Rock Your Trade Show

Mentors vs. Sponsors: Why You Need Both

If you want to know about how mentors and sponsors can help your career, learn ways to leverage your personal and professional network - this episode is just for you.  Jodi Devlin, GM VP GM, Acute Care at Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals, shares personal leadership stories including why she left nursing to move into a corporate healthcare role and what she did when she felt stuck in a Senior Product Manager role.  

 

5 Work-Life Balance Actions You Can Take Today:

1. Get A Mentor: To help you on a regular basis and can help you find your path when you are unsure which opportunity to take in your career.
2. Find A Male Sponsor: To be your eyes and ears for opportunities behind the scenes.
3. Invest In Yourself: Join an organization that has networking opportunities and practice networking.
4. Create A Personal Network: Everyone needs help and it is really important to make friends who can be your backup plan if you have children.
5. Establish Boundaries: Everyone needs downtime to feel recharged. Protecting your weekend may be the best move you make for your career and family.

 

Jodi shares how she protects her weekends, the advice she gives mentees for finding life/career balance and why her faith is an important foundation to her outlook on life.

"It's not one day that counts, it's the way in which you treat others and chose to live life that matters"    - Jodi Devlin.

This episode will inspire you to make time for you and learn how important it is to have people around you that you can count on when you need them.

 

Resources:

Rock Your Trade Show LinkedIn Group

Healthcare Businesswomen's Association

Books:

"Who Moved My Cheese" 

 "The Shack".

About This Week's Guest: Jodi Devlin has held senior leadership roles for over 20 years.  Ms. Devlin got her start in healthcare as a nurse and moved into corporate roles with Abbott including VP, Virology, VP Primary Care Sales, VP US Specialty Therapeutics, VP International Marketing, VP Global Pipeline Marketing, President, Genelux and VP New Specialty Therapies, Baxter/Baxalta.

Sound Editing: Emerald City Productions

Check out all the latest episodes www.rockyourtradeshow.com 

 

This is the episode for exhibit managers, marketers and trade show industry insiders who want to differentiate yourselves, get promoted and be viewed as an industry expert.  Randy Acker, President and COO of Exhibitor Media Group shares an insider look at ExhibitorLive, the certification and speaking programs available and he gives real life examples about people whose lives were forever changed by Exhibitor Magazine and Exhibitor Media Group programs. 

Here is what you will learn in this episode:

6 Ways to Differentiate Yourself and Your Trade Show Program

1. Why You Should Invest In Continuing Education: Find out why the Exhibitor CTSM programs help you internally and with your trade show program results.
2. How You Can Get Promoted: Attending ExhibitorLive and going to the programs there has helped marketers be viewed as industry experts.
3. What Exceptional Event Programming Delivers: Unique 100% money back guarantee helps employers know they are getting value from ExhibitorLive, FastTrak and eTrak.
4. Why Trust is So Important: Buyers don't purchase an expensive piece of equipment over the internet.  Face-to-Face marketing is based on Trust and that can be established in a variety of in-person meetings including on the trade show floor.
5. How Attendees Experience Value: ExhibitorLive requires all speakers to go through their speaker training.
6. Industry Trends: Face-to-Face relationships, personal interactions is still a key component of all buying decisions.

 

Show Notes

Introduction: Randy Acker is the President and COO of Exhibitor Media Group-Exhibitor Magazine, ExhibitorLive, FastTrak, eTrak and industry specific programs.  Exhibitor Online is the gold standard where marketers can gather information about what is happening in trade show events and meeting planning and apply the strategies shared to their jobs.

1:18 Welcome Randy Acker to the show.

1:37 How ExhibitorLive is so impactful and why is it beneficial to marketers

We are an $80 billion dollar industry and higher education doesn't offer much in the way of education.

2:12 Too many people learn by way of the "school of hard knocks" and that is a really hard way to learn.

2:20 Back in 1982 Lee Knight, Owner and Founder of Exhibitor Media Group, created a vehicle for people to learn about our industry.

2:38 There are so many stories to share and Randy's favorite takes place a number of years ago.  A woman came up and said:  "You are Lee Knight" and he replied, "Why yes I the next thing she said was "You Saved My Life".  She was able to figure out her job requirements from reading Exhibitor Magazine.

3:06 So many people share how Exhibitor Magazine helped them learn about the industry and their jobs from the content in their publication and programs.

3:28 Randy shares how there is nothing more rewarding as an educator than knowing that he has made a difference in people's lives.

 

3:27 About 75% of the audience that goes to Exhibitor are women.  Natalie asks Randy: What are some of the challenges trade show marketers face and how does the certification program Exhibitor offers help them?  Randy confirms the majority of people doing events are women 35-40 years old. One of the biggest challenges since the recession of 2009 is that more and more people who manage a trade show program, are marketing generalists

4:30 Almost 90% of readers of Exhibitor Magazine are responsible for both trade shows and events.  Add in a downsized department and other responsibilities, dual roles and they are finding there is no one else helping them do what they do.  Supply side folks become a partner to help them.

5:06 The certification program started in 1993 through Northern Illinois University.  There are 600 candidates currently and about 4,000 people in the program.

5:23 Randy asks the question many marketers early in their career ask: "How do I elevate myself from an admin. to a creating a profession for myself?"

5:49 Students in the CTSM program build confidence, get promotions, learn self-discipline are viewed as an expert, know how to leverage best practices. And they bring this to their trade show programs.

