The Internet

The Internet has taken down several large groups such as publishing. Can the internet take down or hinder tradeshows and events? The question is out there and I'm not sure anyone has a true answer and I doubt there are any good analytics to support it positively or negatively.

The reality is the internet is here to stay and I also believe tradeshow are here to stay.  Now how do we co-exist and capitalize on the tools of the internet?
Does someone out there have the master plan? I'm sure someone does or is working towards it. There is always an answer to every challenge the industry faces.

Now I need to ask are we getting the information that we need from all of our resources to succeed in this enviroment? Are we all on the same page moving forward from our vendors, venues, show management, exhibitors and attendees?

That is to me the holy grail how are we moving forward as a group. Not everyone of us is a big organization where we can continue to buy technology that works. Also how many of these technology offerings are really that good and how many of them will still be around when we need them?

I have alot of questions on the technology subject because we are being judged and challenged by it. Some industry sectors more so than others.

Ok how many of us have content managers, web designers. and I don't mean people that do it on a temp basis but people that are constantly working on our websites and our b2b online electronic programs. My guess is very few of us. We rely on what we have and ask our staff to do it while they are doing multiple jobs.

How many of us have hired a internet guru to work on our content, social media, e-newsletters, digital products, online offerings, seo, and more?

Again my guess is very few because you never see those jobs listed online. Which means I would assume that they don't exist.

Now I want to ask you another question for those that belong to IAEE,PCMA, MPI, ASAEetc. What tools and education are they offering you? Also how many of those groups are offering them at a cost instead of an added value?

I know with exhibitors many of us are offering added value programs for now to keep them in the show as we move more hybrid offfline and online. We do these at minimal cost or no costs to increase our value to our exhibitor base.
Now are the groups we belong to doing the same? Not so much from what I can see but I may not be reading everything from them.

I would love to start a group like I did on linkedin.com which is called exhibtions and events incubator group. I would also like to start a marketing, operations, etc. groups to keep us all connected on how we can help each other.

There are some programs out there Sam Lippmans Large Show Roundtable, IAEE events

I'm not trying to replace them as they are important but I want to find away to engage with my peer in a more informative way. I look forward to any suggestions on how we can go about doing that. If you look at the last tradeshow week lists of shows it's amazing the number of f2f events that exists and my guess that is doesn't cover every event in the USA let alone the world.

So utilizing the tools we have today how do we get all of us interacting in a mutually beneficial exchange.

I look forward to your thoughts on this subject because I believe we need to embrace the internet for all of the positives that it offers. We need to take advantage of it and see how it can benefit us the most. We use it everyday so we understand the importance of it. We just need to figure out as an industry how we can capitalize on it to make our f2f events stronger and more engaging for our customers attendees and exhibitors.

It's to late to fear it and to fear webinars, virtual events etc. we need to figure out how to make those tools part of our program. We also need to figure out the best practice to engage our customers online and in this internet world of offerings.

I look forward to your thoughts and how we can do all of this together

Empower your base

What does that mean? We have an incredible group of customers who we need to empower to make the most successful event that we can for our shows, associations, exhibitors and attendees.

Well we've always had these groups, so what I'm saying above is nothing new the problem is what are we doing to empower them to engage?

We have multiple channels of empowerment. Now is the time to tap into those groups in a different way.

Empowerment does not come easy, and it comes with upsides and downsides however I believe the upside is more of powerful opportunity.

Social media well that is the obvious answer, let's get them all to engage online. Ok Facebook, Twitter, Linked, Xing, Plaxo, Ning, or whatever tools you have in place. Ok but who is going to keep the pulse alive on all of these networking links of social engagement?

We need to identify and empower leaders from our customer groups exhibitors, media, trade associations, and attendees to engage these communities. We also need to be there to stimulate the group when needed and facilitate the conversation.  Well you got some people bailing on social because they where is the ROI well you know what it doesn't come fast and it will take time.

Empower your attendees to create videos via youtube on why they go to your show. Let them spread the viral word of mouth. Empower your exhibitors to utilize video to convey there message on why they will be at the show and what they will be showcasing. Empower the media and trade associations to talk up the value of the event.

How do we do this well we need to engage, we need to interact with all of the above groups and get them involved. This doesn't happen overnight. You need to work it and expand upon it and continue to do what we do at a show. Network and engage.

