Future of Exhibitions

Future of Tradeshows:A Discussion

CMA Summer Leadership ConferenceJuly 31, 2009

Sam LippmanPresident

Integrated Show Management & Marketing

Future of Tradeshows

• Introductions

• Where We Are Today

• Attendees

• Exhibitors

• Show Management


Introductions

• You

• Me


Where we are today

• Recession

• Marketing/travel budgets slashed

• Image of Las Vegas and Orlando

• Green/carbon offsets

Center for Exhibition Industry Research (CEIR)Center for Exhibition Industry Research (CEIR)

Center for Exhibition Industry Research (CEIR)

If your show’s total revenue is down, when do you expect it to rebound?*

5%

9%

16%

36%

24%

9% January 2010July 2010

January 2011July 2011

January 2012Never

7* Asked of 180 executives at ECEF 2009


What percent of your total event revenue comes from Internet activities like virtual events, distance learning, ads, sponsorships and enhanced exhibitor listings?*

8%

4%

6%

27%

56% Under 3%

4 to 6%

7 to 10%

Over 10%

Not applicable8


* Asked of 180 executives at ECEF 2009

What percent of your attendees, exhibitors and media are from outside the United States?*

5%

33%

7%

22%

34% Up to 5%

6% to 10%

11% to 15%

16% and higher

Not applicable9




Attendees

• Agenda in advance – visit 24 companies

• Increased expectations onsite

• Fewer events per year

• Fewer days per event

• Fewer per company

•In a recession, most executives know to stay current with new products and services, and to continue investing for the future.

•Advertising in a down economy creates a competitive advantage. Executives agree they:

– Feel more positive about the company’s commitment to its products and services

– It also keeps those companies top-of-mind when purchase decisions are made

Yankelovich/Harris Study


• All titles, CMOs especially, believe tradeshow organizers should be held very accountable for audience quality5-POINT SCALE – “5” MEANS “VERY ACCOUNTABLE” AND “1” MEANS “NOT AT ALL

ACCOUNTABLE”

Q: On a 5-point scale where 5 means “Very accountable” and 1 means “Not at all accountable,” how accountable should event and tradeshow organizers be for the following? (Please select ONE best response for each category) (364 respondents)

From Stein/Rogan – BPA Worldwide Exhibitor ROI Research Survey



Exhibitors

• Quarterly approval of marketing budgets

• Greater emphasis on ROI

• Changing from “buying concrete” to demanding customized, integrated opportunities


Among business-to-business marketers who plan to increase spending, three key media platforms will benefit: Online, Direct & Events

*BtoB online survey of 684 business-to-business marketers conducted during the last week of January and first week of Feb. 2008

“How will your use of business-related media change in the next two years?”

22%

22%

29%

39%

43%

44%

45%

45%

63%

59%

58%

58%

Newspapers

Direct mail

General business magazines

General business magazine Web sites

Peer advice, word of mouth

Industry-specific business magazines

Industry-specific trade shows

Industry-specific conferences

Vendors’ Web sites

Email or electronic newsletters

Web portals (e.g., Google)

Industry-specific Web sites

Base: 878 business

decision-makers

Percentage who say their use of tactics will “increase” or “increase significantly” in 2009.



Show Management

• Independent Business Media Companies– 60% not covering interest payments– Depending on events to offset print losses– Interested in partnering with associations– Increased interest in co-locations


Show Management

• Association Management– More professional– Demand for Experienced Sales Management– Audience Development Specialists– Increase interest in co-locations

What are you doing differently now, internally, to strengthen your show?*

38%

20%

39%

4% Hiring experienced professional staff from other fields

Increase budget for attendee marketing

Investing more time and budget in attendee education

Greater integration of educational programming to the exhibit floor

19



What are you doing differently now - externally - to strengthen your show?*

45%

29%

11%

15% Providing executive attendees with personalized programs

Outsourcing more in-house projects /procedures to improve results

Changing the format of your show (hours, days, co-location)

Using the web to increase the “duration” of your event

20



Questions

Questions?

Sam LippmanPresident and Founder

Integrated Show Management & Marketing

Sam provides executive level consulting in strategic planning, marketing and management to the convention and exhibition industry. He also produces the Exhibition and Convention Executives Forum (ECEF) and the Large Show Roundtable – invitation only forums that exchange best practices and facilitate networking among tradeshow and convention executives. Sam is an experienced facilitator of exhibitor and attendee advisory groups as well as of board level strategic planning meetings. Before launching his company, he was Vice President of the Graphic Arts Show Company (GASC), producing megashows such as PRINT and GRAPH EXPO, as well as regional shows. Prior to GASC, he was Group Vice President of the Consumer Electronics Shows, managing CES winter and summer, and creating new shows such as High End Audio and CES Mexico. His first show management job was with the National Computer Conference from 1980 to 1984. He started his career at GES, producing shows in Chicago, Detroit and New York City.

Sam was presented an IAEE merit award for his contributions to education for the exhibition industry. He is an international speaker, author and teacher, and is often quoted by the media. He earned his facilitator certificate from the A.C.Nielsen Burke Institute and is an adjunct lecturer on marketing and producing exhibitions at George Washington University and the Sam Lok Business School in Trinidad. He is a graduate of the University of California at Santa Barbara.

Sam can be reached at [email protected] or 703.979.4904.

mailto:[email protected]

Future of Exhibitions

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