B-to-B Events

Trade Shows: E3 Announces Major Revamp

It’s another major sign of the industry’s evolution from massive one-off trade show exhibits to integrated event initiatives. The Entertainment Software Association owners of the evergreen videogame show E3Expo last week announced a major overhaul to the event.

Organizers said that starting next year the event will move away from the trade show model and instead serve as a platform for media events and “small meetings with media retail development and other key sectors” of the videogame industry.

Love it or hate it there’s no stopping the trend: B-to-B events are moving from the convention center to the computer screen.
Despite their high-tech persona the appeal of virtual trade shows and meetings is grounded in traditional metrics that are decidedly old school: cost-effectiveness reach and access to new audiences. What’s not to like?

You’ve labored over the schedule planned high-energy breakout sessions designed fun networking opportunities made sure to break the speakers up into tight 20-minute segments and punched up the entertainment. But ask attendees what they love best and all they can think about is the snack break. Jeez.
Fear not seminar warrior. There’s a way to harness the power of the impromptu hallway chit-chat without sacrificing interest in your event. It’s called—you ready?—an unconference.

Trade show presentations tend to fall into three categories. On one end of the spectrum are the flashy eye-catching theatrical presentations that set tongues wagging but say little about the brand’s product or service featured in the booth. On the other end is the straightforward product shill which gets to the point but leaves attendees feeling like they’re being overtly marketed to.

As a rule event programs that last past five years are dubbed solid successes. But longevity shouldn’t be an excuse for letting initiatives get stale. Even when the objectives and strategies remain the same the best campaigns are freshened up every few years. Here four tips for implementing change into your long-running event programs: