For years, the Targeted Traffic conference was known as the most expensive domain tradeshow by far, charging close to $2,000 for a ticket to the three day shows. The conference organizers said this was to make sure only serious domain investors attended, as basically nobody else could absorb the cost. Many people assumed they could get a better ROI by buying a $5,000 domain name rather than spending that much for travel and tickets, and others simply attended less expensive conferences.
This morning, Rick Latona announced a major price decrease, and the cost of the Vancouver Traffic conference is now $395 per ticket. Not only that, but Latona will refund all conference attendees who paid the regular price prior to today’s announcement.
I believe this is a smart step, and it couldn’t come soon enough. Oversee.net has been charging much less for their DomainFest conference with many more attendees, and people have made it a priority to go to DomainFest when they previously said that about Traffic. With Traffic and DomainFest conferences competing in back to back weeks in January, it simply made sense to go to the less expensive, more widely attended DomainFest conference, and the attendance gap was obvious this past January. Oversee.net has also started one day conferences at a cost of $175, so the new Traffic price is even more affordable over 3 days.
Traffic Vancouver is expected to be a huge show, with the Vancouver area teeming with domain investors and companies that work within the space. If this price change is carried through to future shows, it could make the Traffic conference much more competitive as it’s now more affordable for people who don’t necessarily make a full time living in the domain space, and those are the people who are usually on the fence about attending. Professional domain investors can frequently get major discounts or free passes depending on the amount of business they do with the organizer, so they are generally less price sensitive when it comes to the actual ticket prices.
Due to other travel, I won’t be able to make the Vancouver conference, but I hope the price is the same for the Hong Kong conference in November. If you’ve been on the fence about attending a Traffic conference, does this price decrease make it more likely that you’ll attend?
Elliot,
I’ve been on the fence about attending Vancouver, partly because of the price, but mostly because of the elitist attitude that surrounded the event. I distinctly remember former organizers defending the nearly $2k admission by telling domainers that if you can’t afford it, you were not important enough to be there.
That always seemed like such an selfish and short term attitude to take for an industry so early in its infancy. I know of no successful and sustained organization that does not take the time to cultivate the next “generation.” DomainFest has a much more inclusive atmosphere conducive to burgeoning domainers having educational conversations with successful domainers and, in the process, build relationships.
Before the defenders point to Test Track, I think it is a great idea.
However, the Test Track target market are entrepreneurs who are looking for Early Stage or Angel Investors, hence, they need money. These are primarily Bootstrappers who are watching every penny and the total cost of the event IS significant. I would suggest a few free tickets for those that qualify but cant afford it, just to encourage more entries from those with financial struggles. You never know what you’ll find.
No matter the motivation, lowering the price to $395 WAS a smart move and I, for one, immediately jumped on it. I am looking forward to the event and sharing best practices with industry leading domainers and up-and-comers, alike.
J. A. Lohmann
214.679.9673
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Even though I’m Canadian and the coming of TRAFFIC to Vancouver was very apealing… At $2000 price point, I may have prefered buying a name. Now at $400, I will be there.
Never will so many pay so little for so much.
Anytime someone makes a move like this its one of two things. The gig is up or the gig is up and it screams desperation.
I think it’s a good test.. balance cost vs. attendees. People partially blamed the high cost on LV’s poor attendance, and now it’s dirt cheap. I don’t think Traffic simply suffers from cost issues, but it’s one big deterrent.
Yeah I think their main advantage before was that they were the only conference to attend. Now that there are options, they have to be able to compete with everybody else. I think the problem that they will come across is their elitist attitude and image from the past scaring people away.