Earlier this month, at the annual IAEE Expo! Expo!, I was fortunate to attend some high-level executive sessions. One was co-sponsored by SISO, called SISO-IAEE Key Legal Issues Forum, and featured 4 lawyers speaking on a variety of subjects regarding our industry—contracts, personnel, venues, exclusives and excluding exhibitors when they are bad for a show. (Full disclosure: I am the community engagement ringleader for SISO as well as a member.)

My biggest takeaway: Everything is negotiable. Especially in a bad economy.
Second takeaway: Everything is negotiable. Also, be consistent in how you treat your clients.

As one small business owner said, “It was really good and it scared the crap out of me—all at the same time.”

Following that session, the Senior Executive Roundtable featured some of the more candid members of our industry—Gary Shapiro (CES), Dennis Slater (AEM), Jeff Price (Experient) and Carter Keithley (Toy Association). The moderator was a Harvard professor, Jeffrey Rayport, who did a great job wrangling these guys.

While there were some memorable moments (many covered in Expo), my standouts were:

1. CEOs should direct the mission of their company—and the culture of the company.
2. In the era of downsizing, we need to stop cutting jobs and start working on succeeding.
3. Audits are the way of the future. Painful at first, but necessary for trust with your exhibitors.

It would be great to see these kinds of executives who are willing to speak their minds in a general session—with a moderator not afraid to challenge or question their statements.

Lastly, I attended three international sessions led by Paul Woodward, President of UFI (the international exhibition association, headquartered in Paris, with chapters all over the world). Some top international CEOs were on hand sharing really interesting information about the exhibition industry in Africa and the Middle East. Others shared insight on successfully cloning your show abroad, tools such as partnering (and finding the right partner), buying or starting a division outright. Key takeaways:

1. Shows should be geo-adapted, not geo-cloned an idea suggested by UBM’s John Stuttard. In other words, if you are taking your show abroad, make sure you take into consideration the culture and way of doing business if you want to succeed.
2. The UAE (United Arab Emirates) holds over 50 percent of all exhibitions in the Middle East. Their book fair had 400,000 attendees. That’s right, 400,000. (Imagine exhibitors complaining about traffic at that show!)
3. Nigeria can be a good location for a show—if it’s the right fit—and in the right part of the country. Not all is war-torn. In fact UBM and Montgomery successfully partnered on a security show there not too long ago.

From my family to yours, have a wonderful holiday and a healthy and prosperous 2012!

Stephanie Selesnick, CEM is President of International Trade Information, Inc., a Los Angeles, CA-based boutique international exhibition management and conference company founded in 1972. ITI has always had an international focus—whether launching shows in other countries or bringing foreign exhibitors and visitors into U.S.-based exhibitions  and events. Reach her at stephanie@intltradeinfo.com and follow her on Twitter @StephSelesnick.