Experts & Opinions
Jan 03, 2012
Congrats - you’re no longer the trade show rookie.
You’ve trained your booth staffers to work the aisles. You’ve asked for (and received) a trade show display with bold images and clear messaging. And you know how to put together a trade show promotion that gets more people to your booth.
Been there, done that. Now, you’re ready for something more.
So here are six advanced trade show strategies and tactics you can use that will stretch – and grow – your trade show program:
Select Vertical Market Shows
All too often… more
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Dec 26, 2011
December and January spark articles and blog posts filled with predictions for the New Year. While I cannot really know what will happen in the world, I do have some observations about meetings and conferences from my time spent as a keynote and breakout speaker at more than 300 events (59 presentations in 2011).
1. The meetings business will continue to recover from the hits it took in the recession. I am bullish on the state of face-to-face gatherings and believe that neither an ongoing bad economy nor the virtual options that exist to deliver content can replace the need for humans to… more
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Dec 10, 2011
You’ve been asked the same question time and time again: “What’s the ROI from our trade show program?” You grit your teeth, take a deep breath, force a smile on your face,and answer, “I don’t know.”
Why not? It might be because you can’t get your sales team to share which leads turned into sales with you. Or because you don’t have a unified database that tracks it automatically. Or because you simply don’t have time to chase it all down.
But it’s not rocket science to figure out your trade show ROI,… more
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Dec 10, 2011
In his best-selling 1959 book, “The Magic of Thinking Big”, author David J. Schwartz, Ph.D., pointed out that there is a common fallacy about the meaning of “creative thinking”.
For some reason, people believe that the areas of science, engineering, art and writing have exclusive ownership of creativity. He assures his readers that while discovering a cure for disease, writing a novel, or developing technology are certainly admirable accomplishments, they are NOT the only areas where a creative mind can help someone excel in their career.
The need for… more
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Nov 28, 2011
Exhibit designers make a big deal about how trade show exhibits are 3-D – they have length, width and height. That 3-D perspective creates much greater visual impact than 2-D marketing mediums.
Yet, exhibits are actually 4-D, the 4th dimension being time. We exist in three spatial dimensions and in one temporal dimension, which combine to be called spacetime.
During a trade show, your static 3-D exhibit can be transformed into an interactive 4-D exhibit attendees experience through the activities you host in your exhibit. 4-D trade show exhibits… more
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Oct 22, 2011
For most exhibitors, lead generation is their No. 1 reason for exhibiting at trade shows. Exhibit marketers want leads to replenish their sales pipeline, bring in new and repeat customers and generate sales revenue.
So, to help stoke the lead generation fires, here are 100 ideas to get you more leads at your upcoming trade shows, divvied up among five main areas:
Get more trade show leads by how you select shows
Go to more trade shows outside your local region
Go to more trade shows, in your best vertical markets
Go to more trade shows, in foreign countries
Go to… more
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Oct 15, 2011
We are living in a "relationship economy”, where you need to have more than just skills to find success. This especially is true in the meetings industry, where people are the power. There are many who have talent, as we are expected to be good just to have a seat at the table.Talent and education are important, but they are not enough.
Hard work is good, but again, in the current global financial climate, everyone is working hard. There still are only 24 hours in the day. Time is the great equalizer. No matter how hard you are working, others can match your… more
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Oct 05, 2011
You’ve heard about unconferences - those buck the system, user-powered, experiment until the cows come home face-to-face gatherings cropping up across the country. They can be a bit unpredictable (what with the content decided by the attendees and all) and even a little chaotic at times. However, it is a trend that is NOT going away.
In fact, the self-organized, crowd-controlled, bottom-up model for events and event organizations is only growing. The Senior Planner Industry Network (SPIN) is a prime example. What started out as a group on LinkedIn less than three years ago has 1,900… more
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Oct 01, 2011
To master the deadline-driven world of trade shows depends on great planning.
Yet, all too often, important marketing planning gets overshadowed by urgent logistic splanning. Because of the flood of deadlines, we get more distracted by the “what to do” rather than the “why to do” it.
But, it’s just as essential to plan marketing things. Things such as your goals for the show, your marketing messages for your graphics and staffers and creating a promotional campaign that will get more of the right people to your booth.
Here are some ideas… more
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When done properly, trade shows usually justify the cost and help to generate qualified leads that turn into new sales. However, as with any marketing activities, you don’t want to pay more than you should. These strategies can help save significant amounts of money every time you exhibit.
Rent your exhibit. In addition to providing more flexibility at every show, renting lowers upfront costs versus owning your exhibit. You don’t pay for storage, maintenance, pull and prep or refurbishment when you rent.
Hire an onsite supervisor from your exhibit house. … 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