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Tag: trade shows

  • A Healthy Approach to Trade Shows and Industry Events

    A Healthy Approach to Trade Shows and Industry Events

    By: Steve Greenblatt, CTS and Brittany DiCesare, CTS

    Control Concepts, Inc.

    In March of 2022, Brittany DiCesare and I attended our first trade show together representing the Control Concepts team. We arrived at the social event together the night before the show started and, of course, were asked what we wanted to drink. While I had a beer, I noticed that Brittany went with a seltzer with cranberry and lime. This made me curious because I knew that Brittany wasn’t a non-drinker from past interactions.

    As the event progressed and Brittany continued to have non-alcoholic drinks, thoughts raced through my head ranging from her not feeling comfortable at the event to thinking it was inappropriate to have a drink around me or at a work function to concerns about medical conditions. I also found Brittany’s preferences rubbing off on me as I began opting for non-alcoholic beverages to help make the situation more comfortable.

    This pattern of not drinking alcohol continued for the duration of that trade show and a similar occurrence happened at the next event we attended together except that time Brittany ordered a single martini at the conclusion to celebrate a successful achievement (a regimen that continued at future trade shows and has become the routine for any business functions).

    Since we were still getting to know each other and becoming comfortable working together, nothing was discussed or explained regarding Brittany’s preferences. I just respected her decisions, supported her, and found myself following her lead by opting to drink minimally, if not at all.

    For those who know me, I’m not an avid drinker of alcohol. I’ll have a beer occasionally, but often prefer to abstain even when it is freely available. It tends to make me feel lethargic and causes me to lose focus. Consequently, I have to work harder to engage with other people which is not ideal in most situations. More often than not, I tend to take on the responsibility of ensuring everyone is taken care of and gets home safely.

    As I’ve gotten to know Brittany better by working closely together, I’ve confirmed that we share similar values, beliefs, and perspectives on business and professionalism. Among those are the importance of acting responsibly and being accountable for your actions and behaviors. What I’ve witnessed from Brittany is certainly indicative of her commitment to her convictions. a commitment to these beliefs.

    Since we are now more familiar and I’ve overheard Brittany explain to others her desire to not drink alcohol during business events, I want to share this thought-provoking and inspiring point that Brittany offered:

    “If I don’t prefer to drink alcohol in our normal day-to-day life, why would I feel more compelled to drink at business functions or trade shows? I also don’t have to drink to feel comfortable or have fun.” – Brittany DiCesare

    Brittany went on to share that business events are the times when we should be at our best, making good impressions, acting professionally, and exercising sound judgment. When we’re at an event presenting ourselves and representing our company, shouldn’t we be our best selves? , If where alcohol is typically served, we tend to be around people we respect, value, and want to get to know, and only get to see them a few times a year, shouldn’t we be keenly aware of how we want to be perceived and the impression that we want to make?

    As a big believer in the mantra that “you never know when you will be making a first impression” and “it only takes one mistake to ruin a reputation that it takes years to build,” I’ve staked my career on always presenting myself in the best way possible. I’ve learned from experience that opportunities are precious and I don’t want to misstep or not capitalize on an interaction if I am not at my best.

    Attending business events with Brittany has led to a real enlightenment and mindset shift for me and I thank her for this gift. What I learned is that Brittany’s choice to refrain from drinking at trade shows or business events was not by chance, it was part of her secret weapon and success strategy to bring her “A” game allowing her to be at her best when it mattered most. While being sober was responsible and admirable, it was only part of her master plan that included eating protein, hydrating, sleeping well, re-charging when needed as an introvert, and treating herself properly so she could rely on her mind and body to come through for her when the game was on the line. With so much time and money that goes into preparing for an event, it could all go for naught if the execution is not proper. It’s hard enough to endure the long days, the physical and mental strain, and the stress of being away from home. It doesn’t have to be made worse by acting recklessly or excessively drinking alcohol just because it’s available and seems like the thing to do.

