For those of you who are involved in the domain industry as an investor, developer, or other service provider, I again strongly urge you to attend a domain conference. The one complaint I heard and have to a agree with is that there are so many good shows now, it’s difficult and expensive to attend them all. Well, with shows being held across the United States and the world, I suggest you pick at least one close to you and do your best to attend.
Here is a list of some upcoming shows:
Domainer Mardi Gras – February 19-21 in New Orleans, LA
GeoDomain Expo – April 24-25 in San Diego, CA
Traffic – Silicon Valley – April 27-30 in Silicon Valley, CA
Traffic – Amsterdam – June 1-4 in Amsterdam
Domain Roundtable – June 14-17 in Washington, DC
Traffic – New York – October 26-29 in New York, NY
I am still undecided about which shows will attend. As I did last summer, I have several weddings to attend this spring and summer as well in Michigan, Massachusetts, New York and California. I am fairly certain I will attend Traffic NY because it’s practically in my backyard (if Brooklyn was my backyard). I also really want to attend my first Domain Roundtable, especially because it’s on the east coast. Of course I want to visit Amsterdam and I should really attend the GeoDomain Expo. Clearly I am still up in the air and need to figure some of this out!
Here are a couple of money savings tips if you want to attend the show and save some cash:
1) If you book a flight with JetBlue (not sure about other airlines), keep checking on the price of your flight after booking. In the past, 90% of airfare prices increased. These days, they are decreasing as it gets closer to the day of departure. JetBlue will give you credit for the difference between your booking price and the lower price if it goes down. Just keep monitoring the price and call if you see it go lower.
2) Check with your service providers to see if they offer customer discounts. Chances are good that you would have received an offer if they do have discounts, but it doesn’t hurt to ask. I don’t make enough PPC money or have enough domain names in my portfolio to qualify for any company discounts, but perhaps your service providers can hook you up.
3) Share a room with someone you know in the industry. Ask friends on the domain forums and maybe you’ll find someone who will be willing to share a room. Most of the time is spent socializing and you won’t be in your room much anyway. I wouldn’t directly ask someone to share a room though because it could put them in an awkward position if they don’t feel comfortable with it.
4) Stay in a hotel close to the conference but not at the conference. Again, you are going to spend little time in the hotel anyway.
5) Share rides to/from the airport and don’t rent a car. Frequently the valet parking or parking garage at a conference hotel is sky high.
Great advice. Michael and I will definitely be attending the Geo Expo, Traffic CA and DomainRoundtable. We were set to go Domainer Mardi Gras until a business scheduling conflict arose.
The only point I disagree with is #4. I believe it is better to stay in the hotel where the conference is taking place because:
1) There are countless reasons why somone would need to head back up to their room during the day. And it’s a lot easier than having to head down the street everytime. Michael and I learned this the hard way at our first conference.
2) Many parties take place at the conference hotel and the last thing I want to do is leave the place when I’m buzzed.
3) These conferences are extremely expensive (I heard DomainFest cost a million) and the promoter is usually on the hook with the hotel to book a minimum number of room nights. It is imperative that we support these promoters who are promoting our industry. In addition, you will get a conference hotel discount.
True points, but as our friend PC knows, staying off campus can save some good moola!
That’s because they never gave a campus discount!
Even close to home it costs a bomb. $2000 a ticket for the conference (at home). No thanks. Love to go but obviously for the creme not the milk.