We’re on the same page. It’s not about the price, it’s about the information delivered. Organizations that think they can stay alive during difficult times by making a few bucks on a hastily planned and poorly implemented trade show are mistaken. Great shows like DS2009 drive that point home by providing a killer alternative.

Thanks for what you do, Brandie. I look forward to your next piece.

Rick.

A comment or two regarding your statement “But I don’t see how that has anything to do with whether you make a profit or not. Being cheap doesn’t necessarily guarantee a higher value.”

I’m not sure where that comes from … My point was conferences need to be about educating, not profiting. I didn’t mention being cheap. In fact, per head cost DS2009 was no slouch when it came to expense – the multimedia and interaction I’m sure cost a pretty penny.

Higher value is IMHO purely content driven. And, if the content and value derived from attending is valuable enough one can reasonably argue it’s worth a high admission price.

Net-net – conferences should strive to earn their money back … perhaps with a little spare change. But at a time when the industry needs it most, don’t sacrifice relevant value for a quick profit via conferences.

Cheers!

Brandie