Now that Response Expo is over and everyone is either headed home, or is already back, I can look back at the week and offer up a one paragraph glimpse of what I saw and experienced; then I'm going to want your feedback, your comments, your observations, your thoughts and perhaps most importantly, what you took away from the conference and my blog.

Here's my snapshot: 

I came to Response excited to see people I hadn't seen since September, or since last year's Response Expo, but I also arrived without expectations of what I was going to 'get' out of this year's show.  When I arrived and began meeting with people I came away with an unvarnished sense of enthusiasm and optimism, coupled with a clear "can-do" attitude.  Even those folks who weren't riding a crest of unqualified success had a clear notion of what success looks like and a plan on how to achieve it.  This marked a substantial shift from last year's Response Expo, where I sensed an almost palpable fear among attendees.  I believe that the PI and DR advertising industries are accurate forecasters of the economy's ups and downs, expressing in advance by about 4-7 months, what the vast majority of people in this country are going to experience economically.  I don't think our industry gives itself enough credit for being this powerful an indicator, and it's something I intend on following much more closely.  As goes DR/PI, so goes the ecomony... or at least the perception of the economy.  If my theory is true, and I have many reasons to think it is, then it's clear to me that the general economy has hit a bottom and we're on the upswing.  It means we still have some short term economic woes to work through, but the opportunities far outweigh the obstacles.

What's YOUR opinion?  I'd love to know!