Great exhibitors are not necessarily the biggest brands, the biggest booths, or the ones with the biggest budgets. And they certainly are not the ones who are the busiest.
Great exhibitors are identified as much by what they avoid as what they do. They have the insight and character to say “no” to their bosses and their colleagues when asked to make poor choices – and they take the time to educate their teams on what makes other choices better.
Great exhibitors avoid:
1. Exhibiting at more shows than they can do well
Just as it takes a lot to make a house a home, it takes a lot to… more
Blogs
Aug 09, 2014
A substantial contributing factor to the greenness of your trade show is the venue itself. Many convention centers are making huge strides to streamline recycling and reduce water consumption while an increased emphasis on green construction processes allows a complex to be green throughout. There are a lot of factors that will help you zero in on the ideal venue for your event, but consider how green a venue itself is before booking.
Here are 10 of the top green locations for your next trade show in no particular order.
1. Raleigh’s Convention Center boasts… more
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Jul 30, 2014
Content, as we know, is not only king, but also the cornerstone to any marketing strategy. But creating a large amount of dedicated content for each and every event can be time-consuming, strenuous, and ultimately costly.What’s needed is a way to leverage content that already exists, and what better way to do that than crowdsourcing? Crowdsourcing content means taking content being written about your event, from your event or related to a participant in your event. It’s created by your event audience and is therefore the best way to get their attention.Like many brands today who let their… more
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Jul 30, 2014
The Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) is the world’s premier exhibition for the gaming industry. The show is sponsored by Entertainment Software Association (ESA), which is the U.S. association dedicated to serving business and public affairs needs of companies, publishing interactive games for video game consoles, handheld devices, PCs and the Internet; and is managed by IDG World Expo.Each year, without fail, E3 draws tens of thousands of professionals (47,000+) to experience the future of interactive entertainment. Some of the most influential people who lead the most… more
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Jul 27, 2014
I write many articles on social media, content marketing and how to engage with your customers, which are all great strategies for shows, exhibitors, and attendees to educate and generate new leads. All of these initiatives are viable and aimed to deliver quicker results. Now, I would like to focus on a more “under-the-hood” or long-term internal workings strategy to keep people coming back well after the show has ended using SEO. Most people are under the impression that search engines deliver answers, when in fact, they deliver search results that you can control, allowing you to come up… more
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Jul 22, 2014
A powerful message I received early on in life about time management is that it doesn't matter if you wear a $10,000 Rolex or a $29 Mickey Mouse watch - we all have 24 hours in a day. And, for the new Smart Phone generation, who no longer wear timepieces, the point is the same - we all have the same 24 hours - no more, no less and you can't buy time, sorry Rolex!So why do we feel less productive at times and more productive at other times? A lot of this has to do with priority alignment. The key being that we align our priorities (the most important task) to our desired outcomes (… more
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Jul 21, 2014
You probably have heard the question many times: “Why exhibit at trade shows?” And you’ve likely answered the question from the standpoint of how trade shows help your company in the marketplace. Yet there’s a lot more to it than that.Here are 4 sets of benefits trade shows offer, at all levels of your professional life:How Trade Show Helps You: Whether you are working your trade show booth, attending keynote sessions, or just meeting people in the aisles, trade shows provide a fertile ground for advancing your career. You learn more about your clients, prospects… more
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Jul 21, 2014
It's easy to get caught up in the latest and "greatest" in technological gimmickry. However, the tried-and-true methods still work, and you shouldn't overlook them when it's time to promote your trade show displays.After all, direct mail is still one of the most-used methods for trade show outreach, accounting for an average of 30 percent of trade show attendees' ad spend.Further, direct mail offers several distinct advantages over electronic communications. Even in this age of always-online customers and consistent beeping distractions, plain ole' "snail mail" is still a highly… more
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Jul 14, 2014
As the event industry continues to adopt and grow its digital presence through various social networks, we always need to zero-base and remember why we are doing it. First off, it allows organizers and everyone at the show to interact with everyone else on multiple levels for lots of different reasons in basically real-time like never before. Below are a few reason why your show needs to go digital:
1. Customer service and feedback
Shows are busy, people are running around and things tend to go wrong sometimes – this is where twitter can be amazing! If you have an active account,… more
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Jul 14, 2014
Woody Allen gave a very memorable quote to the New York Times in 1977, saying “showing up is 80 percent of life.” This seems to be still true today, where many times the key to a great attendee engagement is the act of being present. So, how can you ‘show up’ at your next trade show?
No distractions: First and foremost is to eliminate distractions when you are working your booth. This includes, but is not limited to, cell phones, drinks/food, laptops and side conversations. Why is this important? It is very difficult to split your focus and have a genuine engagement… 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