Are Trade Shows a thing of the past?

[MikeSouth]

There has been some good constructive ideas here, but one of the things I see lacking is how the show is marketed. The show organizers need to look at whom they are trying to attract and for what.

lets take adult expo because its the perfect example.

Used to be you had to have some sort of reason to be there. You had to at least ut up the facade that you were involved in the industry...even when a CES badge would get you in. They didn't advertise on the radio and late night TV to come see suzy sukskok at the Sahara Convention Center Fri afternoon where sumlameniggas will be rappin their latest attempt at music and imwithstupid.com will be giving away 1000 dollars cash to whoever can best imitate steve o

Sure there were tire kickers, lots of them but they at least had to bother to print up a business card that related them to the industry.

When AVN figured out they could make money by inviting the dumb masses to see suzy, sumlameniggas and "morans" all for the low low price of 50 bucks per person per day or whatever the focus of the show shifted....from a business show to a fan show.

What they failed to do was offset the exhibitors cost, now the exhibitor is there to entertain the fans, not to do business and the cost to provide that entertainment has gone WAY up and exhibitors are dropping out because there is no ROI on suzy, sumlameniggas and a moran.

The same thing has happened to the adult internet shows that have been taken over by porn valley.

I mean when you have Joanna Angel speaking on a panel to adult webmasters and she says her site gets "5 million hits a day" that should tell you something....This actually happened and the guy next to me says to me shit I didn't know she owns google.

The bottom line here is if you want the show to be industry focused market it that way and do some q c on your product.

I dont go to shows whose main focus is Suzy Sukskok will be at the fantasy island booth and sumlameniggas will perform at the party we are throwing on Saturday night which, btw, costs 100.00 per person to attend but we do give you a chair and a bottle of andre cold duck but only if there are at least 4 of you......

[gonzo]

[quote=MikeSouth;829718

I mean when you have Joanna Angel speaking on a panel to adult webmasters and she says her site gets "5 million hits a day" that should tell you something....This actually happened and the guy next to me says to me shit I didn't know she owns google.

.[/quote]
She also said not to do anything but constantly shoot content for 2 years too. And I still dont think she owns google.

We heard a lot of bullshit come off of that panel. Program owners that talk in 3rd person was the other example. Shit I didnt know The Rock was in porn.

Joanna is a smart and articulate woman. She does know how to market to her fans but I dont think she knew how a typical person gets into this business without the backing of the west coast. There were a lot of new girls starting out in that biz in that room in Tampa and they asked a lot of questions outside of the seminar to diffuse a lot of misinformation on that panel. She should have kept KevinG on staff to help her out. But who am I to say anything to her as she is doing quite well. Point is that I dont think this was the best use of her as a show draw.

I still contend and tell Jay this constantly that the Tampa show was the best Cybernet Expo Ive ever been to. And Ive been to most of them in the past even when I was dog assed broke and staying 15 miles offsite to be able to attend.