First Seminar of the Internext Show Addresses Change

Internext 2004 Seminar Series energized Monday morning attendees with commencement panel “A New Breed of Newbie,” enlarging upon the adult Internet industry buzz phrase that “The Newbies are gone.”

Not gone, exactly, but things have changed radically from the first time a convention seminar was organized around the idea of introducing people to adult Internet and the adult Internet to them. Panelists included XBiz editor-in-chief Stephen Yagielowicz, Mark Tiarra of design co. LUMYR, “YNOT Bob” Rice, president of YNOT Network, LP, co-founder of Porn Posse Johnny V, and Matthew “Chipmunk” Sclier of SexMoney.com.

Moderator Fred Lane defined the seminar’s goal as acclimating this year’s newcomer – usually a laterally-shifting dot-com mainstreamer – to the realities of adult. Yagielowicz started things off by asking of the room how many were new to adult, and how many reflected the mainstream shift; about half raised their hands in each instance. His iteration that “You’re going to have to look beyond the skill sets that you have” was repeated in different forms by the panelists.

Tiarra’s main tidbit of advice to those making the shift was that “If you’re coming in from the mainstream, know success is a matter of traffic and stickiness.” YNOT Bob read aloud YNOTMasters “Newbie Agreement,” listing Do’s such as “Listen,” “Ask Questions,” “Make an Effort,” and “Have an Opinion,” and Don’t’s like “You Will Not Quit Your Day Job” and the controversial “You Will Not Start With a Pay Site.”

Johnny V emphasized a commitment to honesty as a building block for any businessperson, in any business; “It’s my one piece of advice.” He agreed with YNOT Bob’s earlier observation that the Webmasters here forget nothing – no slight, no wrongdoing. (“They’re like elephants,” he said.)

Chipmunk (a.k.a. Matthew Sclier) identified himself as likely the “Newbiest” on the panel, but had a mainstream vet’s advice: “This is a business. Treat it like one.” He reminded Webmasters new and old that customer service is a keystone, that knowledge is power, that staying informed in an industry that’s technology-based is the only way to stay on top of it.

The floor was opened for questions, and those offered proved the sophistication level in the room to be a giant step above that in previous years. The “New Newbie” promises to recharge the business of adult Internet.