COMMON: A Vendor's Point of View

I was digging around the other day and ran across a discussion in another forum about the decline in attendance at COMMON. Here is an excerpt from one attendee's point of view that I took some exception to.

"Also, the vendors should put some of the blame on themselves for being pains in the neck after the conference by calling you up every week to see if you are interested yet. Over the years I have learned that the free stuff is not worth giving up my business card only to be hassled by a sales person who can't take no for an answer. I have yet to get really useful information from someone there on the Expo floor because the sales force really can't answer the technical questions that many of us have about their product. It really irks me to walk through the Expo floor only to have one of them ask, "Are you doing any software development?" or some other pitch that the obvious answer is yes. Of course we are; that is why we are there! I would rather see a focused technical session on their product that I could attend if I was interested. Who can decide anything on the five-minute rat race that is given at the Expo?"

My Response:

First of all, the expo is a very strong financial supporter of COMMON. Take away the vendors and your registration fees will jump dramatically.

Second, the expo is a service to the attendees. If you scoff at that thought, then you are missing the point. Most software vendors view themselves as a solution providers. Yes, we would like to sell you our software, but the only way we are going to do that is if we can prove to you that it is a valuable and cost-justifiable solution that you and your company need for problems that you are currently having. I can't tell you how often people stop at our booth to enter a raffle only to leave willingly with product brochures describing solutions that they never new existed for problems that they are currently plagued with. Additionally, any solid vendor is not going to sit still in their product line. There will always be something new. So, skipping the expo because "it's the same ole', same ole" is doing both yourself and your company a disservice.

Third, let's be realistic: if you drop your business card in a fish bowl, someone will call you. If you don't want to be called, don't give out your card, just take some literature and move on. If you are called, but not interested, simply tell the person this and ask them not to call you again. Chances are good that they won't. No sales person has ever made a sale by pestering someone to death.

Finally, many vendors do, indeed, bring their technical resources to the shows. I am living proof. My company sends me quite often, just for that reason. In fact, many of them also give sessions in their particular field of expertise. I have given several "Change Management 101" type sessions. Will they be able to answer your every and most difficult technical question, no. No one person can, and no company can afford to bring their entire shop. But I don't know a vendor on the floor who isn't willing and able to forward your question on to the right person.

So, the next time you are at COMMON, give the Expo another shot. If you have the right mindset, I think you'll be pleasantly surprised. But be careful! You just might find something there that could dramatically improve your life and your company's bottom line.