    With so much talk in the AV industry about bringing light to incidents of improper behavior at trade shows and business conferences, a correlation can be made to the over-indulgence of alcohol. While we are not admonishing those who partake, we are encouraging those who prefer to stay sober to feel comfortable doing so. The notion that one “cannot have fun if they are not drinking” is a fallacy and is nothing more than peer pressure.

    There is often discomfort and peer pressure associated with not drinking in situations where alcohol is commonly consumed and openly available. I think that one of the brightest assets of the AV industry its supportive circle of people. Let’s show consideration for those in our industry who choose not to consume alcohol or simply

    prefer to stay sober by showing support, making them feel comfortable, and encouraging event hosts to provide more non-alcoholic offerings.

    Join Brittany and me in leading an effort to make those who opt to abstain or stay sober be part of a community and feel comfortable being themselves and feeling comfortable at AV industry events.

    The AV family and industry as a whole are precious to both Brittany and me, thus we take it personally when others disparage it or its reputation is tarnished. With that in mind, we are reaching out to those who want to join the movement of taking a healthy approach to trade shows and industry events by encouraging participants to take care of themselves, be kind to others, and make more health-conscious decisions about eating and drinking. We are also putting a challenge out to party hosts, event planners, and supporters to provide more non-alcoholic options including mocktails and varieties of water, coffee, and soft drinks at industry-sanctioned events.

    Let’s connect at InfoComm 2024 and step up to help support each other who seek a healthier approach to events. Stay tuned for more information about how to get involved.

  • InfoComm 2022 and the Verified Attendee

    InfoComm 2022 and the Verified Attendee

    Trade show attendance numbers and ROI

    In 2019 ISE (Integrated Systems Europe) touted 81,000 attendees. CES had about 110,000. NAB weighed in at 107,000. InfoComm 2019 was 42,000 in the Orlando summer. But what were the “real” numbers of those shows? Not certain any of us will ever know.

    One thing that the pandemic gave us was the idea, the metric, of verified attendees. I, for one, applaud AVIXA for pushing this as the new reality. In 2021, during a COVID variant, AVIXA still put on the annual North American commercial AV show. The number they posted after the October event was 7,500 “verified attendees”. For this years’ trek to Las Vegas those numbers came in at just under 20,000 (19, 681) verified attendees. Verified attendees? Now, what does it take to be verified?

    For both CES and NAB in 2022 the listed audience number was made up of integrators, press, consultants, customers, and exhibition staff. This type of accounting lends itself to inflated overall numbers. Those numbers look great in a press release and when you are trying to sell next year’s show. Where it doesn’t work is with exhibitors.

    Why Verified Attendees Matter

    As a reminder, my day job is head of marketing for CTI in St. Louis. For the second InfoComm in a row we have exhibited on the show floor. I have had some incredible learning, and humbling, experiences the last two shows. One of those is figuring out how many attendees you managed to get to your booth. If you’re a large manufacturer with a ginormous booth, no sweat. You simply put out your sign and, BOOM, you have people magically show up. For the rest of us, our booth visits help with the ROI (return on investment) of the cost of showing.

    Even for those large manufacturers, ROI is a concern. Exhibiting at any tradeshow has a couple of considerations. For InfoComm, it’s a combination of connecting with the AV users, in-house integrators, and decisions makers. We are also supporting the overall AV community by supporting AVIXA. Even still, accounting will ask me how much we spent and whether it was worth the money. Giving exhibitors, large and small, the ability to confidently gauge how well they attracted people to the booth is one-way AVIXA and InfoComm help, at least this exhibitor, make the decision on whether to return next year.

    On AVWeek Episode 566, our guests weighed in on the Verified Attendee metric. Dawn Meade, now an end-user but an integrator in years past, said “The fact that they’re giving you verified numbers, that’s a hard metric. That’s an actual number that you can rely on.” Meade went on to say that not only was the metric substantial but the quality of the audience was greater than in 2019.

    Joel Norris from Shure added, “(the verified number) has given us some granular detail that allows for better demand planning.

