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Trade Show Insights is turning 20 and you're invited to join the celebration! Our live event featured: 00:00 - Intro & History of Trade Show Insights 04:35 - 1st Episode & Mission of TSI 07:55 - Getting in a Groove & 1st Guest 10:01 - Life Has Changed … but Topics Haven’t 11:55 - Questions from the Panel 17:51 - Topics Over the Years 23:11 - Top 10 Episodes 34:06 - Ideas for Topics & Questions About Books 36:19 - TSI Around the World 37:55 - Favorite Episodes 42:56 - Thanks & Season 20 Action Guide

“Create an immersive experience.” You’ve heard that a lot when it comes to trade shows and events. It’s something I talk about in my exhibitor workshops, books, and podcast. But here’s the thing: Creating an immersive experience is not about LED screens, VR headsets, or other assorted flashy tech gadgets. In fact, all that glitz & spectacle may actually be driving attendees away instead of drawing them in. What if immersion was about something much simpler … and far more powerful? Let’s flip the script on this and uncover the key to creating genuine connection.

Ever had a conversation in the booth that feels more like a monologue than a dialogue? Have you ever been “that person”? There’s an art to creating a balanced, brief conversation in the booth. And ... spoiler alert! ... it doesn’t happen by “winging it.” Communication strategist Rebecca Pierce Murray returns to Trade Show Insights with tips for polishing up conversation skills before your next show. You’ll learn how to: Make a conscious effort to practice Voice EquityStop being afraid of the pauseInterrupt with intention and finesseUse key phrases to deal with chronic interruptersGracefully wrap up conversations with attendees

My husband and I just took our first vacation in 15 years! We covered a bit shy of 2000 miles in 8 days, checking off a bunch items on our wish list. We got to experience cranberry harvest in Wisconsin and spent time exploring the North Shore of Lake Superior. And of course as a trade show & event professional, I couldn’t help but notice a few lessons along the way.

It’s time to say goodbye to “gold, silver, bronze” and hello to smarter, more impactful sponsorships!  In this episode, Wendy Porter joined me for a dive deep into the broken state of sponsorships – and how you can be part of the reinvention. What’s Inside This Episode? Why Traditional Sponsorships No Longer Work: Learn why logos on lanyards or banners in the lobby aren’t moving the needle, plus what sponsors and organizers should focus on instead.Custom Collaborations Over Cookie-Cutter Packages: Discover how bespoke, experiential activations can create value for sponsors, organizers, and attendees.Align Sponsorships with Your Goals: Understand why you need to choose opportunities that truly match your objectives – whether that’s lead generation, awareness, or thought leadership.Creative Solutions & Real Examples: From white-glove airport pickups to curated VIP dinners, you’ll be inspired with inventive sponsorship activations that build relationships (not just impressions).Make Sponsorships Work Year-Round: Find out how sponsors can remain engaged and visible beyond the main event, with ideas like an educational series, small group dinners, and more. Plus ... Wendy and I are introducing our new partnership offering a full range of support – from auditing your current sponsorship program with Your Sponsorship Map to hands-on white-glove activations with SponsorLink.

This episode is for two kinds of people: those who run trade shows, and the marketers who exhibit at them. No matter which one you are, we've got a shared playbook you can implement at your upcoming shows. There are three paradigm shifts that can help both exhibitors and show organizers achieve better quality leads, fewer headaches, and clearer proof of value. Let’s start with the number-one gripe I hear: “We didn’t get enough leads.” Exhibitors say it … organizers dread hearing it. Here are a few smart plays to overcome it.

If you’ve ever tried to find key information on a trade show or event website, you know how frustrating it can be.  Recently, I posed the question on LinkedIn: “What can trade show organizers do to make the event website more helpful & user-friendly?”  That sparked a lively discussion of common website problems and practical solutions. So I want to share what exhibitors and attendees are saying, and offer a few tips to help event organizers improve their websites to better serve everyone.

