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If I had to pick a favorite new community feature from he past 12 months I would vote for vendor pages. There are a couple of things that got my attention with vendor pages.

  1. It is a convenient way to track and remember vendors that get my attention. Something I have done for years is keep an idea file, which is a combination of hardcopy files and bookmarks. A lot of times I will see a vendor that looks interesting, but I don’t have a need for them today. I still do a little research, see what they offer and file them away. When someone asks me to deliver on something new there is a good chance I can reach in to that idea file and pull out a solution and basic research almost immediately. That makes me look really awesome and effective. Now when a company looks interesting I can follow their vendor page.

  2. I like talking to vendors. Note that I said talking, not being sold by, all you hungry sales guys can sit back down and relax a bit. I like hearing what vendors have to say in the community, I like seeing them try and help people, and I like seeing them as professionals and people instead of just sales automations. That builds trust and respect and gives me confidence in how I will be treated before, during, and after a purchase. The vendor pages give me a channel to see what people I find interesting are doing in the community. In many of these interactions I am lurking and reading not always posting.

  3. It can be a great source of registration free news. I get too much email, so I don’t always want to give out my address and get hit with newsletters and marketing touches, but I am interested in the latest news about different vendors. Vendor pages allow me to see what you are doing but keep control over the level of contact.

  4. It lets me see at a glance who is an active Spiceworks supporter. Spiceworks is a critical tool for my business, and I love the fact that vendors pay for it so it is free to me. In exchange I try to support vendors who are active partners when I can. If two vendors are offering products of comparable quality and price being a partner is a tipping point.

17 Spice ups
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Very well said Justin, I think it’s a valuable addition to the community as well.