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When we first established Sports Business Simulations, we launched the new site on June 22, 2003 and got just three unique visitors all day long.  I had the stupid idea that if you build it -- the website with sim games -- they will come.  I realized within one day I was totally wrong.

In my quest to find answers to improve our traffic I discovered for myself an event that I at first wasn't sure I should go to, but then was glad I did.  That event was Ad-Tech.

Where Web 2.0 conferences are more about glitz and gitter and parties, Ad-Tech is more about nuts-and-bolts website marketing and promotion.  It's where you find affiliate marketers and shopping cart software makers and website ad creators actively trying to find a fit with you and your web business.

I'm not taking anything away from Web 2.0, which is a fantastic networking event, but Ad-Tech is a place to do deals for your web business that can help you in some way.  But if it's your first Ad-Tech and you don't have an understanding of what digital marketing is or how to separate the good vendors from the "ok" ones, I have some advice for you.

Just take the time to go to the keynotes speeches, look around, and get to know the vendors.  Get a bag and stuff it with material.  And learn who wants to deal with you and who acts like you're gum shoe.  I'm serious, because that happened to me two years ago.  One company that places ads on websites like mine just made me stand around waiting for five minutes (think about it) to talk to someone; when they finally realized I was an Internet site builder and operator and not the Roto-Roter man, they talked to me, and even then they didn't take me seriously.

"Well, we only deal with people who have blogs and websites", the rep said.   No kidding.  You can imagine where it went from there.  After all, why would he assume I don't have a blog or a website, rather than a lot of them?

Huh? 

Now I was dressed business casual so no problem there, right?  And here's where the matter of race could come into play, right?  Because what logical reason would anyone have for ignoring me?  None. Then they would say, "you're playing the race card" to which I would respond, "racism is a form of rejection without reason other than skin color; what logical reason did you have for rejecting me" -- in fact, that's what happened.  (Hey, women go through this crap, too!) I gave them a piece of my mind and then walked away.  I found another ad placement company to work with.

That's the beauty of Ad-Tech and a good reason why you should "kick the tires" of the personalities first.  Learn who you want to deal with and don't want to deal with.  If that example I gave happens to you, don't argue as I did, just walk away.  

The other good reason to check out Ad-Tech SF is just to learn what the state of the art of thinking in digital media is.  This year's event looks exciting, as Jimmy Whales, the founder of Wikiepedia will speak at a keynote adress, as well Kevin Rose, the founder of Digg, and Jason Kilar the CEO of Hulu (an awesome site).  There's also the AdSense Publisher Forum on Wednesday, which is an event for all of my friends who I tell "You've got to sign up for Google AdSense" so they can place ads on their blogs. 

Also, go to as many parties as you can.  For example there the "Advertising 2.0" party Tuesday night at the "W" Hotel, who's lobby is the "in" place to hang for the tech community at these events.  And there's the Affiliate Summit Beer Garden, which is a must, because affiliate marketers are without a doubt the most fun folks in the digital media industry.  You'll find many of them are from places like Vegas or Florida, or Colorado, and are an interesting mix of "smart" and "party", which makes their events smart parties to attend.  But to be sure, according to the AdTech folks there's the ad:tech SFAMA Mixer, Digital Social Media Networking and Oldtimers Foundation parties to check out, too.

To sign up, just click here: Facebook Invite Page 


So, go to Ad-Tech SF and follow my instructions, I guarantee you'll have a blast and learn a lot.

As for me, I had to travel to Atlanta for family matters so I will not be able to attend but in order to blog about it, I've asked my friend Molly Fuller, the founder of the cooking class company "Hands On Gourmet", to go in my place and use Twitter to tweet what she sees and her impressions.  That material will be used for my blog.  It will be great to get her view of Ad-Tech as a first-timer.