Market research engagement and empowerment. Engage your groups in research which will further develop the industry segments you serve along with your event. Find the pulse of the industry and serve it, but let the bottom-up come thru to guide you for ideas. Your customers are your empowerment to continued growth. They will also be your salvation during difficult times and your properiety during more improved times.

Sound it out reach out via personal engagement emails or phone calls to your base of customers. Let them know how you can this engagment can lead to more empowerment.

Empower them in the educational programs, new programs, show layout, information you put out to your groups and future growth opportunities.

Empower them and Empower yourself and your organization to be in a proactive mode to engage your groups. They are the foundation and the reason you exist.

You need to determine the appropiate tactics to do so. Reach out to an industry sector of what you serve. Find out why they come, find out why they would come more often.

Next let your audience of customers promote your event and the value. Give them the tools to engage and be empowered.

Explain the big picture and admit your failings and address that you want it to be better for all of your customers. Get to the root of it. Believe it or not they want to be engaged and feel they are part of the process.

You have an opportunity that technology allows online, on the phone and in person to engage them. This engagement will not only empower you but also empower them to help you create an event that will be remember because of the value.

Also exhibitors hold events, media hold events, tradeshows hold events, tradeshow associations hold events.
How about the empowering the attendees to hold events?

Also why not look at all of the other groups that hold events and determine how they can better be empowered to to hold sucessful programs and networking functions?

The status quo needs to change? Get ready it has but are you ahead of the change?

Thanks for reading and look forward to hearing your thoughts.

What took us so long

It's interesting all of the panic that is going on within the industry about saving their events.

Ok when revenue was good like the dotcom and the mortgage business nobody cared. Also were people as upset about the costs of doing a tradeshow pre-economic failures? The answer is they didn't like them but there were not completely freaked out as they viewed this as the cost of doing business and probably never evaluated the return.

Now we are being judged on what we bring to the table and our trust factor has been questioned as well as we all try to move forward. I cannot speak for everyone in the industry as what we can work on to reduce costs for our exhibitor base. I also know the forgotten element in all of this pr war is the attendee and there costs to come to a s show. Remember they are committing their time and money to come to your event.

How many exhibitors can say the can access people that are willing to spend their time and money to come to their office. Not many I'm sure less than 5%. So that is one of our values that we need to continue to build on as we move forward.

We need to reduce costs where we can for our customers whereever that is possible and we need to work in unison with show management and our vendors to do so. What is best answer for that, I can only say open engagement with all of the paricipants. I have always felt that we need to work in partnership with everyone to provide the best product possible. We are only as good as our last event remember that for all parties that can sink the ship of success.

The fact is we are a marketing vehicle and we need to remember our core as we move forward. Our responsiblity is to market our exhibitiors to their customers.

Next we are a faciliator. We need to to facilitate involvment with our attendee and exhibitors. We will talk about this in more detail in another blog.

The reality of what I'm saying above and below and now is why did we wait for the economics of business to get us to think about improving our products.

The answere is we didn't have to. You know what that is not a good answer as we should continue to improve our product and be ahead of the curve.
How many of you are ahead of the curve? How many of you can say it didn't take us long we were already there?

Look forward to your comments, thoughts and suggestions.

An industry moving forward

The economy has hit our industry hard, and it has left no stones unturned as we have all braced for it and are now digging out of the impact of one of the most difficult times we have ever faced.

We are a marketing organization we are set out to deliver a product that creates matchmaking, networking and engagement along with business transactions.

In good times it all comes together and everyone is not concerned as much about freight charges, fed ex delivery or the price of water or a coffee at a tradeshow.

The reality is it's my belief that this economic storm is a good thing as it makes us make changes and become better at what we do to bring people together. If we are an event, association or whatever we all need to think smarter about how we can improve our model of existence. Social media will not replace all that is f2f, the internet will not replace all in person transactions. We know that, we know people are social and people want to engage in some way with another human form.  The reality is some of the those benefit social transactions are now occuring online, via text or email. Let's not be in fear of it but let's embrace it.

You should not fear technology you need to understand how to harness it to one's benefit. I think we all are moving ahead.

