Normally, when I go to INTERNEXT in Las Vegas, I book a three-day trip. Not this year. This year I have to do all my Mowse work in two days. I'll arrive in Sin City on the Wednesday before the show and leave the following Friday. I'm not happy about it but I had no choice.
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"First off, the more you PLAN ahead of time, the better. What you may not realize is that there is some extra planning you can do specifically with INTERNEXT optimization in mind." |
There's like, a hundred huge conventions happening at the same time this week in January. AVN is hosting a public porn convention concurrent with INTERNEXT. Add to that the Consumer Electronics Show and the fact that INTERNEXT runs through the busy weekend, and you get the idea why I couldn't find a three-day hotel rate for any kind of reasonable price. What's worse, I began looking for rooms for the show in November! Cozy loves me and they're funding my trip, but $500.00 a night for one little Mowse is nuts.
So, I have to pack a punch into two days. I have to greet, meet, tap brains, finagle time, finesse with the best and get my party on. I've got to spread the word, spread the love and at some point in all of this, I'll need to eat and sleep.
I'm not doing this alone. If I'm lucky, you'll be there with me and I've decided to spread the love and show you how I plan to Make the Most out of INTERNEXT!
First off, the more you PLAN ahead of time, the better. Naturally, you'll want to make sure you've got your business cards ready and your flight info/itinerary printed out. You will already have your bags packed and your toothbrush in tow. You'll need to bring your Identification and arrive at the airport nice and early because of new safety issues with air travel. You probably already know you're going to have your baggage opened and that you'll have to remove your shoes. What you may not realize is that there is some extra planning you can do specifically with INTERNEXT optimization in mind.
If you visit the INTERNEXT Website, you'll find links to schedules of the parties, the seminars as well as a list of exhibitors and a floorplan image of the convention venue. Most of the sponsored parties listed on the INTERNEXT site give a link to RSVP. If you want to attend one of these events, then RSVP. If you want to sit in on one of the great seminars happening during the day, then you can use the site to plot those times into your plans. Do you need to refresh your memory on how much it costs to attend INTERNEXT? The site lists the prices for you.
Whether you're staying at the Venetian or not, be prepared to walk and walk and walk. The convention rooms are deep within the bowels of this enormous piece of real estate. If you forgot to pack comfortable shoes, pack them. Whether you're coming from down the street or from the hotel itself, you will want a map. Oh sure, there's kiosks all over the Hotel, telling you exactly where you are but if you really want to save time and stress, print this handy property map ahead of time: http://venetian.com/corp/map1.cfm.
Be Prepared to Carry a Load
You tell yourself you'll travel light. You're only in Sin City for a couple of days. No way are you going to lug a bunch of junk around the convention floor or all over Vegas. Bite your tongue. If there's one cool thing about going to a trade show, it's the schwag. From silly toys to stacks and stacks of promotional literature, you're going to lug junk my friend. You can bet on it. Fortunately, there's always some generous sponsor, posted just outside the convention with a table full of free canvas bags for you to store your schwag. Take one and say thank you.
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Keep Your Show Pass With You
Okay, maybe you don't want to walk around the family buffet with a porn pass around your neck. We understand. Regardless, remember all those killer parties and special events? Quite often, the people sponsoring those soirees are going to be checking for show passes. They do it to keep the non-conventioneers out. During INTERNEXT, your show pass is as important as your driver's license. Don't lose it. Don't leave it in your room.
When the drinks are free and there's boobies everywhere, it's a little hard to maintain composure. Suck it up. You're a grown adult attending a trade show. You are representing your business and displaying your worth for all to see. Barfing in a trashcan or getting slapped for grabbing a model's ass will only make you look stupid. Do yourself a favor, have fun in moderation. You have the opportunity to make contacts that are both productive and long-lived. Take the time to chat with the people that represent the companies you admire. Ask questions but take your turn. There's thousands of other adult webmasters and they will all be at INTERNEXT. Don't be that guy who got kicked out by security. Don't be the webmaster who insulted complete strangers. Be memorable just don't be the cause of a bad memory.
I can't do it all in two days but I think with this little bit of extra planning, I can do most of it. I will hit the show. I will spread the Cozy love. I will schmooze and make some new friends. I will knock a couple back and let loose. I will have an intense discussion or five. I will spread more Cozy love. I will sleep. I will eat. And then, I'll go home.
I'm going to Make the Most of INTERNEXT. I hope you do too. See you there!