2017年4月19日
By 乔尔Unickow 流媒体副总裁/发行商
专题文章

NAB 2017:生存策略 & 鸡尾酒

Sometimes I regret registering as press for NAB—mostly in the mornings in March and April when I open my email. There is no lack of PR firms vying for attention for the companies they are representing. 事实上，它确实有点多. 别误会我, 这些都是努力工作的人, 在很大程度上, 他们的工作就是为客户制造噪音, and a good number of them even have a quota for how many meetings they can set up with press. It takes me a solid 1-2 hours daily just to figure out what emails are actually relevant and important, 更别说是私人恩怨了. 但是,嘿, that's part of the deal and the positive side is you do get a flavor of what to expect from the exhibitors as a whole for the coming show.

So far, I've seen some interesting products ready to take a swing at HEVC and hearing lots of noise about OTT. The latest and greatest trend for emerging businesses in our space is most certainly analytic platforms. 这一点也不奇怪, either: OTT is a cost center but a must-do and retaining eyeballs and cutting costs is the key way to soften the blow. Analytics can most certainly help identify inefficiencies and trends.

但让我们面对现实吧，NAB很吵. 真的吵了. And, as I've said in year's past, its a war of the wallet more than anything else. The mentality has been that the biggest booth at the front of the hall wins. 这就是你对贸易展的看法吗? While the impact of a company willing to spend to get your attention is commendable, 多少才算足够，多少才算太多? 我每年都和供应商讨论这个问题. 今年, more pre-show conversations are showing companies walking away from that fight and turning to more targeted ways of reaching potential customers. I'm not saying that's the definitive trend—NAB isn't slowing down anytime soon—but for many of the people I've talked to, there seems to be some more conservative spending in the hunt to find customers.

就我个人而言，我确实喜欢NAB，我发现它很有成效. Even though it's a marathon of back-to-back meetings, 和大多数人一样, 我从来没见过每个我想见的人. 你是否是一个供应商, 或者是客户, I have a couple of recommendations on how to have a fruitful show…

Eat

包装格兰诺拉燕麦棒. You might think you are going to have lunch, but you are not. 如果有人请你吃三明治，那就吃吧. It may be your last meal before you get back to your hotel or that dinner meeting that's on your calendar. Oh, 还有摊贩，不要在你的摊位上吃东西, just step away for a few minutes and eat it like Golem would a fish. 否则, you may only get one bite before the next booth visitor fires up a "conversation" with one eye on your swag. 记住，没有燃料是飞不起来的.

水合物

携带水. The AC in your hotel is going to turn your throat into melba toast. If you don't hydrate, you are going to sound like Will Arnett's Lego Batman by day two. Water keeps your head clear too, and you'll want to be on your A-game.

Shoes

看起来不错很好, but it's more important to feel good and believe me when I say it all starts with shoes. You can always tell a seasoned NAB'er who's wearing running shoes. 你在开玩笑吗?? 我当然是。.

随身携带止痛药

Sure, it's great to have on hand if you didn't follow rules 1-3 but it's really for the people you meet who need it more than you. 陪着你的团队，收拾行李.

为你的手机带一个外部电池

Do yourself a favor and don't bother checking your email while you are on the floor. 它以后还会在那里. 你去那里是为了亲眼见到别人. Nothing is more disturbing than watching booth staff on their phones when a customer is standing unengaged. However, the last thing you want is to run out of juice. 你需要一整天都能联系到你，每一天.

做笔记

就我个人而言，我把字写在名片的背面, unless I get handed one that's all plastic and won't hold ink. 然后，值得信赖的记事本出来了. 是不是太老派了? Well, I'd like to see you try dictating to Siri on South Lower.

认识新朋友

The best person you'll see at NAB this year is the one you haven't met yet—I guarantee that. The best book I never read was by Keith Ferrazzi, called 不要一个人吃饭. The title alone impacted me years ago, and it's probably the best advice in business I ever got. And what better way to meet random people than the happy hours on the exhibit floor and social events that follow. 我是欢乐时光的忠实粉丝, especially when I get to meet the people behind the passion of the companies where they work. It means much more to me than just another press release or irrelevant mass email meeting request in my in-box. Enjoying this industry and the people in it are what it's all about to me, and I hope, you as well.

以下是今年的一些欢乐时光和派对. 如果你还知道其他人, please do include your comments (please no content events, 仅限社交/网络活动). 希望我能在其中一个见到你. Remember, the secret word is "banana" and I'll know you read this.