Why is it that most shows, large or small, are being held in Las Vegas these days?
I'll be off to Vegas in a couple of weeks for the AWMA--a wholesaler's show--at the Las Vegas Hilton. Right after that show the next week is GlobalShop and the Exhibitor's Show. Earlier this year, Home Builder's (IBS), Surfaces, National Grocers and the huge CES show all opened and called Vegas home for a few days. Some are there every year, others rotate in annually or every two years, but always seem to make it to Sin City.
Why is this? Well, accessibility of one: direct flights from just about anywhere. Cabs are plentiful as are rental cars and free parking.
Weather, particularly in January--where would you rather be in the Dead of Winter--heating the floor so tape will stick in Chicago or in a place where you might just go to the pool when your shift is finished?
Labor? Well, there are labor limits, but the pool is large and well trained.
Entertainment? Absolutely! Gaming, music, shows, natural wonders all close by.
Food? Lots to choose from and in a broad area.
Whatever the reason, commerce is alive and well in Vegas. Chances are you have at least one show there this year.
TTSG
Showing posts with label CES. Show all posts
Showing posts with label CES. Show all posts
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Thursday, January 8, 2009
The real value of trade shows
Here's why trade shows are really important: they are newsworthy and a showcase for an industry, a market or a business segment.
Our case in point today is CES, the Consumer Electronics Show.
Here, datelined Las Vegas and shown on Yahoo, is a product announcement about the latest netbook: http://tech.yahoo.com/blogs/patterson/32540 from Sony.
This is exactly why you go to a show. Whether you exhibit or not, you at least have to be on the show floor to feel the vibe, hear the buzz and be a part of the action. And it's not just with an industry like consumer electronics. The auto industry could be a really cool place to be this year with the challenges they have.
Being on the scene and being seen are two very important aspects of trade show and event marketing.
Lesson Learned: Leaders lead.
TTSG
Our case in point today is CES, the Consumer Electronics Show.
Here, datelined Las Vegas and shown on Yahoo, is a product announcement about the latest netbook: http://tech.yahoo.com/blogs/patterson/32540 from Sony.
This is exactly why you go to a show. Whether you exhibit or not, you at least have to be on the show floor to feel the vibe, hear the buzz and be a part of the action. And it's not just with an industry like consumer electronics. The auto industry could be a really cool place to be this year with the challenges they have.
Being on the scene and being seen are two very important aspects of trade show and event marketing.
Lesson Learned: Leaders lead.
TTSG
Monday, January 5, 2009
Why We Go to Shows
A story in today's Dallas Morning News Business section spells out a few reasons why we chose to market via trade shows.
The story focuses on CES, the Consumer Electronics Show, opening in Las Vegas this week and the 30-plus Dallas-based companies attending. Big or small, these companies see the value in being at a nexus of their business and markets.
"I'm not sure what to expect. I just want to explore the scene and learn as much as possible," said William Ross of Industrial Gaming Peripherals.
This is the heart of why you want to exhibit: you not only get to sell in the environment, you get noticed and get to notice others. You get to have conversations that you wouldn't have on the typical sales call or sitting in your office. You get to notice what your partners and competitors are doing. You are the beneficiary of the "buzz" in the industry. And with with a place as big as CES, you get to be part of several "things."
"I tend to think we'll get lost in the crowd, but if a buyer from Best Buy stumbles across us and likes what we have, we could double our revenues on the spot. It's a roll of the dice, but there's not much downside," said David Freeman of Gemini Consumer Technology.
Now, there is a statement from a real business person and savvy marketer: it's a risk, but it's worth it for the one contact. Sometimes the math doesn't add up, but it could.
"We're not going to the show to exhibit what we already offer," said Karen Raskopf of Blockbuster. "We're going there to walk the floors and meet with the most innovative people we see. We want to find the next big idea.....for our customers."
Not exhibiting can work--if you can use the show as Blockbuster is doing. They are veterans and know where to go and who (and what) to look for. It's all about the face-to-face and the customer.
Lesson Learned: know how to use a show to your best advantage and take a risk to promote your company.
TTSG
Special thanks to the reporting of Andrew Smith of the Dallas Morning News
The story focuses on CES, the Consumer Electronics Show, opening in Las Vegas this week and the 30-plus Dallas-based companies attending. Big or small, these companies see the value in being at a nexus of their business and markets.
"I'm not sure what to expect. I just want to explore the scene and learn as much as possible," said William Ross of Industrial Gaming Peripherals.
This is the heart of why you want to exhibit: you not only get to sell in the environment, you get noticed and get to notice others. You get to have conversations that you wouldn't have on the typical sales call or sitting in your office. You get to notice what your partners and competitors are doing. You are the beneficiary of the "buzz" in the industry. And with with a place as big as CES, you get to be part of several "things."
