This past week I attended the Healthcare Convention & Exhibitors Association (HCEA) mid-year summit in Boston where more than 200 exhibitors, suppliers and industry experts met to discuss current trends in health care meetings and events. As a new HCEA member this was my first experience with the event and generally I was impressed by the format and content presented in the plenary and breakout sessions.

Below are just a few key takeaways from the opening plenary dubbed, “Frank Talk About How Physicians Value Medical Meetings and Conventions.”

Featured panelists: Beverly MK Biller, MD, FACP, Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Neuroendocrine Unit , Massachusetts General Hospital; Richard V. Aghababian, MD, FACEP, Professor of Emergency Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School, and President-Elect, Massachusetts Medical Society; and Ayguen Sahin, PhD, Instructor, Molecular Oncology Research Institute, Tufts School of Medicine
Moderator: Christine Farmer, Senior Convention Manager, Sanofi

Greatest challenge facing the industry
The explosive growth in technology currently outpaces physician’s ability to effectively diagnose and recommend therapy. So the challenge is finding a way to make medical meetings more effective so that data presented in sessions and on the exhibition floor transfers more effectively to scientists, educators, physicians and hospital administrators in attendance.

Time
Time is the most valuable commodity for scientists and physicians today. Conventions are becoming more and more important because it’s one of the very few opportunities that provide uninterrupted time for learning. Anything that exhibiting companies can do to provide understanding of ways clinicians can save time, improve patient compliance and effectively advance their practice will add significant value to medical meetings.

Know your audience
Make sure you understand the generational differences among your audiences. Fellows and young researchers are going to be more receptive to electronic forms of communication and interactions; whereas, more established professionals still prefer the tactile nature of an actual paper copy of a reprint or product brochure. It’s also important to realize that in this generational gap there are varying degrees of tolerances for follow up communications. Make sure you’re responding to the individual requests of the individual. Don’t overload them with material that isn’t of interest. Be focused in your follow up approach.

Often times medical device and pharma companies spend too much time worrying about the direct prescriptive or purchasing power of the individual physician. Don’t forget the fact that educators and scientists have much further influence than their immediate reach. And clinicians are more likely to be less influenced by a new product or methodology than educators, who tend to be early adopters on leading edge of new research.

Sunshine Act and its impact on events
The Sunshine Act requires pharma and medical device companies to track and report anything of value that has been given to physicians, administrators and educators as it relates to the marketing of a product. It restricts the amount of money that can be spent on the cost of meals and prohibits individual gift giving.

One of the panelists commented by saying that we wouldn’t have the life saving drugs that we have today if weren’t for healthy collaboration with the companies that support research.  Another questioned how congress can regulate and restrict people and businesses from building relationships in meaningful ways.

It seems like a classic case of the one bad kid who ruined things for the entire class.

Were you there?  Let me know your thoughts and if you agree or disagree with anything mentioned in my post.

Some of life’s best lessons draw from unexpected and chance encounters. This weekend I enjoyed the annual Kettle Moraine Jazz Fest in West Bend, Wisconsin (kudos to the West Bend Sunrise Rotary Foundation and their sponsors on the causes they support and the unique festival they put together). The closing performance of the festival was a well-known group, albeit not as appreciated by purist smooth jazz aficionados, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy who put on a fantastic show. In addition to inspiring my wife and I to dance a little in the aisles, they also managed to teach me a few things which seem fitting to note for anyone striving to be their best:

1. FOLLOW YOUR PASSION. If you don’t love what you do, it’s hard to imagine you could be as successful or as happy in your career otherwise. Big Bad Voodoo Daddy (BBVD) tours with their original seven members (along with two more) and have been sharing their talent with the world and one another for over 18 years. They continue to enjoy themselves on stage and it shows. Do you bring that same level of enthusiasm to your job each day?

Big Bad Voodoo Daddy at the Kettle Moraine Jazz Fest, West Bend, WI

2. DON’T BE AFRAID TO ZIG WHEN THE REST OF THE WORLD ZAGS.

Glen "The Kid" Marhevka playing his Bach trumpet, courtesy of Conn-Selmer, Inc.

