My pumpkins are a nice brillant orange, the yellowtail are leaving San Diego for warmer waters and it's my favorite time of the year, Fall Demo 2006, which starts on Monday night in my back yard down on Shelter Island in San Diego Harbor.
Of all the things I did in my 35-year career few things were more rewarding than working as a producer on Demo shows twice a year. I loved selecting and notifing companies that they had been chosen for athe shows. Maybe nost of all I enjoyed helping them prepare for their appearance on stage or in the Demonstrators' Pavilion.
Preparation before the event starts and solid planning are two important elements of success at Demo. Right off the top here are some things your company can do to get the most from your Demo experience:
1.Thoroughly read and understand the Demonstrator's handbook. The handbook has been a part of Demo since the mid 1990's and it's constantly updated to reflect past experiences and current expectations. Everyone involved in your Demo experience should read the handboook. Your PR people should read it-- and the section petaining to press who attend Demo, twice.
2. Don't clump up at one table for meals. Send people out foraging for contacts at other tables. Schmooze. Learn what you can about other companies and their products at the event and keep your ears open for an opportunity to network or combine your story with that of another company. Few things work better for a reporter than a story that helps to identify an emerging trend and products and companies that are at the sharp edge of that trend.
3. After a long day of demonstrating your products and talking to the press, venture capitalists and people from other companies, it's a very good idea to meet with all the members of your on-site staff and review who they've talked to and what they've seen. As part of this process assign somoneto follow-up on action items..
4. Long before i went to work for Demo, i was a reporter who covered the event. My experience is pretty representative of the press who attends this event. I'd file one or two stories every day, Typically one story focused on a technology or a company I thought was important and the second story would highlight a trend that was visible at the show. I'd include two or three companies and products in the second story and try to file both by the end of the day for posting in the morning. But more importantly, i'd be making notes on other companies and products and revisit those in the weeks after Demo. Generally, I'd end up writing as many as 12 stories about Demo companies during and in the four to five months following the show. One of the best ways I know to get someone to cover a company or technolgy is to give them a copy of your product or an account on your site. Hands-on experience is much more important in building awareness of your company or product than is a soft squeeeze ball, disposable pen or other trinket with your company's name on it.
Bloggers, Oh I almost forgot. Treat all bloggers you meet at the show as members of the Demo press.
5. Make sure you try to answer all of a reporter's questions. Use the opportunity to meet with reporters who may write for publications outside of or on the edge of your primarymarket. The best way to wow a reporter is through a good brisk demonstration. Don't hesitate to followup with a reporter after the show.
5. Practice your pitch and your Demo. Based on experience, I've seen companies get better results from pitches in the Pavilion than they did in a six-minute on-stage spot. Truth be told, what you do in the Pavilion, and how you craft your story can make or break your Demo experience, paticularly if your pitching your company to one of the many venture capitalists who attend Demo.
6. Relax and have fun. Demo is the one event where you can let your hair down and socialize a little. More than anything else, Demo is both a launch pad and a networking event.
If you see me, stop and say "Hi!" I'l be the big guy using the small Lenovo TinkPad X60s notebook with the persistent EvDo connection. Oh. depending on how i feel, I may also be the only one at the show with a boat loaded with two rods and reels and a half scoop of llive sardines in my bait well. Have fun. I do. Demo was one of th best things i ever did in my career--Jim Forbes from rural northern San Diego County on 09/23/2006.
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