It seems to be becoming more obvious that the traditional trade show format doesn't really work for this industry.
For the most part it's not like we have nifty new products that are coming down the pipe to look at like say a CES or Comdex. We're all virtual, if there's anything to see, we wanna see it online. Likewise we do not need bags full of literature. Again, that's what websites are for.
Do seminars work? Maybe for some, but I dont think the bulk of this industry travels to a trade show looking forward to sitting in on several hours of panels or lectures.
What are the attendees there for then? The answer seems to be to party and network. The single largest value for me is putting faces with names. It's an intangible that's hard to describe, but I"m much more comfortable doing business with someone that I've met, and I think most others feel the same way.
The real trick is to find a way to provide some ROI for sponsors and organizers of an event. That would be tough to do if the format is basically everyone just hanging out together and partying some place for a day or two. Some of the events in the last couple of years like the island gatherings have been pretty close to that.
Perhaps there's some hybrid format somewhere inbetween that offers sponsors a way to get some value and exposure, but doesn't have them sitting around a booth all day.
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