Experts & Opinions
Jan 08, 2020
One of the best tools trade show planners have in their toolbox is a strong relationship with their audio-visual provider.
AV brings a trade show to life with dynamic lighting, sound and interactive experiences that engage and excite attendees, letting them know they are somewhere special.
Everyone Wants a Moment to Shine
No matter the makeup of an audience, you need to keep in mind that it’s full of real people, not just the labels of attendees, exhibitors and sponsors. People tend to have similar interests and desires, which include being seen.
“In my experience, people generally want… more
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Jan 02, 2020
In Explori and UFI’s 2018/19 Global Visitor Insights Report supported by SISO, 13,000 trade show visitor responses were analyzed and 135 countries were represented to create the largest study of trade show experience. The findings suggest six key indicators of future success for trade show organizers. With themes such as festivalization, sustainability and personalization, it is clear that the industry is ripe with innovation.
Here are the six things trade show organizers should consider in the coming year and beyond to continue attracting and retaining keen visitors.
1. Strike a balance… more
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Dec 17, 2019
Offering clients and vendors tickets to sporting events, concerts or resorts has always been a welcome and fun way to strengthen and nurture business relationships. The 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act added a major twist on this long-standing tradition of deducting client entertainment expenses on business tax returns.
This may have limited some options, but there are still many opportunities to host outside of the trade show. It’s always important to focus on what really adds value for your clients. For some, it might not be entertaining. For others, it’s still an important part of a complete… more
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Dec 16, 2019
Because I’m a sustainability consultant, you may assume that I believe in human-caused climate change. Until recently, I’ve avoided talking much about climate change to my professional audience, because I want to avoid being polarizing or political.
First of all, if you’ve made this assumption, you’re correct — I do believe, based on the consensus of thousands of scientists, that human activities are changing our climate. However, I no longer believe that climate change is a political issue. I wouldn’t even call it an environmental issue.
It’s an everything issue. The growing instability of… more
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Dec 12, 2019
What’s worse than your swag being abandoned on a booth counter is your swag being thrown in the garbage on its way off the trade show floor. Not only is this a waste of your planning efforts and marketing dollars, but it’s also really bad for the environment. Think about all of those wasted foam squishy balls, plastic pens, paper pamphlets and post-it note pads waiting to be shipped off to a landfill. If we’re going to work on reducing, reusing and recycling in every other facet of life and business operations, we should also work on reducing waste at trade shows, too.
There are hundreds of… more
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Dec 10, 2019
Wondering how to improve your trade show planning? Use these three tips to throw an event that drives interaction between exhibitors and attendees.
On the surface, trade show planning looks easier to do than organizing other types of events. Take SpinGo’s “20 Powerful Stats on the Value of Trade Shows and Expos.” The numbers make it look like exhibitors and attendees can’t wait to meet each other:
88% of exhibitors want to raise brand awareness.
72% of exhibitors want new sales leads.
92% of attendees want to see new products (81% have buying authority).
But two troubling stats haunt… more
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Dec 05, 2019
Managing an event can feel like a cat rodeo, with huge groups of people headed every which way and different things on their minds. It’s easy to become frustrated when attendees do not do what we want them to do. Event planners predict behaviors based on activity history, then use those projections for forecasting and budgeting. When the target audience does not “behave” as projected, it can impact the success of the event.
Don’t sit by and watch. Here are nine actions you can take to achieve desired behaviors.
9. Master Segmentation to Help Your Audience Hear You
Audience segmentation… more
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Dec 03, 2019
The year 2019 is drawing to a close, so get ready to enter “The 20s”! As we enter this new decade, the world seems to have become less stable and more disrupted in many aspects of life — in politics, in tech, in societies and in business.
As every year, UFI has been tracking developments in the exhibitions (and events) industry around the world at our own events, in numerous conversations and through many other channels. Here are our five trends that leaders in exhibitions and events in 2020 should all be watching out for:
1. Peak Globalization?
The growth of the global economy is slowing… more
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Nov 27, 2019
Every year, numerous trade shows take place around the world, allowing businesses to get in front of and try to appeal to an audience. When someone attends an event like this, though, what is going to make them stop at a certain booth? What kind of display will catch their eye? What will they get if they come over to learn more about a product/service?
Those who are setting up booths at trade shows need to provide incentives like the following:
Free Swag
Of course, swag is a go-to option for booths, since everyone loves freebies! Don’t just get random tchotchkes, though, and instead, opt… more
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Nov 25, 2019
I get asked these questions on a regular basis: How can you prove that there is value in all the money spent during a trade show? How does that stack up to e-mail, content and pay-per-click marketing? Is it even worth it to go to the show? Many just assume that the answer is no.
It’s easy to assume that when you have myriad data points provided by your marketing stack vendors on click-through rates, SEO ranking and marketing material requests, that you are getting a better value from that spend. This is especially easy to do when you have a tight budget that must cover your trade show spend… more
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Partner Voices
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Protecting Natural Resources
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Committed to Community
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MGM Resorts supports clients in their responsible-meetings efforts, not only with efficient venues but also waste-reducing décor and signage; sustainable food and beverage options; and outreach to help planners communicate sustainability efforts to attendees. What’s more, they offer a Mindful Meetings series that puts attendee wellness first—through fitness and mindfulness activities, and in give-back events with local charity organizations.
Fostering Diversity & Inclusion
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MGM Resorts offers unparalleled service and venue options while standing out for its proactive approach to sustainability and community engagement. Choosing MGM Resorts for your next meeting means aligning with a company that values social responsibility, efficiency, and attendee satisfaction, ensuring a meaningful and impactful event experience.