$250 For Your Florida Internext Badge

[Madame0120]

This show will be catering to show attendees and affiliates... including gift baskets pretty much everyday to your hotel room, free food, cocktails and slew of really cool memorabilia (rafts, water bottles, beach towels etc).

Memorabilia?
We ALL love swag!
Who doesn't toss out 80% of it?

Free Booze? Open Bar?
Why? The cost of beverage alone at the late night parties could run a small country for a month - and hard for me to understand when being charged 250$ to work a show floor. Truthfully a nice dinner and a couple or 4 cocktails, someplace where I can talk above the noise would be delightful.

Gift Baskets to My Room?
Well .. I'll have to wait a few years while my business grows to afford 180$ for a standard room. Not that I don't WANT to stay at the host venue - it's so much better when you are looking to do serious business. But if I have to lay out 500$ for badges - it's the Days Inn again for us.

I really don't see how it is "catering to show attendees". If the event planners are targeting new webmasters and other smaller adult businesses, and price it out of reach for so many? But I trust there are many unseen expences for the host company that forces them to charge what they do.

LOL! I will admit I'll be werkin' hard to make as many of the shows as the budget allows and maybe go that extra mile sos I can upgrade my hotel choices. Cause no one can say they don't pick the most excellent facilities! Looks like the Fla event will be including many more ammenties for the attendees, even non-hotel guests. Sounds like a great direction, even if it is taking a big chance, changing the format.

Ah Well ... it's not my party - but I thought you wouldn't mind me voicing an opinion that may not be mine alone, but most likely, the minority.

[djdez]

We will be attending the show also but definately arent too keen about the price of the early bird badges. The daily baskets and beach towels are sponsored by the way....even the toilet paper!

LOL. i thought it was funny that the toilet paper was one of the first items picked up to be sponsored. Of course the breakfast, lunch, and memorabilia isn't the big draw. However, I was trying to point out allbeit a poor job of it, was to explain that this years format is one that is highly condusive to networking and getting business done and that show attendees are being catered to. I suppose I was hung up more on the tangible items when people were expressing concern about paying an additional $100.

For one - manning a booth is one of my least favorite activity - especially since at least 1/2 of the people I need to talk to are 4 booths down and 1/2 of the people coming to the booth are just trying to sell us shit we don't need. That means that the other 1/2 of the people I do want to talk to (our affiliates and perspective affiliates) are herded from one booth to the next and don't get to spend any quality time speaking to except for the parties where there is music blaring or an obnoxious drag queen on the mic.

I know I'm not the only one that feels this way and I welcome this change of format.

Just fyi - I am not a cheerleader of Internext and those who we talked to in person can attest that we're far from it. As with anything change is going to stir the pot from both sides. Again, I'm looking forward to seeing how this turns out.

[LiveTwinksCam]

*ouch* Luckily I live in FL so my other expenses are off set sense it is local! I look forward to meeting those that are attending there.

((hugs))

[Lee]

The daily baskets and beach towels are sponsored by the way....even the toilet paper!

Interesting so, strictly speaking, the $250 doesnt include the gift baskets, a sponsor has paid for those already? I presume the meals are also sponsored, if thats the case, the question begging to be asked is, why the hike in price especially if event sponsors are off-setting the gift baskets, meals etc etc? Things that make you go hmmm...

Regards,

Lee

[djdez]

Interesting so, strictly speaking, the $250 doesnt include the gift baskets, a sponsor has paid for those already? I presume the meals are also sponsored, if thats the case, the question begging to be asked is, why the hike in price especially if event sponsors are off-setting the gift baskets, meals etc etc? Things that make you go hmmm...

Regards,

Lee

Yes, the gift baskets are sponsored, but I don't believe the meals are. Perhaps aly can clarify. But I think the point here is that there is no price hike. $250 is the same price it has been for a while if you wanted a badge for both trade shows and seminars. If you wanted just a trade show badge in the past you could buy one for $150. Now there is only one badge - an all-inclusive badge for $250 - the same as previous years for an all inclusive.

Internext is not only a networking experience but also a time to learn new things. The workshops are very informative and you can learn a lot. Also, I can not tell you how many times we've made contact with people that we knew nothing about but ended doing business with because the raised a good question or made a very insightful comment during the panel discusion Q&A (and vice versa).

If your goal is to just attend the parties, pick up your free tshirts and other chotchka's at the booths and get and autograph from some big titty porn star or dare I say a photo-op with Ron Jeremy... yeah I can see not wanting to pay for the all-inclusive badge with seminar package. But if you're serious about the industry and serious about learning and hearing other people's perspectives outside of the nightly cocktail parties-- you need to be at those seminars/workshops.

