Boys First Time Getting It!!!

The Toronto Webmaster Access East is going great.

I was watching two guys new to the online business. Their site is only a few months old and they didn't know anybody other than me and Dzinerbear, and they only knew us from this board. This was their first conference.
I made a few introductions for them to get them a running start. They went to the parties last night and tonight. During the parties and the cocktail parties, and going out to dinner with new contacts, they

1. Met with a very large website that wants to get their content on the big site
2. Found a source of seed money for their next project
3. Met with a billing company that will get them into their system and reduce processing costs
4. Met with reps from publications that want to run a story in their pubs
5. Met with a content producer that is interested in getting new content from them
6. Made contacts to trade traffic

I think they did great for newbies!!!! This is what conferences are all about. They do cost money to attend and there are parties going on almost non-stop, but an INCREDIBLE amount of business gets done if you have the right attitude, can meet people and talk business.

The value of going to conferences just cannot be measured. They will get name recognition at their next conference and make even more deals. This is not a business model that was intentionally created, but it seems to be the best way to do business in this business. If you never go to a conference, you are missing out on a LOT of opportuinty. There is no other way to do so much, meet so many people, build trust, do so much networking, and build a business than ante up and get to a show.

Sounds like a great time. I used to not put much stock in going to shows, but I can see more and more all the time why it is so important.

I think my first show is going to be in September in Amsterdam, and really looking forward to it. My business partner has been to shows before and told me about the value of them as well. Really looking forward the the Gay Forum in Phoenix in October as well.

I have put off getting into the show/forum circuit for far too long. I guess I was fortunate to have been around so long and had so many contacts. But I can really see where newbies and oldies alike can benefit, especially when they are real forums and not just drunken porn fests.

Is there a comprehensive listing of ALL world wide such conferences with dates etc for the next 12 months or so ?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by peterf

Is there a comprehensive listing of ALL world wide such conferences with dates etc for the next 12 months or so ?

---

---> FUBAR Webmaster Adventures

Thanks for that Paco - and what would be the BEST gay recommended ones ?

my pleasure, peterf.

Regarding which is the BEST gay: sorry, but I've only been to a few of the hiphop (mainstream) ones.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by peterf

Thanks for that Paco - and what would be the BEST gay recommended ones ?

---

The Gay Phoenix Forum in October should be a good event for gay webmasters. Most of the biggest gay programs have already committed and CC Bill does a great job putting on a show. So, good show and all the major players would make that a show you should not miss.

The key to making any show a success is being as outgoing and assertive as possible. I've seen webmasters go to a show, walk around, never talk to anyone unless they know them already and then complain the show wasn't worth spending the money on.

You must have an extroverted personality to make the right connections and network, network, network. I think people become frozen when they have to meet new people face-to-face because they sit for weeks on end in their bedrooms typing on a computer. That's the limit of their social skills.

I had the same problem a few years ago. Then I realized that the more people I talked to, the more connections I started making. "Oh he knows her and she knows him. Let's go get dinner and make it happen!"

Six degrees of separation becomes one degree. :kitten:

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by dwaynered

The key to making any show a success is being as outgoing and assertive as possible. I've seen webmasters go to a show, walk around, never talk to anyone unless they know them already and then complain the show wasn't worth spending the money on.

You must have an extroverted personality to make the right connections and network, network, network. I think people become frozen when they have to meet new people face-to-face because they sit for weeks on end in their bedrooms typing on a computer. That's the limit of their social skills.

I had the same problem a few years ago. Then I realized that the more people I talked to, the more connections I started making. "Oh he knows her and she knows him. Let's go get dinner and make it happen!"

Six degrees of separation becomes one degree. :kitten:

---

I agree. Netoworking is a fact of life in this industry.



However, at shows there is one big no-no : Don't lose control.

There is free-flowing booze, drugs, and plenty of opportunities to make an ass of yourself. I was at a conference in San Diego sitting outside with about 18 people and met one guy who was there for his first conference falling down drunk. I have never seen him again--his drunken antics did not impress anybody.A few complimentary cocktails are fine but a sloppy drunk does not make a good first impression, and a sloppy drunk first impression is hard to shake.

Also, there is definitely a heavy sexual tone to conferences, but newbies should not act like a starving child in a free candy store. A certain amount of flirtaciousness is fine but if I have just met you, do not try to put your hand down my pants or rub your cock on me. Even pornographers have boundaries, and until you know where those boundaries are do not expect that I will appreciate having you grope me while assaulting me with heavily liquored breath.

This business is increasingly becoming professional. The first show is like coming to a frat house for the first time--be on good behaviour and act like a professional that other people would be interested in doing business with. The best businessmen and women never lose control, they go to the parties, they are always looking for business opportunities and they practice moderation. There is enough competition out there that anyone who acts like an ass shouldn't expect business to beat down their door anytime soon.

I totally echo Chad's comments... it feels like there are two classes of people who go to these shows

-- the ones who sit 360 days a year in front of their computer, and look at it as an opportunity to party hearty and go crazy with people in the industry

-- the ones who are hard working businesspeople looking to make new connections.

AJ and I are pretty much on our game the whole time we're at the shows. We're running from meeting to meeting, and with the time in between, we're going up to just about every person we haven't met to see what sort of opportunities there might be to work together, sharing information with people we already know, and furthering existing relationships. And even without the all-night partying and drunkenness, we're pretty exhausted by the 2nd day of the show, and totally ready to go home by the 3rd day :)

This isn't to say that going to have a great time is a bad thing by any means... I love hanging out with people in the industry and watching the various antics that go on and so forth... just that if you figure out in advance what your goals are, you'll have a much easier time staying on track.

hi Chad & Dwayne,

thanks for the posting. I am in my first year of business and just about every day is a new learning experience. Everytime I pass over one hurdle that seemed hard the next one is different & a little harder.
I will be a merchant at the Erotic Expo in La June 23-25 and I'm really looking forward to using it as a springboard to accelerate my company. Even though the bulk of the crowd will be straight that may be good for me being gay and in the minority.
I've taken some advise from 'the whack & madame0120' about making my booth stand out. My friend & I are going to do a dry run next week to see how it will look before we get there. I have a lot of cool stuff that will make it stand out.
It along with the give aways, etc have cost me a bit but like boyfunk said sitting in front of my compter won't get anything accomplished.
This message board has been a great source of infomation & assistance for me, thanks again!!!