vikpaw Posted January 9, 2012 Posted January 9, 2012 Any one going for their first time? Been before but planning what you need? Here is a list of things i was coming up with that might be useful. I'm sure it's been done before and there are oodles of blogs and tweets with all sorts of things on, but we haven't had it come up yet this year, so here's my little list. If you have your own list or additions to mine, post them up. No particular order: 1) Comfy shoes - you'll be on your feet a lot, and lots of walking to do. Consider some bubble wrap in the bottom if doing multiple days. 2) Bottle of water - stay hydrated, you'll be talking and walking a lot. Some lip salve could also be handy. 3) Cereal bar - you can buy food there (bit expensive), or go out, but it's a big place so some handy energy is wise. 4) Hand sanitiser - there'll be plenty to touch, feel and play with, and you'll shake many hands, so when you do stop to eat - keep 'em clean 5) Light weight rucksack - to carry all your freebies/handouts and essential items - paper gets heavy, and swinging mugs around in a paper/carrier bag is awkward and dangerous. 6) Mobile - who leaves home without it? Turn off non essential features to save on battery life, it can be a really long day, especially if you travel in and out on the same day. 7) A pen - just in case you can't find a freebie when you need to fill out that all important iPad competition form! 8) USB charging cable for the phone - just in case, you might not find a socket, but there will be plenty of computers and you may find a nice stand where you can chat and charge 9) Compact camera - snapping shots of cool things and make short videos to show colleagues; much better than a handout. Also, you don't want to wear the phone battery down. 10) Lightweight waterproof - just in case it's wet out, nothing too bulky as you need to carry it. Also handy to have thin but warm inner layer, so it's light. Travel shop sort is good.
FN-GM Posted January 9, 2012 Posted January 9, 2012 USB Pen maybe handy. You may meet someone or a company that has a few tools you may want.
vikpaw Posted January 9, 2012 Author Posted January 9, 2012 USB Pen maybe handy. You may meet someone or a company that has a few tools you may want. ooh, yes, that can swap out for regular pen, i mean, how unlucky must you be, not to find a pen, at the BETT show!
jamesreedersmith Posted January 9, 2012 Posted January 9, 2012 A stack of business cards - easier to hand over and share your details
elsiegee40 Posted January 9, 2012 Posted January 9, 2012 Layers of clothing. It gets very warm in there, even when there's snow on the ground outside!
HTCIT Posted January 9, 2012 Posted January 9, 2012 Number 6, I nearly did last year and I had to walk back from the station to get it. But on the other hand I managed to arrive early. So it does happen guys. LOL Any one going for their first time? Been before but planning what you need? Here is a list of things i was coming up with that might be useful. I'm sure it's been done before and there are oodles of blogs and tweets with all sorts of things on, but we haven't had it come up yet this year, so here's my little list. If you have your own list or additions to mine, post them up. No particular order: 1) Comfy shoes - you'll be on your feet a lot, and lots of walking to do. Consider some bubble wrap in the bottom if doing multiple days. 2) Bottle of water - stay hydrated, you'll be talking and walking a lot. Some lip salve could also be handy. 3) Cereal bar - you can buy food there (bit expensive), or go out, but it's a big place so some handy energy is wise. 4) Hand sanitiser - there'll be plenty to touch, feel and play with, and you'll shake many hands, so when you do stop to eat - keep 'em clean 5) Light weight rucksack - to carry all your freebies/handouts and essential items - paper gets heavy, and swinging mugs around in a paper/carrier bag is awkward and dangerous. 6) Mobile - who leaves home without it? Turn off non essential features to save on battery life, it can be a really long day, especially if you travel in and out on the same day. 7) A pen - just in case you can't find a freebie when you need to fill out that all important iPad competition form! 8) USB charging cable for the phone - just in case, you might not find a socket, but there will be plenty of computers and you may find a nice stand where you can chat and charge 9) Compact camera - snapping shots of cool things and make short videos to show colleagues; much better than a handout. Also, you don't want to wear the phone battery down. 10) Lightweight waterproof - just in case it's wet out, nothing too bulky as you need to carry it. Also handy to have thin but warm inner layer, so it's light. Travel shop sort is good.
rad Posted January 9, 2012 Posted January 9, 2012 If you forget your lunch, go to the Tesco opposite (if you are watching the pennies) it is on the main road about 2 minutes walk. Also a good place to get a drink before doing in.
Iain.Faulkner Posted January 9, 2012 Posted January 9, 2012 A stack of business cards - easier to hand over and share your details I take pre-printed labels, even easier as then you can stick one straight onto their contact information form :-) 1
rad Posted January 9, 2012 Posted January 9, 2012 USB Pen maybe handy. You may meet someone or a company that has a few tools you may want. I'll rephrase it as USB storage device!! (not a writing tool)
FragglePete Posted January 9, 2012 Posted January 9, 2012 If I get hungry I'll just float to the Edugeek Stand at lunchtime for pizza! Pete 1
GrumbleDook Posted January 9, 2012 Posted January 9, 2012 More advice available at Tips for The BETT Show 2011 - SharePointEduTech » SharePointEduTech and Ian Addison's Blog » Blog Archive » Bett for Beginners #bett2012 #bett_show
Millgate Posted January 9, 2012 Posted January 9, 2012 My first time at Bett but imagine business cards will be quite handy if you have them. Enter competitions and hand them to vendors you're interested in
Guest salan Posted January 9, 2012 Posted January 9, 2012 First time at BETT's this year and only there for Thursday afternoon. Still better then nothing! Thought about notebook then decided that I can manage with smartphone and spare chargeing stuff (plus batteries etc). going by train (hense only half a day as only allowed to go off peak for cost!). It's quite a while since I have been to things like this (dif lifetime!!). In those days I was on expense accounts so never thought of the cost. So good tips about the food etc and water. going to be a long day but looking forward to it. Alan
Millgate Posted January 9, 2012 Posted January 9, 2012 I have a question. Are there lockers or anything at the event? I normally take my iPad on long train journeys but i dont want to be carrying it around all day!
featured_spectre Posted January 9, 2012 Posted January 9, 2012 Not lockers as such, however I am sure the geek stand can look after it if you put a label on it or something. Speaking of labels, use one to cover the barcode on your badge, I have had companies (mentioning no names impero) that did "drive by scanning" - I was walking past and they scanned my badge atleast 7 or 8 times over the 2 days. Quite a few companies employ that tactic and its frustrating with the amount of junk mail received! 1
plexer Posted January 9, 2012 Posted January 9, 2012 If you obscure/damage the barcode on your badge look out for security if they spot this they will make you go and get it reprinted. Ben
featured_spectre Posted January 9, 2012 Posted January 9, 2012 In that case, add or thicken a few of the lines with a sharpie ;-)
K.C.Leblanc Posted January 9, 2012 Posted January 9, 2012 Don't get your job title put on you pass, put something stupid on there. I got a lot less junk mail the year I went with a badge saying I was a 'Deputy Evil Genius'. 2
enjay Posted January 9, 2012 Posted January 9, 2012 Will take a few business cards, but generally find exhibitors just want to scan the badges. Comfy shoes and water are essentials - can't stress those two enough. Food in the arena is very expensive, but there are all sorts of options nearby, from Tesco and Costa for the cheaper options, through some interesting looking ethnic restaurants (never ventured in to any, though!).
enjay Posted January 9, 2012 Posted January 9, 2012 Don't get your job title put on you pass, put something stupid on there. I got a lot less junk mail the year I went with a badge saying I was a 'Deputy Evil Genius'. That might affect how seriously they take you too. I went one year with the Mrs, and my badge had something sensible on it and hers said "undisclosed", many exhibitors ignored her, possibly assuming she was a Saturday tag-along; next year we went, hers had job title on it, and exhibitors spent more time talking to both of us.
vikpaw Posted January 9, 2012 Author Posted January 9, 2012 Please dont rely on dumping stuff at the stand, space is extremely limited, it is usually full with throngs of people especially at lunch time, and it's a nightmare trying to keep all the possessions for staff and helpers. Usually we need a coat monitor to pile them up with bags at the beginning and then take down at the end, heaven help anyone that tries to get their coat and go outside in the middle of the day. The stand is just too small for storage. That's why i suggested a small rucksack, so you can carry your stuff around that way, your arms will be aching lugging the freebie bags around. in fact, it's worth bringing a piece of cloth or sponge to stop getting cuts in your fingers, though if you have that much forethought, just bring a backpack!
vikpaw Posted January 9, 2012 Author Posted January 9, 2012 With regards to covering your badge / changing your job title, having a good job title, will mean you get spoken to more, and also they are more likely to give your freebies, so you have to balance the ease with which you can create an email rule to filter BETT spam with how seriously you want to be taken. Saying that, i missed a really important BETT email last year as it was from someone whose card i hadn't taken, and it got swept into the, maybe look at later folder.
featured_spectre Posted January 9, 2012 Posted January 9, 2012 I remember once, my badge said Dr Surname. IT developer X school I ended up with a duffel bag full of freebies
vikpaw Posted January 9, 2012 Author Posted January 9, 2012 You want freebies, put in something like procurement officer, or bursar, director, head etc. you'll get freebies and spam in not quite equal proportion
sidewinder Posted January 10, 2012 Posted January 10, 2012 Probably a stupid question - what do people generally wear? Comfy shoes for me is anything but my work shoes, but then I don't really want to wear trainers and shirt/trousers so was just going to go in jeans, thats ok yeah? Also why am I secretly dreading it? I'm sure it will be a useful day but I'm just imagining a day of talking to annoying salesmen, the sort of thing I usually avoid!
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