Tradeshows - Then vs. Now
 

It's obvious that our industry is "shrinking" in size as bigger programs buy up the smaller ones, while others close up shop and move on.

I haven't been to much since 2008, the last show I went to was in 2009 in Vegas and that was fairly small compared to ones back in the early 2000's.

Just curious to those who attend, I'm guessing the "webmaster" crowd has died down, so these are now geared more towards "B2B" type events and seminars? Which in reality, is probably what you want to spend your time doing is growing your program and network of sites while partnering with cams, billing companies, etc., rather than meeting with webmasters and working deals for a 60% rev share :1orglaugh

Is there any room for webmasters/affiliates anymore in these shows?

These shows went into quick decline soon after the first one in Orlando in 97. CEN, Maxcash, CE and all the big companies realized quickly that there was no return on a big presence and big spend on sucking off people who will never be loyal partners

Tradeshows are still well attended and useful even though they are smaller than 15 years ago. There are many more people in the biz now but fewer per capita attend the shows.

its 98% employees now that make $30k a year. I never used the term "independent" so many fucking times this past phoenix forum

That show was small. I remember two years, I think it was 2009 and 2010 it was scary as to who would be left. The Vegas show was a ghost town compared to the days of old. However, I would say the past few years we have seen a rebound to some degree in attendance. No, not back to the "good ole days" but up from previous years.

Phoenix Forum has always been strong; It's a good show. Vegas has gotten so much smaller.

I am going to TES in a few weeks; I am wondering what that will be like.

You really can't expect to make a return from a trade show at a trade show. Rather, that is how you start building your brand and awareness

Yeah it was and I didn't like when it was in the Palms, personally I think that's what killed it for a lot of people after that. A few people I talked to said they weren't going back because it was to expensive or out of the way compared to the strip.

First year I went was 2004, had an AWESOME time and couldn't wait to go back... actually had pretty bad depression when I came home after that :1orglaugh:1orglaugh

There is still plenty of business to be had at shows. If your comparing to the old days you'll always be disappointed. I've found that the people attending shows in the past few years post recession are more serious and the herd has been culled of alot of the people "looking to get into adult" that never end up doing anything. And yes there are still webmasters at shows - just alot less of them. For me Phoenix, Vegas and Amsterdam are the only "Must attend" shows - no disrespect to the others. (I've heard Quebec is very good but never attended).

...I also like the Miami show.

It's the only east coast show, and there are some people who you only see at that particular show. Whether they are local to Florida or they just prefer that show for whatever reason and you rarely to never see them at any of the others.

Haven't been yet - I may try next year. I miss the Diplomat, that was a blast putting on that show.

I didn't even finish reading your post. Internext 2004 vs 2005 shrunk by 50%. The year later TMM had this big glass booth center floor which would have done better shielding the Irish from UV rays. Trade shows are done. If I want to bring people in I fly them in & we have 1 on 1's. Plus I don't have 2 Santa Clauses in my face with fuckin cameras.
Seems the EU shows are better for business for sure.
Ds

Vegas is a shit hole. That's why
Ds

The shows are just as popular as ever. The problem is that there are just too many shows. I don't know about you but I'm pretty tired after a show and the thought of venturing to a new one only a few weeks after another just ended isn't too interesting to me.

I totally disagree with you. I've lived in quite a few places.
And Vegas is one of the most beautiful towns I've ever lived in. And definitely the most fun.

Gotta agree with you there.

Some of the people I see going to a show every month blows my mind.

When the hell do they ever actually WORK. :1orglaugh

It's just a lot less cowboys and a lot more actual business.

:thumbsup

dude, you must have lived in shitty areas if you think it's one of the most beautiful.

Yeah, real shitty,

Let's see... Ft. Lauderdale (right on the beach), Miami (the Kendall area), Myrtle Beach S.C. (also right on the beach), Atlanta GA, Orlando FL, Columbia SC, Greenville SC, and now Las Vegas.

And since you don't live here and probably don't have a clue about anything but the strip (if you've even been there)...I could educate you real quickly about how beautiful the valley is here in Vegas.

Blue skies, palm trees, gorgeous mountains. And since the humidity is low most of the time...the air is clear and you can really see the blue sky and the stars at night.

And then when you drive into the strip (and since it's a relatively new city the streets are well laid out and it's only a 15 minute drive from most anywhere here to the strip) you get to see some of the coolest architecture in the world.

There's no place like Vegas. And the people who think it's "shitty" are the ones who just don't know the town.

I dunno. It's just so trite & culture less.
ds

Yes true. Done are the days of drunk morons handing out cards.
I mean that still exists but they are the fucking idiots.
ds

Las Vegas is unique, beautiful and apparently has a thriving pawn shop scene. :D

Vegas vs. LA:
Who has more silicone per square mile?

That would be according to what you are interested in.

To me...it's kinda gotten TOO corporate and too "nice". I wish it was more like it was when Frank Sinatra and The Rat Pack were playing the town.
I would have loved to had dinner and drinks while I sat and smoked a big cigar watching Frank Sinatra onstage.

