Are Trade Shows a thing of the past?

[softball]

People pay to learn new things. They will show up if you can provide new tools of the trade demos. Something that will give them a competitive edge. I still say shows need to provide a glimpse into the future, not the past. When we stories and dick swinging won't provide direction and ultmately profit.

[Toby]

Originally Posted by rhetorical

People pay to learn new things.

As an example... I maintain the website for a paralegal trade organization. Their annual conference is in October and just a couple of weeks ago I finished updating the online registration. Over two days there are five workshop sessions, with a choice of four different workshops during each session. Attendees must specify at the time they register which one of the four workshops they will attend during each of the five sessions. Registration Fee is $650 and all it includes besides the workshops is breakfast buffet both mornings and closing party on the second evening. Hotel, lunch, dinner, etc. is all extra.

That's a bit extreme for this biz, but replace the existing seminar "panels" with an individual doing a presentation on a specific subject. That would force a prepared presentation, and be far more likely to be informative. Two or three each day, with two running at a time. Pair them up to be aimed at different segments of attendees. Yes you'll likely have to pay these people to do presentations, but just a few additional attendees per speaker due to the quality presentations would more than cover that cost.