Expos are the most disrupted element of association conferences today. If you’re still using “tradeshow,” “market place” or “exhibit hall” as names for the area where you feature solution providers—who are there to help your attendees deal with the problems and challenges they’re facing—it’s time for a rebrand. Attendees make buying decisions so differently now, doing most of their purchasing research online before they attend your live event, that they don’t see the value in going into an … [Read more...]
How Much Do Sellers and Buyers Trust Our Tradeshow Environments?
The most glaring reality I’ve pointed to previously in this space — that three out of four B2B buyers conduct the majority of their research before talking to a salesperson — greatly affects the sustainability of the tradeshow business model. That, and the others explored in the five realities of today’s B2B buyer post, and how those insights can be applied to evolve the traditional expo, remain major issues today. Add to that fact the high cost of purchasing, setting up and staffing an … [Read more...]
Yes, Your Conference is a Brand
Yes, your conference is a brand. So start treating it like one! The Words Annual Meeting Are Out! If you’re still using Annual Meeting in your conference brand, you’re showing your age. Most association bylaws require an annual meeting of the membership. It's the organization's business portion of the conference usually for paid members. But using the words Annual Meeting in your conference brand is outdated. It does not elicit a positive emotional connection with your attendance … [Read more...]
Secrets For Growing Conference Sponsorship Revenues
Many conference and trade show organizers are focusing more attention on exhibit and sponsorship sales. Yet, the traditional revenue mix from exhibits and sponsorship is changing. More digital demonstration channels are being adopted and booth footprints are shrinking. The future opportunity is to shift reduced marketing spend from exhibitor booth square feet to more sponsorship. Bigger Deals, Fewer Buyers Recently, Dave and I had the pleasure of leading a session at the ASAE Annual … [Read more...]
Designing Education Theaters On The Trade Show Floor
Attracting and keeping quality attendees on your show floor isn’t getting any easier. The way we, as consumers and businesses, research and buy products and services has evolved — and so must the trade-show experience. The trade show of the future will focus on helping over selling, which is best accomplished by delivering valuable education in the exhibit hall. Programmed presentations in show-floor theaters is nothing new, but in the past, it was typically pay to play. If exhibitors wanted to … [Read more...]
