Announcing The Elite Retreat

Elite Retreat.

On December 18th and 19th, in San Antonio, Texas I will be a facilitator at the Elite Retreat. Elite Retreat is a business conference focused on helping businesses integrate their business into the web and take their online business to the next level. I have had numerous people ask me why I haven't organized a small focused Internet marketing conference yet, so when Lee Dodd mentioned the idea of an Internet marketing conference that was focused on a small group of successful marketers providing personalized attention to attendees I thought it sounded interesting.

When I heard Lee also got Dave Taylor and Jeremy "Shoemoney" Shoemaker in on the conference I knew it was a great idea.

The conference will cover topics from blogging, forums, SEO / SEM, to just about any other type of online marketing you can think of.

I won't be pitching anything, and neither will the other facilitators. The goal of this conference is simply to help you grow your business. The cost of the conference is $4850.

The conference comes with many bonuses, including

  • Coupons for a free coaching call from all 4 facilitators

  • A free Ipod jammed full of content
  • Action plan follow-up

At launch there were only 35 slots available, and numerous attendees already signed up.

Want to learn more about Elite Retreat? Check out the agenda, and apply today at http://www.eliteretreat.info/.

Published: November 1, 2006 by Aaron Wall in conferences

Comments

seopractices
November 1, 2006 - 3:07pm

Dam, wish I was there in the US to be able to attend to this events... Anyways, good luck Aaron

November 1, 2006 - 3:42pm

Pricey, but maybe worth it. I'll talk to the big guys when I get at work to see if I can sell them on sending me to ANOTHER conference.

November 1, 2006 - 8:12pm

Already posted this on Shoe's blog, but I live in San Antonio if you need any help with the local stuff, evening suggestions, etc.

Great idea for people who work at companies who don't "get it". Should be able to walk away with a plan of attack that upper management can make a quicker, more intelligent decision on.

November 1, 2006 - 8:36pm

Aaron,

I submitted an application and am looking forward to finally meeting you. I've been looking for something like this outside of the rah-rah SEM conference circuit.

Cygnus

November 1, 2006 - 9:10pm

I would be there, but I'm already going to Seth Godin's one-day workshop in NYC that day. I'll be at the next one though!

November 1, 2006 - 9:30pm

I certainly look forward to hanging out and networking with the attendees. This is going to be a blast and full of value!

damian
November 1, 2006 - 10:37pm

Sounds great! Wish I was on the same continent...Let us know how it goes

Richard
November 1, 2006 - 11:33pm

Please don't take this the wrong way, Aaron, but you've been on enough forums to know that there's sometimes a change in the wind and it suddenly all starts feeling 'different.'

You're beginning to sound like some of the plodding old-timers who started 10 years ago doing keyword stuffing and who became comfortable and certain . (And slowly irrelevant)

The story you're telling is 'one of us' who made it. The elite bit and the pricing is starting to sound as if it's for a different clientele. Nothing wrong with that - but it's different.

November 2, 2006 - 12:07am

Hi Richard
Well I think hitting different market segments from time to time is a good call. I actually have learned a lot about marketing by working for some fortune 500's. Something I probably never would have even considered a year ago.

I do still generally like to work on my own independent projects or projects with a few other people I think highly of, but client stuff can be fun too as long as they are smart driven clients and/or have interesting stuff that is fun to market.

To be honest (and I am sure it may sound otherwise to some) I am interested in doing this to learn more about conferences and conference organization more than I am interested in money. A couple years ago I had never done public speaking, and now I have given speeches to executives at large corporations, college students, and conference goers. The more ways you learn to communicate the better you will be able to share what you know and profit from it.

I also am attracted to this for the other speakers, and largely due to the small size...it makes it far easier to connect with people. I also like doing the phone consults I offer because I know they deliver great value and I get to see so many different businesses and business models. I am trying to become more social...and at the moment most of my social interaction is business related.

Jon
November 2, 2006 - 3:23am

Hmm sounds like a "guru" seminar. The price is crazy. You'll each make about $40,000 for 2 days work. Dang, I need to become a seminar presenter.

November 2, 2006 - 7:57am

Hi Jon
You are rounding up a tad on the $ front, are not considering travel to and from, preperation time, cost of the event, or the fact that we have spent time outside of the time down there preparing for the event.

Peter
November 2, 2006 - 1:34pm

I think 5,000 is a bargain compared to the value you'll get from the event. If your business is at the right stage, Aaron + Shoemoney will help you make that fee back within a few months I can bet.

I dont think my business is at that stage yet though and wont attend. But its important to weigh the benefits you gain from the conference and not just the cost. Where else can you get the opportunity to pick the brains of these experts?

November 2, 2006 - 2:38pm

Aaron,

Aside from being in a room with you guys, I'm having a hard time seeing the value...what's the course outline?...or something I can help determine the value of what $5k would bring me.

$5k isn't change form most people that don't have a corporation backing them.

Just asking for a little more clarification on the conference.

November 2, 2006 - 2:58pm

Hi Danny
I agree that $5,000 is not a cheap price point.

A large part of the reason / idea of why there isn't an in depth defined agenda with tons of specific action points is that the conference is going to be tailored to the needs of the attendees...for example, maybe we come up with link bait ideas, maybe we give you conversion improvement advice on your site, maybe we offer other marketing techniques...a large portion of the conference is not going to focus on just we feel is important, generally...it is going to focus specifically on answering questions and solving problems.

November 2, 2006 - 7:22pm

Aaron, sounds like it is going to be a more personal event...thanks for the reply. Danny

November 2, 2006 - 8:05pm

The 5k is expensive, but so is getting consultation from any of the top SEOs and web marketing gurus in the industry.

I applied, let's see if I get a chance to get in on this. I'm sure getting a day or two of extremely specific advice on my specific sites will pay off.

November 3, 2006 - 2:38am

Chris, I agree with you. Not sure if I will be able to attend (if selected), but you're going to spend that on consultants anyway, so if you can get all 4 of these guys in the same room with attention focused on your specific issues then it's a great deal.

Also, they picked a sweet spot to have it held at, especially the time of year. I live in Texas and the further you go South the warmer it gets...I've been out in jeans and a T-Shirt down there in late November because it was 70 degrees.

Sorry, if I just jinxed the whole weather thing by saying it would probably be great weather

November 3, 2006 - 5:12pm

Just got confirmation. I'm sooo there. Should be fun... though paying 500 bucks to have a "VIP dinner" sounds a little... uhm, I dunno. People pay big money for dinners like that with Sonny Bono or George Dub, and they either give the money to charity or to a political fundraiser or something.

I just figured my "value add" and sparkling peronality should land me at the dinner table and after "party" stuff. 500 bucks after the 5k seems a little off to me, but heck. Shake yo money maker like somebody's bout ta pay ya.

I'm ponying up the bucks to learn stuff the cutting edge, the tried and true, and I have some special interest in some newer developments in my favorite vertical. Maybe I should pay the 500 bones to eat some pecan crusted chicken and viciously attack Aaron with my fevered sales pitches (kidding dude, I don't eat pecans) :-)

November 3, 2006 - 5:16pm

Looking forward to seeing you Cygnus and Chris :)

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