Big band music was not well popularized in the early 1990s. Forging a swing-revival group was a brave thing to do back in 1993. Despite only isolated instances of hit songs by others, Scotty Morris and his band pushed forward and developed a following. To date they’ve toured globally, performed at the Super Bowl Halftime Show, recorded from the legendary Capitol Studios and have become the mainstream poster-children of well-dressed swing revivalists. Pushing your craft forward in life mandates a certain degree of risk. If you want to become a leader, don’t be afraid to take it from time to time.

3. BE YOURSELF INSTEAD OF TRYING TO BE EVERYTHING TO EVERYONE. Not everyone appreciates the music that Big Bad Voodoo Daddy plays, and that’s okay with them. They’ve performed some recent works to more of a dixieland jazz style at times (which makes for a great listen), but they’ve never tried to sell out and shape their music for the latest trend. I don’t expect to hear them playing acoustic guitar on  Sirius XM The Coffee House anytime soon. That’s okay by me. I listen to them for who they are, not who I want them to be. The same holds true in the business world. Be genuine. Don’t try to shape your own or someone else’s image into someone they aren’t. It won’t result in memorable success for either party.

4. KEEP IT PERSONAL. BE ACCESSIBLE.

The BBVD guys take time to greet their fans

After the show, all of the members of BBVD took the time to personally shake hands, sign autographs, and pose for photos with their fans. I’ve always known them to do this, even at this venue which marked the close of an 11 day tour and they had an early flight home the next day. That speaks volumes for their generosity to their fans. I’m disenfranchised with another band I have seen in concert repeatedly. Witnessing them in a small venue, this unnamed trio eagerly pimped merchandise and charged a premium for signed copies of CDs, only to disappear to their green room after the show. In contrast, I’m guaranteed to buy Big Bad Voodoo Daddy’s next work as soon as it’s released. (The sneak previews they played at Kettle Moraine Jazz Fest sound great!) In modern business, it is abundantly clear that we are social creatures and need to connect off-stage to build relationships with the world. The public we encounter just might prove to be our most valued source of input.

[One final anecdote and a stunning example of a consummate professional making himself accessible: While posing for the photo with the band, my wife expressed our personal appreciation for their work. She mentioned we had used one of their songs as the first dance at our wedding, and upon inquiry we revealed which song specifically. After the crowd had passed and the photos and autograph session was complete, we were blown away when Scotty Morris approached us away from the group and relayed some truly personal details about where and how the song was inspired. What a way to establish a connection and win some fans for life! I can only dream to make my professional encounters as endearing as this.]

Scotty Morris (3rd from left) next to my wife while posing for photos

Well played, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy! I tip my fedora hat to you for a great show and the unexpected inspiration. And of course the sound is that much sweeter knowing that many of you play on Conn-Selmer, Inc. instruments!

We all know that material handling is the black hole of your trade show budget but I would like to point out some things that you can do to avoid some of the overtime/special handling charges that make so many of us go over budget on our drayage.

1. The first important thing to remember is sending in small packages one by one will result in a $35 to $50 charge per package. It is better to let the packages accumulate and send in an entire skid. If you have 7 to 10 boxes of product that you stager into the warehouse you may pay as much as $350.00 total for these packages as opposed to $200.00 for the entire skid.
2. The next big thing to pay attention is your target time. There are some shows out there that will offer free drayage up to a certain weight if you adhere to the target time that they provide. Sending in your materials before or after your assigned target time will result in extra charges. Read the fine print sometimes even sending anything into the warehouse will also result in charges.
3. If you can avoid shipping anything in or out of the show on a weekend I would recommend doing so. This will incur overtime charges on top of the direct to showsite price you are already paying. Some general contractors are even charging double time on the outbound for shows that are held in a hotel and break on a weekend. The cost for this could be as much as your standard direct to showsite rate and could cause your material handling budget to double.
4. My final tip is to pay attention to what you are exactly shipping in. If you think you may not use something do not send it in. Too many times I have heard lets just send the whole crate instead of just one counter in case I decide I want to use more than one – chances are you will not use the extra piece so why pay for it.

