** This Event Took Place On: August 13 - 15, 2004!

The usual suspects were there; but, there were forces afoot to keep some away. With the onslaught of Tropical Storm Bonnie and Hurricane Charley, some webmasters never made it out of their respective airports. My own flight was delayed for over two hours. At least we got there. The Westin, as always, is a first class hotel, with employees scurrying around to make our stay enjoyable. It would seem that most webmasters tip well and drink a lot, which makes the employees most happy to serve us well.

Since there isn't any smoking inside the lobby, one can find almost everyone standing on the steps leading outside or by the doors to the pool area. Upon arrival, I was thrilled to see many I haven't seen in a long time. It was late, however, so to the room I went.

This is the first time I've ever gone to any trade show to man a booth. Because Herbal Commerce is associated with Health Stop, part of my trip consisted of meeting and greeting webmasters who walked passed and stopped to talk.

"Overall, I heard many webmasters say that this Internext was a hella good time, that business opportunities were plentiful, that networking was awesome... "

Some were not happy with the booth and wanted Health Stop to take it down, citing reasons of tackiness. The owners of Health Stop thought otherwise. As it turned out, the cardboard taped together with duct tape and herbal labels for IGF2 and spray painted text was one of the most talked about booths at Internext. Ballsy marketing is what I call it; and, though it was a risk, it was a calculated one. People walked by, did a double take and then stopped. That is the purpose of having a booth, after all. Many asked if our booth had not arrived yet, giving us the perfect opening to tell them that wasn't the case, that three cases of beer, no pee breaks and 78 cents worth of spray paint WAS creativity and originality. It worked. Our booth was very crowded and we were kept busy.

When time permitted, I was able to walk around and see what everyone else did. Florida Internext is interesting. Because the playing field is a little more equivalent, those who would not think of exhibiting in Vegas had the opportunity to exhibit in Hollywood. What I did see were booths not occupied by humans or furniture or anything. Empty space with a sign and that was it. I was pretty shocked at that. It costs money to rent the space for a booth; so, not showing up for your own exhibition and a chance to make contacts and money makes no sense. Fortunately, there were only a few empty spaces. I thought Pride Bucks had a wonderful idea, serving bloody marys and screwdrivers to help the hung over webmaster and attract many to their booth. There were other booths serving beer, notably Sex Money, so a good time was had by anyone looking for a sponsor AND free drinks.

I won't say the showroom floor was packed every day. It wasn't. There was a steady flow of webmasters throughout the day; but, even the bartenders were saying that this year's attendance was lower than last year, which was lower than the year before. I don't know if the weather was the culprit. Perhaps, and this is only a guess, these shows are becoming very expensive, taking much time, preparation and money to attend or exhibit. Many webmasters I spoke with prior to the show said they weren't coming, that summer was building time. One company was very outspoken about this Internext. Lightspeed Cash took the stand and stated they were not going to spend money on the booth; instead, they were giving their webmasters a full 60% revshare. To me, that was an awesome marketing idea. Kudos to Steve on that one.

Many of the parties were held right at the hotel and there were mixed reviews about some of them. From the Bellyflop and Bikini contest by the pool to the very elaborate Eroticafest, there was always something to attend or some place to go. Many were having private parties in their suites and there were plenty of private dinners. The lobby and pool area were a great place to gather. Some of the best networking opportunities happened in those two places. You could sit in a comfy chair the entire time, sipping a bloody mary or your alcohol of choice. The opportunity to meet others at this particular Internext should have been fantastic, as we take over the entire hotel. Unfortunately, not everyone got to see everyone. Even though we were all staying at the Diplomat or the Holiday Inn down the road, I have since heard that many did not get to meet up with those on their 'to see' list, on this trip.

It is well known that I am not a Florida lover and it has nothing to do with the people. August has notoriously been known as 'Hurricane season'. That Florida has been spared for a few years is unusual. Weather patterns have changed all over the world, so I would imagine complacency is the name of the game when it comes to predicting whether or not this would be the year Internext suffered due to weather. On the day I departed, there were three other hurricanes headed toward land. It seems this is the year that Florida reverted back to its usual weather patterns. I will say the sun was out the entire time I was there and we were fortunate that we did not get hit by the storms. Other areas were not so fortunate. I personally believe there were enough delayed and cancelled flights due to the hurricane and tropical storm, somewhat reducing the amount of attendees. Those who do not live in Florida are also not accustomed to the extreme humidity. I believe there are those who chose not to attend because the weather is truly horrid this time of year.

I understand that, since Florida tourist season doesn't begin until November due to the weather, that, prices are less expensive. Where else and when else could you stay at a five star hotel for what you'd pay at a moderately priced hotel? Having said that, I would love to see Internext return to Vegas or any other city where one does not breathe water. We are not fish. That is just my personal diatribe about weather and does not reflect the opinions of anyone but me.

It would be unfair of me not to mention there were no fire alarms pulled at this trade show, for which I was grateful. There were a few incidents at the show, but nothing unexpected by those from whom it is expected.

Overall, I heard many webmasters say that this Internext was a hella good time, that business opportunities were plentiful, that networking was awesome, and a good time was had by all.

For my part, the hotel is beautiful. It was great seeing those I haven't seen since Phoenix. Business relationships were strengthened and contacts were made. I considered it an honour to meet many who post on Cozy Campus and sponsors who support Cozy Frog, Academy and Campus. It was awesome that Corey from Mojohost kept sending newbies over to see me at my booth. This is one of the reasons I love tradeshows. The relationships you form over time, on a business level, are long lasting and mutually beneficial. The personal relationships? Priceless.