6:21 For years people used to attend trade shows because competitors were there.  When marketers go through this program, they find that getting measureable results and more sales are the reason for being at a trade show.

6:40 The certification program includes 23 required courses and 5 electives.  The program gives a broad perspective for people in trade show marketing to leverage every aspect of their roles as marketers.

7:03 Continuing education is so important and the CTSM program has ROI to tie back to their role. 

7:36 No matter what the experience level-senior people come away with something they didn't know they didn't know.

7:51 Articles for Exhibitor Magazine and programs are really focused on providing the best content.

8:27 Randy shares why it is so important to offer great content.  People in a downsized department who have dual roles of a marketing generalist and trade show manager have very limited time.  If they are making the commitment and if they take the time out of the office they make sure they get what they came for at the show.

8:32 Exhibitor Media Group has had a content strategists since 1987 to help formulate the educational sessions for the organization.  This person was a trade show manager and teacher, so creating a curriculum and quality control is something she does well.  This year for ExhibitorLive there are 169 educational sessions for

9:08 If you are selected to be a speaker for ExhibitorLive, you have to go through the speaker training.  Even if you are CEO who delivers over 100 presentations a year, you have to go through the speaker training program. 

9:34 Randy shares why having high quality programs is so important. If people are using budget money, then the sessions need to meet the standard.  If the session doesn't get high evaluation results, one of two things happen: 1. You are sent back for remedial training or you are not asked to come back.

10:01 Because of the Northern Illinois University (NIU) affiliation, they evaluate the programs for what are the learning components of a session.

10:28 What is the certification process like? In order to be certified, you have to take 23 classes, 5 electives and then prepare and take a 3 hour exam where you are locked in a room.  The experience is similar to the CPA exam.

10:41 The last item to do is you have to submit a portfolio of how you applied what you learned. 

10:59 Whether you come to be certified or come for the education, Randy shares how their programs adhere to a high standard.

11:05 In fact, the standard is so high, there is a 100% money back guarantee, no questions asked.

11:22 The money back guarantee has a close connection to the heavily veted speaker process.

11:44 Founder Lee Knight in 1989 had a speaker who wasn't able to attend.  Because Lee had been writing articles about the trade show industry since 1982 he thought he could teach the courses.

12:01 After the program was completed, Lee decided his delivery of the content didn't meet the standards he expected for his attendees and he offered everyone who attended his two sessions their money back for those sessions.

12:14 This experience caused Lee Knight to make a commitment that it would never happen to attendees going forward

12:30 Each year, ExhibitorLive has over 1,200 attendees for the courses and they give less than 10 refunds.

12:40 The reason for the low refund rate is that it is all rooted back to heavily vetted speaker training and a commitment to quality.

12:55 The benefit of a refund policy: It makes a difference for some attendees to get their boss sign off because of the money back guarantee.

13:25 The takeaway for speakers and attendees at the program: "When you hear from your peers and get advice that is tangible to what you are doing it is very helpful to people who attend and give the sessions." Randy said.

13:55 More and more of the people on the supplier side are being asked to be extensions of their clients marketing.  Supply side people are taking the courses as well.

14:46 There are exhibit managers who lose head count, sometimes have trouble landing a new position. Randy is asked what advice he has for people in transition.

15:14 The first thing to look at is how do you differentiate yourself for people.

15:25 There are 3rd generation graduates for the program and the benefit to them is that Fortune 100 job postings are requiring a CTSM certification as part of their job experience.

16:11 As you are in your role, one thing you have to do is to continually make your Results visible to your organization.

16:25 As part of creating your own personal brand, you need to set goals and ultimately measure your results so that you are viewed as an indispensable expert

16:51 You need to have engagement with people who do what you do.

17:03 Having a network is also so very important.  Surround yourself with people that do what you do, they understand what you do.

17:22 Attendees who experience ExhibitorLive, Fastrak, eTrak have been helped to be seen differently within their companies.

18:03 Natalie and Randy discuss why having a network, mentor and sponsor is so important for your career.

18:22 Randy shares that there are 4,000 candidates within the certification program and the 600 graduates are very connected getting together around the country.

18:43 Any candidate that comes into the certification program is assigned a mentor.

18:54 At ExhibitorLive there is peer-to-peer round table groups with beer and wine and snacks so attendees can get out of the formal classroom environment and network.  There are 50 topics to discuss and this creates the ability to create relationships at an intimate level.

19:30 There are a lot of life-long relationships created at the networking events. At ExhibitorLive, first time attendees are rounded up geographical so you can meet someone who might only be 20 minutes down the road.  Knowing someone close by allows the attendees to get together several times a year in person.

20:16  ExhibitorLive  also helps associations meet like the Healthcare Exhibitor Association (HCEA) who has a mini reception as well as industry associations like the Exhibit Designers and Producers

Association (EDPA) get together.

21:07 Randy shares why he travels every month to meet with all layers of the industry.

21:24 Randy feels the best way to understand your customer, is to travel around and talk to all the different stake holders.  Randy visits 6-8 companies every month including both client side to suppliers.

22:07 Randy's mentor told him that direct face-to-face contact is so important.  Randy reaches out to talk about their roles in the industry.

22:45 Since the recession of 2009, the industry changed.  Randy wants to make sure he gets out there to create a forum for conversations.

23:17 There are too many conversations happening in a vacuum and strategic players are sometimes left out of a dialogue.

23:58 Randy follows his passion to pay it forward.  He is adjunct Faculty at Bemidji State for the exhibit design program.  Exhibitus hired one of the graduates from Bemidji State.

