Trade Show InsightsNews, tips & tools to expand your knowledge of exhibiting

Here are some tips on tech-related design trends (including apps & tablets) that aren’t too difficult to implement. Also check out this list of hot new promotional ideas introduced at PPAI Expo. My faves are #5 – the Tabber wrist band (interesting way to make your promos go viral) and #9 – WOW! Personal Branded Assistance (like a real-life version of iPhone’s Siri). Have you tried using QR codes yet? Read how this experiment the Hilton Hotel did at last month’s PCMA Annual Meeting turned out!

For show organizers:

If you’ve ever felt like what we do in this business doesn’t really make much of an impact, check out this study presented recently at the World Economic Forum. They’ve now discovered that meetings, conventions and trade shows not only have an economic impact, but also help to promote world peace!

And speaking of travel, the US Travel Association has rolled out a Congressional Awareness Campaign. They’ve selected 12 metro areas which bring in the most significant revenue and jobs and will be educating the 43 Congressional leaders from those areas with industry statistics and insights. To see what cities are on the list, check out this article from EXPO Magazine.

Now here’s an example of a convention center doing good! The Orange County Convention Center in Orlando has announced that they donated more than $1.6 million in goods and services in 2011, including nearly 250,000 pounds of food, $175,000 in educational supplies and grants, and more than $100,000 in building supplies. The OCCC also has an extensive Sustainability Policy, which can be found on their website.

It seems 2012 shows seem to really be on a roll! This week, both the NAMM Show (National Association of Music Merchants) and SHOT Show (Shooting, Hunting & Outdoor Trade Show) reported record-breaking events. The SHOT Show hosted more than 61,000 attendees at the Sands Expo & Convention Center in Las Vegas, while the 110th NAMM Show drew 95,709 to the Anaheim Convention Center.

Last week’s PCMA Convening Leaders continued to draw media attention this week, with summaries of sessions and reviews of the entire event. BizBash covered the often-sensitive subject of virtual meetings and face-to-face events, while on PCMA 365, Richard Saul Wurman, founder of the TED Conference, shared some of his insights on successful meetings.

In other show news, the World Dairy Expo is expanding rapidly but still can’t keep up with the demand for exhibit space. EXPO reports that the show coming up in Madison, Wisconsin this October will expand by 26,000 square feet, yet still leaves 275 companies on a waiting list!

The 2012 convention and trade show season is off to a flying start, with positive reviews coming in from both the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) and the Professional Convention Management Association’s (PCMA) Convening Leaders.

News from CES:

While final attendance numbers haven’t been released yet, this year’s CES was announced as record-setting with more than 3,100 companies covering 1.861 million net square feet of exhibit space. That’s slightly larger than the 2008 show (1.857 million net square feet), which indicates that the industry is returning to pre-recession numbers. For more details from CES, visit their news feed.