[Aly_AVN]

These changes come as a response to feedback from webmasters. This year, Summer Internext is not a Convention; it's a Conference. The difference is that it is no longer all about booths and a trade show floor; it's now about networking and education.

In the past, all event costs and revenue were generated by the sale of booth space and attendee badges. This year, that model doesn't fit because participants have become more interested in throwing networking events and parties than exhibiting with a booth. The hotel has also been closed to the public to address the concern of non-industry people coming to the event for the wrong reasons. In order for Internext to still cover it's costs, sponsorship opportunities have changed, and all attendees are charged entrance to the event. I'm not actually convinced that this will make Internext more money than in the past. Really... no shit; because the costs to do it this way are much higher than in the past.

I don't have a full list of Internext costs to hand but, to name a few: the show has a huge contract with the hotel that includes lower room rates but makes the show liable for all rooms whether they're sold or not... this also includes fees for shutting hotel propreties off from the general public... the bars and restaurants and so on - it's kind of like a rental fee to rent an entire hotel; there's a seperate fee to rent the convention centre; there's a large insurance fee; temps are hired to run registration; a seperate company is hired to manage the online and on-site registration process; a decorator and labour are paid to deal with exhibits and signage etc; breakfast and lunch is included each day (which may be sponsored, but only in part because it's very steep); medics are paid to be on site incase of an emergency; there's a fee for setting up wireless coverage across the property; there's a strong marketing push, which costs money; there's also the overhead involved with running a trade show business... attorneys, salaries, health benefits, office space etc.

I guarantee I'm missing a lot, but there are indeed costs to do this sort of thing.

:juggle:

[Lee]

I guarantee I'm missing a lot, but there are indeed costs to do this sort of thing.

Aly, im not negating the fact that AVN has to make money from the show, far from it in fact, i just dont see from the partial list you posted above where the additional price increase is warranted. There is nothing on that list, save the wireless connection and meals (which are sponsored anyway) that we havent been told already happens at the AVN shows or that isnt already required by law when anyone holds a tradeshow, convention, conference.

Wasnt the hotel supposedly 'reserved' for only Internext attendees in Florida last year? That is certainly what attendees and sponsors were led to beleive.

A $20 a day charge for wireless doesnt justify a $100 raise in price to me.

If AVN came right out and said, 'look, we lost money at the previous shows and this is our way of recouping those losses for this show' it (the price increase) would be less of an issue in my eyes.

Instead we're being told that we are getting all of these 'free' things which, strictly speaking, arent free, somewhere along the line, a sponsor of Internext is paying AVN money to have their identity branded at the meals, on the toilet paper, at the parties, in addition to making attendees pay more for something that is being billed as 'part of the pass pricing' when, it obviously isnt.

Regards,

Lee

[basschick]

i'm a vegetarian, and i'm allergic to wheat - that means i can't eat normal bread or pasta. so i wouldn't find it a plus to pay this $250 for catering as i couldn't do my share of the eating.

besides, the swag bags are about sponsors. so are lots of things - they are picked up in the cost of the thing.

i think $250 is silly - i went to the NAMM show (the big music equipment retailer show) and it cost me nothing. tickets are like $100 or less and the show is incredible - and NAMM members can give away tickets that they get for like $25. and it's a HUGE three day show, and you get lots of fun stuff plus the parties and jam sessions and free shows.

[Madame0120]

If you wanted just a trade show badge in the past you could buy one for $150. Now there is only one badge - an all-inclusive badge for $250 - the same as previous years for an all inclusive.

Well I hope it works out for ya'll and the show changes and pricing are a success. 250$ a head is still high for any small 2 or 4 person business, but maybe some excellent food Service will make it worthy of such a big nut. I was pretty impressed with The Mission Palms' well excuted menu, and it was clear to see - how the cost per person can rise for the event planners. Man! Anyone ever seen those lil Break Stations before? So cool .. but, I digress.

Lets see for 4 out of state attendees

1,500 Travel
1,000 Badges
900 2- Day's Inn Discounted Standard Rooms -3 Days
250 Meals/tips not included at event site

Humm $ 3,650
Just for the basics

Well I best get to putting what I learned at the Phoenix Forum in foward, and start making `mo money.
:vanish:

[BDBionic]

I think it's a bit presumptuous for anyone to assume they have full knowledge and awareness of the costs AVN incurs and the numbers involved to the point they can make a definitive statement on whether or not $250 is justifiable or not.

I think that as attendees, we can decide whether the costs of attendance are justifiable to ourselves and our own businesses.

But to claim we have such intimate knowledge of Internext's finances, expenses, costs, income, etc to make sweeping statements about where their money goes and in what amounts is a bit much.