If your in the events industry then you most likely find yourself traveling several times through the year.  I do a good job of eating healthy while at home, eating foods with substantial nutritional value but when traveling it is a bit more difficult.  There are several things to take into account when traveling such as the new environment (heat, cold), food availability and lifestyle changes; these can effect your choices while on the road.  Here are a few tips that I find helpful while traveling:

• Bring your own food with you so that you do not have to rely on fast food and or deli’s.
• If you have access to a kitchen while on your trip then take the time to make a grocery run, cook/grill when you can.  (I know this is a tough one and is most likely not a viable option)
• Choose your restaurant carefully and early, do not wait until your hungry to decide.
• Most every restaurant has some healthy choices or you can make them healthy.  When ordering do not hesitate to ask questions about how the food is prepared and if need be request some substitutions.
• Avoid excess low nutrient / high calorie foods such as soda, fries, garlic bread, cheese sticks (this last one is a reminder to me)
• Go = Grilled and No go = Fried

That being said, enjoy what the location has to offer!  I was just in San Diego last week and over the course of 4 days I had 7 different types of fish, it was fantastic.  I would suggest the Tin Fish sea bass tacos if you find yourself near the SD Convention Center, sure does beat the roach coach.

In this day and age it is extremely important to document your phone conversations, whether you’re taking notes or sending a follow up email. We’ve all heard the term “CYA.” Well in this case I believe it saved mine. I’d like to share a recent experience that I had.

In planning for a show for a client, I had numerous conversations with the general contractor in regards to an overhead structure that was incorporated in to their exhibit. I kept a list of conversations and emails that transpired over the two months prior to the show.

On-site, the labor to install the structure proved more complex than both we and the riggers had envisioned.  When all was said and done, the booth looked fabulous and our client was thrilled – that was until they received the invoice.

After reviewing the invoice, I then called and spoke with a member of the exhibitor services team. To make a long story short, I didn’t really get anywhere. I kept a log of all of these conversations as well. After several conversations and receiving little assistance, I called and asked to be put in touch with someone who could give me some resolution. I compiled an email with all of the events that transpired along with all of the names and dates that these conversations took place.

It took about a week to get an answer but in the end, the seemingly tedious efforts of conversation documenting proved rewarding. The client was eventually credited back 95% of the additional fees that were incurred. I firmly believe that if I didn’t keep a running tally of all of the events that took place they would have not received this money back.  It just goes to show you that leaving that  trail of breadcrumbs will lead you to the right place in the end.

If you haven’t heard of ISPO – The International Sports Business Network, it is one of the largest sports industry shows in the world.  Held in Munich it takes up 14 show halls in the new Munich Trade Fair Centre.  ISPO draws exhibitors and attendees from all corners of the sports and fitness industry; from action and traditional sport to home fitness and everything between.

Echelon Design had the opportunity to work with Bowflex in their efforts to launch a new international marketing plan.  Traditionally, Bowflex has been very successful in selling their machines through the use of infomercials here in the US.  Evidently, we (Americans) are the only people in the world to buy products that are sold on TV, Europeans would require the products to be placed in traditional “big box” retail stores and ISPO was the perfect platform for such an initiative.  Echelon was asked to design an environment that showcased the TreadClimber and Select Tech product lines that could be leveraged to generate key international partnerships with select “big box” retail stores.

ISPO was held February 6-9 and I would say that the results speak for themselves.  During those three days, Bowflex wrote immediate orders that put them at nearly 500% ROI (they did not expect to write orders at the show).  Needless to say, Bowflex has a great product line and a well known name; Echelon was thrilled to be a part of a fresh marketing and looks forward to helping extend that brand as they continue to break into the European market.

Below is an overall view of the design concept and a quick photo that was taken during setup.

Very few trade shows stay in one place for very long. Even the events that stay local often times will have a change in venue. While it may seem “business as usual,” no two trade shows are the same. There are a few little, but critical tips to be aware of the next time your event changes locale.

Space Availability – Most importantly, you’ll want to first secure a space that best fits you. Are you wanting to match what you’ve had previously, or is this an opportune time to modify your size and location? Most space selection happens during the previous years’ event, and while there are a number of contingencies that determine priority of selection, a new venue may open up more opportunities to select that desirable space you’ve had your eye on.

Ceiling Heights – Often overlooked, ceiling heights are critical to your existing exhibit. Where a previous 16′ height limit was of no issue at a previous venue, a lower ceiling may force a 12′ restriction and therefore force a modification of your structure or hanging signs. Take note that variances also occur WITHIN a venue. For example – The Sands Convention Center in Las Vegas has a ceiling height of 32′-5″ on the upper floor, but on the lower level, even with the same footprint, the ceilings are only 13′-5″.