24:49 One of Randy's missions is to get more and more guest speakers for the design program to help students understand what the industry is all about.

25:25 The placement rate out of Bemidji State is almost 100% for students to land a position.

26:00 Randy shares face-to-face marketing trends coming in the next 2 years.  Technology plays a role including Virtual Reality (VR) or Augmented Reality (AR) creates an experience.

26:31 In the end, it all comes down to Trust.  Someone buying a new MRI machine- they aren't do this virtually.  You are establishing relationships face-to-face.  It is about building relationships.

27:06 Face-to-face is the quickest route to trust.

27:20 It isn't just about face-to-face show floor any longer.  Marketers are using their trade show expertise to create user group conferences.  They leverage all the tools and techniques from their own trade shows and create one that is proprietary to them.

28:48 Want to learn more? You can find Randy and the programs discussed in the program at Exhitoronline.com if you want to go to learn via the magazine, ExhibitorLive, one of the four regional events at Exhibitor FastTrak and if you can't ever leave your desk they have that covered also with eTrak via Adobe Connect the same sessions from ExhibitorLive.

29:51 If you are going to the Exhibitor show, I would love to meet you!  Visit the Exhibitus booth 1261 and say hello!

Find out more about Rock Your Trade Show podcasts at www.rockyourtradeshow.com

 

Randy Acker's Background:  In addition to his leadership role at EXHIBITOR Media Group, Randy is an Adjunct Faculty in the exhibit design program at Bemidji State University.  A twenty year veteran of EXHIBITOR, Acker's experience spans all aspects of EXHIBITOR Media Group's sales and marketing programs, magazine and trade show promotion, operations, finance, strategic business development and industry relations. He is also active in numerous segments of the exhibition industry contributing the unique perspective he has on the industry by serving corporate marketers, exhibit builders, agencies, suppliers to the industry, venues, as well as show organizers.

 

The leader in trade show and corporate event marketing education, EXHIBITOR Media Group publishes the award-winning EXHIBITOR magazine - best practices in trade show marketing, and produces EXHIBITORLIVE, the trade show and corporate event industry's top-rated educational conference; EXHIBITORFastTrak regional accelerated learning conferences; EXHIBITOR eTrak live online educational sessions; and GRAVITY FREE, the world's only multidisciplinary design conference. EXHIBITOR is the founder and sponsor of CTSM (Certified Trade Show Marketer), the industry's only university-affiliated professional certification program. EXHIBITOR Online  is the trade show and event community's most comprehensive online resource.

005 Kim Feil Shares How to Accelerate Your Career Now

Kim Feil gives incredible insights into what it was like to be a 6 time Chief Marketing Officer and her journey to achieve executive leadership.  Her background includes being a retailer, general manager, consultant and ecommerce leader in marketing, sales and strategy at OfficeMax, Walgreens, Sara Lee, Kimberly-Clark, Information Resources Inc., Dr Pepper/7UP and Frito-Lay, giving her a unique 360-degree multichannel perspective.  If you are ready to rock your career then you are going to love this episode!

Show Notes:

0:01 Natalie shares how she followed up on listener's request to have career insights by inviting Kim Feil on the show.

2:14 Natalie and Kim first met at an HBA (Healthcare Businesswomen's Association) Chicago program. They talk about how important creating your own Advisory Circle and why it is so helpful

2:38 Kim talks about women who expressed not liking networking and she asks: "What do you think Networking means?  It isn't about creating a big fat rolodex it is about learning from people within, across and outside your industry so you can learn from them."

3:40 Kim and Natalie discuss how Kim met three executive women who were on the HBA panel, 14 years ago-how they have helped each other with support and advice.

4:14: What was it like to have Brenda Barnes, former CEO of Sara Lee and Pepsi Co. as a mentor early on in Kim's career in 1984.  She describes how Brenda cultivated her teams to hit high goals.  Brenda was a role model for Kim over her career. 

5:06 Brenda Barnes achieved great results-not because she was a woman.  It was her leadership that really made her a great CEO.

6:15 Kim describes what happened when Brenda Barnes decided to take 7 years off to raise her children and how she was asked - aren't you taking a step back.  Even Katie Couric questioned Brenda about leaving to go take care of her children.  When Brenda came back to work she was all in and unfortunately at age 55 had a debilitating stroke and had her second stroke that eventually ended her life.

6:59 Brenda's story is an example of how we are "executive athletes" and we don't think enough of what that means to our overall well-being.

8:10 Kim describes what it is like to work as an executive and that you are there to make change happen. She shares her personal experience of what it is like to be at the top and how so much of your time is taken up with administrative activities like HR decisions and while they are all important they aren't necessarily directly related to improving the business or team performance.

10:00 How to manage a time in times of change-The basics are what works.  Every job is demanding, it is really important to be a leader who gets results and not an administrator.

1. You have to have a highly talented team who work really well together. You have to be a caring leader and know how to determine whether you have the right talent on your team.  If you surround yourself with great people your team will flex.
2. You have to really trust your people and not be a micro manager. You have to play general on the battle field. You have trust if you have good talent they will follow you.
3. Set expectations regularly so that your high performing team knows what is coming up.
4. You have to be responsive and communicate clearly so there are no surprises

13:10 How Women can be seen as a leader.

