Sonia Andresson-Nolasco

Most trade show veterans will agree— there are few places less desirable than the back corner of the exhibit hall. After a year of setbacks and cancellations, many brands are struggling to get back the prime spots they once had at their industry’s biggest shows. What to do when life hands you a disappointing trade show location? In most cases, you can file for an appeal. But you may only be rewarded with a better spot next year. Until then, a few alternative strategies.

When Ohio passed legislation in 2008 to become more energy efficient, utility companies like American Electric Power—one of the largest companies of its type in the country—were tasked with educating residents on how to save energy in their homes and workplaces. The solution was The Home Energy Savings Tour: Featuring gridSmart from AEP Ohio.

The digital age has helped transform the typical event staff from warm bodies to tech-savvy, data-collecting machines. More and more, brand ambassadors are being asked to collect consumer information with a handheld device or to report back via web-based software. They’re also being trained to add subjective feedback to objective data captured, oftentimes reporting it back to the brand immediately so that it can tweak the program before the next day’s event. The bar has definitely been raised.

When it comes to generating buzz through live events, the nation’s biggest cities are often a brand’s first choice. But even in a busy metropolis like New York City, host to countless annual parades and marathons, it takes extra attention to detail to minimize the disruption.

Getting a few of the right reporters to cover an event used to be good enough. These days, companies are adding blogger- targeted experiences to their p.r. and event programs in order to give their message extra reach and credibility. But once bloggers are on site, it takes more than a swag bag to keep them tuned in. Brands need to show that they read the blogger’s blogs, they know what’s going on in their lives and they understand their unique interests and needs. Sound like a lot? It is.