"I tend to think we'll get lost in the crowd, but if a buyer from Best Buy stumbles across us and likes what we have, we could double our revenues on the spot. It's a roll of the dice, but there's not much downside," said David Freeman of Gemini Consumer Technology.
Now, there is a statement from a real business person and savvy marketer: it's a risk, but it's worth it for the one contact. Sometimes the math doesn't add up, but it could.
"We're not going to the show to exhibit what we already offer," said Karen Raskopf of Blockbuster. "We're going there to walk the floors and meet with the most innovative people we see. We want to find the next big idea.....for our customers."
Not exhibiting can work--if you can use the show as Blockbuster is doing. They are veterans and know where to go and who (and what) to look for. It's all about the face-to-face and the customer.
Lesson Learned: know how to use a show to your best advantage and take a risk to promote your company.
TTSG
Special thanks to the reporting of Andrew Smith of the Dallas Morning News
Saturday, January 3, 2009
A big month, show wise
January has always been a big month for trade shows. Going back in my career, we had a number of shows that kicked off the year in a variety of industries. Now that I think about it, several industries anchor their years with January shows.
The National Retail Federation (NRF) is always at Jacob Javits convention center in New York City the first few weeks of January. This show started small (before moving to the big hall, it was held in hotel ballrooms and consisted of tabletops and portables) but has grown as retail has grown and changed. A large number of the anchor exhibitors are technology companies (Fujitsu, IBM, NCR, Motorola-Symbol, Oracle) as retail has become dependent on technology to target and find and define an ever-dwindling customer base.
The National Association of Home Builder's (NAHB) flagship show, the International Builder's Show (known as IBS) takes up 4 days in either late January or February on 2-year turns in select cities (Vegas, Orlando, New Orleans, Atlanta). A very horizontal show, it brings in over 1,000 exhibitors and 60,000-plus visitors to talk about everything from tools to paint to trucks to fixtures of all kinds. Houses are build inside and outside the hall and dancers and talent of all kinds are featured to help tout the wares of the likes of Sears, Kohler, Anderson Windows, Cambria and Whirlpool. This is (or was?) such an influential show that the Dallas Convention Center is nicknamed "the house that IBS built."
The heating and air conditioning world focuses on the AHR Expo (nicknamed ASHRAE for the association that holds it's conference at the same time). AHR is a bit of throwback in that no booth (with a few exceptions) can be over 8 feet in height. Hanging banners aren't allowed and in-line sight lines are also enforced. Johnson Controls and Honeywell used to be the stars of this expo, and live demos of burners, boilers, heating and cooling systems and software control systems were there for the 50,000-plus visitors to see in over 900 exhibits.
Also in the mix are Surfaces, Coverings and CES. These are just a few examples of anchor shows for key industries in our country. As we make our way through economic recovery, let's not forget that sales and progress are made in face-to-face sales and positive interaction.
TTSG
The National Retail Federation (NRF) is always at Jacob Javits convention center in New York City the first few weeks of January. This show started small (before moving to the big hall, it was held in hotel ballrooms and consisted of tabletops and portables) but has grown as retail has grown and changed. A large number of the anchor exhibitors are technology companies (Fujitsu, IBM, NCR, Motorola-Symbol, Oracle) as retail has become dependent on technology to target and find and define an ever-dwindling customer base.
The National Association of Home Builder's (NAHB) flagship show, the International Builder's Show (known as IBS) takes up 4 days in either late January or February on 2-year turns in select cities (Vegas, Orlando, New Orleans, Atlanta). A very horizontal show, it brings in over 1,000 exhibitors and 60,000-plus visitors to talk about everything from tools to paint to trucks to fixtures of all kinds. Houses are build inside and outside the hall and dancers and talent of all kinds are featured to help tout the wares of the likes of Sears, Kohler, Anderson Windows, Cambria and Whirlpool. This is (or was?) such an influential show that the Dallas Convention Center is nicknamed "the house that IBS built."
The heating and air conditioning world focuses on the AHR Expo (nicknamed ASHRAE for the association that holds it's conference at the same time). AHR is a bit of throwback in that no booth (with a few exceptions) can be over 8 feet in height. Hanging banners aren't allowed and in-line sight lines are also enforced. Johnson Controls and Honeywell used to be the stars of this expo, and live demos of burners, boilers, heating and cooling systems and software control systems were there for the 50,000-plus visitors to see in over 900 exhibits.
Also in the mix are Surfaces, Coverings and CES. These are just a few examples of anchor shows for key industries in our country. As we make our way through economic recovery, let's not forget that sales and progress are made in face-to-face sales and positive interaction.
TTSG
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