Trade Show Insights

The results are in … video is the champion of online content, and you better get in the game. But how do you create videos that get watched, shared, and remembered? Get advice from an expert! Now I don’t profess to be an expert when it comes to video. So I invited my friend, Lou Bortone, to be our guest on Virtual Lunch. Lou is a former executive at E! Entertainment Television as well as an online video guru. In this rebroadcast he shares helpful tips you can put to use before, during and after your trade shows and events

No doubt we all wish we had a crystal ball to see what the future of trade shows might look like. Or do we really need one? If there’s one thing that’s become painfully obvious after the past two years, it’s how unlikely our industry is willing to readily accept change. Anyone who believed that massive innovations would come out of such a seismic shift (like I did) is beginning to realize that far too many event organizers and exhibitors are slipping right back into the same-old, same-old. I’ve heard this across numerous conversations recently. People are so excited to

Do you take your exhibit too seriously? Are you forgetting to have fun in your booth? In this rebroadcast of Virtual Lunch, bestselling author Dr. Bob Nelson (1501 Ways to Reward Employees, Work Made Fun Gets Done!) shares creative ideas and strategies for: Boosting your booth attraction Motivating and rewarding your staff Tapping a hidden resource to connect with attendees on their level Here are the links mentioned in the interview: Low-Cost Ideas (Dr. Bob’s article) Dr. Bob Nelson’s website (Note: Some links on this page are affiliate links, which means if you click on them and choose to purchase

The trade show industry isn’t necessarily known for being environmentally responsible – but a few trailblazers are working hard to change that. Al Mercuro is one of them, and in this rebroadcast of Virtual Lunch he shares some often overlooked ways to be more sustainable at trade shows and events. You’ll discover how to: Creatively repurpose everything from graphics to print materials Take advantage of EDPA’s new sustainability partnership Tap into solutions you may never have considered Start the conversation within your organization (or with everyone involved in your event) Here are the links mentioned in the interview: “Will the

In this rebroadcast of Virtual Lunch, we’ve got a crowdsourced episode celebrating Build a Better Trade Show Image Week. We’re featuring why YOU love trade shows! Our guest panelists include: Kenji Haroutunian – The Big Gear Show Don Jalbert – Exhibit Associates Victoria Petersen – E3 Events, Experiences, Environments Al Mercuro – Genesis Exhibits Silvana Cheyney – SLC Events Services Marco Barozzi – Expo Consulting Rich Vallaster – Personify Here’s where you can watch the entire Virtual Lunch broadcast.

How intriguing is your marketing? Does it make people eager to know more? In this rebroadcast of Virtual Lunch, communications expert Sam Horn shares tips to transform your marketing message from forgettable to memorable. Discover how to: Create repeatable, retweetable titles or taglines Design a visual message Find a meaningful metaphor Capture attention with her “Did You Know?” opening Here are the links mentioned in the interview: Want to Be More Intriguing? Tips for Creating the Perfect Title or Tagline Sam Horn’s 60-Second “Did You Know?” Opening The Intrigue Agency Sam Horn’s website (where you can watch her TEDx Talk)

Have you ever stopped to think about how you’re influenced by marketing – and how your marketing influences others? In this rebroadcast of Virtual Lunch, Nancy Harhut shares ideas that tap the science of human behavior to improve your marketing results. You’ll discover how to: Give buyers choices so the decision is theirs Use pricing strategies that impact audience perception Create a bundle that’s more appealing Name products or offers that appeal to audience interests Create a sense of fairness Here are the links mentioned during the interview: Listen to Nancy’s interview on Ruth Stevens’ Marketing Horizons podcast 7 Unusual

In spite of what some may think, virtual events are not a fad that’s run their course. While they may not continue to look like they have over the past two years (or be as ubiquitous), they are a tool that’s worth learning how to master. In this rebroadcast of Virtual Lunch, HeySummit CEO Rob Gelb shares tips to design virtual events that inspire more interest and impact, including how to: Incorporate creative event formats and tools Understand the definition of events (it may not be what you think) Get speakers more involved before the event Create more value for

Lately the same topic keeps coming up in conversations with exhibitors, show organizers, and other industry professionals. Everyone’s talking about how show floor traffic may be down by 40–50 percent, yet the quality of attendees is much higher. Even small exhibitors are getting more serious leads, which makes them feel their investment is worthwhile. Yet I’m also hearing from those who can’t attend in person. There are many reasons, whether health concerns, budget restrictions, or travel logistics. (Just had a conversation this week with a Canadian exhibitor … if you think travel within the U.S. is a hassle, you should

Ever feel like your to-do list is managing you, instead of the other way around? In the world of trade shows and events, it definitely can seem like there’s no end to the tasks that are demanding our attention. But it doesn’t have to be that way. In this rebroadcast of Virtual Lunch, Sandra Martini shares tips for maximizing productivity, including how to: Reframe the idea of a to-do list Gamify the elements of a project Reverse-engineer the process to complete major projects Build in time to fight fires Plus some of her favorite productivity tools Here are the links

