Today's Technology for Tomorrow's Firm.
Issue link: https://cpapracticeadvisor.epubxp.com/i/571003
4 September 2015 • www.CPAPracticeAdvisor.com By Gail Perry, CPA, Editor-In-Chief FROM THE EDITOR How to Get the Cool Free Stuff at Accounting Conferences and Tradeshows One of my jobs at that event was to lead the technology walking tours. If you're at a conference that includes a walking tour, by all means give it a try. Wear some comf y shoes because you're going to be on your feet for a couple of hours. A nd get ready to dive into the con ference's e x h ibit ha l l w it hout hav i ng t hat feel i ng of wa l k i ng t he midway at a carniva l and tr y ing to avoid the carnival barkers. Ofen we enter the ex hibit hall at conference events with genuine curi- osit y about a l l of the products and solut ions a nd ser v ices t hat a re on display – afer all, these vendors chose to come to this conference specifcally because people like us are there and they're confdent that their solutions will be right for us. But also, they have cool stuf on their booth tables – free things that we really want to take home with us. So how do we learn a litle bit about the product or service, get our hands on the tempting giveaway, and avoid listening to the sales pitch from the person at the booth who asks too many nosy questions and stands in the way of us geting the free stuf at the next booth? Instead of waiting until there's a small group in front of the booth that i ntere s t s you , ide a l l y hopi ng t he salesperson is engaged in conversation with someone else, stepping into the group, reaching in for a brochure and that shiny free item, and making your getaway, there's a beter way to experi- ence the exhibit hall foor. On a wa l k ing tour, you v isit the boot h s of a g roup of pre-selec ted vendors, and listen to a brief presenta- tion in a rela xed setting. There is a diference from the drive-by experi- ence that you would get on your own. First, the vendor isn't under any pres- su re to g rab you r at tent ion i n f ive seconds and keep you from walk ing away. You are a captive audience, and the presenter knows that, so the pre- sentation can be more heartfelt; real- life experiences can be shared. Ofen you will have an opportunity to ask questions during a walking tour presentation, and you can do so feeling more l i ke a st udent in a class t han someone who's worried about whether or not you'll be able to keep your credit card in your pocket. I n t he t i me t hat a wa l k i ng tou r presentation is being made, a br ief rapport is built, forging the way for you to feel comfortable returning to the booth later. "I heard your presenta- tion," you can say, and the vendor will immediately know that the sales pitch can be sk ipped and you're here for some real answers. You get CPE credit for your time spent on the tour. A nd, you still get to t a ke t he f ree g i z mo w it hout even having to feel guilty about doing so. You might even fnd that the best free stuf is in the presentation itself. — Gail Perry, Editor-in-Chief Follow me on Twiter at @gaperry gail.perry@cpapracticeadvisor.com I recently atended the Midwest Accounting & Finance Showcase, an annual two-day CPE conference hosted by the Illinois CPA Society, of which I used to be a proud member until I relocated to Indiana, and Flagg Management, the organization that manages several of the large accounting events each year. 800-547-7377 • www.CPAPracticeAdvisor.com The opinions given by contributing authors are their own and are not the opinions of our staff. 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