Obstructions – Sometimes a floorplan won’t tell the entire story. Between column locations and sizes to sight lines, foot traffic patterns and entrance/exit points, you’ll want to ensure you have a proper understanding of the ins & outs of your new venue and their effect on your exhibit. Using the Sands as an example again, column widths vary from 24″ to 30″ depending on your location. That extra 6″ could determine the difference between a conference room door that opens freely and one that is obstructed.

If you’re unfamiliar with your new venue, speak to someone who is. Obtain photos or video tours of your new space, if available. The nuances and details can often be the largest factors to your size, location and orientation of structure. Note things like strategic stairway entrances from a lower to upper level that make a tucked away exhibit more lucrative.

Labor Rules – While organizers will often develop the partnerships for labor, many of those and other relationships are stipulated by the venue. And it’s often times the smaller, overlooked services that have these variances. Audio/Visual, IT services and furniture rentals are just a few examples of services that can change venue to venue.

Additionally, if your venue makes a leap from one city to another, you’ll want to closely review labor regulations. Along with rate variances, a “Right to Work” status can dramatically effect the way in which you’re allowed to install/dismantle your exhibit, and ultimately effect your total cost.

Shipping/Drayage – When budgeting your services, it’s important not to overlook variances in shipping & drayage. For example, average shipping costs from Vegas to Washington D.C. are 55% more than shipping from Vegas to Chicago. Drayage again varies from city to city, but are substantial to billing. Rates in New York are more than double the rates in New Orleans, and will undoubtedly effect the strategies you wish to combat those differences.

Electrical - While rates will vary venue to venue, you’ll also want to determine HOW electrical is being supplied to your exhibit. Some venues provide power from the floor. Some from the ceiling. Others from nearby columns. Understanding where your cables are coming from will help avoid any nasty eye sores like a giant cable that dangles in front of your newly designed demo area.

Have you recently had a change in venue at a trade show you exhibit at, or do you have one upcoming? What other challenges have you faced or what are you planning to modify as a result of a location change?

(Photo provided by damek via Flickr’s Creative Commons License)

You can sense a buzz is in the air this year if you had the opportunity to walk a trade show floor these past few weeks.  It’s almost electric!  For me it started at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas where, according to Exhibit City News, preliminary numbers show more than a 10% increase in attendance and an 8% increase in exhibitors.

Echelon was at CES working with Entropic Communications on the debut of a new 40’ x 50’ custom exhibit.  Entropic said it was one of the best shows they’ve had in several years; that they had meetings booked solid for the entire four-day event.

Key (preliminary) stats:

• Overall attendance: 140,000
• International attendance: 30,000
• Number of exhibitors: 2,700
• Square feet of exhibit space: 1.6 million

But CES wasn’t the only show buzzing.

After a short trip home I was back on the west coast for the 109th National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) show in Anaheim, where the venue was nearly jumping with excitement.  Optimism seemed to be the theme of the show.  The association reported strong gains in the number of exhibitors participating in the show and in international attendance.

Several of our NAMM clients said to us in so many words, “dealers are here ready to write orders.”

Furthermore, in it’s 32nd year, NSSF SHOT Show, held at the Sands Convention Center in Las Vegas, also saw record breaking figures in buyer (31,769) and media (2,074) attendance.

Stats from the 2011 SHOT Show:

• Total Attendance: 57,390
• Exhibitors: 1,600
• Attendees: 31,769
• Exhibit space: 630,000 net square feet
• Media: 2,074

That’s what it’s all about.

We’re WAY overdue on these photo updates so I thought I’d share them quickly.  This is a 30′ x 50′ custom rental exhibit that we developed for one of our newest clients, Actega.  If you’re wondering what these guys do it’s simple — they develop and produce specialty coatings, sealants, printing inks, and adhesives for packaging and the graphic arts industry.

Our primary objective for the design was to create an open environment that provided several clean, large format areas that would support walk around product displays.  The result was a 12′ high back wall structure with the following:

• Graphics: full color graphic mural halo lit with blue gel fluorescent fixtures
• Custom LED light box kiosks with elliptical blue acrylic shelving for displaying a range of Actega’s rigid and flexible packaging solutions.
• Large circular hanging fabric sign for branding and ID
• LCD TV floor displays at each of the corner entrances for digital signage / video presentation.