Experts & Opinions
May 21, 2020
It seems like every trade show and event is “pivoting” to virtual right now. For those live events that didn’t integrate a virtual component before COVID-19, it’s been a painful lesson as they struggle to adapt – and quickly. Regardless of what’s happening in the world, virtual should now be a natural extension of any live event, one that provides an even greater opportunity for any organization to further its mission.
There are obvious and not-so-obvious benefits to offering a virtual option. Not only are more people able to access your content, but it also provides critical access to… more
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May 19, 2020
In normal times, you probably exhibited at 10-15 trade shows a year. Once you got back to the office after three days of shaking hands and exchanging business cards, you most likely shoved everything into storage and got back to the business challenges of the day. But these are not normal times.
Now that the halls are clear and your office is quiet, you have ample time to pull everything (and I mean everything) out of that designated trade show area. Not only will you feel more organized when it’s over, but you and your team will also know what you have on hand and be able to put together a… more
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May 15, 2020
With the majority of live trade shows put on ice until later this year or 2021, now is the time for many exhibiting companies to re-evaluate their show calendars and weed out those events that are no longer working for their sales and marketing goals. But how do you know whether to stay or go? Read on to learn the telltale signs of when it’s time to move on to new opportunities.
You know the feeling when you just went to a trade show and it was not as successful as you know it should be? Whether you did a formal ROI analysis or just noticed that the lead quality (or quantity) was not worth… more
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May 12, 2020
Anyone who was invested in the trade show business BC (before COVID-19) is naturally trying to predict the PC marketplace and what safe will look and feel like. From organizers and exhibitors to attendees and the local communities that host them, everyone wants a date on the calendar for when we can walk the aisles again without feeling careless or dangerous.
Since being laid off in mid-March from my job as head of marketing and communications for one of the largest international trade show organizers in the U.S., two things have become clear: 1) that date on the calendar may be a long way… more
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May 06, 2020
Given that a full 90 percent of workers favor hands-on, experiential learning, it’s no surprise education is one of the top reasons people attend face-to-face corporate events.
But what happens when those events go virtual? How can organizers ensure attendees still achieve their learning objectives, even without the face-to-face experience?
Start by communicating expectations so audiences know what to expect to learn and how they can expect to learn it. Then, follow the principles below to ensure they get what they came for.
Design the Learning Experience
Map the attendee journey for a… more
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May 05, 2020
It’s no secret that video marketing is hot right now. I see a lot of creative videos on social media on a daily basis and I don’t see this trend slowing down. But do you worry about video quality or which type of camera your department should invest in? There are a lot of different kinds out there.
Here are seven different types of cameras and how to best use them.
DSLR (or Digital Single-Lens Reflex) cameras: a DSLR camera has a mirror that reflects the light coming from the lens up into an optical viewfinder, by way of either a prism or a series of additional mirrors. This is how you can… more
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Apr 29, 2020
Over the past six to eight weeks, we have seen clients face many changes and tough choices, often with limited resources and no blueprint from which to work. As we have provided counsel and recommended the necessary pivots for our clients’ event marketing campaigns, one thing has become clear: There’s no best practice or silver bullet to get us through this period.
What we have learned with each decision, campaign change or strategy adjustment is that the decisions we make are the right ones for right now. There is no guiding document to get us to June, no “roadmap for success” for the next… more
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Apr 27, 2020
There are so many things that flash through your brain when you realize that world events will overtake the event that you have planned for months if not years.
With our NACS State of the Industry Summit, scheduled to attract 600 registrants to Chicago in early April, our initial thought was, how can we pivot and still deliver value to our attendees?
Luckily, NACS had been through this drill before. In 2005, Hurricane Katrina struck New Orleans six weeks before our NACS Show was to bring 22,000 attendees to the city. At that time, we asked three central questions:
Can we move the show to… more
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Apr 23, 2020
Under normal circumstances, the planning and execution of any trade show needs to be a well-oiled machine. Each team must have visibility into what the others are doing to collaborate and avoid redundancies, and trade show directors need to have a view of all activity so they can effectively run an event that impresses senior leadership and delivers a superior experience.
But as we know, times are not normal. Trade show organizers are working remotely and trying to reschedule events or transform them into virtual gatherings. How can teams operate in a way that not only promotes a… more
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Apr 20, 2020
Just a few weeks ago, we were feeling optimistic about holding our yearly APAC and EMEA Unite conferences in March. What happened then, was out of our hands, with the COVID-19 pandemic spreading and turning the entire events industry upside down. We did not want to give up on Unite, so we sat together and worked on a virtual conference concept that would still cover the great content we were eager to share with our customer community.
We only had one week to revamp the agenda and to elaborate on the technical setup, so time was a key factor in this project. Our decision to make this a free… 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