Contractors will consequently find it easier to continually add helpful knowledge and skills to their repertoire. Make time for trade shows. Take out those Palm Pilots and block some time for at least one trade show per year. If someone calls you with a job, make sure they know you're going to be out of town. Otherwise, it's easy to let that important commitment to your education slide.
Trade shows offer a mass of information compressed in time and space.
Getting out there and networking in the non-electronic, the old schmooze sense, is really important. Read the white pages, explore a relationship with a vendor, and get your hands on companies' new product demos. You don't do this for every product that comes along. When you're satisfied you'll be making a sound choice, you needn't go it alone to learn the necessary skills. Many vendors offer training or certification that can make you an expert in a matter of weeks.