London Domain Summit 2024 - Preliminary dates, Tickets, Sponsorships, Gala and more..

[Helmuts]

/IMPORTANT/ This is OUTDATED INFORMATION - we leave it for history needs only.

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Good afternoon all,

Let me share London Domain Summit's preliminary dates: August 20-21, 2024
Venue: Hilton London Metropole - whole West Wing (3 floors)
+ There will be a special VIP retreat day (I would call it 'Iconic') on the August 22, 2024.

Below is Plan A, and I will do everything in my power not to lower it to the Plan B. Every year, we Must be better than the previous one, till we reach maturity!!

One of the best things about conventions for specific industries is that this is the great exposure for your company or brand.

Therefore, from today we have published the main sponsorship opportunities available, and it is an excellent way to get noticed in the domain name industry as all the logos will be published on our website and video promotional materials.

Main Sponsorships available:

• 2x Diamond Sponsors - £50,000.00 (my main priority, as both Diamonds are needed for us to be able to sign the initial contract with the Hilton and pay their first main bill)
• Platinum Sponsors (max 10) - £25,000.00
• Gold Sponsors (max 30) - £12,000.00

Then there are 3 more sponsorship packages:

• Closing Party - £30,000.00
• Photography Sponsorship - £10,000.00 (will have 2 photographers)
• Video Sponsorship - £10,000.00 (will have 2 videographers)

Yet unpublished (various reasons of which "numbers are not ready yet" is the main one):

• Gala (black-tie event) sponsorship
• Individual Awards sponsorships (during Gala)
• Individual exhibitor table pricing
• Branding opportunities (Entrance Unit, Columns and others)
• WiFi branding opportunities

Yes, we do plan to have both Awards and a Black-Tie event.

Note: Some of the readers might go "u-la-la" when reading these numbers!! - it is a big and expensive task to organise a convention like this.

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Tickets:
(All tickets will have access to seminars, the closing party (2nd day), free food, free beverages, networking app)

• The normal ticket price - £450 (Early birds come for £300)
• VIP Pass - £900 (Ads access for 1 person to the VIP retreat on August 22. More privileges will be disclosed in later stages)
• Under 20's Pass - £75.00
• Start-Up Pass - £150.00 (Companies with less than 2 employees)

FREE tickets (not available yet - subject to availability):

• Individual domain investors with total domain sales under £10k
• Individual IT professionals seeking for opportunities in IT industry
• Affiliates (the main business of a company/individual is affiliate marketing)

Note #1: Free ticket holders have no Access to the Gala/Awards.
Note #2: I reserve the right to cancel any free ticket without an explanation.

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Last year we had 150 people, this year we had 235 people, and next year I am targeting 1000-1500 attendees.

Any questions?

 

[Whois-Search]

While I very much appreciated the last conference Helmuts (thank you) I’m going to have to say something about your numbers for the next one

- The Hilton Metropole is about £250 - £300 per night. At the last event I stayed three days and it cost £754. When you add train fare or a plane ticket people from outside of London could be paying £1000 - £2000 just to be there. Are you really expecting non-sponsors to pay the equivalent of another night (£300) just to attend?

- In the UK the month of August is considered the “six week school holidays”. I know at least five people who couldn’t go to the last conference as they were on holiday with the kids. It would be better to wait until the first week of September (after the schools go back).

- While 235 people is a great increase on 150 the year before (well done) I very much doubt there is 1000-1500 real people active in the UK domain industry or even on Acorn. So to attract that many “new” people you are going to have to market it to businesses not in the domain industry?

- While I agree most of the event should be sponsorship funded not many businesses are as generous as IT.com. Therefore I would say your sponsorship prices are too high by a zero. Not even Nominet will write you a cheque for 50k. Their marketing budget will only stretch to 5-10k which was the problem this year.

- The Admiral suite at the Hilton is extremely large (it can hold 800 people). To have the event over three floors when you didn’t even fill the room this year is ambitious to say the least. As is expecting UK Domainers to wear a black tie as if it was an ICANN gala dinner!

My advice: keep the same format (prices) as this year and grow the numbers and sponsors. People know what to expect every year then and you will build up a following.

 

[DJ]

I wasn't able to attend the last one because of the school holidays.

Accommodation also likely to be much more expensive for people during the month of August.

I applaud the effort and ambition though.

 

[Helmuts]

While I very much appreciated the last conference Helmuts (thank you) I’m going to have to say something about your numbers for the next one

- The Hilton Metropole is about £250 - £300 per night. At the last event I stayed three days and it cost £754. When you add train fare or a plane ticket people from outside of London could be paying £1000 - £2000 just to be there. Are you really expecting non-sponsors to pay the equivalent of another night (£300) just to attend?

- In the UK the month of August is considered the “six week school holidays”. I know at least five people who couldn’t go to the last conference as they were on holiday with the kids. It would be better to wait until the first week of September (after the schools go back).

- While 235 people is a great increase on 150 the year before (well done) I very much doubt there is 1000-1500 real people active in the UK domain industry or even on Acorn. So to attract that many “new” people you are going to have to market it to businesses not in the domain industry?

