Blogs
Aug 30, 2018
As a fairly new and small company in our niche B2B marketplace, we were faced with a challenge at our first ever conference: displaying our biggest differentiator – customer service.
Many companies talk about how great their customer service is until they’re blue in the face but to potential customers, hearing about great service and experiencing it are two very different things. How would we show, rather than tell, that our customer service really was what we said?
Our answer to this challenging problem was to provide actual customer service to conference attendees in a tangible way, right… more
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Aug 28, 2018
Forbes recently published a terrific article entitled 3 Reasons Why CMOs Should Embrace Experiential Marketing. Lots of areas for agreement. But I think it could have gone a little deeper.
When I get asked the “Why Experiential?” question, here’s my “rule of three” answer:
The Power of DOING something: There is a great Chinese quote (often misattributed to Confucius) “I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand” that social scientists have discovered to be true.
Both emotional and logical memory is vastly improved when someone physically engages with a person, an idea… more
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Aug 23, 2018
Every event planner knows technology must be integrated into their events to sustain growth and meet the demands of an increasingly tech-savvy audience. Yet the specific needs of your attendees and exhibitors are often harder to identify amongst the countless options available. Understanding what technology makes sense for your audience goes a long way in pulling off a great meeting, conference or trade show.
Continue reading to better understand the relationship between technology, exhibitors and attendees.
Everyone Needs Reliable WiFi
The foundation of any event—regardless of size—should… more
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Aug 21, 2018
The theme of last weekend’s TSNN Awards was transformation, which is a common thread that links all shows together right now. The need to reimagine the trade show experience is not a new concept. But what I think is a new way to think about it, is the way the content itself is presented.
The long-in-the-tooth formula of filling up convention centers with exhibitors, sprinkled with education offerings of regurgitated industry buzz – is simply no longer sustainable.
It’s time for event organizers to put the show in trade shows. Organizers need to lead their exhibitors by example too, and… more
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Aug 16, 2018
Trade shows are crucial to the growth of many businesses. They are competitive events but can lead to the successful business relationships. The key is to stand out in the right way at the trade show. When used effectively in a trade show setting, exhibits and displays can grow your business and bring it to the next level.
How do you get the most value from your trade show display?
Any company participating in a trade show and commissioning portable displays should first establish how they want to brand themselves. They can get a custom-made display or customize a pre-existing one, but this… more
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Aug 14, 2018
Successful trade show marketing is about developing a media plan that aligns with and capitalizes on attendee behaviors in the market to accomplish a brand’s marketing goals. At a trade show, the focus of the attendees and exhibitors is the convention, but they also spend time outside of the convention center and their hotel. Since every city has its unique attractions and ways to get to those attractions, an effective market strategy for reaching those attendees must be equally unique.
Getting There: How do attendees travel to the market?
Each market around the country has different travel… more
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Aug 09, 2018
I am often asked what giveaways are the most popular at trade shows. Event managers feel they should offer something but they are at a loss of what will draw people in so they can talk to them. However, they find that while giveaways were a good draw in the past, many of today’s show attendees are not interested in them. I have had multiple show-goers decline my offer of a giveaway because they don’t need it and this response has become much more frequent over the past three years.
This is in line with the demographic changes we are seeing in our population. Millennials have become most of… more
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Aug 07, 2018
Businesses large and small present their latest and the most futuristic gadgets at the biggest confabs like the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) and Integrated Systems Europe (ISE) each year. Over the last decade or so, LED has made its market in digital signage industry owing to low cost, better quality, smart fixtures and greater efficiency. The technology is expected to keep evolving in the years to come in terms of efficiency and affordability.
Pulling off a successful trade show is an even greater challenge when you are catering to the consumers accustomed to disruptive advancements like… more
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Aug 04, 2018
When planning an event there is one element that can make a huge difference to the atmosphere of the occasion – the lighting.
The right lighting will direct attention to the most important areas of the space, create the desired mood and ultimately set the scene for the occasion, whether it is a conference, a trade show, a corporate occasion or a private party.
To find out more about how lighting can make – or break – an event I spoke to events planners Julie Girgenti, owner of Exceptional Events and Ellen Davies, owner of LND Events. Here’s what they had to say:
Setting the Tone
Lighting… more
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Aug 01, 2018
Virtual Reality (VR) is a powerful sales and marketing tool, and with a little planning, it can help your company become the focal point of any event. Of those that try VR, 81 percent say they tell their friends about the experience and 79 percent seek to try it again. These numbers illustrate the massive advantage VR has on every other form of media. It is fully immersive and therefore, the most engaging platform for trade show pitches.
Aside from the numbers and engagement statistics, VR trade show experiences give you unprecedented creative control over what your audience experiences.… more
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Partner Voices
Overview:
The award-winning Orange County Convention Center (OCCC) goes the extra mile to make every day extraordinary by offering customer service excellence and industry-leading partnerships. From their dedicated in-house Rigging team to their robust Exhibitor Services, The Center of Hospitality brings your imagination to life by helping you host unforgettable meetings and events. With more than 2 million square feet of exhibit space, world-class services and a dream destination, we are committed to making even the most ambitious conventions a reality.
In October 2023, the Orange County Board of County Commissioners voted to approve allocating Tourist Development Tax funding for the $560 million Phase 5A completion of the OCCC. The Convention Way Grand Concourse project will include enhancements to the North-South Building, featuring an additional 60,000 square feet of meeting space, an 80,000- square-foot ballroom and new entry to the North-South Building along Convention Way.
“We are thrilled to begin work on completing our North-South Building which will allow us to meet the growing needs of our clients,” said OCCC Executive Director Mark Tester. “As an economic driver for the community, this project will provide the Center with connectivity and meeting space to host more events and continue to infuse the local economy with new money and expanding business opportunities.”
Amenities:
The Center of Hospitality goes above and beyond by offering world-class customer service and industry-leading partnerships. From the largest convention center Wi-Fi network to custom LAN/WAN design, the Center takes pride in enhancing exhibitor and customer experience.
The OCCC is the exclusive provider of electricity (24-hour power at no additional cost), aerial rigging and lighting, water, natural gas and propane, compressed air, and cable TV services. Convenience
The Center is at the epicenter of the destination, with an abundance of hotels, restaurants, and attractions within walking distance. Pedestrian bridges connect both buildings to more than 5,200 rooms and is within a 15-minute drive from the Orlando International Airport. The convenience of the location goes hand-in-hand with top notch service to help meet an event’s every need.
Gold Key Members
The OCCC’s Gold Key Members represent the best of the best when it comes to exceptional service and exclusive benefits for clients, exhibitors and guests. The Center’s Gold Key memberships with Universal Orlando Resort, SeaWorld Orlando and Walt Disney World greatly enhance meeting planner and attendee experiences offering world-renowned venues, immersive experiences and creative resources for their events.
OCCC Events:
This fiscal year, the OCCC is projected to host 168 events, 1.7 million attendees, and $2.9 billion in economic impact.
The Center’s top five events during their 2022-2023 fiscal year included:
AAU Jr. National Volleyball Championships 2023
200,000 Attendees
$257 Million in Economic Impact
MEGACON 2023
160,000 Attendees
$205 Million in Economic Impact
Open Championship Series 2023
69,500 Attendees
$89 Million in Economic Impact
Sunshine Classic 2023
42,000 Attendees
$54 Million in Economic Impact
Premiere Orlando 2023
42,000 Attendees
$108 Million in Economic Impact