Jeremy, along with Aaron Wall and a couple others, has put together something called the "Elite Retreat." Dave Taylor (one of the organizers) wrote a bit about the why of the conference:
Between Lee, Jeremy, Aaron, Andrea and myself, I bet that the average size of an event we attend is about 150 people. I know that with the dozen odd events I have attended this year, I’ve frequently been overwhelmed by the size of the group attending. 200? 300? 400 people? Yup. Done that. Even as a speaker it’s tough to stand out, to meet and talk with all the people you want to meet, and to have the discussions needed to really mind-meld and learn from each other...
...I’m absolutely convinced that small groups of like-minded entrepreneurs are the very best type of event to attend for solid hands-on information and the ability to take the leap with your business to the next level, whether it be of traffic, exposure, fame or revenues.
It sounds like a great idea and certainly something I'd agree could provide incredible value. Small-knit groups will undoubtedly provide the individual attention that many folks don't get at the larger conferences, but naturally, this comes at a price. The two day workshop is $4,850 - several times the price of Pubcon, SES or AdTech (details here). Apparently, they're only accepting 35 members and to help make it more exclusive, you can also buy VIP status for $500, giving you access to a dinner with the organizers the night before.
I have to admit, this isn't really my style. That said, as a business model, I respect it. I'm even a bit envious. And, from an attendee perspective, I'd be willing to bet that the two days are, unequivocally, worth the $4,850. I know firsthand that Aaron and Jeremy, individually, will out-earn SEOmoz (the entire company) by 2-3X this year. They're managing this on the strength of their website monetization strategies, which go far beyond the world of organic listings and client consulting.
If anyone goes, please do drop us a line and share your experiences.
Rand, I've seen some people bash the idea of the elite retreat (mostly because of the cost), but I think your comments about respect and envy of the business model are bang on. If they had priced it at $1000 or $2000, then there would be a lot more than just 35 people interested; at $5k, they'll likely still sell all the spots. It'll be a win-win for the organizers and the attendees.
But in terms of value to the online marketing community, it would be great to have an "unconference" like BarCamp. The affiliate folks are trying to put together AffiliateCamp, so maybe that will be the start of something.
What a racket. Good for them!
haha Jill...considering upping your price? https://www.highrankings.com/fall06-seo-semina...
Yeah...way cheaper than that!
I ponied up to attend this one, just got a confirmation that I was accepted. I'll post a review on my blog to let you know how it goes :-)
Congrats - I'll be thrilled to hear about it. We'll make sure to keep an eye on your site. :)
Rand writes, "I know firsthand that Aaron and Jeremy, individually, will out-earn SEOmoz (the entire company) by 2-3X this year. They're managing this on the strength of their website monetization strategies, which go far beyond the world of organic listings and client consulting."
Really makes you wonder why SEM firms such as my firm and SEOMoz do not put more effort into developing sites for monetizing as opposed to doing SEM for clients, earning a good revenue but in the end helping clients make a lot more money in the process.
It is certainly something I have put a lot of thought into and already have a local site that if I take national could bring in 10 times the revenue we earn as a SEM. Very tempting indeed.
I'm considering it; we've been fortunate with success thusfar, but it never hurts to keep trying to learn...if I were a company that needed to crack PPC, forum creation/maintenance/growth/image, or even need link-bait help, it would be an absolute no-brainer.
Cygnus
I figured what the heck and just put in an application; I look forward to meeting everyone if accepted.
Cygnus - I wish you luck. It would be terrific to hear back from you about the experience.
Here you go Rand. https://www.paydayloanaffiliate.com/blog/AnHon...
Chris also posted one at https://www.chris-hooley.com/2006/12/20/elite-...
Cygnus
I like how they will include a link on eliteretreat.info to all of those who attend. I don't even know how to put a price tag on it~!
Seriously, what they're selling is the opportunity to rub shoulders with some of the more public figures in this industry and the hope of picking up some tips to further your business. These guys may share techniques with each other but I think it's silly for anyone to attend if they think this will get you into 'the circle of trust'.
With that said I've had a drink with a few of them and the partying should be fun.
Could you imagine the cost for one company to have these 4 people to all come in separately for 2 days and go over the same topics? This is a steal at $5K.
I agree with this statement:
"I’m absolutely convinced that small groups of like-minded entrepreneurs are the very best type of event to attend for solid hands-on information and the ability to take the leap with your business to the next level"
While it is not a one time event as the one described here, there is this new start-up internet incubator started by Paul Allen(not the Microsoft one) going on here in Utah that embraces that idea. They have several meetings to share ideas and help each other out, even though they all have their separate businesses. I am not a member of the academy but I have met several people who are so I have hung out at their office at times and defiantly see the value of being around other like minded people.
Perry Marshall also does a similar thing to this "elite retreat" that is worth looking into.
I would be very interested in participating in something like this, but sadly it's a bit out of my price range. However I do hope it is a success so I may participate in the future.
At least there are still conferences. I hope I can meet all of you that are going to Pubcon in a few weeks. Please introduce yourself if you see me.