We’ve arrived at “tradeshow season” — well, as least as last month was concerned, with the NAMM Show overlapping NAB Las Vegas and Prolight+Sound Frankfurt less than a week later.
For those attending two or more tightly spaced events, the usual line you hear is: “So what’s new — since last week?” In truth, technology does change at a rapid pace (maybe not that rapid) and often, a couple weeks can make a difference as to when a new product may be ready for prime time.
Attendees walking an expo floor may not realize it, but creating a tradeshow exhibit can be a massive logistical undertaking. There’s booking space a year in advance, designing the booth, getting that built, shipping that to the convention center, creating handout materials (and/or swag!), packing products for display — and that all-important toolkit with hand tools, pens, markers, batteries and a couple rolls of gaff tape. Beyond the booth, companies deal with endless meetings on what to exhibit, how many staff members are needed, training staff on presenting the product and creating display and demo materials. If that weren’t enough, there’s also the expense (and occasional hassles of) dealing with staff travel and lodging requirements.
So the next time you’re at a tradeshow, give a nod to those road warriors behind the counters that make it all happen.
And looking back, it makes many of us yearn for the days of the old NSCA shows, where exhibitors were limited to a 10×10-foot space with a tabletop display no more than 54” high. Ah, for the good old days!
