the April 2009 Issue in PDF Format - Trade Show Executive

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Show Report Part VI of a ten-part report on building attendance at trade shows Interop Poised for Growth; Focus on Efficiency, ROI Resonate in Tough Times By Sandi Cain, News Editor The Place to Be. Interop 2009 expects another big crowd despite the recession. TechWeb Live Events is betting on education and high level of ROI to increase attendance. Executive Summary • TechWeb focuses on education and ROI to increase attendance at Interop 2009 • The horizontal nature of event reinforces value of show • Returning and new co-located events provide opportunities to explore new tech options and meet vendors • “Unconference” sessions led by peers/attendees steadily gaining popularity • Interop attendees courted through search engine optimization, in-house social network, virtual post-show events; also reaching out to government and healthcare IT sectors TechWeb Live Events aims to hit the recession head-on when it stages business technology show Interop in Las Vegas this May. The annual show aims to increase attendance this year on the strength of cost-saving IT solutions with the potential to increase revenue as well as timely educational programs. Interop typically draws senior IT professionals as well as analysts, financial professionals, bloggers and others interested in IT industry trends. TechWeb is one of four divisions created out of CMP Technology by owner United Business Media last Fall. Each division is focusing heavily on education and ROI—strategies seen as critical to survival and growth in this difficult economic time. Senior Vice President of TechWeb Live Events Eric Faurot thinks those strategies will play well with Interop attendees. “We believe the recession will strengthen the Interop brand,” he said. The Las Vegas show has grown in each of the past four years, he said. Last year’s show drew 17,000 attendees and 500 exhibitors, 170 of which were new. For 2009, more than 300 exhibitors have already signed up. Faurot also said early registration for Interop Las Vegas 2009 is ahead of last year’s pace as of late January. “Economic indications are that it should be flat or down, but we’re tracking up,” he said. Faurot is quick to note that registration numbers could flatten as the show dates near, but believes other show cancellations may end up bolstering Interop’s numbers. “Events that get cancelled thin the crowd of competing shows,” he said. Buyers Prefer Horizontal Show with Vertical Segments To reinforce the value of Interop, organizers plan to tout the benefits of a horizontal event that brings all key players together. Faurot said surveys show IT buyers prefer horizontal shows with vertical segments. And that’s one thing that Interop has in abundance. Interop Las Vegas 2008 co-located with Software 2008 and the Computer Security Institute Security Exchange (CSI SX) for the first time. CSI SX will be back this year. In addition, new two-day conferences – Enterprise Cloud Summit and Mobile Business Conference and Expo – will provide IT managers and business executives an opportunity to explore new technology options and meet vendors from those sectors. The Cloud Summit explores 28 April 2009 Trade Show Executive www.TradeShowExecutive.com
Faurot options for using online technology in place of internal databases for various business functions. The Mobile Business Conference and Expo will concentrate on ways to put mobile communications to work within a corporate environment. Last year’s “unconference” format– entire sessions taught by those who show up–will return for Energy Camp to discuss green IT methods that achieve greater energy efficiency. In an “unconference” session, people come to discuss development ideas and trends, and listen to peers’ expertise. Those who show up suggest discussion topics and lead the conversation if their topics are chosen. “The people who attend come despite not having a billed speaker,” Faurot said. While that may be disconcerting to those on the speaker circuit, it’s a format that’s gaining ground in some sectors–particularly emerging sectors. “Those who don’t embrace it are missing the boat,” Faurot said. Organizers Confident About Quantity and Quality of Buyers, Education Offerings Regardless of final attendance numbers, Faurot is confident that exhibitors will reach qualified buyers who typically come to Interop to learn where the industry is headed and what technologies can immediately help reduce costs or increase revenue. According to a report from the Center for Exhibition Industry Research (CEIR) released in January, data dating back to the 1960s indicates that key buyers continue to attend trade shows during recessions, even if overall attendance and the number of exhibitors shrinks. The Lured by the Internet. TechWeb made significant use of the Internet to market the upcoming show to prospective attendees. The campaign made use of popular social networking sites as well search engine optimization to reach the tech-savvy community. study also pointed out that the percentage of attendees planning to buy products as a result of exhibitions doesn’t change significantly during recessions. Faurot also thinks Interop has an advantage with its educational offerings. “The whole format is about educating IT professionals on how to do their jobs better,” he said. Reaching Attendees Via the Internet Organizers are proactively courting prospective attendees with a variety of approaches that include: • A move away from direct mail as a recruiting mechanism. “We shifted our energies to online engagement,” Faurot said. Those efforts include Google search engine optimization, use of AdWords and a presence on social networks like Facebook that cost only staff time to develop. Interop also built its own fully functional social network so that anyone involved with any Interop show can connect to those who attended, exhibited or presented at other shows. (Interop Las Vegas is the flagship event of a series of shows also held in New York and Tokyo. A new show in Mumbai is slated for Fall.) “The important part is to raise awareness and increase the take-away value,” Faurot said. • Reaching out to new sectors, particularly in government and healthcare. Faurot said the Obama administration’s move to appoint a Chief Technology Officer for the Federal government bodes well for that sector and sends a signal that technology will play a critical role in the new administration. Extra efforts with the healthcare sector are related to a renewed government interest in funding improved databases for medical records and other healthcarerelated initiatives. “We’re doing more specific outreach with those categories for Interop and other new shows not yet announced,” Faurot said. • For those who still can’t make the show, Interop will stage virtual events after the show. Faurot said such events are good for lead generation for vendors. Continued on page 30 www.TradeShowExecutive.com Trade Show Executive April 2009 29
Page 1 and 2: News, Views and Tools for Trade Sho
Page 3 and 4: THE LAS VEGAS CONVENTION AND VISITO
Page 5 and 6: PLANNING YOUR NEXT EVENT? TAKE ADVA
Page 7 and 8: ORLANDO Orange County Convention Ce
Page 9 and 10: Contact www.TradeShowExecutive.com
Page 11 and 12: meeting in HOUSTON is a walk in the
Page 13 and 14: STEP IN. STEP OUT. STEP IT UP. STEP
Page 15 and 16: Is your best choice for Internation
Page 17 and 18: of those companies with at least 5,
Page 19 and 20: LAS VEGAS NEW YORK LOS ANGELES SAN
Page 21 and 22: Trade Show Executive’s Exposition
Page 23 and 24: y travel taxes will feel the impact
Page 25 and 26: Room Taxes Range from 7% to 17%, Ac
Page 27: The success of your meeting is meas
Page 31 and 32: Daytona Beach, Florida - Way More t
Page 33 and 34: Bob: You have had a truly diverse c
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Page 37 and 38: A Special Report on Private Equity
Page 39 and 40: Experience what Can-Do can do for y
Page 41 and 42: “Our able advisers at Berkery Noy
Page 43 and 44: Research Roundup By Nicole Burnes,
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