I recently attended a large Australasian family history conference. There were a number of exhibitors including archives, family history societies, businesses and commercial database providers.
This has me thinking about why archives participate at such events, what impressions we create and how we want to promote our services.
What makes a good conference table for an archives? Is it banners, brochures and bookmarks? It is using computers and ipads with wifi available to access our websites? Is it knowledgeable staff?
What can we learn from other exhibitors and what can we learn from the people we speak to who want to use our services? Do we follow up on suggestions made by our clients?
Should archives be participating in such conferences as speakers? Do they wait to be invited or do they go looking for opportunities? Are such conferences an opportunity for our staff to learn from others also?
I'd be interested in what others have to say about what works for their archives when they attend such events.
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