Ligging techniquesFollow

Dunno if that term is used in USA, but here, 'Ligging' means freeloading; especially at corporate events.

This morning I had some interesting observations at the LoTRO II launch.

I attend loads of medical conferences where Healthcare IT companies, drug companies etc have lovely young things staffing promotional stands with freebies; T-Shirts, Pens, Mugs. Sometimes it's really nice stuff (PDAs, Desk Clocks, MP3 players etc)

I notice the timid types who dutifully listen to the representatives' sales patter for 10 minutes, then mumble "I don't suppose any of those mugs are going spare?". Some listen to the spiel then lack the confidence to even ask and wander away having wasted 10 minutes.

My preferred method is to smile, and as they're about to launch into their sales patter, say "I'm being really cheeky, but I'm in a dash, and I did promise my son I'd try to get him a Mug/Pen/T-Shirt/Penile Clamp" and take said freeby before they have chance to say anything.

Today there was quite a bit of ph4t l00tz around, and the sociology was fascinating.

A few non-gamer journalists glanced disdainfully at the free Gold Edition of LoTRO they were given, pulled a face and left it on their seat. (Next to Nobby )

One Spanish Geek listened to some junior salesman from one of the Software Houses rambling on and on, while the ninja-looters emptied the stand around them. By the time Jose had extricated himself from the droning sales-pitch, there wasn't so much as a sticker left.

Anywho, I now have a nice selection of middle-earth clay pipes, mouse mats, Gold editions of LoTRO (all Euro editions and spoken for, before you ask), as well as the usual free trial CDs and discounted game-time.

What's your technique?

Oh and if there are any more Beta Keys for Jumpgate Evolution tomorrow, anyone want me to grab?

I tend to shout at them "HEY LOOK A DISTRACTION!" and make off with stuff before they have a chance to wonder what the hell is going on.

You truly are a cunning liggist.


/ducks

So what else didja get meh?

I have a ton of that stuff. In our case, the vendors come to us and give us stuff for letting them take our time and give their spiel. So Sun comes over for a couple hours, drone on about their upcoming line and I get a sweatshirt. Then Intel comes over and does the same and I get a mug. AMD doesn't want to be left without a chair, so they hand out free hats or something...

We had a guy here for a while who was positively brazen about it. He didn't just hint that swag would be a good idea, but would openly ask: "So what swag will you bring?". He's moved on, but that was pretty darn amazing (and I've got silly amounts of stuff).

In terms of conventions and whatnot, I pretty much just move through the display floor and pick up whatever's sitting there. If it's on their counter, it's there for taking is pretty much the assumption. If they actually have a product I'm interested in, I'll sit and listen to the spiel and/or engage their guys in a conversation. I *never* give out business cards to vendors. They give them to me, and if I like their product, I'll call them. I made the mistake of giving a business card out once and it took me a year to convince them that I really didn't want to buy their product. No really!

On the rare occasion that I'm not able to just kinda slide in and out in the crowd to get the swag and get "caught" I'll just kinda smile, take a business card from them and say something like: "Not sure we're interested in your product, but I do like this hand exerciser thingie!" and walk on. What are they going to do? Yell at me?

The whole point of swag is to put some gizmo with their company name/logo on it into the hands of as many people in the industry as possible. How that happens doesn't really matter...

I just DL'd LoTRO about a week ago. I feel pressured now to get my 17 Minstrel to 50 before next fall.

Dam, no smilies. it sucks being one of the poor posting masses.

Edited, Mar 15th 2008 6:05am by Elinda

WTS - 1 semi used Collectors Edition Lotro, still have the box lying around somewhere. Special item never used.

Go Go.

Swag update.

 
    * Trial versions of LOTRO 
    * Copy of Archlord 
    * Trial keys for DDO and RF online 
    * Beta key for Jumpgate Evolution 
    * Mouse mat 
    * Magazine 
    * Momic 
    * Dungeons & Dragons minature 
    * Magic the Gathering core game 
    * Pen 
    * Keyring 
 
and in addition, the Press pack included 
 
    * Gold Edition of LoTRO 
    * Copies of RF Online and DDO 
    * In-game Ranger's Cloak (+5% speed) 
    * Codemasters silver Business Card case 
    * A Clay Pipe 
    * 3 In-Game unique titles 
          o Pillar of the Community 
          o Greeter of Kin 
          o Worldly Traveler 

Sadly, the in-game items are for the EU version of LoTRO

Same here, except replace "deal with" with "ignore".