Experts & Opinions
Jun 28, 2018
As any experienced trade show practitioner can tell you, not all trade show attendees are the same. Attendees amble about and visit exhibits for a variety of reasons. So understanding the behaviors and motivations of different types of trade show attendees – and knowing which kinds you want to attract to your exhibit – is vital to maximizing the effectiveness of your trade show marketing efforts. Otherwise, your exhibit won’t capture as many leads as it could.
So what exactly are the different types of trade show attendees? To answer that question, it’s helpful to look at the marketing… more
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Jun 26, 2018
If you combine the concepts of a “tribe” – a group of like-minded individuals who make up a community – and marketing, you create a powerful tool that deeply connects with your customer base and transcends your brand.
However, the tribal marketing approach is more of an art than a science. Here are four top tips for delivering relatable services to appeal to your chosen audience.
Identify and conquer
Before you can identify with a tribe, you must first classify your niche and define your brand position. This helps you understand who your audience is, their values and how you’re most… more
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Jun 25, 2018
Events are a fantastic way to create buzz for your organization, so when the time comes to plan, make sure your exhibit has the “wow” factor to pull everybody in.
Custom-built exhibits look impressive but can rack up the costs if you’re not mindful. Once you factor in design time, production, shipping, labor and waste, you’re dinging your budget and the environment. With some strategy and imagination, though, you can create an immersive, custom booth experience that excites attendees while still being environmentally conscious.
Challenge your team
Get your team and vendors to rise to the… more
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Jun 21, 2018
Show organizers, you all are truly the unsung heroes of events. As soon as one event is over the process of finding companies to rent exhibit space to starts all over again. The grind doesn’t really go away, right? The only two reasons for this churn would have to be either: those companies are no longer in business or the cost of the show hasn’t yielded enough new business to justify going again.
I have yet to go to a trade show where I can honestly say the foot traffic is sparse. So, for non-returning exhibitors, the issue must either be that there aren’t enough of their ideal customers at… more
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Jun 19, 2018
What is Structured Data?
Simply put, structured data is a way for web developers to help search engines understand the content of your page. It is markup added to a web page that tells a search engine like Google specifics about your page information. Google’s crawler can do amazing things but it can’t always pull the right information from a web page. For example, if you own a restaurant and have a website, Google can’t automatically decipher the name, address and hours for your restaurant without a little help.
That’s where structured data comes in. If you embed specialized markup in your… more
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Jun 14, 2018
If you are like many exhibitors, industry trade shows are an opportunity to put your best foot forward. You have a captive audience of customers, prospects and industry peers that demand you go all out to position your company, products and services in the most positive light.
How do you do it? For starters, you should be leveraging the suite of ever-evolving event technologies rather than taking a formula approach and using exactly what you did last year. Using a fresh approach, driven by leading-edge event technologies, will enable you to create the greatest impact. Begin with a strategic… more
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Jun 12, 2018
I’ve been in the brand experience business for more than 20 years. During that time, I’ve learned a thing or two about what makes a sponsorship work and why.
For most of our clients, it all comes down to budget. There’s a lot to accomplish and there never seems to be enough money. This is why sponsorships are so attractive – they provide an additional source of revenue to help offset costs and an additional activation to complement brand strategies. At the same time, that doesn’t mean we should just plop a sponsorship into an event and pat ourselves on the back.
When I went to work for… more
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Jun 07, 2018
While trade shows are predominantly still in-person affairs, there is an increasingly important digital component that goes into making an event a success. Your business’s participation in a trade show should involve your entire network – and your social channels are critical in engaging with and building your audience. With these five tips for incorporating social media into your next trade show, you’ll be sure to capitalize on your efforts and make the event worth your while.
Hashtags Are Your Friend
At least on certain networks. Use them on Instagram and Twitter; leave them out on… more
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Jun 05, 2018
Due to recent attacks on public events, it is becoming increasingly important for conferences and events to review their security. As the Head of Security of Swedish security and luxury hotel At Six in Stockholm, I have created six tips on how to achieve more secure public meetings and events.
There is an increased need and demand for security hotels due to the many tragic incidents in the last years. Security issues need to be more prioritized in the hotel and conference industry today. As a meeting place for large groups of people, we must do our utmost to ensure their safety as much as we… more
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May 31, 2018
I love the challenges they bring. I love the successes we share.I love the people they embrace. I love the anticipation from standing there on opening morning, through months and thousands of hours of hard work from everyone involved, to see people turning up. To see people walking in, with their own little face of excitement about what they're going to see today.Which leads me on to my point for Global Exhibitions Day 2018. People.GED is a day chosen to celebrate our industry and tell people on a global scale how great we are. How diverse we are. How exciting we can be! It's also a day for… more
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Partner Voices
Overview:
The award-winning Orange County Convention Center (OCCC) goes the extra mile to make every day extraordinary by offering customer service excellence and industry-leading partnerships. From their dedicated in-house Rigging team to their robust Exhibitor Services, The Center of Hospitality brings your imagination to life by helping you host unforgettable meetings and events. With more than 2 million square feet of exhibit space, world-class services and a dream destination, we are committed to making even the most ambitious conventions a reality.
In October 2023, the Orange County Board of County Commissioners voted to approve allocating Tourist Development Tax funding for the $560 million Phase 5A completion of the OCCC. The Convention Way Grand Concourse project will include enhancements to the North-South Building, featuring an additional 60,000 square feet of meeting space, an 80,000- square-foot ballroom and new entry to the North-South Building along Convention Way.
“We are thrilled to begin work on completing our North-South Building which will allow us to meet the growing needs of our clients,” said OCCC Executive Director Mark Tester. “As an economic driver for the community, this project will provide the Center with connectivity and meeting space to host more events and continue to infuse the local economy with new money and expanding business opportunities.”
Amenities:
The Center of Hospitality goes above and beyond by offering world-class customer service and industry-leading partnerships. From the largest convention center Wi-Fi network to custom LAN/WAN design, the Center takes pride in enhancing exhibitor and customer experience.
The OCCC is the exclusive provider of electricity (24-hour power at no additional cost), aerial rigging and lighting, water, natural gas and propane, compressed air, and cable TV services. Convenience
The Center is at the epicenter of the destination, with an abundance of hotels, restaurants, and attractions within walking distance. Pedestrian bridges connect both buildings to more than 5,200 rooms and is within a 15-minute drive from the Orlando International Airport. The convenience of the location goes hand-in-hand with top notch service to help meet an event’s every need.
Gold Key Members
The OCCC’s Gold Key Members represent the best of the best when it comes to exceptional service and exclusive benefits for clients, exhibitors and guests. The Center’s Gold Key memberships with Universal Orlando Resort, SeaWorld Orlando and Walt Disney World greatly enhance meeting planner and attendee experiences offering world-renowned venues, immersive experiences and creative resources for their events.
OCCC Events:
This fiscal year, the OCCC is projected to host 168 events, 1.7 million attendees, and $2.9 billion in economic impact.
The Center’s top five events during their 2022-2023 fiscal year included:
AAU Jr. National Volleyball Championships 2023
200,000 Attendees
$257 Million in Economic Impact
MEGACON 2023
160,000 Attendees
$205 Million in Economic Impact
Open Championship Series 2023
69,500 Attendees
$89 Million in Economic Impact
Sunshine Classic 2023
42,000 Attendees
$54 Million in Economic Impact
Premiere Orlando 2023
42,000 Attendees
$108 Million in Economic Impact