Comments

WOW! Wish I could be there.

Posted by K.Sriram at December 9, 2005 9:02 PM

And to think that in 1995 I walked into a book signing and heard Tom speak for 2 hours - free! But I did buy two books - which Tom signed. One was "The Pursuit of WOW!".

Posted by Mike Linacre at December 10, 2005 5:13 AM

Rather than simply 'token voice of dissent' here's me raising an issue often aired privately when considering the cost of business events which routinely carry 4-figure pricing. Not the venue for an article-length piece, I'll skim the basics - please join your own dots.

Q. Do they have to be so expensive?
A. No. Of course not. We just do it that way.

No secrets... such events are beyond my 'sensible' budget and, I suspect, more than a few others who've been reading the books/listening to the audio for years (and will likely continue to do so). Specific to Peters, I've spoken with many 'cublicle dwellers' who could never justify (even if they could find the money, mortgage/food/ family take priority) the often two-three weeks net take-home pay cost of a single event.

I'm constructively considering the parallels with the modern music industry - where top names price events at more modest levels and still manage to cover a high-ticket lifestyle. And, from personal experience in previously handling appearances and seminars for a 'leading name in the personal development industry' I'm fully aware that great events can be made available at significantly lower prices - we 'took delight' at making him available for less than a hundred bucks... attendees liked this too.

All things considered, I don't get a warm fuzzy feeling inside when considering the often twenty-forty times pricing differential between concerts and seminars and, perhaps it's just the pinko commie in me but... I'm thinking 'too expensive... overcharging... etcetera'.

In balance, this is a critique common to many commercial items (software, furniture, consulting etc) where overcharge is accepted with an attitude of 'oh, we'll just factor it into our pricing and pass the cost on to the consumer'. But hey - this is a free market in which nobody has to buy, right? Absolutely. Those of us too poor/cheap to stump up can simply abstain.

Honestly, I'm wondering just how much more affordable 'a lot of things - perhaps, even... healthcare - might be if the producers adopted more 'considerate' pricing.

But, perhaps I'm missing the point and being too idealistic? Surely these events are not aimed at real people who have to cover their own costs or even 'one-two person consulting firms'. In the case of Peters, this raises an interesting poser - the bulk of commenters here don't appear to be high-power CEOs and are more likely in 'afficionado' category with relatively modest budgets.

Whatever. So, no - I won't see you all there. Instead, I'll keep doing the stuff (books/tapes which are affordable and from which I get real benefit) that makes more sense to me and, having aired this issue, leave the rest to others so-minded-and-funded.

Posted by gulliver at December 11, 2005 2:38 AM

Like Gulliver I get very frustrated reading about these types of events - ones which I know I would get a huge amount from but simply couldn't afford.

The level at which the tickets are priced raises the question: are you alreay preaching to the converted?

Being a start-up there is no way I could afford to attend, however, there is a case to be made that those who can really do not need to attend...?

If you really wanted to get creative you could almost run a simple 'competition' of some kind for maybe HALF the places which will be available at a tenth of the cost... come on - WOW us on this one!

Posted by DK at December 11, 2005 3:41 AM

Au contraire gull boy and DK - Tom gives away 95% of his intellectual property - and if the likes of A-Rod and Shaq are "earning" $25Million+ / year - then certainly Tom deserves every bit of his - plus more - the free market sets the price - reread your Econ 101.

Posted by Sean at December 11, 2005 10:03 AM

>au contraire etc...

Seems a needlessly aloof, snotty and uninformed tone, to which I'll respond concisely...

My point isn't one of who's giving how much of what - simply that this is one of many events which to many appear overpriced - and could be offered at less were it not for the gr**d factor.

And, re your issue of celebs (neither of whom are known to me, such is my old farthood) - I assume they earn through providing 'more reasonably priced incidents'... which is/was my original point. Dylan/Clapton etc events are at such a reasonable level and hell, whilst on this, let's not forget those free gigs - whether it be The Stones in the sixties or Dave Matthews more recently.

And finally, the 101 etc... the 'principles and practices of econ 101' are a large factor in why so much of commerce is so lacking in respect - and I'm not just talking Enron here... more the lower level everyday stupidity, laziness and greed which are so prevalent. Whatever... that really is a subject for elsewhere.

Posted by gulliver at December 11, 2005 11:11 AM

At $US1500 per ticket, Tom's UK event is great value! I've paid more in airline tickets alone to hear much less inspiring speakers. My suspicion is that, close to the event, one could "scalp" the tickets at a nice profit ... now that is the "free market" in action! And, of course, it's the high rollers who need to be beaten into submission by Tom because they set the pace for everyone else.

Tom, has Bill Gates attended one of your presentations?

Posted by Mike Linacre at December 11, 2005 10:21 PM

Gulliver & DK - But how about the amount on this website that is free? I agree that some of these 'gurus' (particularly in the self help domain but also those in management) charge ridiculous sums but Tom is not (comparatively) expensive ... considering experience, achievements etc. and the whole thing he does is more than generous: you can pretty much read all the ideas in these seminars blow-by-blow and get all the slides afterwards if you want them for free anyway.

To summarise, I agree with the point you're making but not in this case -- you're taking pot-shots at the wrong guy here.

Posted by Daniel M. Harrison at December 12, 2005 12:57 PM

Daniel...

As I mentioned in my second comment, it's not about what's given free of charge - that's a side issue.

And, this is in no way a potshot - something I'm happy to do when appropriate (along with my fervent exhortation to others to 'go check out the Peters' stuff') - it's simply objective critique.

Posted by gulliver at December 12, 2005 7:34 PM

I think the dissenters have a point that I take seriously. On the other hand, as Sean and Daniel imply, I use the bulk of the speech money to fund the time and staff that go into the speech research and content, blogging, book-writing, etc. I will self-righteously agree that we give away a lot of intellectual capital at this site--a hundred people (literally) have said to me, "Why don't you charge [a fortune] for the Web material?"

Posted by tom peters at December 21, 2005 10:49 AM