13:43 Top Five Tips about Leadership

1. Don't be seen as a leader-be a leader. Face time, long hours at the office isn't a sign of a great leader.
2. Great leaders need to be able to express a solid, simple vision.
3. Be able to Engage your talent so they understand the vision.
4. You have to get results-you can be loved but if you don't hit the numbers, you won't ever be viewed as a leader.
5. In the end you are judged not by what you do but how you do it.

14:44 The How is really what people are looking to:  It is good to ask yourself: "If someone had to describe me as a leader right now, how would they describe me?"   

"What would they say I do really do well, and what would they say I don't do really well?" Work on the things you don't do really well.

15:30 People think hours equate to the results-instead of focusing on results.  Kim adds that she "watches young leaders all the time try to get to perfection the real truth, is that in today's fast moving environment, having an answer that is 85-90% accurate in half the time and execute well against it is better than having an answer that 101% perfect answer and be late.

16:39 Many people slave away over the last 2-5% instead of getting the job done. Don't be late to get to 100%.

17:27 There are numerous studies that women will stand back and wait until they are fully qualified. The real "acid test" is not whether you have all the boxes checked but whether "you believe you can be successful in the role." 

18:15 If you can see how you can get results go for it.  The worst thing you can do is stretch into a role that you aren't able to do.  Kim describes a situation where a woman might take on a new role with a great title and fail at it and lose her job instead of working her way toward the promotion.

18:57 In her career Kim had been approached by IRI CEO's to consider a different role and at face value they may not have seemed like a fit.  She knew what the clients wanted and got along well with the tech people and launched Ecomm program and made $10 million in 6 months.

18:18 It is also o.k. to accept a position and say that you would like to fill a position to round out the team.  One of the top positions Kim has always had is a financial guru to be able to get a full picture and advice.

 21:42 How to Get Promoted in your organization-  Kim describes her background and how she got to see the world from a 360 degree view.  She worked at Frito Lay, Dr Pepper/7UP  Sara Lee, consulting firm IRI and then two retailers Walgreens and Office Max.  Kim got to see the world from all 3 sides. 

Five Career Planning Tips:

1. Make sure you are always thinking ahead of the business, if you see there is an opportunity in another function. Step back and connect your capabilities to that function. 
2. Ignore the literal job description, look to find a way to do what your vision is for the position.
3. "Your career is yours", if you want to go from here to there don't wait for people to let you do it.
4. Don't have any barriers-think of which way you want to expand your capabilities.
5. Build a broad base of capability, technical and leadership. You don't have to grow vertically you can grow laterally and gain the skills you need to move forward.
6. Your career is a marathon not a sprint

26:46 Kim describes what it was like making a pivot four years ago and how much she is enjoying being an entrepreneur.

27:27 What does it look like to launch a new career for the next 20 year chapter?

When she set out on this journey, Kim set 4 goals to achieve:

1. Be CEO of emerging company
2. Get on a public board
3. Go deeper in volunteerism and fundraising, devote more meaningful time to that
4. Learn all she could to learn about entrepreneur and the venture capital system

Within 8 months, she was CEO, she served on 3 boards and chaired American Heart campaign and broke records and met private equity firms who could teach her how venture capital works.

 

28:41 if you are a person with a lot of curiosity and can parlay your experience, then go for it! 

29:50 Kim discusses how to draw boundaries in corporate life and also as an Entrepreneur.  How to get a lot more done in a lot less time and be flexible but it is still hard work you are taking risks.

31:41 The obvious way to stay energized is to stay healthy.  In addition, doing more fulfilling things like having time to mentor and do charity work makes a difference.

32:14 How mentoring people helps you learn from others and give back

32:39 How to have the purpose driven life- finding joy.

33:26 How to stay on track with time management-plan the month and have a rigorous to do list by business type or volunteerism.

33:20 As an entrepreneur there are still only 24 hours in a day.  Block time, review a calendar and not over schedule.

34:10 Favorite Book- The Pursuit of Wow by Tom Peters; there are two to three page case studies and is easy to read in short increments.

35:20  Learn more about Kim Feil: She is CEO of bizHiv www.bizhiv.com

She is the lead investor for Aspire Healthy Energy Drinks www.aspiredrinks.com healthy drink no carb with lots of B vitamins.  You can find also find Kim on LinkedIn

36:40 Last Word of Advice: Just enjoy your career-the days when it feels really hard remember life is more than that and really LeanIn in to it.

If you liked what you heard find out how to subscribe by going to www.rockyourtradeshow.com.  You can also get the free download of today's episode with the key tips Kim shared at www.rockyoutradeshow.com/kim

Credits: Sound Editing by Emerald City Productions.

Create An Unforgettable Attendee Experience

Chris Krimitsos has hosted over 1,700 events and leverages his life experiences to create the ultimate attendee experience at his events and conferences.  Chris Krimitsos is a national expert on the subject matter of Podcasting and content creation.  Chris created the Florida Podcasters Association in August of 2014.  He produced award winning TV shows, "The Bleepin Truth" and "Millionaire Mindset" with clips that are still being purchased and shown around the world. Chris speaks with passion, experience and knowledge as he educates business owners, business professionals and entrepreneurs by arming them with the tools they need to succeed in today's business landscape.  

If you host a user conference, national sales meeting, speaker program or exhibit at a trade show conference and you want to get more attendee traffic-this episode is for you!

