It is a virtual guarantee that at any Webmaster convention where seminars are part of the agenda, there will be a newbie seminar included. This year at the Phoenix Forum, from what I could gather, the newbie seminar had the poorest attendance of all the seminars.It is a virtual guarantee that at any Webmaster convention where seminars are part of the agenda, there will be a newbie seminar included. This year at the Phoenix Forum, from what I could gather, the newbie seminar had the poorest attendance of all the seminars. This could be a combination of the fact that it was the last seminar of the show and by then attendees were feeling burned out, or that they have “heard it all before,” or perhaps there just weren’t that many newbies at the show. Regardless of all that, there were some good pointers at this seminar, and panelists answered the types of questions that I have seen on the industry chat boards over and over again throughout the years.

The highly esteemed group of panelists with over thirty years combined adult industry experience (by my estimation) included Tom Hymes (AVN Online), Johnny V. (Porn Posse), Steve Jones (Lightspeed Cash), Morgan Sommer (Cybersocket), Kim Nielsen (ATK) and Doug Wicks (CCBill).

The general consensus was that there is still money to be made in this industry, but it is very important to start off small and have a solid business plan. Steve suggested that a newbie should “start with a free site and learn the traffic game,” and Morgan added that you need to “learn the ropes and research your market.”

The days of making big mistakes and being able to recover from them while remaining intact are pretty much long gone. With competition being as fierce as it is, the margin for error nowadays is getting less and less. “The industry was more forgiving a few years back,” explained Tom. He added, “There is a new breed of newbie coming from the mainstream.” I took that to mean that more people getting into the adult Internet business have solid business experience and already have an understanding of how to market to an Internet-based audience.

While quality design and a great all-around Web site with excellent content can certainly help you achieve financial success in the industry, it is definitely no guarantee of a return. “I have seen a lot of great sites that only make okay money and I have seen several average-looking sites that make great money,” explained Doug Wicks. “You have to know how to work it. But if you must start with a paysite, it’s best to go with a third party processor.”

Morgan added, “Successful people possess common traits. Tech skills aren’t necessary, but you need ambition, creativity and tirelessness.”

Kim Nielsen then stressed the importance of knowing ones strengths. ”You have enough to worry about. Identify your best skills and put together a great team of people.”

The topic of customer support and how you treat your fellow Webmasters was also touched upon in this seminar. According to Steve Jones, “Newbies often make the mistake of mistreating someone.” People don’t forget who their friends are in this industry, but even more so, they don’t forget who has screwed them in the past.

Nielsen suggested that all customers need to be viewed as worth “thousands of dollars and not just a one time thirty dollar sale.” This would suggest that if you have satisfied customers you should do everything you can to keep them happy and keep them coming back for more.

Keep in mind that there are huge numbers of people getting online worldwide for the first time every single day; many of those people are eighteen years old or older, and possess a credit card and/or checking account. The consumer audience will only continue to grow, and we all know that sex sells. “The demand for adult material online will always be there. It isn’t going anywhere,” proclaimed Johnny V. But if you truly want to flourish in this industry, you have to think long term and spend your time and money wisely. Building a brand is very important, and so is getting your name out there once you are established. Steve Jones offered, “Spend money on targeted advertising and be creative.”

Simply put, there are lots of ways to make a name for yourself and a few bucks in this industry. A solid business plan, an understanding of your market, a creative mind, realistic long-term goals, and some serious motivation are the cornerstones necessary for any newbie to have a good fighting chance for a taste of success.

Jay “LAJ” Kopita is VP of Marketing & Communications and VP of Project Development for YNOT Network, LP. LAJ can be reached by email at jay@ynotmasters.com.