My boss went to BETT ...

[leco]

... and brought me, well nothing that I'm being told about. He was very busy on Friday (visit Thursday) and suffering from "tiredness", though he did complain that people tried to sell him things. Maybe Monday will bring out the goodies/baddies. Edited January 17, 2009 by leco
added value

[kmount]

though he did complain that people tried to sell him things

 

What did he expect it to be like?

[_Bat_]

no I understand his complaint about people trying to sell you stuff. Am on my way home from bett now and was annoyed by the constant inturruptions while simply just walking past stands. It was just like walking through a town centre and marketers stopping you as you are walking through. It's offputting as I didn't want to browse too much for fear of being questioned for the 100th time. If I needed help, I would have asked for it LOL. Anyway other then that, I enjoyed it.

[kmount]

Yeah but for exhibitors BETT is costing them a small fortune, perhaps the tactics they employed were a bit over ambitious but at the end of the day, the whole point for them is to promote and sell their wares.

 

For us, it's about networking and free stuff.

[contink]

no I understand his complaint about people trying to sell you stuff. Am on my way home from bett now and was annoyed by the constant inturruptions while simply just walking past stands. It was just like walking through a town centre and marketers stopping you as you are walking through. It's offputting as I didn't want to browse too much for fear of being questioned for the 100th time. If I needed help, I would have asked for it LOL. Anyway other then that, I enjoyed it.

 

Perhaps a marketing scheme for Edugeek...

 

T-Shirts with "If I want something I'll ask..."

[stratisphere]

This is why I dont bother with things like BETT. I hate people coming up to me and trying to get me to buy their stuff. It gets even worse when it's a rubbish product and they are adamant it's the best thing since sliced bread.

 

I know what I want. I'll get it when I want it!

 

I suppose there's the view that you could find out about new products etc at BETT... but then again, you can do that via the internet. Without the constant cry of "SPEND HERE, SPEND HERE".

[dhicks]

though he did complain that people tried to sell him things.

 

He's obviously never lived in Cambridge - after a couple of years experience with the punt-touts in town you acquire a remarkable talent for avoiding sales people...

 

--

David Hicks

[SimpleSi]

Its a trade off with these events.

 

Most exhibitors are there to sell stuff or promote themselves.

 

Punters go for the day off from actually working, get ideas or network with only a small number intending to actually purchase or order anything.

 

So there's quite a big gap between the 2 sets of people as in wolves/sheep in same field - they both like the outdoor life but little else in common

 

regards

 

Simon

[Sylv3r]

I wonder if they has been any research carried out - I wonder how many companies get business off the back of BETT.

 

The cost for a company to setup at BETT must be a small fortune and it has to show a return.

 

With school budgets currently being cut and with the "credit crunch" I would feel sales on the back of BETT will be at an all time low this year - I wonder if that will put many companies off next year.

[mattpant]

I went along on Friday and this year I had the tactic of not wearing my name badge and keeping it in my pocket! You don't get approched then! I've been previous years and they just scan across looking at badges to get talking to you. When i wanted to talk to somebody I approched the stand, then took out my name badge should they wish to scan it!

 

Simple!

[leco]

I wonder if they has been any research carried out - I wonder how many companies get business off the back of BETT.

The cost for a company to setup at BETT must be a small fortune and it has to show a return.

With school budgets currently being cut and with the "credit crunch" I would feel sales on the back of BETT will be at an all time low this year - I wonder if that will put many companies off next year.

 

I'm thinking of starting a record of all the emails that will, inevitably, arrive as a result of the BETT visit. The two members of staff that attended are not as savvy as mattpant and will have been scanned numerous times. They will also, no doubt, have asked for further details and not been very discriminate about ticking/unticking contact boxes:(

[Hightower]

With school budgets currently being cut and with the "credit crunch" I would feel sales on the back of BETT will be at an all time low this year - I wonder if that will put many companies off next year.

 

But sales in general with be at an all time low, not just those related to BETT. I would figure their reduction in sales from BETT is proportional to reduction in sales from other marketing areas.

