Conference networking: I thought you’d be taller
by flickr.com/beneath_blue_skies
We’re heading to Affiliate Summit West 2008 this weekend, and as usual I’m looking forward to seeing some familiar faces, and some others for the first time.
That’s one of the great things about Affiliaite Summit and other conventions like it. Because the affiliate marketing world involves working remotely with people all over the country, and all over the world, some of the people you spend the most time e-mailing and chatting with you may never have actually met face to face. And occasionally you get to cross paths at trade shows and other events, and put faces to names. In my experience it usually does good things for the relationship, to be able to have a handshake and grab a drink, so I enjoy the opportunity.
But I also have a little fun with it, trying to guess what people look like before I meet them. It’s amazing to me how bad I am at this “game,” but it’s entertaining. When we (people) talk to other people on the phone we’re able to get some kind of image, however inaccurate, in our head – gender, age, maybe ethnicity, etc. – based on tone of voice. But a lot of us have professional relationships that don’t normally extend beyond e-mail, and I still find myself forming opinions of what these individuals look like – with nothing to go on but a name, and writing style.
It’s a trivial aspect of an otherwise very productive trip to Affiliate Summit. But just know that when we meet I’ll be quietly noting how right (or wrong) I was about your shoe size. I hope to see you in Las Vegas. Look for me – I’ll be the giant with the orange afro.