I'm not really into the big nightclub "DJ" bullshit that all the clubs on the corporate strip do.

I'm more of an old school Fremont St. kinda person.

And for culture...if you really want to see plays and artsy fartsy things...that is happening big time here now with the new Smith Center here: http://www.thesmithcenter.com/

And of course there is the downtown "Art District".

But for me...this town is the entertainment capital of the world. Every major concert, play, musical, etc. happens right here. And sometimes several of them at the same time. Plus main event boxing matches and UFC fights as well. :)

Even when I lived in Miami and Atlanta it was not even close to having the entertainment choices that Vegas has on any given night.

Now wait a damn minute...I haven't had a business card in 5 years! :mad:

It will always be faux to me. Gaudy, trying too hard to be significant. That's just my opinion. I'd rather have 2000 sq ft in manhattan than 10,000 in Vegas.
Just my opinion though
Ds

Lol me too. I got some nice ones now though. Gf hooked me with letter pressed ones
Duke

This is very true. I remember when there two main shows. One in the summer and one in the winter. When a couple more got added people were wondering if people had time enough to go to 3-4 shows per year. Now you could almost make going to shows a full time job.

Incorrect. A bunch of fools when the buzz of Internet porn was big got into the business of shows. Now there aren't enough cash programs, let alone affiliates to throw any kind of show to write home about. Today, assemble 10 people in a conference room & you'll get so much more done. But maybe that 's a little too "Stringer Bell" for most.
Ds

The last show I went to was 2002 in Vegas. I had a blast. Drank a ton of free drinks, went to some parties and met some cool people. I was able to do some business, mostly meeting different site owners and arranging link trades etc, but for me it wasn't all that great aside from the parties. Like you say, get a small group in a room together and you can do more.

I guess what I meant was, at the height of the business of the shows if you worked for a hosting company or ran an affiliate program you could spend a lot of time just going to show after show after show. I doubt they would bring in enough new business to pay for themselves, but you could do it if you want.

Love The Wire reference by the way.

The traditional show floors with companies that spent money building booths and such offend me. A company is better off boosting my payouts than blowing money on fluff to attract nobody.

I think the best thing the shows did was get rid of the show floors and focus on networking events :2 cents:

Coolest architecture in the world ?????

:1orglaugh:1orglaugh:1orglaugh

they got a pyramid, an eifel tower and so much more, where else do you see that huh!!

;))

Hi bossku69,

We constantly give away 27-28% of our entrance passes to affiliates (and 72-73% to "corporate attendees and sponsors"). I do not know if that is good, bad or indifferent in your eyes, but I would say it is as good as it gets nowadays. That accounts to about 200 affiliates/webmasters being present at any one of our conferences. As those affiliates keep on coming back since 2009, and their number is still growing, they must find something at our shows. So I guess, the answer to your question has to be: Yes, there is still room for webmasters/affiliates at (some) shows.

Kindest regards,
Andreas

I do like the old themed buildings...but I was actually talking about some of the unique architecture in town done by some of the world's leading designers.

What's wrong with some of you guys?
Y'all obviously don't know anything about this town.

It would be like me ignoring all of Amsterdamn and just judging it by the Red Light District and forgetting the beauty of the actual city where people live.

Yes, either that, or we have different interpretations of 'culture' and 'great architecture'.

I've been going to 5 or 6 shows a year for 13 years and I think they are better now than ever!

a lot less glitz and glamour, but a lot more business to be done, less drama, more brains.

I think I accomplished more at shows in the last two years than I did in the first 10.

there is definitely way to many shows though.

I didn't even know there were 5 or 6 shows back in 2000 (13 years ago).

I wouldn't say that the shows are better now than ever before...back in the late 1990's we used to actually MAKE money right on the show floor (selling content) that paid for the whole show for us and made a big profit before we even went back home. (not to mention all the business we had for the rest of the year from the people we met at the show...literally thousands of webmasters back then)

That doesn't happen today (I'm talking cash in hand).

But I can say that the last 2 Internext shows have made a big comeback. The thing was almost dead.

But AVN has really stepped up the last 2 years in a big way and put on what I think are the best shows possible in 2013. And the attendance has reflected that upswing.

Any of you who haven't been to Internext in the last few years might want to consider checking it out this year. :)

Thanks :thumbsup

Many years ago, it seemed there was a number of events/seminars geared towards affiliates/webmasters, versus now they appear to be catered to programs -- which is the target audience, I get it.

I know a few people have thrown around the idea of having a "webmaster conference" but in 2013, who would really attend? They have similar in mainstream, but more or less it's just a branding/tax expense party for the bigger companies.

Could that be why the affiliate game has dropped? Not likely, but it may help bring it back up a bit, especially teaching those how to maximize traffic and revenue through tube sites, cams, etc.

Don't forget the real ceasers palace!!

that doesn't just suck for you :1orglaugh

For us, a web agency, the shows are great opportunity to meet with existing client and find new one. It give us the possibility to present our services and explain why we are good at it, in a face to face conversation.

We are a b2b services agency and we are mostly doing business with sponsors and major affiliates.

We will be still attending shows in 10 years :thumbsup