    Listen to AVWeek

    AVIXA is just one organization in a sea of other trade shows. Having them lead the way in this area is a positive first step as we move beyond COVID and into a version of live events that is both positive and safe. Events aren’t going anywhere. At least not in the tech field. There are too many new and emerging technologies that require the user to see, hear, and experience Giving those of us that exhibit a more transparent attendance number to base our future plans on is a welcome change from other shows. Thanks. Keep it up, AVIXA.

  • AV industry veterans launch Your Virtual Tradeshow

    Your Virtual Tradeshow is the joint brainchild of Mike Yaccino, CEO, ExtraMile Inc., Robin Duggan, 2GC Inc., and John Lostroscio, President, Artence Consulting, LLC

    With social distancing the new normal in the foreseeable future, AV industry veterans created “Your Virtual Tradeshow,” a unique service that enables brands to deliver an immersive, multi-level production to current and prospective clients.

    Chicago-based, Your Virtual Tradeshow is the joint brainchild of Mike Yaccino, CEO, ExtraMile Inc., Robin Duggan, 2GC Inc., and John Lostroscio, President, Artence Consulting, LLC, each of whom has over 30 years’ experience in the AV integration industry. The team believes that businesses must display agility, especially in times like we’re currently experiencing. By reallocating a fraction of the budget typically allocated toward trade show marketing, Your Virtual Tradeshow gives brands the opportunity to deliver all of the excitement without the costs of staff travel and entertainment, while sharply reducing freight shipping expenses, installation and dismantling charges and eliminating material handling fees (drayage).

    “Your Virtual Tradeshow is a creatively planned production that leverages a physical asset like a trade show booth, or slick 3D animation, to create a dynamic tour of your new products,” commented Mike Yaccino, CEO of ExtraMile Inc. “As shows are being canceled or rescheduled, companies still need to get their new product information out, and a well-produced, first-rate event allows them to represent their brand in a trade show quality format. Mixing the digital and physical world allows for an incredibly rich experience.”

    “While many publishers offer video conferencing or webinar solutions, they lack the luster and excitement of a trade show. Our goal is to deliver a show experience in an unexpected format that is powerfully intriguing, immersive, and memorable,” continued Yaccino. “Seeing a trade show booth on a video with colorful interview and fly-in effects and powerful graphics will turn heads.  And this hasn’t been done before. It’s an effective way to fully share the show experience, and it’s a fraction of an actual show cost.”

    Options are nearly limitless and can include tools like show demos, infographics, and exciting webinars with a live host and SMEs that would conclude for an interactive Q&A session. That content can then be used on the exhibitor’s website, in social media, dealer newsletters, and other marketing uses.

    To find out more about Your Virtual Tradeshow, visit https://yourvirtualtradeshow.com, call (847) 426-5484 ext 2, or contact rwohlfeil@yourvirtualtradeshow.com.  

  • Ford AV showcasing latest AV technology in Texas event

    October event focuses on Ford AV and AV manufacturers

    Austin/San-Antonio, Texas – Innovate Showcase, a free, one-day event, will be held at Embassy Suites San Marcos Hotel Spa & Conference Center in San Marcos, TX on October 3rd, 2019 from 9 A.M. to 3 P.M. Guests are invited to experience the latest in AV technology and learn how to best leverage it to improve the communication of their daily operations. ­

     “We are excited to bring this outstanding AV Showcase back to the Austin/San Antonio area.  We last hosted this event in 2017 in Austin with record-breaking attendance.  This is a great event for end users to come and learn about the latest AV technology available” said David Allen, Vice President. 

    This free, one-day event will showcase products from Canon, Christie, Cisco, Polycom, Samsung, Sony and more as well as the latest in Skype for Business or Zoom AV Solutions, Video Conferencing, AV Collaboration, BYOD, Interactive Solutions, Digital Signage, Video Wall Solutions, Integrated Control Systems and Digital Mixing and Speaker Systems.

    “Today’s corporate communication solutions are changing rapidly and can seem impossible to keep up with, which is why we have assembled the leading AV technology companies in one room for customers to discuss their needs and learn about new technology and solutions” said David Allen, Vice President.