Exhibit managers often come to me with a similar story: their sales team comes to the show, hangs out in the booth, and becomes more of a handicap than an asset. They want to know how they can turn that situation around. Unfortunately, this is a common problem because the very things that make a sales person great at what they do can often create a challenge in the trade show environment. Here are specific steps you can take to overcome this situation.

Everybody says trade shows are all about the ROI … Yet most exhibit marketers aren’t doing enough to measure or prove it to their accounting department. So I invited my friend Rich Vallaster to join me for a candid conversation that puts ROI in context for both exhibitors and show organizers. Listen in as we break down what needs to change in both metrics and mindset: Why it’s so important to measure ROI (before someone else does it for you!)What show organizers can do to help exhibitors get better resultsHow shows can add value for exhibitorsWhat some shows are doing to blur the line between education & the show floor

Chances are you’ve been overlooking a key demographic in the audience at your events – people who choose not to drink alcohol for a variety of reasons, including those in recovery. Did you realize that could be a quarter of your audience or more? So in the same way gluten-free or vegan are now standard options at events, it’s time to reconsider the non-alcoholic beverage alternatives too. Networking doesn’t have to happen around the bar. In this episode, Sober Life Rocks founder Laura Nelson shares strategies and practical examples on how to: Change the after-hours experience to create better connectionsCraft more creative alcohol-free drink optionsEducate bartenders on how to make all guests feel includedDesign interactive spaces that don’t revolve around drinking

These days, it seems everyone's talking about budgets and the rising cost of exhibiting. And yes ... I realize that some elements are out of your control. But there are areas where you might be able to save money and still make a great impact on the show floor. Recently I posed this question to my LinkedIn cohorts and they shared so many great tips that I just had to compile them for you in this episode!

Why is lead capture an afterthought for so many exhibitors? Instead it's the whole point of exhibiting in the first place – or at least should be! There's both an art and a science to effectively gathering and managing leads. But the good news is that today's technology can make the entire process much less painful ... once exhibitors embrace both the strategy and the system. Michelle Harman joins us in this episode to offer expert perspective on: How the lead capture process has evolved in recent yearsWhere it still needs improvementWhich key mindset exhibitors need to shiftWhat a dream lead management process could look likeHow to streamline follow-up

It's tough out there. Exhibitors are expected to do even more with less. They recognize the value of face-to-face events, although may struggle to prove that value within their organization. Recently, non-profit trade association The Exhibitor Advocate partnered with EVOLIO Marketing to conduct a survey of exhibit and event marketers to get their perspectives on key challenges and understand how these may be impacting their overall event programs. For this episode, we invited Jessica Sibila back to Trade Show Insights to share details about the study, including: Factors driving exhibitor challenges todayChoices exhibitors are making to address themPerceptions exhibitors have of show organizersTools organizers could provide to help exhibitors

As attendees navigate a trade show floor they're bombarded with sights, sounds, and activities vying for their attention. So in this whirlwind of stimuli, how can your exhibit rise above the chaos and leave a lasting impression? Experience design expert Mat Duerden teaches both college students and corporate marketers how to craft memorable, meaningful, and transformative experiences. (He literally co-wrote the book on Designing Experiences!) In this episode, he shares strategies to transform your trade show exhibit into an experience that resonates long after the event has ended by: Recognizing the intersection between storytelling and experience designCaptivating and engaging trade show attendees (like a boy with a hummingbird)Starting with the desired reaction and work backwardsShaping the experience by mapping it outUnderstanding the importance of micro-experiences

Lately I've been having a lot of conversations around booth staffing. Exhibit managers tell me they're frustrated about how their team behaves in the booth – or whether they even show up at the appropriate time. Attendees are annoyed that staffers pounce on them or shove materials at them as they pass by the booth. Now these aren't new challenges by any means. Bad booth staff may be an ongoing problem for many exhibit team leaders (even you) – but it's not unsolvable. Over the years, I've worked with many exhibit teams to improve their booth staff behavior. I've also done a number of previous blog posts and podcast episodes with booth staffing tips. So for this episode, we're diving into the Trade Show Insights archives for some booth staff strategies.