4 Power Tips to Help You Rock Your Next Event:

1. How to create an evergreen marketing promotion platform for your event
2. Key strategies to get attendees to visit the exhibits at your National Sales Meeting
3. Why you need to develop an internal  speaking program
4. How to take your national sales meeting or user conference  to the next level

Time Stamped Show Notes:

0:10 Rock Your Trade Show Introduction

0:20 Podcast Introduction-remember if you would like more information about user conferences and national sales meetings go to www.rockyourtradeshow.com/letstalk

1:00 Key Tips Reviewed: Evergreen content promotion- How to get attendees to visit exhibitors- Speaker strategies and How to take the attendee experience to the next level at your upcoming user conference.

1:55 Chris talks about why he transitioned from broadcasting to hosting events

2:28 How growing up in a Greek family where there were monthly events impressed upon Chris the power of face-to-face experience.

3:17 The difference between a monthly recurring event which Chris

hosts for the Tampa Bay Business Owners and a destination conference like Podfest.  He shares insights into how to schedule speakers, select hotels and special tactics used for each event

5:17 Why Tony Robins' events are some of the "best run events on the planet" from the music to how Tony Robins controls the crowd- it is a wow experience.

5:39 Chris shares what it was like to have Jairek Robbins as a speaker and how expectations were high considering that Tony Robbins is his Dad.

5:55 Creating a memorable entrance on stage-Chris hid Jairek behind a screen and he was "revealed" to the audience in an unexpected way that attendees talked about after the presentation.  People shared that it was one of their favorite things they remembered about the program.

6:50 Exploring what it is like to be the son of an icon like Tony Robbins?  Chris had high expectations on him-Jairek is an amazing educator and does a great job speaking.

8:20 How to create a memorable experience for the attendee -Chris shares his strategies for pre-event, during and post event.

9:37 How to make your event "sticky", Chris suggests starting with a power networking experience to help people feel at ease and enjoy themselves immediately.  Making people feel comfortable to meet 300-500 people takes planning.  Volunteers at Podfest for example, are very happy people, warm and inviting.

10:21 Networking breaks are a key strategy to help attendees maximize the value they get out of the event.  Podfest kicks off the event with Speed Networking to help people meet.

12:00 Planning is very important-when there is an event that has 100 panelists, sharing the agenda too far out may have changes.  Instead, Chris recommends releasing the agenda two weeks out so the schedule is finalized.

12:50 One way to help attendees stay connected is handing out pre-printed post cards that attendees can mail to someone that made a difference for them at the conference.

13:10 Attendees are encouraged to make 60 day goals and are sent a postcard 60 days to remind the attendee what the goals were.

13:22 Planning includes feedback sheets and negotiations with AV providers prior to the event.

14:40 Our audience can implement this idea with post cards that sales reps can send out at your next   National Sales Meeting to help the reps stay connected after the meeting.

15:27 Chris discusses how to get attendees to the exhibit area.  If the meeting is small enough, the exhibits can be out in the corridor not in a separate room which helps people visit the area.

16:20 Exhibitors are encouraged to have prizes that are tied into a treasure map-companies can submit questions that they would like attendees to know.  After the attendee visits each booth, they get a sign off on a treasure map.  As soon as all of the spaces are completed they can turn the maps in for a drawing and win one of the prizes like a microphone, drone, or other item that has value.

17:24 Winners are selected throughout the meeting and it drives excitement for both attendees and the exhibitors alike.

18:25 Exhibitors are encouraged to promote the Podfest event and let their customers and list know they will be at the event.  If they do a Facebook live video or other promotion, the exhibiting company can get exposure on social media feed from Podfest as well.

19:11 "Marketing is an event like oxygen".  You have to constantly be promoting your event.

20:42 Why naming an event with a regional name can hinder attendance.  After removing the word  Florida from Podfest, attendance and registration increased.

22:15 Why companies should consider creating an evergreen 3 episode podcast as a  marketing tool- This single Series Podcast can be used year in and year out.

22:40 It is worth the investment to create an evergreen podcast and Chris hired Dave Jackson's School of Podcasting to crate The Podfest Chronicles that is story driven and a professional series that can live on after the event.

23:43 Find out the benefits of having a big name speaker and also why you should have a speaker program internally so that you can promote your own people.  You need to find talent within your organization and you may be surprised to learn that internal speakers will have a bigger impact on the attendees because they can visualize that these speakers are just like them.

24:57 Three key strategies to reduce fatigue when you are hosting an event: 1. Eat clean. 2. Sleep if possible despite the adrenaline from the event. 3. Finish business and wrap up before taking a few days off. 

25:48 Chris describes how he recharges with his wife Katie Kramitsos, who is also a podcaster of a global show Biz Women Rock.

26:30 One thing to remember when planning an event-don't over set up a room- it will feel empty.  Set up just under the right number of chairs so that people feel it was a successful event.

27:40 If you want to learn more about Podfest.us check out the website and use coupon code joinme.  Chris can also be reached at [email protected]

28:30 Love what you heard? Visit us at www.rockyourtradeshow.com to learn more

Credits

• Show Edited by Emerald City Productions

This is the episode to find out what is super cool that was released at CES 2017.  Natalie Benamou interviews Jim Harris—one of America's foremost management consultants, authors and thinkers on disruptive innovation, leadership innovation and organizational change. His recent book Blindsided is available in over 80 countries.    Jim works with leading businesses, Fortune 500 companies including Barclays Bank, Canon, Columbia Tri-Star Pictures, Deloitte and Touche, Walmart, Johnson and Johnson, Zurich Insurance to name a few.   Listen as Natalie and Jim talk about the biggest North American trade show of the year in -the Consumer Electronics Show organized by the Consumer Technology Association. 

