HOLLYWOOD, Florida – The summer 2004 Internext Expo convention concluded in Hollywood, Florida this week, and opinions about the show have not been in short supply. YNOT spoke with AVN and various InterNext attendees and inquired about their satisfaction with the event.HOLLYWOOD, Florida – The summer 2004 Internext Expo convention concluded in Hollywood, Florida this week, and opinions about the show have not been in short supply. YNOT spoke with AVN and various InterNext attendees and inquired about their satisfaction with the event. While there have been complaints on various industry chat boards, most of the comments that we received were positive.
“The 2004 Summer Internext Expo was a resounding success,” said Renee Johnson, Tradeshow Manager for AVN. “Despite the storms around other parts of Florida, the weather was the best we’ve ever had in Hollywood. The sun was out for most of the outdoor events held at the pool, so exhibitors and attendees were able to fully enjoy the festivities. There was tremendous business conducted on the show floor as well as at the parties. The seminars were all well attended, especially the Legal Roundtable which focused on 2257 regulations – this seminar was standing room only. Our show participants seemed to enjoy the relaxed, networking atmosphere of the summer show and have commented that the accommodations and service at the Westin Diplomat are outstanding.”
According to Johnson, attendees can expect Internext to return to the Diplomat next year. “We are already looking forward to the 2005 Summer Internext returning to the Westin Diplomat Resort and Spa.”
Quentin Boyer, Director of Public Relations for TopBucks.com, said that the show was good for business, even if it wasn’t as active as past Internext conventions. The smaller crowd, he said, was in some ways a plus.
“Internext was definitely a positive experience for TopBucks and PlugInFeeds,” said Boyer. “While the show did seem a little smaller than in some past years, and there may have been less overall foot traffic on the show floor, I found many of the events more laid back and better for networking this time around. I rather like it when I don’t have to scream at someone right next to me in order to be heard.”
Asked if there was anything he would do differently, Boyer said that he regrets that his company didn’t put even more attention on its PlugInFeeds product.
“I think the show went particularly well for us in terms of promoting PlugInFeeds,” said Boyer. “If I had it to do over again, the only thing I would change would be to focus even more on pushing the PlugInFeeds brand out front and center. As it stands, though, we’re very satisfied with the way the show went from a business standpoint, and I think our whole attending staff had a lot of fun, to boot.”
Webmaster and Internext attendee coolasafanman, who exhibited at Internext to represent DVD rental-by-mail company FlickCentral.com, said this year’s summer Internext show had both positives and negatives, but overall was a worthwhile experience.
“There were things that needed some improvement about the show, but in the end it worked out. As far as parties went, I had a good time at most events, though my voice will be hoarse for the next two weeks. The keg party was excellent for business because it had separate areas – two party rooms and the outdoor deck where you could talk at comfortable levels. Martini Mayhem was great for the same reason. The one main thing that I felt needed the most work was the number of webmasters attending. Having booth space can be a little disheartening when almost everyone who stopped by wanted to sell me on something. Everyone was looking for that invaluable commodity in this biz – traffic. But those who were actually providing it seemed few and far between.”
Despite the lack of webmaster foot traffic, coolasafanman said attending was still a good idea. “I had some great conversations, struck a couple of deals thanks to the help of some good friends, and all in all, I’m glad I went. It could be that the hurricane affected the turnout. Hopefully next time around, mother nature will be kind to us.”
Dalip Mahal, Manager of Technical Services for ecommerce company CypherMint, also reported a positive experience. He said Internext provided his company with an opportunity to introduce its product to the adult industry while gathering valuable information that could be used to produce a more targeted service in the future.
“The show was extremely positive in that it gave us an opportunity to learn about the workings of the adult industry,” said Mahal. “We have recently decided to make our Pay Cash payment system available to the adult industry and this show provided us critical information on the industry requirements from both the customer and merchant perspectives. We made key contacts that will enable us to tailor our products and messages towards the industry.”
Tony Davis from KeepMyRecords.com was a first-time Internext attendee. He was impressed with the quality of the show, and said that he enjoyed meeting so many people in a face-to-face setting.
“It was my first show and I will never allow myself to miss another one,” said Davis. “The times were great, the friends made were incredible, and the potential business will surely help out for the trip to Vegas, where what happens there stays there, thank God.”
Kevin Croy, President and CEO of PayCounter, said that the hot and humid weather was the only negative on an otherwise positive business experience.
“Internext was a positive experience for me,” said Croy. “This business is getting more difficult by the day. It’s not 1997 anymore, it’s more important than ever to stay up to date on the changing industry. The show is a great way to hear about changes in this business that people don’t talk about on message boards. The only complaint I have about the Florida show is the weather. I can’t stand the humidity. I wish it was either a different time of the year or it was held in a location with a better climate in August.”
The next InterNext Expo show will take place in January at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, Nevada. For more information, visit www.internext-expo.com.
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