Eli Edwards: I Got A Theory ... It's A Theory ...

Last year, Eli Edwards wrote this post and it seemed worth repeating.

There's a spate of advice for newcomers/first-timers on the blog, but I had an extremely minor epiphany today, so I thought I'd throw in my $0.02.

Just about all my conference attendance has been initiated and paid (largely) by myself, whether I was a student, a paraprofessional, an intern or back to being a student (albeit outside of the LIS sphere). I've never been in the position to say to a vendor, "Why yes, my library has your product/is looking for something like this/needs to upgrade to this, and I have some say in the matter, why don't you contact me?"  Sometimes, that doesn't matter ... and sometimes, it does.

So, as someone with no affiliation on their badge, I think I've hit why.  My theory is this:

* You, neophyte or non-moving/shaking professional goes to the Info-Expo/exhibit hall on Opening Day.  Opening Day is exciting. There's ceremony and lots of tchochkes and maybe a bit of food and wine later and, as we used to say in the day, it's all good.  If things start off well, and the year looks to be a good one for information products ... the vendors are very happy to see you.  Yes, you.  Even though you're only there for personal curiosity, even if your speciality is legal and the vendor talking to you is a scitech publisher, even it's is blazingly obvious you hold no institutional pursestrings ... vendors want to talk to you.  Maybe it's optimism, maybe it's excitement and maybe they want to practice their spiel -- but they are very friendly and very open.  Accept it.  Bask in the warm glow.  It's cool.  Be nice, be sincere, be realistic -- wish them well, and they wish you well.

* You go back to the Info-Expo the next day.  Things may be a little cooler.  There may be less outreach.  The vendors, quite reasonably, may be more focused on who they've targeted as actual or potential customers.  You may not receive the same level of attention as you did the first day.  Don't worry, it's nothing personal.  It's just business.  If there is a vendor you're really interested in, seek them out, but you may not be their highest priority.  That said, no one should blatantly ignore you or treat you unprofessionally ... you paid good money to get here and you may well be a future customer/user of that product/service/standard/etc.

* You return on the last day of the Info-Expo -- the morning may be a bit frentic, what with last minute deals being lined up.  The afternoon, however, may be a different story.  Regular attendees are waiting for the conference to end and get in the last of the sessions and the last of the networking.  Vendors, however, must start thinking about teardown and packing up and shipping all the material they brought with them back to HQ (or the next library conference).  Some may be open to general conversation.  Some may be open to giving you a good deal on a book (or something equally portable) because it may actually be cheaper than the cost of shipping it back to the company. If this occurs, be sincere, be grateful, don't be greedy.  I've never haggled over anything, but then again, I'm not a haggler (which is why I usually don't do flea markets).  If you get more face time, or a bargain or even a gift from a vendor: accept it.  Bask in the warm glow.  It's cool.

You know, it's a theory, and it hasn't been test-driven over a number of variables, so your mileage may vary.  But it may be something to keep in mind ...

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Technorati tag: sla2007

There's a spate of advice for newcomers/first-timers on the blog, but I had an extremely minor epiphany today, so I thought I'd throw in my $0.02.

Just about all my conference attendance has been initiated and paid (largely) by myself, whether I was a student, a paraprofessional, an intern or back to being a student (albeit outside of the LIS sphere). I've never been in the position to say to a vendor, "Why yes, my library has your product/is looking for something like this/needs to upgrade to this, and I have some say in the matter, why don't you contact me?"  Sometimes, that doesn't matter ... and sometimes, it does.

So, as someone with no affiliation on their badge, I think I've hit why.  My theory is this:

* You, neophyte or non-moving/shaking professional goes to the Info-Expo/exhibit hall on Opening Day.  Opening Day is exciting. There's ceremony and lots of tchochkes and maybe a bit of food and wine later and, as we used to say in the day, it's all good.  If things start off well, and the year looks to be a good one for information products ... the vendors are very happy to see you.  Yes, you.  Even though you're only there for personal curiosity, even if your speciality is legal and the vendor talking to you is a scitech publisher, even it's is blazingly obvious you hold no institutional pursestrings ... vendors want to talk to you.  Maybe it's optimism, maybe it's excitement and maybe they want to practice their spiel -- but they are very friendly and very open.  Accept it.  Bask in the warm glow.  It's cool.  Be nice, be sincere, be realistic -- wish them well, and they wish you well.

* You go back to the Info-Expo the next day.  Things may be a little cooler.  There may be less outreach.  The vendors, quite reasonably, may be more focused on who they've targeted as actual or potential customers.  You may not receive the same level of attention as you did the first day.  Don't worry, it's nothing personal.  It's just business.  If there is a vendor you're really interested in, seek them out, but you may not be their highest priority.  That said, no one should blatantly ignore you or treat you unprofessionally ... you paid good money to get here and you may well be a future customer/user of that product/service/standard/etc.

* You return on the last day of the Info-Expo -- the morning may be a bit frentic, what with last minute deals being lined up.  The afternoon, however, may be a different story.  Regular attendees are waiting for the conference to end and get in the last of the sessions and the last of the networking.  Vendors, however, must start thinking about teardown and packing up and shipping all the material they brought with them back to HQ (or the next library conference).  Some may be open to general conversation.  Some may be open to giving you a good deal on a book (or something equally portable) because it may actually be cheaper than the cost of shipping it back to the company. If this occurs, be sincere, be grateful, don't be greedy.  I've never haggled over anything, but then again, I'm not a haggler (which is why I usually don't do flea markets).  If you get more face time, or a bargain or even a gift from a vendor: accept it.  Bask in the warm glow.  It's cool.

You know, it's a theory, and it hasn't been test-driven over a number of variables, so your mileage may vary.  But it may be something to keep in mind ...

Comments

[Eli]

Aww, Jill ... thank you!