;)
BETT Highlights #3: When Advice Paid Off
#BETT2010 Oscar Wilde once said that good advice is something to be passed on to others, as it is never any good to oneself. Fortunately, the Australian chap I met at BETT recently didn't take Wilde's advice. Here's what happened.
At the end of my 'Amazing Web 2.0 Projects' seminar presentation, several people wanted to talk to me. One of them was an Australian man.
Australian man: Hi, Terry, I'm from Australia.
Me: Really? I'd never have guessed.
AM: I emailed you a couple of months ago.
Me: Oh, and I didn't reply?
AM: Yes, you did. I told you I'd won a bursary, and asked your advice for which international conference I should attend, paid for by that money.
Me: Oh yes, I remember now.
AM: And you advised me to come to BETT.
Me: Ah. And now you want me to give you your money back?
AM: No, on the contrary. I've been walking around with my mouth open. This has been a fantastic experience, so I just wanted to thank you for your excellent advice.
I think that proves several things. Firstly, it shows that although some Brits might have become a bit jaded over the past 26 years of the BETT Show, it's probably a case of familiarity breeding contempt. It's still as vibrant and as important as it always has been, perhaps more so.
Secondly, it shows that when I give advice, I know what I'm talking about. There are are lots of conferences I could have recommended, but (a) I don't know what AM was really interested in and (b) none of the others are on anything like the same scale as the BETT Show. I felt he would be completely bowled over with excitement by it.
But lastly, it shows that I am a lousy businessman: I should have charged him!
BETT, BETT 2010, BETT Highlights, BETT Show, BETT2010 in Diary, Leading & Managing ICT | 3 Comments | Share Article | Email Article | Print Article 
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Reader Comments (3)
"Firstly, it shows that although some Brits might have become a bit jaded over the past 26 years of the BETT Show, it's probably a case of familiarity breeding contempt." .. I'm not sure if I've become jaded but I don't think this year's BETT was as good as some previous year's. What I think your meeting does illustrate is that BETT is becoming much more of an international event and the focus may be shifting toward marketing British expertise and services to the international market rather than (or as well as) the national ones. This is a positive move but it runs the risk of making BETT a marketing exercise more than a professional event, perhaps the Teachmeet events were a riposte to this?
"Secondly, it shows that when I give advice, I know what I'm talking about." .. never doubted that for a minute, Terry.
Thx for commenting, Doug. Interestingly, I remember having your experience last year; this year I absolutely loved BETT, and came away with a real buzz. But I think that came from meeting people I've known, such as your good self, and some online people I'd never met before.
I think the relationship between BETT the marketing forum and its unconference side in events like Teachmeet is an interesting one. If it wasn't for the fact that the organisers regard such events as a way of attracting more people through the doors, they almost certainly wouldn't even countenance having such distractions. If I am correct, surely on that basis we ought to hope that BETT continues to be a marketing event? p-)
@Doug thx for your kind comment!