    “We are excited about this year’s AV Showcase” said Paul Leach, Director of Marketing. “We have added outstanding new training seminars that can bring impact to our customer’s communication needs as well as answer many common technology questions.”

    Attendees have the opportunity to interact and speak with AV representatives from the nation’s top technology manufacturers, as well as learn about some of today’s leading trends. Free educational seminars are available for customers throughout the day. Seminar topics include “AV in an Information Technology World,” ”Emerging Technologies,” “Wireless Presentation Systems,” “Web Conferencing” and “Emergency Communications Systems.”

    For more information about the show or seminars, visit www.fordav.com/showcase.

  • Atlas-IED expands U.S. exhibit schedule

    Company adds events coast to coast

    Phoenix, AZ – (April 2, 2019) – AtlasIED is ramping up its presence in the field, including both major and regional shows and events, to best support the needs of its integrators and end users and to work more closely with them to provide a better experience for those using the company’s comprehensive audio solutions for commercial business environments.

    “We’ve found that the commercial integration community needs a mix of both local and major trade shows and events to learn about our products and deliver the very best experience to the end user,” says AtlasIED Vice President of Sales Michael Peveler. “We respect their busy schedules, and therefore want to give them more choices for education and demos. We need to help them understand how to best integrate and use AtlasIED products in their projects and arm them with the best knowledge and strategies to sell and support our products.”

    New sessions from April through to the end of the year include:

    Those interested in learning more about AtlasIED products and services should contact Michael Peveler, Vice President of Sales, AtlasIED by Emailing Michael.peveler@atlasied.com.

  • AVIXA promotes future of AV

    AVIXA promotes future of AV

    AV trade assoc presents to Passenger Terminal Expo

    FAIRFAX, VA  – Attendees of Passenger Terminal Expo 2019, March 26-28 in London, will get an in-depth look into the ways audiovisual solutions can improve the travel experience. David Labuskes, CTS®, Chief Executive Officer of AVIXA, the Audiovisual and Integrated Experience Association, will host a session titled “The Audiovisual Future of the Passenger Terminal Experience,” with speakers from Houston Bush International Airport, Miami International Airport, global design and architecture firm Gensler, and multimedia studio Moment Factory, whose audiovisual installations engage travelers from Los Angeles International Airport to Singapore Changi Airport. 

    “Integrated audiovisual experiences are becoming a mainstay in virtually every venue of daily life, including transportation hubs, through which millions of travelers pass,” said Brad Grimes, Senior Director of Communications for AVIXA. “At Passenger Terminal Expo, we’ll specifically explore airports that are at the forefront of creating a new kind of travel experience — one that is compelling, immersive, engaging and increasingly grounded in audiovisual solutions.” 

    Passenger Terminal Expo is the world’s largest annual airport exhibition and conference, attracting 7,400 attendees, 300 exhibitors, and 1,800 conference participants. It takes place this year at the ExCeL London. 

    According to AVIXA’s Industry Outlook and Trends Analysis (IOTA), transportation industry spending on pro-AV products and services will grow 8.8 percent annually between now and 2023. That is significantly greater than the robust 5-percent global growth of the overall pro-AV market. 

    At Passenger Terminal Expo 2019, AVIXA CEO Labuskes will be joined by Maurice Jenkins, Chief Information Officer of Miami International Airport; Jesus Saenz, Chief Operating Officer of Houston Bush International Airport; Keith Thompson, Principal at Gensler; and Andrew Merkin, Producer at Moment Factory. 

    “I look forward to joining this great group in discussing not only how audiovisual solutions enhance the passenger experience, but also how they can improve operational efficiency and business outcomes,” Labuskes said. “Moment Factory, an AVIXA member company, has been working in some of Skytrax’s top-rated airports. Together, this panel will open eyes to new ways of applying technology to airport design.” 

    The talk will also center on ways airport operators, architects and technologists can best collaborate to reimagine terminal spaces. The panel will conclude with an examination of emerging technologies and their potential impact on the airport industry. 

    “By the end of the discussion,” Grimes said, “attendees will gain a powerful understanding of how integrated audiovisual solutions are shaping tomorrow’s airport terminals.”