The recent exhibitor meeting of the ConExpo-Con/AGG and IFPE expositions used technology to bring “face-to-face” to a higher level through a live-cast satellite feed of the on-site meeting.
The result was a record number of exhibitor personnel participating in the event — approximately 600, with 40 percent online through the live-cast. The meeting was held in mid-May 2007 and received positive reviews by both in-person and live-cast participants. Portions of the live-cast will be rebroadcast in future web modules to extend the education’s value to more exhibitors.
ConExpo-Con/AGG and the co-located IFPE will be held March 11 to 15, 2008, at the Las Vegas Convention Center in Las Vegas. Show management conducts a pre-show exhibitor meeting to help companies prepare for successful exhibit experiences.
Exhibitor Education
Offered for Other Shows
The Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM), which manages the shows and has an ownership stake, is a longtime proponent of exhibitor and general industry education, and it uses a combination of in-person meetings and online education to best meet attendee needs. AEM has used the web since 1997 to deliver education in addition to on-site seminars and training. All exhibitor education programs are offered free of charge.
The association’s ICUEE — The Demo Expo show also is conducting exhibitor education. The 2007 ICUEE (short for International Construction and Utility Equipment Exposition) is presenting a series of web-based modules through fall of 2007 to prepare exhibitors for the event, which will be held Oct. 16 to 18, 2007, in Louisville, Ky. Subjects include booth design, pre-show promotion, and exhibit staffing.
For the first time, AEM will conduct an exhibitor meeting for its China-based ConExpo Asia show. This new value-added event will be held in August 2007 at the show’s 2007 venue, the China Import and Export Fair (CIEF) — Pazhou Complex in Guangzhou. The program will cover topics such as attendee promotion, safe and efficient stand construction and successful lead management.
ConExpo Asia was initiated in 2006, and the next one will be held Dec. 4 to 7, 2007.
During the ConExpo-Con/AGG and IFPE exhibitor meeting, participants had the opportunity to discuss show specifics, as well as general exposition marketing techniques, with show management, show contractors, other exhibitors and leading trade show strategists such as Steve Miller and Marc Goldberg.
The event featured educational presentations, break-out sessions and roundtable discussions geared to deliver the most content to small as well as large companies, and new as well as returning show exhibitors.
The interactive nature of the ConExpo-Con/AGG and IFPE meeting live-cast allowed online attendees to participate during question-and-answer periods and receive give-aways offered at the event. Live-cast attendees also could download speaker presentation notes prior to the event so they had the same handouts as on-site attendees.
According to a post-event survey of ConExpo-Con/AGG and IFPE exhibitor meeting attendees, approximately 90 percent found the meeting beneficial. Most said they looked to the exhibitor meeting to provide information on how to make a trade show experience more successful (91 percent), followed by information (especially changes) related to show rules and operations (86 percent). The opportunity to network with other exhibitors also rated highly (75 percent).
AEM conducted its annual marketing seminar immediately prior to the ConExpo-Con/AGG and IFPE exhibitor meeting, at the same location, for the benefit of attendees. Approximately 70 percent of the 260 marketing seminar attendees took advantage of both educational opportunities. Together, the co-located exhibitor meeting and AEM marketing seminar educated approximately 700 off-road equipment and power transmission industry professionals, many of whom had not participated in AEM education before.
“Show managers direct development of meeting content with input from show committee members so the information targets exhibitor needs,” noted Heide Kraus, AEM director of meetings and education programs.” And, leveraging the technology of the web allows us to deliver this education to more people than ever before.”
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