Best Practices
Almost 14,000 veterinarians and their staff members gathered in Las Vegas for the Western Veterinary Conference (WVC) in February, and with the show’s new WVC-Connect mobile guide, maneuvering across the floor and through the education sessions was easier than ever.
When 18,500 attendees gathered in New York in January at the National Retail Federation’s (NRF) Annual Convention & Expo, they were all hoping to hear that the retail industry was ready to emerge from the economic doldrums.
The GSM Association (GSMA), which represents the interests of the worldwide mobile communications industry, hosts the Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona each February, and more than 49,000 mobile communications professionals come to hobnob and learn from each other.
Cheat Sheet
The digital age has made a big difference in the way AV companies do business now compared with even 10 years ago. Today, show organizers rely on their AV partners for the latest in technology that exceeds the traditional AV role.
Event Technology
Official services contractors have created a range of technologies to simplify trade show operations before, during or after the event — from online graphics reviewing to Web-based services ordering and instant mobile freight notifications — for organizers and exhibitors alike.
Ascend Integrated Media has signed deals with two mobile specialists to create a series of mobile products for its trade show clients.
Want to incorporate social media tools into your webcasts? Check out ON24’s Social Webcasting solution.
EXPO Plus...
Having celebrities perform or speak at your show creates real excitement and buzz around the event. Attendees always notice when a music star, actor or personality comes to their meeting or conference, and celebrities can be an effective way to get across key company messages to this highly targeted audience.
Located atop the Pier Shops at Caesars in Atlantic City, One Atlantic stands 100 yards out over and 80 feet above the Atlantic Ocean. The independent event space features an open-air terrace and floor-to-ceiling windows with panoramic views of the beach, boardwalk and ocean, making it an ideal setting for cocktail receptions, banquets and other corporate or special events.
Many show organizers, and facilities, still don’t know they can donate surplus food from their events to food banks — with no liability. The Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act, which was signed into law by President Clinton in October of 1996, protects food donors from civil and criminal liability at national and state levels.
Feature Articles
While other companies are scaling back and canceling shows, Canon Communications keeps growing, growing, growing. The events are sponsored by Electronics Design News, a Canon publication recently acquired from Reed Business Information.
So, you’re seriously considering a virtual event or a hybrid event that will make virtual a major part of your live event strategy. How do you get started?
Openers
Have you set up that Facebook fan page yet for your show?
1. ELEPHANT-POO NOTEBOOK
Yes, it’s made from elephant poop. No, it doesn’t smell like elephant poop.
So, you’ve courted media to attend your event, issued press passes, gotten bloggers interested and scheduled a press conference. Now that the event’s here, how can you make sure you convey the right impression — and get your message across — to the media?
Publisher's Column
Here’s a lesson for us all. When trying to ensure that only qualified buyers attend your event, be careful not to set the bar so high that legitimate buyers are kept out.
Sales and Marketing
Search engine optimization and engagement are critical Web strategies deserving perpetual oversight and review. With fewer and fewer printed pieces for either booth sales or attendance promotion, your Web site must carry those responsibilities.
Every six months, the Mobile Marketing Association (MMA) provides updated recommendations for the global ad units broadly used in mobile advertising in the following channels: mobile Web, messaging, applications and mobile video, and TV.
Q: What’s the best way to deal with an exhibitor unhappy with the show performance this year about the prospects for next year?
The Buzz
1. EVENT INDUSTRY BAROMETER UP
Business conditions are continuing to improve for the meetings and events industry, according to The MPI Foundation’s April 2010 Business Barometer study, which surveys a select group of senior level meeting professionals every two months from the foundation’s 24,500 members.
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