Experts & Opinions
Jun 08, 2013
I had the opportunity to speak with Nick Pintler, CMO at Gravity Jack. We talked augmented reality (AR) and what AR affects at a trade show. And it is more than a cool tool to generate engagement.
There is a social connectivity in AR software that has a dual purpose: generate contact and get your attendees to hang out in the booth. AR allows you to provide a visual cue for explaining information, collect leads, even go through a qualification process, and can be quite easy to use.
While most of us think of AR as something that is only to present information in a new… more
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May 31, 2013
A lot of time, voice, energy, ink and virtual storage space are used elucidating the ‘Power of Events.’ The industry – and CEIR in particular – has done an excellent job in recent years of backing this up with hard data to get marketers to understand what we collectively have to offer. We all know that most marketing text books maybe contain a page of information about tradeshows and events – and we are then forced to educate, update, and even campaign for and about the arsenal of amazing marketing and sales tools our events provide.
I say it’s… more
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May 31, 2013
I recently had the privilege to represent GES at a roundtable discussion in Las Vegas with Congressman Joe Heck (R-NV). It was hosted by the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA), the U.S. Travel Association and Station Casinos.
My conversations with Congressman Heck were simply refreshing. I’m not much of a beltway insider and I don’t interact with politicians on a daily basis, but I came away from the meeting impressed by his knowledge of the challenges show organizers face when attracting international attendees to their U.S. trade shows and the downstream effect… more
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May 24, 2013
When I say I felt privileged and pretty darn lucky to attend Coachella in 2012, I’m not exaggerating. This year’s festival sold out in 24 hours. People come from all over the world to experience Coachella and it’s one of the most unique events I’ve attended. Yes, I’m a music junkie. Everything from electronic dance music to indie and even hip hop, I love it all. My first concert (in fifth grade) was N’Sync and they literally brought tears to my eyes.
Nothing can replace the memories you make at an event, and what better way to extend that experience than… more
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May 18, 2013
I have probably interviewed well over 200 salespeople in the last 20 years when I was seeking to fill various positions. One question I always ask every candidate is:
“On a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 being ‘not at all’ and 10 being ‘obsessed’, how motivated are you by money?”
If you want to work for me, the answer needs to be a 9 or a 10. Mostly, the response I get is “well … a 5 … because family and other things are more important …” This is a great response also and family is, unequivocally, more… more
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May 18, 2013
When it comes to “virtual trade shows”, I agree with Gertrude Stein’s long-ago observation: There is no there, there.
A virtual event and an in-person event can each be described as a “trade show”. True … and a TV turkey dinner and mom’s Thanksgiving turkey dinner are both “turkey dinners”.
There are virtues to “virtual”, but for some purposes, the drawbacks outweigh the benefits. Let me give you an example. I’m on the advisory board oftheCollegeof Socialand Behavioral Sciences at UMass Amherst, my alma mater.
At most… more
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May 12, 2013
Trade show attendees have more and more options available to them every day. New, competing events are popping up everywhere vying for their attention. Education, networking opportunities and vendor research is now available for free online.
Trade Shows have a unique opportunity provide enhanced education, networking and exposure to industry suppliers that attendees can’t get elsewhere.
That enhancement was the topic of discussion on May 8 during the weekly gathering of show organizers, exhibitors and suppliers in the Twitter chat #ExpoChat.
Chat participants first talked about what… more
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May 12, 2013
Finding the right speaker for an event is paramount to the success of the conference. Speakers do more than just share content, they set the tone for the whole meeting. But finding speakers who can have the right impact is getting more difficult, as more people are calling themselves speakers.
As a speaker I know that I am not the right fit for every event, yet I also am an attendee at many events. I am perplexed sometimes as to how a speaker ever ended up on the stage. Matching up topics and experience to the goals of the conference are paramount to the success,… more
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May 04, 2013
As many of you know, I write about travel and hotel experiences. Hotels have to work on the user experience as much as we trade show managers do, since that experience can affect your trip, regardless of business or travel. I also write about online reputation management and how important that is. Let’s discuss what happens when those items intersect.
I was traveling to Santa Fe, New Mexico, a trip I have done several times, and I booked my normal hotel, La Posada de Santa Fe, in my usual way – via phone to get a special rate I cannot get booking online. I… more
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May 04, 2013
The EMS team traveled to Orlando, Fla., for the Southeast Acquirers Association’s Annual Conference this past March. While there, we organized a 6-second Vine Video Contest.
My apologies for the redundant structure of that last sentence to those already familiar with Vine. For those who are not, however, @VineApp is precisely that - a 6-second video application streamlined through Twitter, playing on loop upon publication.
We raffled off an iPad Mini at random with the Vine contest we ran at SEAA 2013. Conference attendees could enter our contest by recording a video… 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