 

At the same time, have costs to have a stand at BETT increased, reduced or stayed the same compared to last years prices. Because if they haven't been lowered in line with the rest of the countries reductions then that's when companies will feel the pinch.

 

I didn't like companies jumping on me when I walked past as most of them did not excite me and I had no interest in. But I have to admit that I met a guy called Rowland who was selling a brilliant product and I would never have known about it had I not got talking to him. Fair enough, he didn't jump on me in a sales kind of way but none the less he started to talk to me and from this he got the chance to show me his product.

 

Maybe we could have a smaller EduBett that only sells stands to companies that directly relate to the role of technician/manager etc.

[Little-Miss]

I thought the first post for this thread was going to read "and all i got was his lowsey t-shirt!" Edited January 18, 2009 by Little-Miss

[Edu-IT]

I actually lost my name badge in amongst all the bags/paperwork I was given so nobody could scan me even if I wanted them to.

 

I was at BETT on Friday and yes, it was busy, but I didn't find that the suppliers were in my face. Not sure if that is because I am young and they think I am not worth approaching.

[danIT]

I was at BETT on Thursday, Friday and Saturday......

 

As such I have a large collection of pens, stress balls, keyrings and a promethean bag (in cant be missed orange)....

 

PM me your address and you can have the lot.

 

I also found that on Thursday and Friday alot of stands were quite protective over there 'freebies' but on Saturday I couldnt get away from a stand without leaving with a collection of goodies.

 

My favourtie being a memory stick being in the shape of a little man, flexible arms and legs (like a lego man) but his head pops off to reveal the usb connector.

[Domino]

if you'd popped by the edugeek stand on saturday you'd have seen the HUGE amount of freebies we were giving away..

 

Oz and Mark were harassing all the stands, and the gard gleaned was being repackaged and given away.

 

you've never seen a more suspicous lot of BETT-goers than the ones seeing Mark going "GET YOUR FREEBIES HERE....

[kmount]

I bet that was fairly amusing though...

[tech_guy]

...without leaving with a collection of goodies.

 

My favourtie being a memory stick being in the shape of a little man, flexible arms and legs (like a lego man) but his head pops off to reveal the usb connector.

 

For a moment I thought you were going to say something else popped off...

[kmount]

I think you should put that one to the people behind "Bad Taste Bears" !!

[john]

if you'd popped by the edugeek stand on saturday you'd have seen the HUGE amount of freebies we were giving away..

 

Oz and Mark were harassing all the stands, and the gard gleaned was being repackaged and given away.

 

you've never seen a more suspicous lot of BETT-goers than the ones seeing Mark going "GET YOUR FREEBIES HERE....

 

It certinaly was a great day on Saturday the freebies were going like hotcakes!! Couldn't stuff the bags fast enough at one point, and he was always remembering to say don't forget Edugeek.net which is the best part

[leco]

I was at BETT on Thursday, Friday and Saturday......

 

My favourtie being a memory stick being in the shape of a little man, flexible arms and legs (like a lego man) but his head pops off to reveal the usb connector.

 

Aw, sweet, but also macabre.

[vikpaw]

if you'd popped by the edugeek stand on saturday you'd have seen the HUGE amount of freebies we were giving away..

 

Oz and Mark were harassing all the stands, and the gard gleaned was being repackaged and given away.

 

you've never seen a more suspicous lot of BETT-goers than the ones seeing Mark going "GET YOUR FREEBIES HERE....

 

It was pretty darn amazing. After spending the first day, trying to coax goodies from the stand for myself and not getting very far, i couldn't believe that when i went and asked for 30+ of each of their giveaways, they were more than happy to donate. The stash included oodles of pens, rulers from DELL, water from PCWorldBusiness, Bags, Memory Sticks, Stickers, Those little fluffy ball things with little ribbons, yo-yos, stress printers, . . . . .

 

But the best gear i got was an EduGeek mug, hat and launch button set. Priceless

[vikpaw]

Oh, nearly forgot...

 

The very cool laser engraved pen, from the nice lady at Suregrave who had a stand opposite ours, is ace.