- While I agree most of the event should be sponsorship funded not many businesses are as generous as IT.com. Therefore I would say your sponsorship prices are too high by a zero. Not even Nominet will write you a cheque for 50k. Their marketing budget will only stretch to 5-10k which was the problem this year.

- The Admiral suite at the Hilton is extremely large (it can hold 800 people). To have the event over three floors when you didn’t even fill the room this year is ambitious to say the least. As is expecting UK Domainers to wear a black tie as if it was an ICANN gala dinner!

My advice: keep the same format (prices) as this year and grow the numbers and sponsors. People know what to expect every year then and you will build up following.

Thank you Andrew,

Local hotels are £80-120/night (if anybody is looking to save). I didn't stay in Hilton myself, found a great deal for 3 nights for a couple + breakfast for around £280.

For those who are new, haven't got decent sales > there are FREE tickets .. there are 3 types of free tickets.

Yes, I am hoping that an average business is able to pay £300 for a 1 off B2B event that hasn't got real alternatives in Europe (or not more than 2).

This is a one of a kind event. And, it is for businesses to make more money and achieve their goals.

I personally know few potentially huge deals that happened at the Summit.

The question is: What can the Summit do for You and Your Business? .. really, this is the main question. After that = what is more valuable: £300 or achieving your goals?

Hotels can be always found cheaper (+ many of us have friends in London who can share a bed for couple nights), transport is transport, and also, cheaper deals can be found.

To all those who are on tight budget > reach out to me => there are free tickets for you.

And, I have been there. Around 10 years ago, I remember myself traveling to Amsterdam (for a web convention) on a night bus, walking 2 hours to the Amsterdam centre, having breakfast/lunch there (provided by organisers), spending a night at a motel (put my wallet under my pillow), returning to the venue early in the morning, and leaving late in the evening on another night bus. And it was worth it! I got out enough new connections that allowed next year to stay in a hotel for 2 nights (although did come in with a bus the next year as well)

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Next year will be 1000% grander as finally I have been able to establish contact with the few big boys of the industry (not all, but some of them).

This is a European event, not for the UK And once Summit is seen in this light > 250 attendees is nothing special, really

All I am asking for UK "old guards", like you @Whois-Search > please help me to establish the contact with Nominet. Am I correct in assuming that Nominet has around 2500 members?

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I ask everybody here to ask yourself:

1) What do you want to achieve in your business?
2) Can the Summit help you to achieve it?

If we can help you > Go for it!! If not, it isn't for you.

And, if Summit can help you > send me a message >> let me know whom you are dying to meet and I will do everything in my power to help You!!

Does this help?

Helmuts
Optimist and a huge Believer in networking!!

p.s. The cost of the average monthly household bills in the UK is around £1,500 in 2023. Does any of these bills help you to make more money? Not really. Summit is created for everyone in the domain name industry to earn more and take home more money.

 

[Helmuts]

I wasn't able to attend the last one because of the school holidays.

Accommodation also likely to be much more expensive for people during the month of August.

I applaud the effort and ambition though.

Thank you!!

The Summit is organized during the weekdays (not weekends) exactly to save on hotel deals (and there are tonnes of these).

Would you be able to attend it fully on school days? .. remember: morning school runs (took 90 minutes for me this morning), afternoon pick up, afterschool pick-ups, afterschool runs, drop-offs at school friend birthdays, teacher meetings, and others

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This isn't about costs nor time > it is the question if a person really believes the Summit can help him to achieve his/her business goals.

@DJ > would it be difficult to make it to this years Summit for 2 days if there was a guranteed £650k contract waiting for you? .. I am exaggerating, of course .. trying to deliver the message through our natural defence walls that justify staying home and not doing something, when in reality we need to be proactive and do the work necessary for our business.

.. I understand Frank Schilling and @BG: they both knew of the Summit, but are fully set and probably family and mundane joy is more important than growing business. It is ok, as their hunger has been satisfied. For the rest of the hungry ones >> come

Helmuts

p.s. Do you know what many notable Acorn members were telling me the very last year, when I was planning to take Summit to the next level this August? Exactly the same > we are small, no money, no time, everythingisbad.co.uk and let us stay in the restaurant as it was nice

 

[DJ]

Thank you!!

The Summit is organized during the weekdays (not weekends) exactly to save on hotel deals (and there are tonnes of these).

Would you be able to attend it fully on school days? .. remember: morning school runs (took 90 minutes for me this morning), afternoon pick up, afterschool pick-ups, afterschool runs, drop-offs at school friend birthdays, teacher meetings, and others

--

This isn't about costs nor time > it is the question if a person really believes the Summit can help him to achieve his/her business goals.

@DJ > would it be difficult to make it to this years Summit for 2 days if there was a guranteed £650k contract waiting for you? .. I am exaggerating, of course .. trying to deliver the message through our natural defence walls that justify staying home and not doing something, when in reality we need to be proactive and do the work necessary for our business.

