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

Trade shows and conferences have always been about making connections. And while that hasn’t changed, many of the tools available have.

Social media is now a major player in creating connections before, during and after the event, which also extends those connections. Echelon Design created an infographic on “Social Media in the New Event World,” showing how organizations are using these tools. (Click on the image to view a full-size infographic.)

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Photo: stock.xchng/duchesssa

“Brand awareness.” “Generating buzz.” “Experiential marketing.”

Everybody’s talking about these popular business topics today, but how many trade show exhibitors are really putting them into practice?

Although trade shows have existed since the days of the Medieval fairs in Europe or the traveling caravans in Arabia, it’s easy to see that today’s shows are far more complex. It’s no longer about simply showing your wares and closing a sale on the spot with a slick sales pitch. Today, the focus has shifted to using your exhibit as a three-dimensional marketing tool to create and define your unique brand — a living personality for your company.

Duration: 12 min. 37 sec.
Size: 14.4 MB

Today we conclude our two-part series on Trade Shows 2.0. Last time, we covered Web 2.0 technology tools for both exhibitors and shows. In this episode, we’ll talk about how some groups are reinventing the traditional trade show format, both online and offline.

(Be sure to click “Read More” to view more information & links!)

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Duration: 7 min. 28 sec.
Size: 8.9 MB

Two recent headlines from EXPO Magazine prompted a further look:

• VNU Cancels 2007 Incentive Show; Replaces with Virtual Incentive Show
• Javits Convention Center Expansion Breaks Ground

These two headlines seem to be contradiction each other — just as the Javits begins a somewhat controversial $1.7 billion expansion, it loses one of its longstanding major shows, the Incentive Show. But along with the cancellation, VNU Business Media (producers of the Incentive Show) announced it will be replaced with a Virtual Incentive Show.

(Be sure to click “Read More” to view additional links!)

Podcast: Play in new window | Download