Key Insights Shared on the Show:

• Hear about two of the hottest technologies released this year, LG Electronics W7 OLED Wallpaper TV and Razer's new project Valerie: the world's first concept design for portable multi-monitor immersive gaming technology
• What entrepreneurs did in the Eureka Park and the difference in being prepared and doing things on your own
• How one company launched a new product with a Kickstarter campaign to test the viability of the project. It was 80% funded in the first few days of the show.
• How to get noticed by industry influencers like Jim
• If you think technology has disrupted the way we work, wait another 10 years—it's going to be jaw-dropping.

Show Notes:

• 00:34 – Introduction of Jim Harris
• 01:36 – How Natalie and Jim connected over Twitter
• 01:58 – Jim has always been interested in new technology
• 02:13 – There is 2.5 million square feet of exhibit space in CES
• 02:37 – The game changer Jim saw at this year's show
  • 02:44 – LG's LED full television that is so thin you can hang it on the wall with magnets
  • 03:14 – The concept laptop from Razer that has 3 screens for gamers
• 04:00 – There are 165,000 attendees at CES
• 04:24 – How do the small booths stand out against the big companies like Intel and LG?
  • 04:50 – Small booths have to start with a compelling message about their technology
  • 05:00 – There's an area just for entrepreneurs called Eureka Park
  • 05:26 – Entrepreneurs should be able to tell their story through headlines and professional graphics
  • 05:58 – Entrepreneurs need to be able to share what they do
• 06:47 – What the entrepreneur should consider prior to attending CES
  • 07:07 – A compelling story always stands out
  • 07:30 – Entrepreneurs should have show-stopping graphic messages to get more people in their booths
• 07:41 – Unexpected technology at this year's CES
  • 08:21 – The Intel booth had some amazing medical wearable technology and that attracted Jim and he remembered it-"don't tell me, show me".
  • 09:10 – There was an impressive amount of virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) including a chair that actually moved people upside-down
• 11:21 – Is there projection mapping at CES?
  • 11:35 – Not quite, but there have been amazing applications of projection mapping over the last few years at outdoor music festivals
• 12:33 – Jim is interested in big picture concepts and disruptive innovation and how technology is going to change how we work
• 13:32 – Jim sees technology as a form of AI that can make his trade show experience richer with improved interactive location maps.
• 14:20 – The one product that was talked about in the Key Note presentations:
  • 14:30 – Huawei has enjoyed exponential growth in sales since announcing the Mate9
• 15:28 – How do you plan to use the information you gather from the show?
  • 15:30 – Jim shares the information he gathers with his clients and helps them anticipate trends
  • 15:52 – "It is important for executives to know where the market is moving"
• 16:15 – Jim Harris' new book Blindsided is mentioned
• 16:47 – Jim's recommendation to those who want to be an exhibitor at CES 2018
  • 16:56 – "Involvement equals commitment"
  • 17:15 – Jim talks about the company that was launched in a Kickstarter campaign
    • 17:30 – The company reached 85% of their campaign in 2 days
    • 18:00 – They are getting feedback for additional features
    • 18:20 – They exceeded their financial goal to raise $ 100K
  • 18:39 – It is important to engage into a community
• 18:58 – The Xshot selfie stick that has gotten popular through word of mouth
• 19:50 – Jim likes the off-beat entrepreneurs who do interesting, "big concept" stuff
• 20:00 – Belkin had Netcam that is a neat product
• 21:00 – Find Jim on Twitter
• 21:20 – Jim also has his website and LinkedIn
• 21:40 – Thank you to Jim for being on the show.
• 21:51 – Subscribe to the show at rockyourtradeshow.com/podcast

Resources Mentioned:

• Blindsided – Jim's book
• LinkedIn – Jim's LinkedIn profile
• com – Jim's website
• @JimHarris – Jim's Twitter handle

Credits

• Show Notes provided by Mallard Creatives

Discover Best Practices to Managing Large Exhibit Projects

This is an incredible episode with John I. Taylor, Vice President of Public Affairs and Communications at LG Electronics USA, Inc. John is the most senior PR, government affairs, and industry relations executive for LG Electronics, USA.  

 In his three decades of experience, John has been an active participant in the Consumer Technology Association, and has attended  48 CES shows!  You are going to hear not only insights of how the show has evolved over the past 36 year but also what LG Electronics does to deliver an incredible experience for attendees.

Taylor shares insights into the  incredible technology released by LG Electronics at the CES show including The LG SIGNATURE OLED TV W features a "Wallpaper" design so impossibly thin and light that it attaches to the wall, while delivering unbelievable color and contrast, plus active HDR with 4K resolution.  Imagine what you can do in your exhibit with this technology!

Four Key Ideas Shared in This Episode:

• What it's like to have 148,000 people visit your booth and how to conduct business when it is incredibly crowded with government officials and Hollywood executives
• How to manage global teams in different time zones
• Strategies to stay on track with goals and objectives
• Why mentoring is a great way to give back and pay it forward.