Let’s be honest: Networking isn’t always productive, no matter whether it’s in-person or online. In this rebroadcast of Virtual Lunch, Amanda Kaiser shares lessons from a three-month experiment to discover ideas that make networking more fun and engaging. Go behind the scenes to learn: How the Virtual Networking Incubator was born What kinds of technology and exercises work for groups of various sizes Why it helps to have structured networking activities How to encourage participation even before the event starts Here are the links mentioned during the interview: Download the Virtual Networking Incubator roundup report (you can also request notification

Launching a brand-new trade show in the middle of a pandemic is not a task for average show organizers. But then The Big Gear Show never set out to be average. In this rebroadcast of Virtual Lunch, go behind the scenes to discover how the team: Created an “experiential wonderland” in a non-traditional venue Designed a more affordable trade show option for both exhibitors and attendees Made a lasting impression in their industry Gained valuable lessons for next year and beyond Here are the links mentioned during the interview: Big Gear Show pulls off successful invitation-only event (Bicycle Retailer) That’s

Social media has been around a long time, but are we tapping into its full potential when it comes to our events? Monica Vila provides valuable insights, not only from her expertise in social media marketing, but also many years spent working in trade shows and events. In this rebroadcast of Virtual Lunch, you’ll discover how to enhance your social media marketing by: Tapping influencer marketing within your audience Learning from what consumer brands are doing Building community in the right platforms for your audience Introducing your audience from one platform to another Here are links mentioned during the interview:

Okay, I admit it – I’m a big Star Trek fan. No, not to the point where I dress up as a Klingon and stroll the aisles of Comic-Con – although I did thoroughly enjoy roaming around with them back when the Star Trek Experience was a Vegas attraction. But I digress … One of the things I love most about Star Trek is the way it shows us the potential of how much life can change for the better in the next 200 or so years. I mean, traveling at warp speed, scanning devices that heal wounds … So

As the trade show industry begins to breathe life again, there’s a new place to turn for resources and support to get back in the groove again. In this rebroadcast of Virtual Lunch, Laura Palker tells us about the National Trade Show Alliance: Why the NTSA was formed Who the NTSA is for What resources are available How you can get involved Here are links mentioned during the interview: National Trade Show Alliance Together Again Job Fair & Expo Here’s where you can watch the entire Virtual Lunch broadcast About Laura Palker Laura is the Founder and CEO of Trade

Are you taking advantage of all that LinkedIn offers to show off your expertise? Probably not, but after you hear all the tips Viveka von Rosen shares in this rebroadcast of Virtual Lunch, you’ll know what steps to take to get there. Discover how to: Improve your SSI score (and what that is) Take advantage of a variety of new tools LinkedIn offers (if you have access to them yet) Craft your profile to stand out and draw people to you Connect with people in a strategic, non-salesy way Here are links mentioned during the interview: LinkedIn Profile Template (free)

We all know someone (or 20!) who made a career transition during the past year. They may have changed companies, or left our industry entirely. And for those you used to work with every day, that connection has been altered as well. How do we transition back to those relationships, or do we? In this rebroadcast of Virtual Lunch in the Exhibit Marketers Café, communications expert Bill Rawlins provides tips on how to: Recognize the Three Expectations of Friendship Deal with the loss of work friends Restore relationships that have been on pause Here are links mentioned during the interview:

We’ve heard a lot about shows reopening here in the U.S., but what’s happening in Europe? In this rebroadcast of Virtual Lunch in the Exhibit Marketers Café, Marco Barozzi joins us from Bologna, Italy to provide insights on: Signs of recovery with upcoming trade shows The importance of Digital Green Certificates How venues all over Europe have stepped up What government aid has been available Here are links mentioned during the interview: Bologna Children’s Book Fair (coming in-person in June) Mobile World Congress Barcelona (going hybrid in June) MWC’s biggest exhibitor is a tiny startup EU’s Digital Green Certificate Expo Consulting

Your brand is so much more than a logo and tagline. It’s a story that’s just waiting to be brought to life through your exhibits and events. In this rebroadcast of Virtual Lunch in the Exhibit Marketers Café, Ian McGonnigal shares these insights on creating your brand experience: What brand experience is and how to measure it How event organizers and exhibitors can build more a memorable brand Why you need to incorporate storytelling elements into exhibits and events How to find the right events to tell your story Here are links to items mentioned in the interview: Auditing your

The trade show industry is beginning to show signs of life again! But it won’t be as easy as flipping a switch to bring things back all at once. Jim Wurm from the Exhibitor Appointed Contractor Association joins us in this rebroadcast of Virtual Lunch in the Exhibit Marketers Café to share insights on: How the new Exhibitions & Conferences Alliance is advocating for the industry How vendors and venues may ramp up the workforce as needed What might (or might not) be required to attend trade shows and events What financial relief might be on the horizon Here are