If you feel it's too expensive to attend, then don't attend. If you feel it costs too much to go to Internext and you don't get value out of it to justify that cost, then it's one of the many countless decisions you, as a business person, have to make on a daily basis concerning cost vs. return.

But dictating to Internext what their costs and expenses should be and then approaching the $250 fee issue after having taken it upon oneself to make assumptions that can't in any way be backed up with concrete #'s isn't entirely responsible.

[djdez]

I was pretty impressed with The Mission Palms' well excuted menu, and it was clear to see - how the cost per person can rise for the event planners. Man! Anyone ever seen those lil Break Stations before?

I agree - the pheonix forum is our favorite show every year and I have to say they really outdid themselves this year. Of course I loved the fact that they had my v8 stocked in the cooler at those break stations. perfect for those next day hangovers

[Aly_AVN]

Aly, im not negating the fact that AVN has to make money from the show, far from it in fact, i just dont see from the partial list you posted above where the additional price increase is warranted. There is nothing on that list, save the wireless connection and meals (which are sponsored anyway) that we havent been told already happens at the AVN shows or that isnt already required by law when anyone holds a tradeshow, convention, conference.

There are indeed much higher costs... and just to clarify, the wireless connection is not sponsored and the breakfasts and lunches are only partially so, if that (they're way too steep to sponsor entirely)

Wasnt the hotel supposedly 'reserved' for only Internext attendees in Florida last year? That is certainly what attendees and sponsors were led to beleive.

As a major sponsor of previous years, I can tell you I was not led to believe that at all, no. We did get all the rooms, but not the rest of the hotel, including all other public venues like the bars and restaurants etc ... Renting the entire resort is an entirely different kind of contract/ liability and a lot more expensive. The perceived benefit of doing this is that there are only industry people on the property, the event encompasses the whole place, instead of being focussed on the show floor... and of course, you can throw an event without having to get a booth.

A $20 a day charge for wireless doesnt justify a $100 raise in price to me.

Me neither. But an exclusive event with better networking opportunities, an advanced seminar program and free food does to me.

If AVN came right out and said, 'look, we lost money at the previous shows and this is our way of recouping those losses for this show' it (the price increase) would be less of an issue in my eyes.

Just to clarify, Internext and AVN are seperate business properties, so while one may be raking in the dough, that doesn't reflect on the other... Except for the fact that they are held together by perception; thus, if one is perceived badly, it does effect the perception of the other.

That said, Internext hasn't lost money at previous shows. They're not making ENOUGH in my opinion... But that's another debate that we can get into poolside with margaritas...

Instead we're being told that we are getting all of these 'free' things which, strictly speaking, arent free, somewhere along the line, a sponsor of Internext is paying AVN money to have their identity branded at the meals, on the toilet paper, at the parties, in addition to making attendees pay more for something that is being billed as 'part of the pass pricing' when, it obviously isnt.

Regards,

Lee

Don't go to the show because you're offered a free lunch. Go to the show because you either perceive a value in the business opportunities, or are willing to take a chance on that.

[Aly_AVN]

I agree - the pheonix forum is our favorite show every year and I have to say they really outdid themselves this year. Of course I loved the fact that they had my v8 stocked in the cooler at those break stations. perfect for those next day hangovers

I totally agree. They definitely out did themselves this year... GREAT show!

I loved the cash register-less 7-eleven, too!

[Harlan]

From when I was an independent webmaster with just myself to worry about to now at PrideBucks where we have a team to bring, attending any show is takes a bite out of your budget that must be planned for. Lets not forget all of perperation for any exhibiot and doing the sites updates etc in advance to keep things running while you are away. Like anything, it comes down to Return on Invesment.

There's always sticker shock when you see a $100 price hike on anything and believe me, I'm dying to fork it over however, from a purely financial perspective, even if you hoof or cab it to the local fast food eatery or order in pizza for your 3 squares, you are easily going to spend more then $100 on food during a show. If you are an exhibitor and tethered to a booth and have to rely on a hit and run at one of the hotel restaurants, you've porbably spent almost that much by lunch the first day. Regardless of whether or to what % the meals are being paid for by sponsors, having them included more then compenstates for the price hike as almost anyone would spend more providing their own meals.

Add to that, if you just attend the legal seminar, well an hour with our attournney....I wish that was just $100.

The value and the return on the investment is something every company has to weight for themselves. Frankly, just the chance to see my friends from the industry that I only have the opportunity to see at these shows is worth the $33.33/day increase to me.

One InterNext badge, $250, Three days with David, Joe, Rainey and all of our buds, priceless!

My 2 cents!

[Aly_AVN]

Thanks, Harlan! I can't wait to see you again! :love: