to on the phone is one thing, but meeting them in person is another.

For the love of god why do people hold shows during the summer in towns where it's hotter than hell? There's a reason why CES is in Vegas in January and not July.

I prefer Vegas in July over January.

No pool action and its cold as fuck at night in January.

Depends which show, how much it will cost to stay, get there and get in, can you spare the time and what you have to offer to the people there.

No one fit all answer.

i would have never made it in this biz without visiting shows

Thanks you all, lots of valuable information. I believe I'll attend at least one this summer/year. I'll look for a show with affiliate seminars as that would likely be the one of most value.

Agreed.
Ability to share information is the thing that made us, humans, able to rule this planet and be above of all animals. Sharing information allows you to learn new things from others experience.

Take for an example education of mathematics today: to learn how Fourier transformations works, you need just to buy a book about mathematical analysis, read about the topic and sooner or later you will gain the knowledge you needed.
You can learn such a advanced thing in short period of time, because somebody shared information via book. Try to learn such a thing by doing own research - imagine, how much time it would take.
In developed countries, today most of 15yo kids know how to use a Pythagorean theorem. Hundreds years ago such a knowledge was reserved only for mathematicians.
It's all thanks to sharing information. You don't have to do today your own research, because people did this in the past and today you can get their knowledge through books - one of the most popular way to share information.

Sharing information is not just only learning from the others experience. It's also a way to make things better and more effectively. This time, take for an example a bees. Everyday, hundreds of bees are leaving their beehives to find flowers, fruits, etc. For one bee, such a searching would take lot of time. But hundreds of bees are improving search hundred times. When a bee found a source of food, it is returning to beehive and sharing information (as a curiosity: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bee_dance).
Sharing information is allowing them to produce the honey in very effective way.
Also, as Sly said: Friends share information. Strangers don't.
A bee which found the source of food is returning with the information to it's own beehive - not to other bees outside it own beehive.

Also, having friends have another important benefit: you can know people which can do things that you cannot
Remind the example about hundreds years of experiences which are written to books.
People can learn new things... but they cannot learn everything - simply life is just too short to learn thousands years of documented human experience.
Let's say, you want to build a house. You know how to assemble bricks together, but you don't know how to make electricity installation, sewerage system and other important things.
If you don't know people with such a knowledge, your dream about building the house will never become a reality.
Having friends, having connections allows you to do things that you cannot do alone.


Attending a show allows to gain new connections, met new friends. Friends, which can share information with you and help you with your business.
If you have such a opportunity to attend a show - use it.

I have another example. It's Apple company.
Steve Jobs without knowing Steve Wozniak would never make such a success. It's about having friends and connections.

It's definitely something you need to experience even if it is just the one time.

can i vomit in a show, if i drink too much booze ?

you have something to sell...
As an affiliate, it would cost me money...

Absolutely the benefits can abound, apply dilligence to your daily routine and choices. While attendance figures aren't what they were in 2003 all of the group is MUCH more qualified and there is a lot of business to be done, education to have and relationships to gain. The relationship value can be huge if you make the most of it.

Brad

:pimp:pimp

Speaking about content producers,makes me wonder how some other CZ content producers make any money yet you dont see them either on boards nor on shows.

It would definitely be interesting to see how people act away from GFY. That alone is plenty of temptation to attend a show.

the phoenix forum is a great show for your first

Been to vegas a few times now and its only been to shows.. One day Ill need to visit in the summer to actually see some pool action!

Just my opinion, as an affiliate webmaster that's been at this for some time...

I attended 1 or 2 shows a year up through 2010. It's pretty tough to justify the expense unless you can combine the trip with a vacation, visiting family, etc. Where shows used to be focused on putting affiliates together with sponsors, that's not really the case any more. These days it's more about putting programs, billing, traffic, together with each other. Affiliates are a secondary priority. That may vary somewhat from one show to another, and I can't speak at all for European shows, but if you're expecting to meet dozens of affiliate reps and other affiliates you'll likely be very disappointed.

That said, I do agree that it's worth attending a show at least once. Do your homework before arriving, know what sponsors will be attending and have a list of which ones you want to meet. Maybe even contact them in advance and exchange contact info.

Never been on any show before :(

many shows give you free passes nowadays when you are an affiliate - but yeah, you might need to pay for the trip and the hotel.

but you have a business too and sometimes you need to invest. and only one person you meet at a show can make everything worthwhile already - simply by giving you an idea when chatting at the bar or something like that.

and like Sly said: dont underestimate the value of knowing people personally. you will also see what they write here in a completely different light.

It's important to shake some hands and let people see that you are not some cave dwelling 400 pound marshmallow cat lady with halitosis. (unless you are)

You will find that often in the online world, people you've met face to face will go out of their way for you online for no special reason other than that you've met.

Also if you ever want to move up the food chain from affiliate, this is where you are going to meet the contacts you need.

That is the attitude of a hobbyist. Switch to the attitude of a businessman. Everyone in business spends money to make money.

If you are in Europe I'll suggest The European Summit in Prague if you are in the US I'll would choose The Phoenix Forum.
You will be able to meet programs that you have never hear about on GFY and meeting people talking to them maybe you can strike a deal with better payouts.

If you choose a local show airfare is cheap booked in advance, stay at a cheap hotel near the show hotel.
If you go super low budget it can be done for $1200/?1000 for 3 nights in a hotel, air are and food/drink.

I would suggest trying it once do it on a budget and see if you make connections that will make you more in the long run. It can be done cheap and if you can not afford 1-2K to try it out then it really is better to stay away because you will not benefit from attending.

Yeah, its certainly worth going to at least one, to try it...

Summed up nicely.

A businessman tries to make at least one new deal while at a conference, which easily covers the cost. It costs what? $750-1500.00 to go to a show? It doesn't take much to cover that in a single new relationship, deal, partnership, etc..

A businessman understands this logic.

So tell us all what kind of deal is going to net an affiliate webmaster $750 to $1500? Something he/she isn't likely to find without attending a show.

So far the vast majority of replies in this thread have been by people that aren't strictly affiliate webmasters.

Shows can be powerful things, if you conduct yourself properly.

Then it shouldn't be that difficult to give an example.

I certainly make more that $1500/yr from numerous sponsors, but I can't say I've ever met any one of them at a show, nor can I say I've ever had a single contact from attending a show net me anywhere close to that much within the next year.

An affiliate webmaster isn't generally going to be able to justify the cost of attending a show strictly on a deals made basis. There is value to some of the other intangibles that have been mentioned, but those are difficult to put into a balance sheet.

i agree with him.
The point when you are an affiliate is to make money, not to promote cool friends.
And you have to test to know what works...

I've met people at shows that have dramatically changed my life. In some cases it took months and even years for this to happen, but it did.

If you go as an affiliate, you'll be one of 5 that gets beaten up for your 10 sales a month.

You will also hear, I'll pay you more, etc 5000 times from every program.

Real Affiliates don't attend shows anymore.

on a personal or an a business level? :winkwink: