Golf Industry Trade Show

It may not be golf season here in Chicago, but registration for the 2010 Golf Industry Show is now open. Have you started planning your trade show strategies?

The Golf Industry Show is the third-largest convention scheduled for San Diego in 2010.  Show officials expect more than 550 exhibitors covering more than 200,000 square feet of exhibit space.

To  help you target your customers, the show floor is divided into three segments:

• Golf Course Solutions
• Clubhouse Solutions
• Range and Outdoor Facility Solutions

Tradetec Skyline has an entire new catalog of Exhibit Rental Solutions and get you tee’d up for the event.  From table tops, inline’s or islands, we can offer you and attractive choices.

Tradetec Skyline Rental Option's

Senior Trade Show Account Executive Hired By Tradetec

Matt Schneider - Tradetec Skyline Senior Account Executive

With over a decade serving the MICE industry, Matthew brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to the Tradetec organization. From deck trade show exhibits to showrooms and corporate interiors, his extensive background in custom trade show exhibits has delivered a wide range of solutions for industry titans like BASF, MGM Mirage, and Ferrara Pan Candy Co.

“Further, we all have customers that are struggling right now, and not unlike my clients, I also look for that value-add that will propel me to be more than just a vendor to my customers. From the moment you walk in, the environment is captivating and exciting with new concepts and ideas always buzzing. This edge allows me to provide fresh concepts and deliver unique solutions that resolve my clients’ corporate image, brand identity, and market place position needs. It’s been very rewarding”

Matthew says “I am very proud to have the opportunity to represent such an organization as Tradetec. It was obviously paramount to my customers that I partner with a solid, reputable, service oriented trade show display company so that I would be able to continue to deliver the world class marketing and event solutions I have become known for.”"As I looked at all my options, no other exhibit design firms were consecutive, two-year in-a-row INC.5000 winners… Tradetec was!”

“Further, we all have customers that are struggling right now, and not unlike my clients, I also look for that value-add that will propel me to be more than just a vendor to my customers. From the moment you walk in, the environment is captivating and exciting with new concepts and ideas always buzzing. This edge allows me to provide fresh concepts and deliver unique solutions that resolve my clients’ corporate image, brand identity, and market place position needs. It’s been very rewarding”

Ken Buckman of Tradetec Skyline Chicago says “We seem to have hit the perfect storm in terms of talent and tenure in the industry. In my almost 20 years of experience, I have never seen anything like it. The excitement clearly builds when you are privileged enough to have several highly successful sales professionals working closely together. I Guess there is some silver lining to the current economy!”

Tradetec Skyline is a turn-key trade show event management company that provides a complete online exhibit management system. Specializing in custom modular, reconfigurable exhibit solutions not found elsewhere in the marketplace. In their 11 years of business, Tradetec has completed close to 20,000 projects for more than 2,000 primarily Chicago land based companies. Tradetec Skyline is one of the largest dealers in the nation of the brand Skyline Exhibits manufactured in Eagan, MN.

Chicago Trade Show Displays Specialist

Nghia Nguyen Senior Exhibit Consultant At Tradetec Skyline

Tradetec Skyline Chicago, a leader in trade show display design and management of custom modular exhibits and trade show services, announced today that Nghia Nguyen has joined their team as a Senior Account Executive. Nghia (pronounced Knee-A) will be working out of the Tradetec Skyline Lombard office where he will be assisting many Illinois companies with their trade show needs.

Skyline Displays Dealer Tradetec Skyline Chicago has hired Nghia Nguyen as a Senior Account Executive. Nghia brings to Tradetec; experience, enthusiasm and knowledge of the trade show industry, she will be assisting their clients out of the Lombard office and is settling in and introducing herself to clients and prospects. Meet Nghia live with new technology at: http://budurl.com/NghiaNguyen
“We are thrilled to have Nghia among our team of executives. Her enthusiasm and excitement about the trade show industry and the values in exhibiting will help clients in all aspects of their marketing needs. Nghia is settling in nicely at Tradetec and has reached out to clients with our new video technology.”

From trade show displays to tension fabric structures, Nghia brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the Tradetec organization. Her extensive background in production processes of custom trade show exhibits has allowed her to deliver a wide range of solutions for industry leaders such as Samsung, Toshiba Medical, NASA, and the PGA.

Nghia has this to say about her recent hire; “I am extremely excited to be part of a reputable, service oriented trade show display company that is committed to providing world class marketing and event solutions. And if it wasn’t enough to be surrounded by experienced industry professionals, Tradetec Skyline was ranked among INC. 5000 winners as one of the fastest growing private companies in America, two years in a row!” (To view this article, please click on the following link: http://www.inc.com/inc5000/2009/company-profile.html?id=200937060 )

“Additionally, from the moment you walk into the facility, the environment is captivating and the people are bursting in excitement with new concepts and ideas. My goal is to give my customers the best possible solutions to add visibility and presence as well as maximize their profit margin on the tradeshow floor. Tradetec Skyline gives me the competitive advantage to provide fresh concepts and deliver unique solutions that make this possible.”

Troy Trice General Manager of Tradetec Skyline added; “We are thrilled to have Nghia among our team of executives. Her enthusiasm and excitement about the trade show industry and the values in exhibiting will help clients in all aspects of their marketing needs. Nghia is settling in nicely at Tradetec and has reached out to clients with our new video technology.”

Tradetec Skyline is a turn-key trade show event management company that provides a complete online exhibit management system. Specializing in custom modular, reconfigurable exhibit solutions not found elsewhere in the marketplace. In their 11 years of business, Tradetec has completed close to 20,000 projects for more than 2,000 primarily Chicago land based companies. Tradetec Skyline has been nominated to Inc. 5000 Fastest Growing Private Companies in America for the second consecutive year.

Tradetec Skyline Adds Senior Account Executive

Chicago based Skyline trade show display dealer; Tradetec Skyline, recently hired Derek Swain as Senior Account Executive, at their Lombard, Illinois office. During this recession Tradetec continues to grow to meet the needs of Chicago Exhibitors and bringing Derek on board is one of the ways that they are accomplishing this. By adding an experienced account manager Tradetec feels they can assist clients in their overall marketing solutions.

Derek has over 10 years of experience with custom exhibits, event marketing, rental solutions and client management. Derek worked at MICE and Osgood two custom exhibit houses as well as Lewellen & Best. Derek helped orchestrate event marketing with integrated branding solutions for companies such as Westinghouse Digital, Foxwoods Resorts Casino and Hyundai KIA.

Skyline’s Chicago Exhibit Dealer, Tradetec adds Derek Swain as Senior Exhibit Consultant to assist exhibitors and event marketers in Illinois. Meet Derek at – http://budurl.com/DerekSwain

Chicago Convention’s Eligible For Rebates

As seen on Chicago Real Estate Daily -

By Eddie Baeb, Aug. 26, 2009

(Crain’s) — In an effort to bring more big trade shows to Chicago and bolster the city’s beleaguered hotel market, the state of Illinois has created a $10-million fund to provide rebates to conventions at McCormick Place and Navy Pier.

The money will come annually from the state’s general fund and be eligible for trade shows and conventions with attendance of 10,000 or more that aren’t already booked to come here.

The incentives may be used to discount fees charged by the Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority, known as McPier, or to subsidize other costs incurred by the shows.

The new fund comes as business travel is slumping because of the prolonged recession and also is an attempt to snare business away from rivals Las Vegas and Orlando, Fla., amid the backlash over banks and other firms that received aid from the federal government throwing lavish corporate outings.

“If you had a meeting in Las Vegas, and you dipped into bailout funds, it doesn’t look good,” says hotel industry consultant Ted Mandigo, president of Elmhurst-based T. R. Mandigo & Co. “This is to take advantage of the perception, and maybe there’s a reality, that Orlando and Las Vegas are on the blacklist for retreats and corporate meetings.”

Surely, few would look askance at a convention scheduled for February in Chicago. But the city has long struggled to compete against Vegas and Orlando because of our weather, the lack of leisure activities and because conventions here are generally more expensive, with rigid union-labor rules that also add cost.

Officials with McPier and the Chicago Convention & Tourism Bureau, which will work together to offer the incentives, say they will gauge the rebate amount to offer each show based on factors such as what time of year the event is held, the length of the event and whether spouses attend.

“This helps make us more competitive,” says McPier CEO Juan Ochoa. “It allows us to offer, essentially, a financial incentive that we would not be able to otherwise. It may make the difference (in attracting a new show).”

This year, 34 shows with more than 10,000 attendees are slated to come here, according to a tourism bureau spokeswoman. Last year, 32 such shows called Chicago home.

The fund could prove to be a major salve for the city’s hotel business, as conventions and business meetings account for half of the reservations at some big downtown properties.

The hotel occupancy rate for Chicago-area hotels is poised to fall to 58.6% this year from 63.8% in 2008, according to Atlanta-based PKF Hospitality Research. Meanwhile, PKF projects that revenue per available room, a key metric that factors in occupancy and room rate, will tumble 15.7% this year.

“If it could bring in some new conventions, they’re sorely needed,” says Marc Gordon, CEO of the Illinois Hotel & Lodging Assn., which lobbied for the legislation. “Vegas is hurting, Orlando is hurting. We have an opportunity to attract some conventions that haven’t been to Chicago before.”

Gov. Pat Quinn signed the new fund into law Tuesday.

The money won’t be doled out to a convention until the show is done and the required attendance is verified. While the money will come from the state’s general fund, the tourism’s bureau vice-president of external relations, Jack Johnson, says a show with 10,000 attendees provides economic benefits and tax dollars that far outweigh the cost.

Bureau and McPier officials aren’t saying whether any particular shows are in their crosshairs, or whether they have a sense how much of the authorized money can be used in a year.

“Hopefully we can use all $10 million,” Mr. Ochoa says. “That would mean we have created thousands of jobs.”

Fastest Growing Trade Shows

Trade Show Marketing is still a viable option in our uncertain economy, allowing companies to get in front of targeted audiences and decision makers.   It is evident with the list of the fastest growing shows announced by Trade Show Week.

2009 TSW Fastest 50 winners:

1. ABC Kids Expo
2. Association Technology Conference & Expo
3. BIO International Convention (Biotechnology Industry Organization)
4. Buildex Calgary
5. Catersource Conference & Tradeshow
6. Coal-Gen
7. CONEXPO-CON/AGG & IFPE
8. Digital Signage Expo
9. EMS Today: The JEMS Conference & Exposition
10. Firehouse Expo
11. Firehouse World
12. Global Petroleum Show
13. Great West Truck Show
14. Greater New York Dental Meeting
15. Greenbuild International Conference & Expo
16. Hospitality Design Exposition & Conference
17. INDUSTRIAL FIRE, SAFETY & SECURITY 2008
18. InfoComm International
19. Internet Retailer Conference & Exhibition
20. ISC West (International Security Conference)
21. 2008 Joint CBRN Conference & Exhibition
22. KioskCom Self Service Expo/The Digital Signage Show
23. The co-located Medical Design & Manufacturing (MD&M) West, Pacific Design & Manufacturing Show, WestPack, Electronics West, Automation Technology Expo (ATX) West, Process Technology for Industry (PTX) West & Green Manufacturing Expo shows
24. The Metropolitan Cooking & Entertaining Show
25. Mid-America Trucking Show
26. Moda Manhattan January
27. Moda Manhattan May
28. Moda Manhattan September
29. Modern Day Marine Expo
30. Natural Products Expo East/Organic Products Expo-BioFach America
31. Natural Products Expo West/SupplyExpo
32. NBTA International Convention & Exposition (National Business Travel Association)
33. New York Comic Con
34. 2008 NFDA Convention & Expo (National Funeral Directors Association)
35. NRF’s Annual Convention & EXPO – Retail’s BIG Show (National Retail Federation)
36. Offshore Technology Conference
37. Outdoor Retailer Summer Market
38. PACK EXPO International
39. PAX (Penny Arcade Expo)
40. Pumper & Cleaner Environmental Expo International
41. Shop.org Annual Summit
42. SHOT Show (Shooting, Hunting, Outdoor Trade Show & Conference)
43. Solar Power International
44. TEAMS 2008 Conference & Expo
45. The Tulsa Wedding Show (Aug.)
46. VoiceCon Orlando
47. West Coast Women’s Show
48. WINDPOWER Conference & Exhibits
49. World Tea Expo
50. Worship Facilities Conference & Expo

Chicago’s McCormick Place Gets Best Convention Center

—Jenny Berg

Trade Show Exhibitors Association Names Vegas Favorite Convention City, McCormick Place Gets Best Convention Center

Held in conjunction with TS2—the so-called “trade show about trade shows” that overtook McCormick Place from Monday through Thursday this week—the Trade Show Exhibitors’ Association’s Foundation Gala took place at the Chicago Illuminating Company on Wednesday night. With decor from Kehoe Designs and tasting stations from local restaurants such as Carnivale and Petterino’s, the event served as a platform to announce the winners of the first annual Exhibitors’ Choice awards.

Based on votes that about 5,100 industry professionals cast on the associations’ Web site, Exhibitgroup/Giltspur took home the award for Best Exhibit House. Freeman won the Favorite General Contractor award, and Nth Degree was voted Favorite Installation and Dismantling Company. TWI claimed the prize for Favorite Transportation and Freight Company, and the National Restaurant Association’s Mary Pat Heftman—whom we spoke to in April—received recognition as Favorite Show Manager along with the Consumer Electronics Show’s Karen Chupka.

Other winners were Exhibit Surveys for the Favorite of the Rest—All Other Types of Suppliers award, and the Consumer Electronics Show for Favorite Show of 2009. Las Vegas was named Favorite Convention City, and McCormick Place won the Best Convention Center award.

PhotoPlus Expo

Exhibitor Magazine’s National Trade Show Survey Finds PDN PhotoPlus Expo Among Highest Rated for Exhibitor ROI

NEW YORK, N.Y.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Exhibitor Magazine, a recognized leader in trade show and event management education, announced the results of its annual trade show trends and found that once again PDN PhotoPlus International Conference + Expo was among the highest ranked for exhibitor ROI, attendee purchasing power, and most likely to make timely purchases following the trade show. The survey was conducted by Exhibit Surveys Inc., a market research firm, who polled attendees from more than 60 U.S.-based trade shows before publishing its findings.

The survey found that an astounding 89% of those attending PhotoPlus Expo in 2008 planned to make a purchase within 12 months of the trade show. The average for all trade shows surveyed was 52%, by comparison.

In addition, the survey determined that 94% of all PhotoPlus Expo attendees had “net buying influence” or the ability to recommend or make final purchasing decisions. The survey average among all trade shows was 81%. Together, these responses place PhotoPlus Expo in the overall top percentile of trade shows with attendees most likely to act upon their purchase impulses.

“We are very excited with the results from this national survey and that PPE consistently ranks very high year after year. It also reinforces our belief that companies that exhibit at PhotoPlus Expo will experience a significant and quick return on investment,” commented Jeff McQuilkin, Group Show Director for The Nielsen Company which owns the PDN PhotoPlus Expo show. “In these economic times it’s especially important for exhibitors to know that PPE is attracting an audience that has the ability to make purchasing decisions and proactively pursues them in a timely manner. We certainly expect to attract the same influential audience to this year’s show in October,” McQuilkin concluded.

To review the complete survey, please visit http://www.exhibitoronline.com/exhibitormagazine/apr09/trade-show-trends-exhibit-survey-results-costs-net-total.asp.

Saving On Trade Show Freight

Chicago has many trade shows coming up in the fall line up, Tradetec Skyline can help reduce your trade show shipping and drayage costs. Easily and simply with custom modular solutions.

There are a few basic items to make sure you keep track of with Trade Show Shipping Costs here are a few to put on your checklist:

Shipping Addresses

• Hanging Signs -- Advance warehouse address

• Advance Warehouse -- List all cut off dates for receipt of shipment with address
• Show-Site -- List targeted inbound date/time with address including the marshalling yard information
• Small Package Address -- If you do not want small packages being sent to the show hall, list the hotel address

Shipping Inventory

• From the Exhibit House -- List basic exhibit components

• From Corporate Warehouse -- List products, equipment, supplies and spare parts

• From Corporate Office -- List all collateral, supplies, graphics, etc

• Hand Carried Items -- List items and person responsible

Trade Show Seminars

No matter if your an exhibitor attending a Chicago Trade Show, Las Vegas Trade Show or a trade show at Javits Center, we all need fresh marketing ideas.  If we can walk away from a seminar with one good idea, that is a plus.

From post show follow up to trade show selection, finding better ways to exhibit can help with your companies ROI. Learning better ways to get the best outcome for trade shows just got a little easier.

21 Seminars in 21 Days, free webinars from Mike Mraz a 25 year trade show veteran shares some of his tips and tricks. Check out the selection of trade show seminars being offered in July 2009

Trade Show Seminars