InterNext - Is it worth the effort?
 

Hi!

As a webmaster from Central Europe I am asking myself if that InterNext expo in Florida is really worth the long travel time, the jet lag, the money ...

I am pretty sure it's too much effort for a few parties ... which -- as a nobody in the industry -- I probably wouldn't get invites for anyway.

Am I wrong?

Yep ... Conventions are a giant waste of time and money ...
Your better off at home watching your stats, and watching dust gather on the top of your monitor ....

:Graucho

It's worth it. I am flying in from Vancouver for it...

I am moving to Vancouver and then flying out to Miami 3 days after I move. I honestly believe you cannot afford to miss these conferences...

DH

Too bad, I wanted to meet you. But Vegas is MUCH better anyway. But you can get better face time at the smaller shows.

From Europe?

I would say wait until January if you want to go to the 'biggest' show. However, if all you are looking to do is make a nice list of quality connections this might be the show to do it. Don't get me wrong, this will be a big show, but I have a feeling that some of the avenues here will be condusive to business. The January show is a lot of 'spectacle' and just overwhelming with people. I guess maybe you should ask yourself what your goals and budget are...

Brad

P.S. - Good honest people, especially if they are charismatic, almost always get invited to the parties regardless of their company size... besides, with most stuff everyone is invited! :winkwink:

so that's why I never get invited anywhere.....

:thumbsup
You know: most of those party announcements are marked "private", "exclusive" or "elite only" ... that's why I am wondering ...

Nahh... don't believe the hype :)

All you need is one good friend to introduce you to everybody!

By the way: I made hotel & flight reservation for g/f & myself some 6 weeks ago ... I am just not sure anymore if it's a good investment.

No.
Wait for the January show.
The Summer shows are always smaller, and with it being in Florida rather in Vegas this summer Id wait for January's show.

For those in Europe especially, the Winter show is more popular than the Summer show which is traditonally smaller.

If its gunna be problematic, wait for the bigger one.

Besides it is looking towards boneprone not making this one.
So why would you go?

jennycards,

That is a long trip. As an exhibitor and usual speaker I think the shows are very valuable. From a webmaster standpoint, they are what you make it. You can come to network and do business or come to party. A liitle of both is fine too...

Since you are maiking such a long trip, I will reserve you a pass to our private Xmix yacht party. Email me: [email protected] by next week and I will hold it for you.

Thank you, Mitch

I was just at the beach yesterday in St. Augustine -- the water was perfect!

What I did for my first show was -- I sent an ICQ to everyone on my contact list w/ my cell # to see if they were going to the show -- and I tried to exchange phone #'s w/ everyone before I left -- then when I got to the show I had a few key people to hang out with from the very beginning and then from there you get introduced to their friends, and on and on...

If there's nobody on your ICQ list that's going that you really want to meet in person -- honestly I'd say you're probably better off working on getting ICQ contacts and making some connections like that. You can really get to know people pretty well on ICQ... but I'd lie if I said I didn't make some new friends w/ people I never talked to on ICQ... With some drinks in ya -- you may soon be friends with everyone in your path... It just helps if you can remember what happened afterwards! LOL...

Yes they are worth it no matter big or small. It's a tax write off
it's fun, it's a minibreak, you get to meet people and the parties
are fun....usually private or VIP doesn't mean private or VIP
unless they consider everybody private/VIP

The shows aren't that big....don't be fooled even the Vegas show
gets smaller every year. Some content guys, the big affil programs
and that's about it. They seem to get smaller every year but it's
not the booths you are coming for it's the people.

I never spend more than 2 to 3 hours per day on the show floor
myself. The rest of the day I'm out talking to people and that's
what makes it worth.

Shit man I always have a killer flight since I moved down to Spain.
First to London stay overnight then to miami. Vegas took me 26
hours to get there and 24 to get back but it was still worth meeting
the people.

And I have never ever lost 1 dollar by going to the conventions.
One way or another I always make money out of it and even if I
wouldn't the people you get to know will give you the value for
money.

Don't worry go and enjoy!

DynaMite:thumbsup

I finally decide not to go because I simply have too much work on my desk.
Nevertheless: g/f & myself will prepare cum to Las Vegas in winter.

Thank you all for posting your thoughts.

good advise.

its quite simply one of the best TAX WRITEOFFS you can offer yourself!! Fun and sun with some of the biggest names in the adult game..

Lens is correct on this.
If I had a choice on hitting the two big shows ( Vegas and Miami ) or hitting the smaller ones ( WCW, AWE's, Montreal , Phoenix , etc .) ... id hit all the smaller ones.Better quality time for networking, I think.

I dunno but the hotel sold out... I would think that is a good sign...

In fact I still have my hotel room reserved so if anyone needs that room and knows how to transfer the reservetion just contact me on: os at jennycards.com

Not to change the subject... ok to change the subject. There is some good info in this thread but I was wondering if there are any shows in Atlanta... It's close for me and being new and still working towards my first million it would be nice not to have the expense of having to fly to Vegas of drive the 12 hours to Miami

It is. You make great contacts. The best one is in Vegas coming Jan 2003.

Conventions are the best way to network in this business.

I remember my first show in Vegas two years ago. I had to kiss ass to get invites to parties that other nobodies went to. Two years of networking at the shows have changed everything for us, and we've become a major sponsor at most of the shows. It doesn't matter how large of the show; Even the small ones.... You never know you might meet and how important these some of these contacts might be....... We attend almost all of the shows; Lightspeed & Tanker are exhausted from all of the places they've been to in the past year.

I'd say go.....