ICA Expo

[pitzerwm]

For everyone that was wondering about attendance in this economy, the end results were that there about 7000 but the vendors that I talked to said that the quaility was much better than normal and their leads were 30-50% better than last year. I haven't talked to anyone that thinks that this year was a loser.

I also learned that there are many businesses and parts of the country that are not going to hell in a hand basket, but are doing quite well.

 

[Baywash]

Walking through the casinos you would not know there is a recession going on. The hotel I am staying in seems to be as busy as ever. The guys I spoke with at the show were very happy with the turn out and I heard many venders already talking about being back next year. On the flip side, I did notice various companies as being absent alttogether.

 

[soapy]

I heard about the same things as Bill. Next year booth sales were real strong also. I think a lot of people outside the industry are looking around for opportunities and hitting the trade shows. I really think now is the time for vendors to step and hit the trade shows and not pull back. Even the regional trade shows have been strong this year from what I have heard.

 

[Greg Pack]

Glad to hear a show was a success! I wish I could have gone.

 

[rph9168]

I have my doubts about that 7,000 figure but I would have to agree that the show turned out much better than I expected. The vendors I talked to were happy with the Show and as has already been said, the attendees were mostly people either interested in buying something or actually placing orders. I also heard that booth sales for next year were strong but many did a little downsizing.

 

[Deepshift]

I agree with Soapy that there are and should be vendors outside the industry having booths. With the blisters I've got, I wish I would've stopped and bought some of those "water bed" sole inserts at the Happy Feet booth. Did anybody buy those? How are they working? And while I'm rambling on, I enjoyed meeting and putting faces with names at Tony Romas. And Bill, thanks for the ride! I was a little worried about getting in the car with you afterwards but my nightmares have diminished

 

[Red Baron]

My son and I were talking about this just last month after a car salesman told him "Oh business is great! Never better!" lol I told my son that it's not very likely that business was great, but that's how sales-oriented people are conditioned to respond to the "How's business?" question. I don't intentionally lie when a potential customer for our roofing equipment askes that question - my automatic answer is "We're swamped." That was true for so long that it just became my automatic answer.

People rarely buy out of pity and they're a lot more likely to buy from a company who is blowing and going than they are from a company that is just scraping by. People can sense the energy of success and they want to be part of it.

That was my longwinded way of saying that when a mfr at a tradeshow booth says the show was good, I take that with a 1/2 grain of salt. We exhibit at tradeshows 2-4 times each year and my experience is that exhibitors tell other exhibitors how the show was, but they usually don't tell attendees.

Just food for thought.

 

[rph9168]

Red Baron,

From my experience in this industry I usually consider a bull$hit factor of at least 30%. So if an operator tells me he is grossing $1,500 a bay I feel fairly confident he is doing at least $1,200. Normally I would say you are right but I think based on what I know was actually sold and other commitments I believe from a vendor's point of view that even if some were "blowing smoke" based on the slim turnout most would consider the show to be better than expected.

 

[soapy]

I tried the happy feet. I got them on Thursday and have been on my feet since. Checked them today and they are pretty much dead. They did feel good for 3 days though.

 

[Deepshift]

Wow, I didn't expect that. I'm as big as you are so I don't guess I'll be looking them up online.

 

[Waxman]

My sense of the trade show was that it was busy and people were making deals to buy things. I made a couple smaller ones myself.

The foot traffic at the show was brisk.

Vendors were pushing some bargains!

I learned alot at the ed. session about SS survey results by Mark Thorsby.

 

[rph9168]

Waxman, What did your dad think of the Show? It is always interesting to hear what an outsider's opinion is.

 

[Waxman]

He was impressed. Having been a p.s. teacher for 33 years, he'd never been to a trade show.

He thought the forum party was great and was real impressed with my friend John who drove us around quite a bit!

 

[Danny]

I have my doubts about that 7,000 figure but I would have to agree that the show turned out much better than I expected. The vendors I talked to were happy with the Show and as has already been said, the attendees were mostly people either interested in buying something or actually placing orders. I also heard that booth sales for next year were strong but many did a little downsizing.

I agree. I was at the show for fri & sat from what I saw and was told by exhibitors you are right on. Those that attended the show were in the market to purchase. Most of the exhibitors that attended had something new to showcase which is always fun and interesting. however there was/is a lot of booth space downsizing.

 

[Mel(NC)]

This year's show was the first one I have attended and I personally did not find it that useful. I was looking for ideas to improve my SS and I did not see anything particularly inovative. It was interesting to look at the exhibits but I will probably not go back anytime soon. It was great to visit Vegas and the Grand Canyon for the first time and write the trip off as a tax deduction.

 

[Back4More]

Bill,

I stopped by your booth twice and it was empty. I was going to say hi. Dave, I didn't see you there. Did you go by the Sonny's booth? On the bright side, I finally got to meet Jim Holve in his famous Uncle Sam outfit.

 

[pitzerwm]

Because my customer is the other exhibitors, And I only go to two shows, I'm "working" them, so I'm never in my booth.

I'm sorry that I missed a number of you.

 

[Waxman]

I didn't stop at the Sonny's booth but went by it about 50 times. I was all over that show floor many many times. Sorry we didn't connect.

Mel NC: Did you attend the ed. session re; the 2008 SS Survey Results? If you did, I'd think you would have many new ideas for promoting your SS! I did and I am already implementing them at my carwash! The money I plan to make from these great ideas are, IMO, well worth the Vegas trip. Sorry you didn't have the same experience.

 

[Dean Taylor]

Happy Feet, Sad wallet....

Those things are $35 a pair...and only lasted 3 days? Heck, I can buy a new pair of shoes for $ 35.

 

[Dean Taylor]

I did notice that the show floor was only about 70% full (in my estimation) as compared to previous years in Vegas. They filled in empty space with "office meeting spaces". The registration booth and book library were also on the show floor, also as "fill" I would imagine.

I did notice that many vendors downsized their booths too. Example: Normal 20' X 60' booth were 20' X 40', again about 33% down.

As a vendor, we had about the same attention that we had in Orlando last year. Many of our leads were very good quality leads. I think there were less "tire-kickers" and more were serious buyers.

This trend certainly seems to follow the economy. Hopefully, it will get back on track this year.