Also I think these new times of business that we all live in has made us all more social or interactive as well with our network of business associates and vendor, venues and destinations. We now realize that we have to work harder and better together to complete the puzzle and deliver the best possible product for our customers.

Were not moving at warp speed and we are not on the final frontier nor are we Iron Man. Iron Man 2 debuts next weekend. Great movie and sorry for the digression but the point of that movie it's energized and we should be and will need to be as we move towards the future.

Also it's spring and you know what happens in spring we all get a renewed outlook as everything begins to bloom.

Hang in there and continue to reach out to your resources of ideas and new tools. Now is not that time to say no to anything now is the time to listen to everything and than filter what will work for you.

We need to keep moving forward and there are alot of good ideas and thought leaders out there. Whether you agree with them or their ideas or not, is not the point the point is you need to at least listen to the prosposition or the idea.

Were moving forward and we will continue to do so. It's not a space ride nor is it a carriage stroll in central park so get ready. As the time is now for change and movement in a forward direction

Re-write the script for tradeshows and events for todays world

The Oscars and most award shows are over. We have seen all of the glamour and jokes and gowns and suits for the year. Now if we could go back in time which we can due to google. We can see how much the way the information and the way people are communicating and enagaging has change over the last few years.
Everything you see now has follow us on twitter, friend us on facebook join us here and link-up now.

So the script has changed as we all should expect it should. We are now living in a google, facebook, fliker, twitter, droid, blackberry, iphone, tablet world. And yes linkedin in as well. Another one blogging.

So when you are thinking about the new script think about this. How much does it cost your customers now to engage? The cost continues to go down with every new evolution of technology.

We cannot however rely on strictly digital because of the sheer magnitude of the filtration systems to deliver our message. We need to balance our new script with current practicalities and balance. For most events there is not one medium that can deliver the results we need. We still need to be involved in all marketing vehicles. However paradigm shift has happened and we need to move with it.

Our vendors and suppliers offer new products and we need to embrace some of them and encourage them via direction to make better products.

Another part of the script that has changed is the media. Who is the media. The blogger, the b2b magazine, association? Probably all of the above. What that means is we need to engage them all to ensure coverage of our events.

Part of the medium is the influencer he or she has a big impact on their reccomendation on whether or not to attend your event. See like it, digg it, thumbs up etc.

It's all changing and we need to come up with a new script. Just like hollywood adds new character, hd, or 3d we need to be ready to do upgrade our events as well. Hopefully we can do a better job of just recycling old ideas, but instead come up with new lines. Yes we need some new lines and special effects, buzz, sex to draw our groups.

Remember barnum bailey, now see circus olea (spelling) You get the point. Revenue has shifted due to a lack of understanding that the script needed to change along with an updated version of characters.

Thanks for reading and I look forward to your comments or suggestions.

New Technology

Is it time for  us now to embrace new technology that before may have seemed like somthing we didn't need? I don't the answer I only know that there are alot of tools out there that we need to explore and research to determine if they can work for our programs.

If you know of a technology please let all us know. Sorry for the quick blog but let's look at all of the options.

I have a follow-up to this blog and that is why do the suppliers not work with management to create the technology that we all need? Maybe they do and I just missed the boat on all those ideas.

Also we should be the leader in incbuation for ideas on services. I have not yet met one company that has the crystal ball for the future of our needs. Nor have I found any willing to the  r&D on us.

Hope you enjoy and look forward to your comments. Remember technology drives all industries.

Face to face

This is what we do correct? We bring the f2f together, we connect people we help make it happen to propel the industry correct?

To the beginning of time the f2f has existed and there is nothing better in life than putting people together to engage. This is our mantra and we need to keep this moving along as we feel this is the bases of our revenue existence. There is nothing in this world more valubable than putting people together that have paid x amount for exhibit to reach the y attendees.

The exhibitor wants to reach every attendeee that is possiblity for their product. Now the reality is that is going to hapen.Not everyones product that we have on the horizon is a perfect anectdot for improvment and survival.

So they are buying from us based upon the f2f, we need to make sure that happends. No matter what the size of your show conference, meeting planing etc. the key is you need to put buyers and sellers under one format.

We continue to udertand the requiments of f2f how ever we need you to undertand the aprace coninutue the race to reach opoeple