What do you remember most about internext / tradeshows??
 

When you get home and you have a day or two to sober up .. what do you remember about the convention? When your sorting through stacks of business cards and tons of pens and other novelties from the convention floor, whats would make you want to contact that company and actually set up a deal that you might've discussed?

Where do you remember doing the most business (ie, sitting by the pool or on a fishing boat, private meeting rooms, dinners with 20-30 other people, at the booth itself)?

With Internext coming up quickly, I just started wondering what it would take to make a lasting impression on a convention attendee, and figured alot of people here could use a thread like this :) So let me know what you think!

I usually get to really sit down and talk with maybe 1-5 people each convention. Not just shake their hands, but sit down at the round bar or at a dinner and talk with them about what they're doing and what's going on. These talks and these people are what I remember.

If I need your card to remember who you are, odds are I wasn't that interested in what you were selling.

Fellow webmasters and the parties. I hate the Vegas one, since I normally gamble my ass off :(

For me, it's the people I actually get to sit down and talk with. I remember their names and faces, and over the course of a few drinks or maybe even a more intimate dinner, (meaning just a few folks and not half the convention), business is done.

I keep cards on file because even if meet you and remember you and the deals made, I suck at remembering phone numbers or icq numbers. I need those on the card.

:helpme

the first one I went to a few years ago.....I guess it was the live sex party suite top bucks put on......lol....just like every convention newbie I was in that room with my camera snapping photos.....it was a camera holding saugage fest at about 150 degree room temperature....these days I barely even look into those rooms.....it is all about business now..... (sure...sure) lol.

Hey, you're not writing in blue anymore? I usually remember the dinners and parties pretty well. I prefer to get to know someone's personality while at a show and then look into their business/company once I get home. The actual product or service isn't that important to me when I actually meet the person, its the comfort level/trust I want to feel out from a person to person meeting. I'll make the business decision when I get home and actually look at the product or site after conducting my own due diligence and research into the company and people I met.

WG

After going to so many shows, I no longer go in trying to give out and collect as many business cards as possible... it's more about hanging out w/ friends/collegues (it's so cool that they're one in the same) and meeting the new people that wander in and out of our circles.

It's like, I'm surrounded by a bunch of smart, relaxed, cool people who want to have fun... and yet, we remember it's about business so we're always bringing in new people and hooking them up w/ fellow collegues trying to spark some new business ventures. Networking at its best :)

The dinners are great... when "someone" isn't getting us in trouble at the restaurant. The parties are a blur. But in the end, what I really remember is hanging out w/ a great group of people... and who I laughed w/!! Working alone, I don't get to have a great laugh session as often as I need!

If we meet up, get along, and laugh together... I'll remember you for sure. Of course, it never hurts to by me a drink either :winkwink:

Cheers!

Shannon G

ouch.
can I have my card back then?

ill tell you after florida

heh .. I figured if I started the thread without the blue people might take it more seriously ..


How about the convention floor .. when you're wandering around would anything special, besides a friendly face, get you to walk up and say hi? (I know webmasters are notoriously shy :winkwink: )

I tend to remember the people who actually follow thru on what they say while they are drunk and promising you a million hits a day that will convert at 1:5.

Get drunk, have fun, but follow thru!

I'm a lurker. I like to sneak up with other crowds and peruse the booths without actually approaching people. If someone actually recognizes my board name they go on and on about how great their company is and it drives me nuts. Oral spam. That's why I peruse the show floor with my real name versus my board name. But in general, I mostly like to go up to the booths I currently do business with or friends I know. Mostly catch up and see what's new for them. That and I usually spend a lot of my time at the TCG booth.

WG

Charles has no traffic. Leave him alone if you see him at a show.
He only sits at the bar so that he can drown his sorrows.
The guy lives in Canada after all. Do you REALLY think he makes money?

Exactly!! How people are convinced I have traffic, I have no idea. I have none. Tell the same to your friends and maybe I can be left in peace :)

WG

Crying babies on a 5 hour plane trip...
Being a fat bastard on a 5 hour plane trip...
Unpacking my clothes only to have my suitcase smell like cigarette smoke...
Staying out late and waking up early...
Waiting 2 months to get reimbursed...

All remind me why I hate traveling to Internext (FL)



Meeting new people (contacts)...
Making new deals...
Learning new things...
Hearing new ideas...
Seeing old friends...
Having a good time...


All remind me why I love traveling to Internext

drinking:glugglug

I went to the Jan 2001 show in Vegas as did quite a few other UK webmasters, and it was great...

At last I met all the people I'd been working online, chatting to on ICQ, posting and replying to on forums and via email for the year or so before that I'd been in this biz in a very small way...

There was the then AdultCheck team, CA Dave and Tim from Adult Verifier from the AVS side and going on to the CCBill stand to have a scream at them... Which is still remembered by some.... LOL. Going made me work harder and not play at being a webmaster...

It was so good I went back for the June show that year, so I have to say that from those two shows I made some good friends, many who I'm still in contact with... still as friends and also for biz...

Finally... I don't know what the shows are like now but if there is the same buzz and feel at them, I would recommend anyone who hasn't been to one before, to go... It's not just for the parties in the evening and getting drunk.. you can learn a lot...

The show room floor...... interaction with everyone is key.

You never gave me a card. In fact, I'm still unclear as to what it is exactly that you do. You are one of the priveleged few who I remember due to the time we spent together. :Graucho You barely lasted through breakfast, as I recall. :banana

All the business contacts you make

you always remember the completle and utter drunken moron who does something completely fuckin crazy.

you just always hope that person isnt you.

JFK taking our pics! :)

i remember only the semi or fully naked women that sit on my lap at shows....otherwise, i dont care who you are:)

it's kiinda weird when you've known people online for a long time, and then meet them in person at the shows...

Is Hans going to be there?

You're supposed to remember stuff from those things??

PureCash's Hans ?? :1orglaugh :1orglaugh

I wasn't sure you wanted me to stay thru breakfast.:Graucho

what i remember most....ummmm....i plead the fif

ahh fuck, it's probably what everyone else remembers the most about me, too.