Upper Midwest Foodservice and Lodging Show

Assessing the Show Matrix - or Why do This Anyway?

Shows like ours are major events. They take significant resources to plan and they certainly don't generate the revenue that they once did. So why do a show? Financial benefit to the Minnesota Restaurant, Lodging and Resort & Campground Associations is only one aspect of the show value matrix.

There's a great value to the show in terms of showcasing new products to the industry. There's value in getting together and networking. The show remains the largest single gathering of hospitality industry operators in the state. The Hospitality Minnesota Board of Directors is analyzing the matrix of value for our show to ensure that it continues to meet a critical need in the industry.

Our four major categories of value are Revenue for the Associations, Promotion for Exhibitors and the Associations, Education and Networking.

If you have thoughts on ways to strengthen the show and increase its value proposition, we'd welcome those. Be sure to check out the latest show events and concepts at the website - www.upshowonline.com and give us your ideas.

David Siegel, CAE, IOM
Minnesota Restaurant,  Lodging and Resort & Campground Associations

Show Committee Adds Value to Event

An effective Show Committee is one key to a successful annual event. Our Show Committee, chaired by Tom Kavanaugh, Kavanaugh's Sylvan Lake Resort, is certainly adding a great deal of energy to our 2010 show. Here are a few keys to a successful Show Committee.

1. Get the right exhibitors and industry professionals on the committee. We spend time talking about marketing strategy and not a great deal about signage on site. The goal is to bring the show to a new elevation.
2. Create a plan for success. We want to discuss the previous show, key in on several new initiatives for the coming year and then, help to implement the changes.
3. Make sure we have an agenda. Whether it be deliberating over a keynote or considering the chef demonstration area, we want to be sure we're on track.
4. Use the feedback. We really want to make our show successful, and the feedback from the UP Show Committee members and the exhibitors and industry personnel who fill out our surveys drive our efforts toward greater value.

David Siegel, CAE, IOM
Minnesota Restaurant, Lodging and Resort & Campground Associations
www.upshowonline.com

Exhibitors and Attendees at Iron Fork

Here's Denny's 5th Avenue Bakery at the City Pages Iron Fork event. "We'll be at the UP Show this year for sure. Check out their array of products at www.dennysbakery.com. Cherokee Tavern, Maggiano's and Pizza Luce are here too.

David Siegel, CAE, IOM
Minnesota Restaurant, Lodging and Resort & Campground Associations 

How do Young Professionals View Tradeshows?

The Center for Exhibition Industry Research (CEIR), has recently completed a study on the tradeshow habits and patterns of the younger demographic.

As a collective whole, those under 40 are technology savvy, individualistic and innovative. Marketers are striving to understand how to reach them as they become financially independent, settle into professional jobs and learn more about their chosen industry. The future success of exhibitions, conventions and educational programs that are held in conjunction with these events will depend on how well organizers, exhibitors and event planners are able to adapt to this younger generation.

Here's what the survey revealed:

• 88% of respondents said they are likely to have the opportunity to attend an exhibition in the next two years and 87% said they are very or somewhat likely to attend.
• 56% of respondents said they would prefer to receive information about an exhibition via email.
• 57% of respondents – age 18 to 39 who are employed full‐time and have a personal annual income of $30,000 or more – attended at least one exhibition in the past two years.
• On average, respondents had the opportunity to attend or interest in attending 7.6 exhibitions in the last 3 years, but actually attended only 2.8 of them.
• 96% of respondents who attended exhibitions in the past visited exhibit booths at their most recent exhibition.
• The strongest influence on which exhibit booths respondents visited at their most recent exhibition was whether the product or service was related to their job.
• Nearly 9 in 10 recent attendees went to an education session at their most recent exhibition.
• The most preferred format for one‐hour education sessions during exhibitions was to have the speaker talk for about 45 minutes and use the last 15 minutes for questions.
• Nearly three‐fourths of past attendees registered online for their most recent exhibition.
• The primary reasons given for not attending any exhibitions related to convenience, cost, and that the theme of the event was not relevant or not interesting to them.

You can bet we're taking note of this at the UP Show as we continue to revive our show and bring these young buyers to the floor.

David Siegel, CAE, IOM
Minnesota Restaurant, Lodging and Resort & Campground Associations

P.S. We hope you like the new look of our blog and our show website. Check out the site at www.upshowonline.com

New Research Reveals Why Companies Exhibit

The Center for Exhibition Industry research says nearly 34 percent (33.9) of companies' marketing budgets were allocated to exhibitions in 2009, compared with almost 36 percent (35.8) in 2008, according to a new study — The Spend Decision: Analyzing How Exhibits Fit into the Overall Marketing Budget.

Executives report spending between $29,000 and nearly $38,000 per b-to-b exhibition in 2009, with a median spending level of $18,500 per event.

According to the survey, the most important objectives for exhibiting at b-to-b exhibitions are:

1. meeting with existing customers (96 percent)
2. uncovering new leads (94 percent)
3. conducting general company/brand promotions (93 percent)
4. new product launches (86 percent) and
5. the perceived importance of being at given events (83 percent).

Sales metrics were found to be key in evaluating the success of participating in an event. Nearly eight out of 10 executives (78 percent) indicate a sales metric is the only or most important metric used, with new sales leads (38 percent) and number of sales closed after the show (28 percent) most mentioned.

The only statistically significant change in funds allocation from last year that the study found is for general online marketing, which grew from 6.5 percent in 2008 to 9.0 percent in 2009.

David Siegel, CAE, IOM
Minnesota Restaurant,  Lodging and Resort & Campground Associations