Times have changed – you need to change, too.
Prophetic words for the tradeshow industry and an appropriate title for one of the many new lectures offered at the upcoming EXHIBITOR2010 in March. Lucky for attendees, it seems the show’s organizers took the class.
EXHIBITOR2010, which will run from March 14-18, is seeing some changes that its organizers hope will help raise some of the diminished numbers from last year. As 2009 dragged on, it became apparent the tradeshow industry was along for the ride in the economic downturn. With social media outlets and virtual tradeshows becoming budget-conscious alternatives, many shows saw dramatic drops in their attendance over 2008 figures due to the cost of attendance.
The North American International Auto Show was down nearly 8 percent and the Consumer Electronic Show (CES) was down 22 percent. At EXHIBITOR 2009, there were almost 13 percent fewer attendees, down from 6,066 to 5,284, while 14 fewer exhibitors made it out, dropping that number to 301 for 2009.
That’s why EXHIBITOR Media Group, the organizer for EXHIBITOR2010 – the world conference and exhibition on tradeshow and corporate event marketing – has changed the way it does business. And it’s teaching other tradeshows how to do the same – or their money back.
First run in 1989, EXHIBITOR is a conference and tradeshow focused on products and training on how to manage an entire tradeshow and corporate events program.
“2008 was a record year for EXHIBITOR shows,” said Wayne Dunham, owner of Dunham Communications, public relations representative for EXHIBITOR2010. “While 2009 was down slightly from 2008, it was still one of our best shows ever and most people at the show marveled at the energy and enthusiasm on the show floor.”
Still, the double-digit drop in attendance was hard to ignore.
New products and services offered by the 300-plus exhibitors include an array of trendy “green” products and suppliers as well as ways to maximize the smaller spaces exhibitors will likely have to work with this year due to tighter budgets. Some products even turn the floor itself into message space to further bombard an attendee with product information. But one of the biggest changes lies in the training section.
Courses this year emphasize on increasingreturn on investment (ROI), generating smarter and more cost-effective budgeting, mastering social media, designing better booths and learning measurement and metrics. Of the 220 sessions planned during the five-day show, there will be 70 new sessions that will address emerging tradeshow and corporate event issues, trends and concerns. Some of those concerns are ones that affect the tradeshow industry itself, such as the half-day workshop titled “Strategic Expansion of Event Marketing – Making the Case to Management,” where attendees are taught how to make the case for bigger marketing budgets for events in the face of tighter corporate belts.
“The EXHIBITOR staff is so sure of the value of these courses that they offer a No Risk Learning Guarantee,”Dunham said.“Learn what you came to learn or your money back, no questions asked.”
Perhaps the show’s greatest value and strength lies in a unique industry program started by EXHIBITOR Media Group in the early 1990s. The Certified Trade Show Marketer, or CTSM, is the only university-affiliated professional certification program in the exhibit marketing industry.
First and foremost, the CTSM program trains candidates in tradeshow and event marketing. Candidates are required to complete a curriculum of 28 seminars over the course of one to three years on tradeshow and event marketing. Available atannual EXHIBITOR shows and EXHIBITOR FastTrak conferences, candidates earn four continuing education units (CEUs) upon completion through the university affiliate, NorthernIllinois University Outreach.
Despite the current economy or state of the industry, the program pushes candidates to think about expanding their knowledge base and furthering their careers past 2010.
“Now, more than ever, our economy and industry is evolving at unprecedented speed,” said Bob Milam, CTSM graduate and exhibiting consultant for Tango, a Chicago-based virtual marketing and design firm.“What was profitable this morning might be not be by this afternoon. In order to stay up with all these changes, I need to be close to the heartbeat of my industry.”
And tradeshow experts aren’t the only ones who see the need to stay on top of what is happening. Past graduates of the program include representatives from UPS, Boeing, Hewlett-Packard and myriad other companies from a number of industries. The common theme among graduates is top-notch knowledge unrivaled by their peers and “upward momentum,” as CTSM organizers call it, for their careers.
“I’ve gained incredible confidence from the courses in the CTSM program,” said Milam. “So much so that I’ve begun a new career as an independent industry consultant. I’ve found that the information and concepts taught through the CTSM program have given me such strong credibility in the industry, I can now write my own ticket with the confidence of knowing that I have the tools to succeed.”
EXHIBITOR2010 will be held March 14-18 at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas. Those interested in information or online registration can visit the Web site at www.exhibitor2010.com.
