The recent Exhibitor Meeting of the CONEXPO-CON/AGG and IFPE expositions used a live-cast satellite feed of the on-site meeting to bring the meaning of "face to face" to a higher level.
The result was a record number of exhibitor personnel participating in the event - about 600, with 40% participating online through the live-cast. The meeting, held in mid-May, 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.
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 live-cast allowed online attendees to participate during question and answer periods and receive giveaways offered at the event. Live-cast attendees could also download speaker presentation notes prior to the event so they had the same handouts as onsite attendees.
According to a post-event survey of exhibitor meeting attendees, almost 90% 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%), followed by information and changes related to show rules and operations (86%). The opportunity to network with other exhibitors also rated highly (75%).
The Association of Equipment Manufacturers (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. About 70% of the 260 marketing seminar attendees took advantage of both educational opportunities. Together, the exhibitor meeting and AEM marketing seminar educated almost 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," Heide Kraus, AEM director of meetings and education programs, said. "And, leveraging the technology of the web allows us to deliver this education to more people than ever before."
CONEXPO-CON/AGG and the co-located IFPE will be held March 11-15, 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.
For the first time, AEM will conduct an exhibitor meeting for its China-based CONEXPO Asia show. This new event will be held in August at the China Import and Export Fair (CIEF) Pazhou Complex in Guangzhou. The meeting is an example of CONEXPO Asia's customer service aspect, another way that the event differentiates itself from other construction shows in the region. The dynamic program will cover topics such as attendee promotion, safe and efficient stand construction and successful lead management. CONEXPO Asia was initiated in 2006, and will be held again Dec. 4-7, 2007.
The association's International Construction and Utility Equipment Exposition (ICUEE) is also conducting exhibitor education. The 2007 ICUEE is presenting a series of web-based modules through fall of 2007 to prepare exhibitors for the event, which will be held October 16-18 in Louisville, Ky. Subjects include booth design, pre-show promotion and exhibit staffing.