Show Notes:

• 00:28 – Natalie welcomes John I. Taylor to the show.
• 01:46 – In 36 years at CES, John has seen the event evolve significantly
  • 02:01 – The evolution of CES reflects the evolution of the consumer technology industry
  • 02:13 – CES has been the industry's launch pad for new technology
• 02:34 – Taylor talks about how other industries have arrived to the                       show including automotive
• 03:27 – Discussion about the challenge for smaller exhibitors is                          attracting the right visitors to their booth
• 03:56 – Crowd control needs careful planning and John and his team                   ensure the right people from LG are always there
• 04:13 – Every year, LG has new technologies that attract attendees– this year they had the LG OLED Tunnel
  • 04:47 – They had over 148,000 people go inside their tunnel
  • 05:29 – LG is proud of the CES 2017 results including Best in Innovation Award for their OLED Wallpaper as thin as a pen and mounts with magnets
• 05:37 – John lists the new LG devices displayed at CES 2017
• 06:09 – LG won about 120 awards from the show
• 06:55 – The process started early in fall of 2016 planning for the show
• 07:20 – They embargoed the announcement for LG Series OLED W7 Wallpaper until their press conference the day before the event
• 07:48 – They also made sure their digital marketing team was integrated from the beginning as the CES planning took place
• 08:26 – How post-show promotions are done
• 09:18 – How they did crowd control in the OLED Tunnel
  • 09:26 – Meetings and tours in the booth were pre-scheduled
  • 09:31 – John conducted a lot of the VIP tours himself
  • 09:51 – "It's important to plan ahead...and also important to tailor the message to the audience"
• 10:39 – CES is the epicenter of all things consumer technology related and policy makers are known to attend these events
• 11:21 – CES becomes a wonderful opportunity for exhibitors to be top of mind among policy makers and consumers
• 12:00 – The volume of attendees and overall show was so crowded it made it difficult for 1 on 1 meetings.
• 12:36 – John's fondest memories from CES are really around the excitement of launching new technologies
• 12:59 – LG had 2,000 badges for the show
• 13:23 – Because the show is in the US, people from LG USA takes a huge part in planning but it's still a collaborative effort from across the world
  • 13:43 – LG's planning for CES 2018 has already started
  • 14:09 – John reiterates the importance of having a clear alignment on the objectives
  • 14:47 – John and his team do a lot of meetings to plan
  • 15:17 – They have just completed their post-show review and results summary for CES 2017
• 16:39 – In previous years, John has been given the chance to be a mentor to smaller companies
• 17:26 – John suggests visiting CES as an attendee first before becoming an exhibitor if you are a smaller company to become familiar with the show and all it has to offer.
• 18:03 – "There's a place for anybody and everybody in the consumer tech space"
• 18:26 – The best part of CES for John is being with his colleagues (even if they are competitors)
• 19:02 – John tries to spend the last day of the show checking out other booths
• 19:54 – Over the years, CES has been the catalyst of 'connected homes'
• 21:37 – Earlier in John's career, he had back to back all-nighters
  • 21:50 – Now, the LG staff schedules are done in shifts to help reduce fatigue
  • 21:59 – Key survival tips-always have hand sanitizers at your booth and wear comfortable shoes
  • 22:10 – Take breaks every couple of hours
  • 22:21 – Try to force yourself to get 7 to 8 hours of sleep and take a break after the show
• 23:41 – John and his team use the LG G-Pad to communicate and to brief people for the show
• 24:58 – John has been reading several books at a time like The Wright Brothers, Destiny and Power, American Lion, and Seoul Man
• 26:02 – Natalie thanks John for today's episode
• 26:35 – Check out LG Electronics

Resources Mentioned:

• CES (Consumer Electronic Show) – The largest North American Show
• Consumer Technology Association – The technology association where John has been active for over 3 decades
• The Wright Brothers, Destiny and Power, American Lion, and Seoul Man – Books John are currently reading

John Taylor:

As the Vice President of Public Affairs and Communications for LG Electronics USA since 2000, Taylor represents the company before the U.S. government and in industry organizations. He is the chief media spokesman and public relations strategist for LG in the United States and leads LG's U.S. Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainability initiatives.

Active for three decades in the Consumer Technology Association, Taylor is Chairman of the CTA 4K Ultra HD Communications Working Group, Vice Chairman of the CTA Video Division Board and a member of the CTA Foundation's Executive Committee. He is a long-time member of the CTA Government Affairs Council, the judging committee for the Consumer Technology Hall of Fame and the Editorial Advisory Board for CTA's i3 magazine.

Other CTA experience includes serving two terms as Chairman of the CTA Communications Committee (in the 1990s and 2010s), as past Chairman of the Video Division, ex-Chairman of the HDTV Promotion Committee and former member of the CTA Board of Industry Leaders. He is a charter member of CTA's Academy of Digital TV Pioneers and earned its highest honor, the Industry Leadership Award.

A key player in digital television since 1988, Taylor currently serves as Communications Chairman of the Advanced Television Systems Committee, the industry group developing next-generation TV standards. He also serves on the boards of trustees of The Media Institute and the Library of American Broadcasting Foundation. Previously, he was Public Relations Chairman of the Digital HDTV Grand Alliance in the 1990s and co-founded the Digital TV Transition Coalition in the 2000s. He was a founder and former Chairman of the Plasma Display Coalition, and also formerly served on the boards of directors the ATSC Forum, the Museum of Broadcast Communications and Better Business Bureau.

Taylor also represents LG Electronics USA on the Board of Directors of the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers and on the AHAM Major Appliance division board. Currently AHAM Vice Chairman, he serves on the board's Executive Committee and also chairs the AHAM Major Appliance Division Government Relations Committee. He received the AHAM Distinguished Service Award and was inducted into the Dealerscope Hall of Fame in 2015.

