22. You’re Invited To Keynote, All Expenses On You!

WTF Did I Just Read? Tech Sales & Marketing Edition

In this episode of WTFDIJR, Chris and Dani are uncovering:

The ethics and practices surrounding conference speaking invitations. Chris shares his experience of being invited to keynote at the Cybertech Global Tel Aviv 2024 conference, only to find out that the organizers would not cover travel or speaking expenses. This led to a broader conversation about the expectations and norms in the industry regarding compensating speakers, particularly at for-profit events.

Key Takeaways:

• Personal Experiences and Anecdotes: Dani and Chris share their personal experiences, including Chris’s recent travel challenges and adjusting to time zones. They also discuss their plans for upcoming events like Black Hat and reminisce about past events like Cyber Week.
• Building Relationships in Sales: The episode highlights the importance of building genuine relationships in the sales process rather than resorting to transactional or aggressive tactics. They stress the value of understanding the client’s background, needs, and interests.
• Challenges in the Industry: Dani and Chris discuss the challenges faced by salespeople who are often constrained by KPIs and lack the freedom or time to conduct proper research, which results in ineffective outreach and a lot of 'noise' in the industry.
• Role of Social Media and Online Presence: Chris and Dani touch upon how a person's online presence, including social media platforms like LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook, can be used to understand them better and tailor the sales approach accordingly.
• Decision Criteria for Purchases: The episode also covers what factors influence a cybersecurity practitioner’s decisions to purchase a solution, focusing on the right mindset, the product being appropriate for the current time, and the importance of human interaction in the sales process.
• Ethics of Inviting Keynote Speakers Without Covering Expenses: Dani and Chris criticize this practice as unfair and potentially exploitative. They also highlight the need for transparency and fairness in how conference speakers are treated, especially in terms of financial and logistical support.

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