Be a voice and attend the Long Tail Alliance Washington Fly-In.

Last year, I learned about an important industry group that is working hard to protect our rights as small business, online publishers. If you sell ads on your site, you need to know about them too.

They are the Interactive Advertising Bureau. As a leading advocate for all businesses who sell online ads, on June 14th and 15th they are hosting 2010 Long Tail Alliance Washington Fly-In specifically for smaller companies. The purpose for this gathering is to help online entrepreneurs like yourself and Oddpodz.

As many of you are aware, political campaigns have been launched at the federal and state levels to seek government regulation of many of the core processes and technologies that support interactive advertising.

Just in the past two weeks Rep. Rick Boucher (D – VA) released a discussion draft of his privacy legislation. It is a confusing document that contradicts what the FTC has been proposing for three years and what the IAB and other members of the self-regulatory coalition have been working towards. The proposed legislation presents a fundamental challenge to our industry’s business models – publishers using ad networks would not be able to sell advertising as they do now.

The Interactive Advertising Bureau feels it’s vital that Washington understands that ad-supported publishers exist everywhere in the U.S. Our politicians need to understand the deep economic value and impact of interactive advertising.

By joining the event, you will have the opportunity to:

  • Meet with members of the U.S. Congress and their staffs to tell the story of your small business and to remind them that adverse regulation is in no one’s best interests
  • Learn strategies and best practices for growing your business through workshops designed specifically for the small publisher.
  • Be guests of honor at a special networking reception and dinner at the Google offices in Washington, D.C.
  • Share your personal experiences on how interactive advertising has impacted your life and sustained your business.

More information plus photos and highlights from last year’s Fly-In can be found at www.iab.net/flyin.

There is no charge to attend this event. However, you must pay for your own travel and lodging. As a thank-you, the Interactive Advertising Bureau (www.iab.net) is giving participants a one-year complimentary membership to the Long Tail Alliance (a $250 value).

If you would like to be part of this special event, visit www.iab.net/flyin to register and book your hotel. The IAB has reserved a block of discounted rooms specifically for Fly-In attendees. Or if you want more information, please contact Chris Glushko of the IAB at chris@iab.net or 212-380-4722.

If you can’t make the Fly-In, do go to their site (www.iab.net) and check out their resources and other programs. This organization is on our side, get involved.