Although networking with other domain investors is high up on the list of reasons to attend a domain conference, in my opinion, there is one primary reason. Attending a domain conference gives you the opportunity to meet your sales representatives and managers for the companies with whom you do your domain business.
Whether your business primarily relies on domain investing, parking, or other monetization, you can meet the people who can help you when you are in need.
For my domain registrations, I primarily register my names with Moniker. No matter who is running the conference or where it is, I almost always see my account manager Bari Meyerson at the shows. Monte Cahn is frequently there as are other Moniker representatives, but it’s always good to connect with Bari. I also register some names with Godaddy, and my representative, Brad Larson is frequently in attendance.
The same thing goes for domain parking, although you already know by now that I don’t rely on parking for much revenue (under $1,000 per year). However, just about all of the companies are there and have company representatives available to answer questions and address complaints.
I know that if I ever have a problem, I am comfortable calling or emailing Bari and Brad day or night, and I know my issue will be addressed almost immediately. When you establish a personal relationship with the services companies with whom you do business, you are more easily able to reach your sales managers in times of need.
In addition, if your business relies on advertising from companies who exhibit and attend domain tradeshows, this is an opportunity to tell them about your website. If you own DomainInvesting.com and plan to develop a website on it, your best bet is to connect with the right people at the domain show to let them know about your plans and advertising opportunities.
Likewise, attending an industry tradeshow can also be smart when you are developing other domain names in different verticals. Most tradeshows offer free exhibit hall passes, allowing you to meet with vendors who may want to advertise on your website. This is a topic for another post.
Upcoming domain conferences where most domain companies will be in attendance include:
- Targeted TRAFFIC – January 21-23 in Las Vegas, Nevada
- DomainFest – January 26-28 in Santa Monica, California
- Domainer Mardi Gras – February 11-13 in New Orleans, Louisiana
You attending all three shows Elliot? I am 🙂
@ Patrick
I will be at DMG. My wife’s sister is due with her first born the first week in February, so I will probably be in Atlanta with them in late January. I am planning to attend several other conferences later on in the year though.
Making my decision this week on which conf to attend. I’m looking forward to meeting lots of people and exchanging ideas. Happy New Years.
Excellent points Elliot! I’ll be at all three – looking forward to meeting you in New Orleans!
Aww…Thanks for the shout out Elliot! It’s been a pleasure working with you the past few years and I look forward to a kick a$$ 2010!
Happy New Year!
~Bari
xo
Good point there.
Would love to attend conferences, but living in Asia makes it a bit difficult (and expensive).
Another domain conference:
Thursday 25 and Friday, February 26, 2010 – Punta del Este, Uruguay
2nd International Domainers Meeting Punta del Este
“Everything you ever wanted to know about domains but you ware Afraid to Ask”
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I’m sorry, but I don’t feel comfortable attending events where the featured entertainment involves a woman wearing a bunny tail and an old lech in a robe.
If the big boys want female domainers to join the club, then it might be a good idea to think up some entertainment and charity events that are suitable for both men and women.
Otherwise, domaining conferences will always remain the good old boys’ club, and I do mean BOYS!
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Elliot,
You are right about meeting people who you are doing business with online in person. Putting faces with e-mail is important and that is one of the major reasons why I attend conferences.
However, it would be nice that there would be a sponsor driven conference where attendence is free like they did at the last affiliate conference in LA where we can attract many new people.
Thanks, Jim
@ Ms Domainer
I’m not a woman, so I can’t exactly commiserate, but I would probably be uncomfortable if it was reversed and the party was at a place that’s notorious for the amount of clothesless dudes.
Traffic Las Vegas and Domain Roundtable don’t have this venue, so are you going to either of these conferences?
This comment is broad and not directed specifically at you, but from what I see on forums and other venues is that the people who complain about the tradeshows are those who wouldn’t attend anyway – whether its because of the cost, time, or location. The hosts cater to the 95% majority of the audience, which still happens to be men for some reason. I do know of a few successful lady domainers though – and most will probably be at one or more conference(s).
Incidentally, I was at the Playboy Mansion last year, and aside from 4 hostesses in what amounted to bathing suits and bunny ears, the crowd was not unlike anything I’ve seen at any NYC nightclub.
I also know of several ladies who attended and were not offended.
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Elliot,
I would never want to attend ANY professional event that demeans either gender or any ethnic group. That is not entertainment, but simply tawdry behavior that has a whiff of stink about it. What people do at conferences on their own time is not for me to say or judge, but I think institutionalizing and advertising events that involve demeaning and objectifying young women barely out of childhood (which the Playboy franchise does) sends a negative message to outsiders who already feel that domainers are squatters and sleazebags.
Last year, I was seriously considering attending the DomainTools conference in Washington, D.C., but the entertainment involved body paint and women, so I didn’t go. If they have cleaned up their act for this year, then I say, “Hooray!”
This year, I’m in Eastern Europe, teaching full time, so attending a conference would not be economically feasible for me right now, but I would not rule out attending a domain conference in the future–one without the Playboy mansion.
I love Las Vegas, though, even though it, too, has a bit of tarnish on it.
I’m not against having fun. I’m not a teetotaler. I’m not a member of any temperance league. I don’t hate men, and I’m not anti-sex.
But I am for seeing a change in the way domain conference organizers select their social and charity events. By advertising tawdry events, the domain industry is placing a huge bullseye on its back, which says, “Hey! You’re right! We are a bunch of sleazebags who can’t have fun unless we go to the Playboy Mansion or hire a young woman barely out of her teens so that a bunch of manboys can paint her naked body.”
IMHO, this is NOT professional behavior.
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Great advice and exactly what we have done over the years to form friendships and business relationships that have been invaluable to us, but a person or persons must make the effort to attend and engage everyone to make the conference worthwhile. It’s all about ROI and going to a conference should be taken as investment. You should have a game plan and do as much ahead of show research on who’s attending and who you need to meet.
Sincerely,
The “G.”
http://www.TheG.tel