.. I understand Frank Schilling and @BG: they both knew of the Summit, but are fully set and probably family and mundane joy is more important than growing business. It is ok, as their hunger has been satisfied. For the rest of the hungry ones >> come

Helmuts

p.s. Do you know what many notable Acorn members were telling me the very last year, when I was planning to take Summit to the next level this August? Exactly the same > we are small, no money, no time, everythingisbad.co.uk and let us stay in the restaurant as it was nice

I only work to feed the family and the family holiday will always come first. Much easier for me during term time, but I understand that it might not be for everyone else.

I live in london and I'm only 30 minutes away on the tube, so accommodation is not a problem for me also. I was just making a general comment.

If I attended, I would mainly be attending just to actually meet people, who I have been dealing with for a few years now, in person. I would see it more as a social event rather than a business opportunity, and if any business came of it then that would be a bonus. Although,It would be unlikely as I buy domains with the intentions of selling to end users, and I doubt there would be many end users there (unforgettable.co.uk).

I would be interested in the auction though!

All the best with it, aim high and even if you only achieve half of what you are hoping for, you would have still done exceptionally well.

DJ

 

[Helmuts]

I only work to feed the family and the family holiday will always come first. Much easier for me during term time, but I understand that it might not be for everyone else.

I live in london and I'm only 30 minutes away on the tube, so accommodation is not a problem for me also. I was just making a general comment.

If I attended, I would mainly be attending just to actually meet people, who I have been dealing with for a few years now, in person. I would see it more as a social event rather than a business opportunity, and if any business came of it then that would be a bonus. Although,It would be unlikely as I buy domains with the intentions of selling to end users, and I doubt there would be many end users there (unforgettable.co.uk).

I would be interested in the auction though!

All the best with it, aim high and even if you only achieve half of what you are hoping for, you would have still done exceptionally well.

DJ

Thank you!!

 

[Whois-Search]

Thanks for listening to feedback Helmuts. I’m trying to help you with your new investment(s) here rather than benefiting from any of this myself.

Personally I do not mind spending a grand going to a conference but for that I prefer to stay on site. Perhaps next time you can negotiate a discount room rate with the Hilton if you are bringing that many people through the door?

In regards the “old guard” comment…

When I first founded Netistrar (circa 2013) we ran domainer events in London for several years. Prior to that I helped run the infamous Any-web parties in London. We have been there and paid the bar bill, booked the venue(s) and got the domainers to turn up (I know how hard it is).

In fact when the ICANN conference was on at that very hotel in 2014 we had a smaller (free) event at Circus which @BG and Frank Schilling came to. Only ICANN (with all its different constituencies) could fill the Admiral suite of that hotel and they had a gala at Old Billingsgate Market just to top it off.

Nominet does indeed have 2500 members…. However not all of them are in the secondary market and they can’t be seen to prioritise one segment of the membership over another. Their membership engagement rate is pretty low too at 10%. After speaking to them (last week) I think they have been put off by the first conference (which they did sponsor). Mistakes do happen though and that’s why you need to listen to feedback along the way.

Good luck with the next event and let me know if I can help.

 

[DJ]

uk

Nominet does indeed have 2500 members…. However not all of them are in the secondary market and they can’t be seen to prioritise one segment of the membership over another. Their membership engagement rate is pretty low too at 10%. After speaking to them (last week) I think they have been put off by the first conference (which they did sponsor). Mistakes do happen though and that’s why you need to listen to feedback along the way.

Maybe if Nominet are still reluctant this year, give them a table for free, change their mind, and then get them committed a few years after that.

I think you are aware, that to truly scale up, you will need them involved, and ideally being the main sponsor. Imagine being able to contact all of the members directly with their endorsement.

 

[dee]

mmm... not sure how i got quoted here? lol

 

[Helmuts]

Thank you for good advice. I know it is coming, and good heart, and with the best wishes! Thank you.

It seems there is a little disconnect between us. And it is ok Gentlemen, and ladies, just attend next year, and enjoy the business opportunities the Summit offers you and your business

Best wishes all!!
Helmuts

 

[Helmuts]

mmm... not sure how i got quoted here? lol

 

[philiporchard]

Angie and the Any-Web parties were fantastic. So generous and helped build my initial connection with serious domainers. So many fond memories.

 

[atlas]

https://twitter.com/summitlondonuk/status/1701697416590709143

 

[aZooZa]

Angie and the Any-Web parties were fantastic. So generous and helped build my initial connection with serious domainers. So many fond memories.

I was sorry to have missed Angie's events. Last one I missed was on the 12th May, 2010 - generous invitation and she mentioned the 'old guard' like RS, AH, MT and AB. I remember Simon (my son) and me meeting up with RS at Heathrow and partying all night - I had to fly to China the next day - ughhhhh.

Angie - one in a million.

Sorry to have used only initials here but you'll know who you are

 

[Helmuts]

I was sorry to have missed Angie's events. Last one I missed was on the 12th May, 2010 - generous invitation and she mentioned the 'old guard' like RS, AH, MT and AB. I remember Simon (my son) and me meeting up with RS at Heathrow and partying all night - I had to fly to China the next day - ughhhhh.

Angie - one in a million.

Sorry to have used only initials here but you'll know who you are

Yes, I have heard that Angie's events were Epic!! .. such a wonderful person!!