Kopita moderated the first panel of the day, Adult Sales, which focused on issues such as setting up shop for products, how to get a merchant account, the art of the sale and keeping your customers happy. Panelists included Karen (Netbilling), Juli Crockett (Stockroom.com), Rainey (Epoch), Twinkley (TrafficDude), Brian (CamZ) and Sean (CCBill).
Attendees got a lot of good advice about selling products online, including how not to alienate consumers who are already paying a monthly membership by forcing too many upsells on them. The key, one panelist said, was to promote products in moderation and to give members what they want by tracking what they are looking at on the site and by being sensitive to their needs. Webmasters also were advised to promote quality products that are well-packaged and promoted on the site and to always match the products to the site’s identity.
"Politics of Porn" a Galvanizing Experience
The second seminar on the schedule, Politics of Porn, was adeptly moderated by AVN Online associate publisher MJ McMahon, who guided an impassioned panel of industry vets in a discussion on the current state of the political climate both within and without the industry. Panelists included attorney Eric M. Bernstein, Brandon Shalton (ASACP.org), Angelina Spencer (ACE National), Dave Cummings (DaveCummings.com), Darklady (YNOT) and 12Clicks (12ClicksCash).
McMahon opened with a question about whether the recent Max Hardcore obscenity indictment brought in Florida would impact the industry, and the panel wasted no time in steering the conversation to the issue of self-censorship and the tendency of many companies to stay below the radar rather than get involved.
While there was a clear consensus that there needed to be more support for industry causes, 12 Clicks empathized with those who felt too vulnerable to make themselves targets, either because they have families or live in more conservative communities. Attorney Eric Bernstein expressed sympathy for people in those situations, but held that the single-mindedness and organizational abilities of the industry’s enemies required an equally public response.
Regarding Hardcore, Darklady made an articulate argument for supporting his legal fight no matter how one feels about his work, concluding, “Politically, do we play it safe and throw Max to the ground or do we fight the moral fight?” The audience responded with applause.
The panel also delved into the question of industry support for the fight against .XXX, with Brandon Shalton referring to a concept he calls “Degrees of Porniness,” in which companies balance their self-interest against the larger issues to determine whether to take action. The Porniness Degree was very much at play with .XXX, he said, because people were very confused about the pros and cons of the issue, but also because some large companies stayed loyal to others that stood to make money from the scheme.
Dave Cummings spoke about the need to vanquish shame and guilt about working in the adult industry, reminding the audience that sex between consenting adults is a God-given right and a healthy activity. But it was the compelling presentation by Angelina Spencer about her experiences lobbying and advocating on behalf of adult nightclubs that truly galvanized the discussion, especially as she detailed the single-minded determination our enemies possess, described the utter ruthlessness of their tactics, and shared some disquieting facts regarding the hypocritical nature of their political and corporate entanglements.
All too soon, the hour-long panel was over.
Building your Brand: Creative Marketing
Darklady moderated the next seminar, Building Your Brand, which featured speakers Ken (TheBestPorn), Monte (Moniker.com), Lisa Turner (Badpuppy), Mike South (MikeSouth.com), John V. (ARS) and Jenni Dahling (PRKitty), all of whom have direct experience either creating or building recognizable brands.
The discussion addressed the effectiveness of blogging, how to best work the chat boards, and the significant differences between marketing and branding. There also was a valuable discussion on the relationship between a company’s logo and brand, how to think about and ultimately create a useful tagline and the vital importance of consistency in brand-building.
Of particular interest was a discussion on the challenges that come with rebranding, something that more and more adult companies are going to face as the marketplace forces them to either completely change their business models or add new ones to an established brand.
Legal Consultation with Eric Bernstein
In reality, industry attorney Eric M. Bernstein was not bestowing a generous two hours of free legal consultation on the attendees of his panel, but it’s still a nice dream to fantasize about. Instead, and perhaps of as much value, he engaged the audience in an entertaining and informed discussion on the more important legal issues the industry faces today. Pacing the floor in front of the stage, Bernstein spiced his unscripted counsel with a steady dose of humor and sarcasm interspersed with personal anecdotes and spontaneous asides that succeeded in making his observations all the more immediate and accessible.
The topics ranged from contracts and copyrights to obscenity, politics and employee relations, but most of the session was spent on the perennial issue of 2257. As is often the case, most of the questions asked were also about 2257, reinforcing the idea that too many people remain doggedly confused about what they have to do to become compliant with the regs.
Cybrnet Expo finishes up Sunday with a Free Speech Coalition meeting, chaired by Executive Director Diane Duke. Saturday night, parties include a live performance by the band Evangenitals, sponsored by AEBN, and a National Net party at “the hottest club in the coolest part of Tampa - Ybor City.”