About LG Electronics USA

LG Electronics USA, Inc., based in Englewood Cliffs, N.J., is the North American subsidiary of LG Electronics, Inc., a $49 billion global force and technology leader in home appliances, consumer electronics and mobile communications. LG Electronics, a proud 2016 ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year, sells a range of stylish and innovative home appliances, home entertainment products, mobile phones, commercial displays, air conditioning systems and solar energy solutions in the United States, all under LG's "Life's Good" marketing theme. For more news and information on LG Electronics, please visit www.LG.com.

 

Visit The Rock Your Trade Show LinkedIn Group to share ideas and be part of the community.

Credits

• Show Notes provided by Mallard Creatives

 

 he debut podcast episode kicks off with a top trade show industry expert - Karen Chupka, senior vice president, CES and corporate business strategy for the Consumer Technology Association (CTA), the U.S. trade association representing more than 2,000 consumer electronics companies, and owning and producing CESÒ, the world's largest gathering place for all who thrive on the business of consumer technologies.

She oversees the sales, marketing, production and management of CTA's events and conferences including its annual trade show, CESÒ.   

Each January in Las Vegas, more than 3,500 exhibitors, fill more than 2.4 million net square feet of exhibit space and showcase their latest products and services to more than 165,000 attendees at CES. Under her leadership, CES has been named as the largest annual North American trade show by Trade show Executive Magazine and Trade Show Week since 2001.

Chupka has been with CTA for 27 years and has held numerous roles within the organization including vice president of business development, director of industry relations and education, and director of marketing for CES.

 4 Tips You Will Learn About in This Episode:

1. Key tips to maximizing results and working with show management.
2. How to increase visibility and get visitors to your booth.
3. Why your elevator pitch is so important.
4. How to manage large teams and balance your life on the road.

Time Stamped Show Notes:

• 00:28 – Natalie introduces the debut episode and today's guest, Karen Chupka, Senior Vice President, CES and corporate business strategy for the Consumer Technology Association (CTA)
• 00:55 – CES is the largest consumer trade show in North America
• 01:05 – Natalie provides an overview of the show
• 01:34 – Karen joins the show
• 02:00 – There's so much crossover with many industries at CES—it's kind of what it makes it special
• 02:20 – What an exhibitor needs to do to prepare for CES
• 02:35 – Next year's show is sold 12 months in advance
• 02:57 – Most companies start planning their exhibit strategy 6 months out
• 03:39 – Placement on the show floor is determined by industry sector and seniority
• 04:05 – Hear a 360 perspective about the exhibitor and attendee
• 04:51 – Karen's favorite story from CES
• 05:05 – How CES plans for the next year's show
• 05:17 – Karen's favorite thing is seeing concepts grow over the long-term
• 06:20 – The best social media strategies of CES 2017
• 07:40 – How one exhibitor really leveraged a new offering
• • 07:44 – The Virtual Reality Tinder product
• 08:34 – How CES used Twitter and the Twitter Dashboard to be responsive to people searching for information
• • 09:05 – The ability to respond in real time made attendees feel like they were getting fast answers
• 09:39 – Attendee trends and engagement at an event like CES
• • 09:50 – Buying exhibit space and showing up isn't enough-here is what you should consider
• 10:14 – Smaller companies should take advantage of the benefits
• • 10:40 – Take advantage of all press opportunities that come with the booth space purchase
  • 11:00 – Many companies don't take advantage of all that is included with their exhibit space
• 11:35 – How smaller exhibitors can stand out and get noticed
• 13:50 – Some companies only give a website in the show directory instead of a contact name—it makes it hard for attendees to follow up
• 14:10 – Selecting the featured booths by show management
• • 14:30 – Based on how much of a story there is to tell
  • 15:32 – If you have an interesting story to tell, communicate it to show management so they can connect you with reporters
• 16:50 – New tech trend this year: Voice activated products from Google and Amazon tying into other platforms
• 17:34 –Eureka Park—600 entrepreneurs and new companies exhibit in this special area
• 19:23 – Shark Tank does an open casting at CES for new technology and entrepreneurs
• 20:00 – CES is about more than showing product, it's about finding partners, finding companies to acquire, finding talent to hire, etc.
• 21:21 – Ultimately, you have to make your product easily digestible—people need to be able to understand your marketing message30 seconds or less. Practicing your elevator pitch is one of the most important things you can do before exhibiting at a show
• • 21:59 – You need to be able to answer: How are you solving someone's problem?
• 23:36 – Smaller exhibitors- especially in the entrepreneur section hesitate to leave their exhibit and miss an opportunity during show hours, so CES has a big networking event the day before the show.
• 24:01 – Karen is at CES for 9 days and some of the staff is at the show for up to 17 days
• 24:29 – The CES show is a marathon, not a sprint
• 25:35 – The CES staff includes 160 full-time talent, plus an additional 3,000 short-term staff
• 27:34 – Karen's favorite tool?
• • 27:48 – Keep face to face meetings
  • 28:09 – WeChat
• 29:28 – Karen and Natalie close out the podcast

 Resources Mentioned:

• CES – The Consumer Electronics Show
• Consumer Technology Association – The Consumer Technology Association
• WeChat – A messaging tool Karen and her staff use during CES

Credits:

• Show Notes provided by Mallard Creatives

Rock Your Trade Show: Inspiring weekly interviews with Industry Insiders, Experts, Event Managers, Marketers & Influencers who share their insights, challenges and lessons learned so you can rock Your next trade show. Get all the practical tools and advice you need to rock your marketing program, use social media and networking strategies to create your brand and stay relevant in your career.  After listening to this podcast, you will feel empowered to achieve success, every time.