The essential format of a trade show floor hasn’t changed for decades: long, straight aisles filled with box-like booths. But today’s audiences aren’t like those of our parents’ or grandparents’ generations, so why should our trade shows continue to look like those from long ago?
A few shows have attempted to rethink that basic floor plan. Some have experimented with a hub-and-spoke model, like the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) did a few years ago. Meeting Professionals International (MPI) tried a pods model with downsized, pie-shaped booths. But overall, things haven’t changed all that much. In fact, my podcast earlier this year about how trade shows could learn a thing or two from IKEA stores sparked a bit of controversy.
Sometimes shaking things up can be as simple as rearranging the expected order of exhibits on the floor. The Diving Equipment & Marketing Association (DEMA) decided to incentivize large exhibitors to move to the far corners, freeing up space front and center for smaller exhibitors who are often lost in the back of the hall. (Watch this short video to learn more.)
But perhaps it’s not about the actual design of the show floor as much as it is the content. The American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) decided to create a simulated emergency room of the future on the show floor and have received positive feedback from exhibitors and attendees alike. To learn more about this concept, check out the article I wrote on disruptive learning for TSNN.com.
How are you rethinking the traditional trade show floor, or what other examples have you seen? Please share your ideas in the comments below.
Some really interesting ideas here. It’s important to be open to changes and adaptations to how we do trade shows. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for stopping by, Jordan – glad you’re enjoying the blog!