Re: COMMON Update... - the Porsche give-away? -- MIDRANGE-L

Trev et. al.


a) I did not sense that there was a scam.

I did. I asked them one question in the expo "Tell me straight upthat this car is being given away at this conference, yes or no." Theybegan their answer with, "well..." I walked away and never came back.

b) 99% of the people who showed up really believed that a $90,000 carwas to be given away

I don't believe that 99% number but it clearly wasn't zero either. ALOT of people I talked to DID think it was actually being given away.

The issue was, and is, plain and simple - there were still EDUCATIONevents going on. The lack of support for the education (the mainreason for the conference) was appalling - from the vendor and fromthe attendees. When it was found that there was a conflict, the vendorwas not willing to support the conference which was providing them thefacility by modifying the time for the drawing. Not only scamming theattendees, but not willing to support the event.

I agree with this 101%. They slammed COMMON, it's goals, it'spurpose, and it's people. Their inflexibility exacerbated the problem.The attendees DO deserve some blame but the Vendor gets the lions sharefor causeing the entire stir in the first place.

How easy was it to suck the attendees out of going to a conferenceevent? Of course, it is obvious that COMMON's top speakers can notcompete with the prospect of a $90,000 vehicle - er, and martinis. Thevery very sad part was that it was a complete farce.

I heard about the martini's and I LOVE a top shelf martini. HoweverI walked right throught the crowd as You were trying to convince peoplethey were idiots. I had no intention of patronizing this vendor or theirevent. Even IF someone had won the car they would STILL be an idiot.Here is a near useless car that would have cost the winner the price ofa decent set of wheels just for taxes and insurance. And then you gottagive it back in a year. (Side note: Would I like to drive one? H***Yes! Own one, no intrest at all)

I was under pressure from the attendees at my (competing) session tofinish early. I managed to present my entire session and still get oneof the original ten people scammed into the event on time.

I attended one of the other sessions (I already got a life :o) Iwrote on the session evaluation this exact quote (It's in Planion if youcare to look) "This was hands down THE most valuable session I haveattended in the past 10 conferences." Sorry all the idiots had to miss it.


 - Larry
   COMMON Attendee, Speaker, SME, CET
   Not an Idiot.



----- Original Message ----- From: "Greg Wenzloff"
Sent: Friday, September 23, 2005 9:04 AM
Subject: RE: COMMON Update... - the Porsche give-away?

After the drawing and non-give away, the crowd quickly started to
disperse.  But by then all the other scheduled events were over.   The
free booze continued to flow for another hour.   Quadrant let anyone go
on stage to punch in a 5 digit number.   I tried several times but the
odds are just way too great to hit.

Later I drank with the CEO.   He seemed genuinely giddy at the big turn
out for the party.   I did not sense that there was a scam.  However 99%
of the people who showed up really believed that a $90,000 car was to be
given away.

Greg