The Hottest Trends in Trade Show Exhibits

Like car and clothing manufacturers, businesses are constantly getting creative with their trade show exhibits in order to stand out from the crowd and keep up with consumer demands. And like all good things, when these creative ideas work, more people start to incorporate them into their trade show exhibits. This has caused some fantastic trends to surface going into the new season. Here are three of them that are hot right now: Continue.

From Tradeshow Week:

Results of the Tradeshow Week Annual Corporate Exhibitors Survey indicating 48 percent of all exhibitors think the cost of show services has gone up more than 5 percent, while about the same number (47 percent) are unhappy with their tradeshow performance, put a coda on a week when two Tradeshow Week 200 shows departed Chicago because of exhibitor complaints about excessive costs.

“I wouldn't call this a cost revolt,” said TSW Vice President of Research and Consulting Michael Hughes, “but exhibitors are being a little more vocal about it.”

While one could make the case corporate exhibitors were somewhat less pessimistic about some issues than they were last year, on other issues they were increasingly dissatisfied.

Specifically, they were more and more disturbed by high exhibiting costs. Full Article.

Show Me The Money: Maximizing Tradeshow ROI

From Hot. By Susan Friedman:

Follow Up Begins Before the Show

Research tells us that over 80% of leads gathered at tradeshows are never followed up. That’s a phenomenal number, especially when each lead has the potential to generate profit for your company.

Why do so many leads fall by the wayside?

It’s because show leads have a reputation for having no substance theyre either just cold business cards or similar basic information imprinted on a company lead card. There’s nothing there to give already busy professionals a reason to follow up.

Even if the salespeople do follow up, there’s only so much they can learn from a business card or bare bone information. For salespeople to view leads as being worthwhile for follow-up, they need quality information.

For this reason, it is vital that before the show you spend time going over the lead collecting process. Clarify exactly what types of information should be recorded on lead cards. Explain the importance of the information you are gathering. Make sure everyone knows exactly how to operate the card readers and use the printouts and lead cards.

Everyone working the show should know exactly what results you want to achieve at the various tradeshows you attend. Each show should have its own set of specific, clear, quantifiable, realistic goals. These goals should be in line with your companys overall marketing objectives.

These goals give staffers something to strive for, but they also serve as benchmarks to evaluate and measure team and individual performance. Full Article.

You Want Me to Pay What?!

From PlannerWire:

In today’s economic climate, it might seem like everything is more expensive than it used to be. In some cases, the costs remain the same, but companies have less to spend. In some other cases, the costs really are going up, and companies cannot always afford the increase. Either way, expense factors have driven many companies to re-examine their marketing efforts, and exhibiting at trade shows has fallen in the crosshairs. For some, long-lamented exhibiting expenses have recently proven to be the last straw, and many industry professionals continue to wonder… Full Article.

Changes sought after 2nd trade show leaves McCormick Place

Note: It has been reported that a third major show (from the National Restaurant Association) is also considering leaving Chicago.

The loss of a second trade show that meant big business for Chicago is putting quick and powerful pressure on McCormick Place, the city's showcase convention center, to combat the impression that the Second City costs too much to visit.

The plastics industry trade show on Tuesday said it is moving to Orlando, Fla., for 2012 and 2015 after nearly four decades in Chicago. The announcement follows a decision by the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society last week to move its 2012 annual meeting to Las Vegas. Both shows cited the high cost of doing business in Chicago.

The plastic show's decision to leave is "a very serious loss," Mayor Richard Daley said, calling on unions and others working at the convention center to change fee structures and onerous work rules so Chicago can better compete for major shows.

A lot is riding in the balance. Some 45.6 million visitors spent an estimated $11.8 billion in Chicago last year, generating $656 million in tax revenue, according to the Chicago Convention and Tourism Bureau. Business and convention visitors contributed close to half that spending.

A task force of officials from McPier, the convention bureau, the unions that work at McCormick Place, the restaurant industry and the city's hotels will convene Wednesday to attempt to devise ways to make Chicago more competitive.

Plastics show officials said they expect their move to yield up to $20 million in savings for exhibitors and attendees, with more than half coming from savings in travel-related costs, including hotel, restaurant meals and parking. More.

EXHIBITORS GAIN BY SHOWS’ RELOCATION

Chicago, IL – November 15, 2009 – The Plastics Industry Trade Association (SPI) announced today that NPE - The Intl. Plastics Showcase will move from Chicago's McCormick Place, where it has been since 1971 to Orlando, FL at the Orange County Convention Center in 2012. Last week, the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) chose Las Vegas, NV for their 2012 show. This caused the city of Chicago and McCormick Place to lose two large exhibitions in the last few days. Both cited high costs for exhibitors in Chicago as the primary justification for their relocation.

Exhibitors have been bearing the brunt of increasing and, often, outrageous labor rates for far too long, held hostage to single source providers with no competitive options to act as checks and balances. The Trade Show Exhibitors Association (TSEA) understands the business choice made by HIMSS and SPI to choose other venues. In this world of electronic communication and instant gratification, trade shows are still wildly popular, a medium like no other, providing a unique opportunity for face-to-face interaction with customers. When marketers have to cut participation - not for strategic reasons but simply because the rising costs make them impractical or impossible - the whole industry loses.

Chicago is a great city for exhibitors because of its ability to generate attendance and host meetings. McCormick Place is a world-class exhibition facility and the choice of HIMSS and SPI leaving for other locations should not be a reflection on either McCormick Place or the city but on labor rates that give both a bad reputation. We hope the loss of these shows will motivate leaders in Chicago’s exhibition industry to adjust the cost of doing business so that they can compete on a level playing field with cities like Orlando and Las Vegas for shows. TSEA members enjoy the experience of exhibiting in all three cities because of the variety of attendees and experiences each bring. They want Chicago to remain part of their event rotation

Bravo to HMISS and SPI for finally taking a stand on behalf of exhibitors. There is long way to go until they are afforded the respect they deserve.

How much to tip at hotels, and when: A primer for guests

From USA Today: Hotel Check-In: (note: there is a good chart at the end of this article)

A third of the country doesn't know to tip 15% to 20% at a restaurant, so it's understandable that many people are unsure what to tip in a hotel.

To try to eliminate uncertainty, USA TODAY asked etiquette and hospitality experts and hotel companies for advice on what to tip at hotels in the USA. Their responses aren't consistent in every instance, but there's a consensus for some common tipping situations:

•Valet parking staff. Don't tip a hotel staff member who opens a guest's car door at the hotel entrance or parks the car in a valet lot. The valet who retrieves the car from the parking lot should be given $2 to $5.

•Bellmen. The common tip is $1 to $2 per bag. More can be given if the bags are heavy or the bellman provides other services.

•Maids. They should receive $1 to $5 daily. "The tip should be paid daily to ensure it goes to the person that took care of your room," says etiquette expert Patricia Rossi.

•Concierges. No tip is needed for directions, restaurant recommendations or answers to simple questions. A $10 to $50 tip is recommended for a concierge who obtains hard-to-get event tickets or a table at a popular premier restaurant.
Despite such suggestions, hotel guests "should expect great service, and there is no obligation to tip," says Vivian Deuschl, a vice president for luxury hotel chain The Ritz-Carlton. More