Experts & Opinions
Sep 21, 2014
What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. This is especially true when it comes to technology and the evolving landscape of omnichannel retail for brick-and-mortar retailers.
Once feared as an existential threat to brick-and-mortar retail, the Internet now provides retailers with tools to evolve, redefine themselves, improve engagement with customers and build their brands.
What shoppers really want is experience and relationships – with people and brands. Technology is simply another tool retailers can employ to augment and deepen these relationships and experiences.
My belief stems from… more
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Sep 14, 2014
Tradeshow attendees are unique, they want to discover something - and as such, you can’t sell to them in the same way you would to a prospect in a corporate boardroom. Follow these five steps to more effectively engage potential customers at your next tradeshow.
1) Greetings
Even during the busiest times, always extend your hand, smile and learn your prospect’s name.
Pro tip: Take a look at the prospect’s name badge and refer to him or her by name throughout the conversation.
2) Identifying needs
Ask the attendee what he or she is looking for today so you can identify and address… more
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Sep 14, 2014
Travel can greatly impact the greenness of your tradeshow and is oftentimes overlooked since the actual event tends to garner the most attention and focus in terms of being green, but it doesn’t need to be this way. Here are three ways you can up the green factor regarding your tradeshow travel.
1. Consider Alternative Modes of Transportation. Sometimes air travel is the best option, and if you have to fly book direct flights whenever possible to minimize carbon emissions, but depending on your departure and arrival cities consider other travel options. If your tradeshow is within… more
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Sep 07, 2014
It's a new event era, where content creates opportunities for marketers and meeting planners to craft experiences that endear customers and members while having their brand message blasted across social media.
An event may garner 5,000 people, but you could reach 5,000,000 when event content is generated and shared!
Clearly, the Event Marketing Summit event is driving shares online – because this blog post is based on a session I attended there presented by Josh Nafman, Senior Digital Brand Manager at Pepsi, and his agency partner Matt Statman, CEO and Creative Director of Motive.
They shared… more
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Sep 06, 2014
My first company focused solely on online reputation management, so I have a relatively strong digital presence and am generally off put when someone doesn’t “Social Stalk” me before we meet.
I put a great deal of time and effort into making certain all the information I want someone to know about me, personally and professionally, is online. In this way, my first true impression is before we ever actually meet.
Have you ever Googled yourself? Probably not, but you should! You might be surprised… Here are my Google results for Trace Cohen – so let’s run through different social… more
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Aug 30, 2014
Competition is fierce for business. From consumers with less disposable income to companies operating with much smaller budgets, marketing and sales departments put in the extra work to increase sales and ultimately the company’s bottom line in more creative ways.
If your company is paying the money for the space rental, the purchase of the trade show display and related sales collateral, along with paying for travel, accommodations and more, they should be spending the time to promote their trade show marketing event on their blog. It’s a cost-effective way to extend the life of your trade… more
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Aug 28, 2014
There’s no “one size fits all” when it comes to show floor design. Just as exclusive as the fashion trends I see at MAGIC every year, the GES team aspires to bring our Advanstar client’s show floor vision to life and make it unique as possible. Too often, trade shows look alike, and our client is committed to making their exhibitors’ experiences fresh – from the way they manage the show to the way they interact with attendees.
For their summer 2014 show, Advanstar challenged us to create a new look and feel that would elevate the look of MAGIC.
It… more
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Aug 24, 2014
Before jumping into these 7 problems that can be solved by trade show display rentals, I’d first like to dispel a major myth about trade show exhibit rentals.
Some may equate rentals with boring or basic displays and imagine an attendee pointing and discussing how generic their booth is or how much it looks like that other rental over there.
Fortunately, rentals have come a long way, running the gamut from basic portables to practically custom exhibits. Used well, trade show rental displays can fit a variety of needs and solve some basic problems. Now, to the problem solving!
1. Your… more
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Aug 24, 2014
With hundreds of exhibitors competing for the attention of attendees at the trade show, it can seem like a daunting task trying to stand out. While some companies opt to hand out branded giveaway items, have the most state-of-the-art technology incorporated into their exhibit, or have stunning signage that can be seen from across the show floor, there are still a wide variety of things that you can do to become a fierce competitor to these other businesses.
The following ideas will get attendees and exhibitors alike talking about your booth before they even get to the event.
Create a… more
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Aug 15, 2014
I recently was at the Women In Travel conference, which had a focus on networking and connecting in order to promote and learn.
Since the focus of the conference was around the idea of connecting, I was very happily surprised with the spin it took on the traditional way of engaging.
Networking across industry and title, boundaries: This particular organization wanted to reach anyone who works in travel, regardless of whether they are a travel agent, or work with a corporation. The other unique point was that everyone was networking together. There were no boundaries… 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