PRINT Show attendees always say their top reasons for going to the show are to see new industry technology and compare different types of operating equipment under one roof. But earlier this year, show organizers discovered that more and more recession-weary exhibitors were downsizing their space and eliminating room for equipment in their booths, which so many attendees come to see.With a special stimulus plan just for this year’s show, held September 11-16 at Chicago’s McCormick Place, PRINT Show organizers helped cut exhibitor costs and encouraged them to bring more, rather than less, equipment to the show, to bolster a robust attendee experience.

To ensure that lots of equipment would be displayed at the show, the Graphic Arts Show Company (GASC), which owns and operates the PRINT Show, decided to pay machine and material handling fees for exhibitors, swallowing a sizable portion of exhibitor costs, ranging from $550 to $165,000. “We didn’t change the pricing structure as much as we added a huge, valueadded benefit that drastically reduces our exhibitors’ expenses,” says Chris Price, GASC Vice President. “One of the top reasons people attend is to see new technology and see it demonstrated on the show floor; therefore, this change will tee up better exhibits and more satisfied attendees.”

Early in the year, several PRINT exhibitors downsized their space “and several more told us they were considering a downsize to save money,” Price says. “But after our plan was introduced, the downsizing reduced to a trickle.”With two different options, the PRINT Show stimulus plan benefited every exhibitor: Those with large equipment received unlimited machinery handling at the show site, such as movement to the booth and removal and loading after the show. For exhibitors without large equipment, GASC offered material handling by subsidizing Freeman show site handling services up to the equivalent of $5.50 per square foot. Price says the strategy was a success.

For instance, digital print leader EFI brought more equipment to their booth than ever before, due to the stimulus plan. KBA, a large offset press manufacturer, brought a third press to run in its booth instead of two presses. HP added even more digital equipment, presses and printers in its booth compared to its original plan, directly due to the stimulus. While exhibit space measured a total of 600,000 square feet, 15 percent below the last PRINT show in 2005, the decrease was “mainly due to downsizes,” Price says. “We had fewer cancellations as compared to PRINT 05, but more downsized space.

Exhibitors know they need to be here, but have trimmed the size of their booths.” GASC, which paid out about $3 million to support the stimulus program, plans to offer it only for the 2009 show in response to “this extremely difficult economic time.” However, Price expects its success will have lasting effects. “This investment was as important for PRINT 09 as it was for future years,” he says. “Our hopes were that this would help bring new technologies and running equipment to the show floor. And it worked.We had more running equipment and new product introductions than we expected.”

GASC kept the buzz building early in the show by taking photos and video of the show floor during movein and sent them out via social networking sites as well as through enewsletters, e-mail blasts and more. “This showed potential attendees that our show floor offered what they wanted to see,” Price says. “Post-show press releases from our exhibiting companies are highlighting sales as a direct result of the show.”

PRINT Show’s Strategy GOAL: Encourage exhibitors to have operating equipment in their booths by reducing exhibitors’ expenses.

STRATEGY: Offer to pay for all machinery handling for exhibitors or subsidize material handling charges up to $5.50 per square foot.

RESULTS: Exhibitors saved between $550 and $165,000 on handling expenses, and organizers saw more equipment on the show floor than they expected prior to the stimulus.
 

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