Stand in a circle and shout your name

What has been said:

546.1. denis (01/16/2007 06:50 AM)

Good point! They will also remember the first one that introduced himself:

Integra4Notes, pleased to meet you ;-)

..but your comparison does not seem entirely valid as it's not very likely to be the first time people will be 'meeting' the vendors. And repetition is definately a widely accepted concept..

546.2. Ben Langhinrichs (01/16/2007 07:01 AM)

I'm not saying in makes no sense to have a pedestal, as repetition is certainly valid, but a number of companies work like crazy to get a new product ready or a new release ready, and those tend to get lost in the shuffle. If I walk up to your booth and look at Integra4Notes, I don't really need to know whether it is new this week, but just whether it does what I want. If it is new, fine, but save the effort of posting one of hundreds of similar sounding product press releases at a time when it won't be noticed. Vendors should focus on stability and clarity of message, not on new whiz bang releases. Just because you are bored with the old release doesn't mean your customer is, and even less your potential customer. Showing isn't a problem, but launching seems to me a wasted opportunity.

546.3. Jerry Glover (01/16/2007 07:57 AM)

So, just what are you launching on January 29th, Ben? :-)

Seriously though, the likelihood of whether I remember a product announcement at any time generally correlates directly to whether I... A) have a current problem solved by that product, or B) see that product as making my life dramatically easier in some way.

I think with tools like Google, more and more people, technologists especially, are driven to just-in-time product research (depending of course on the scale of the products in question); when they have the need, they Google for potential solutions (mostly for the A category items) particularly if they are overwhelmed by many demands on their time.

546.4. Charles Robinson (01/16/2007 08:38 AM)

Nope. I don't remember any of them. No offense is intended to anyone reading this, but many of the people at the pedestals didn't care whether I was interested in their product or not, and tried all kinds of underhanded tactics just to scan badges. I don't know if they got paid per contact or what, but I felt like meat thrown into a lion's cage. One guy even went so far as to grab my badge holder as I went past, nearly choking me in the process of scanning my badge!

The one exception that stands out was Scott Good at Teamwork Solutions. We talked for a long time about lots of things before he even mentioned the product he was selling, and after it became apparent I didn't need it, he didn't even ask to scan my badge.

If more of the vendors had that kind of integrity I might venture into the product showcase again this year. Based on last year's experience, though, I'm not going to subject myself to the debasement and degradation just to get a glass of wine and a few hors d'oeuvres.

546.5. Jean-Yves (16/01/2007 09:20)

Charles is right, i hate when i feel like a piece of beef!

Be yourself, give beautiful smiles (not like a salesman of used cars), put enough documentations on the table about your products, try to have a live demo and i think you will get attention.

JYR

546.6. Ben Langhinrichs (01/16/2007 09:25 AM)

I want to be clear - I did NOT choose to have a pedestal this year, so I'll go about things my normal way, blogging and speaking and talking to people. No scanning badges (a tremendous waste of time that is so annoying that even people who LIKED our products and ASKED for follow up didn't answer), no sales pitches, just good old geeky fun. I just addressed this to those people who are showing on the Product Showcase.

And I agree, if I were to do it again, I would be tempted to skip the scanning entirely. If you want a follow up, come to our website. It would do as much good, and be a whole lot more pleasant.

As for launching Jan. 29th, I think I'll wait and launch "just in time".

546.7. Nathan T. Freeman (01/16/2007 01:23 PM)

Charles, I think I might have something that convinces you to make the trip to the Showcase.

I'll have to be there... booth duty is my way of paying for my hotel room. :-) But I don't mind... hopefully it'll be a chance to handle some spillover Q&A from my sessions.

546.8. Charles Robinson (01/16/2007 04:03 PM)

Oh, well, I guess if Mr. NTF says I have to go, then I have no choice! ;-) Just be prepared to sing for your supper, I'm stuck trying to get layers to behave in a sane way.

546.9. Ben Langhinrichs (01/16/2007 05:12 PM)

So, Charles, are you going to come to the SpeedGeek sessions and see my "Geeks have Layers, too"? Five uses for layers you can take away and use (in a db), all presented in five minutes (and no need for third party products or DXL or anything). I'm not sure they all qualify as sane, but they are useful and may change your mind about what can be done with layers. (I'm saving five more for my next conference, but then perhaps I could be talked out of all ten in one db). C;mon, you know you want to see this.

546.10. Nathan T. Freeman (01/17/2007 02:56 AM)

Charles... there are also some rendering bugs in 6.5.5. Don't know what version you're on.

546.11. Charles Robinson (01/17/2007 06:57 AM)

Ben, I am doing the SpeedGeek thing. I haven't found a list anywhere of what all that includes, so I wasn't aware there was anything to do with layers. I'm definitely looking forward to it. :)

546.12. Bruce (01/17/2007 11:08 AM)

@Charles,

Maybe on of the OpenNTF booth people could you interest you in an OpenNTF or Taking Notes podcast shirt?