Steve Miller also has chimed in on the brouhaha over Brookings, which I posted about earlier. More to the point, he touches on something that we all should be thinking about:

Our entire industry is threatened by a much bigger issue right now. Major corporations in many industries are seriously questioning the value of exhibitions. Corporations who represent the top 20% of our exhibiting universe in expenditures are tiring of our industry’s own Perfect Storm – high costs, the hassle factor, and lack of ROI. The voice of discontent grows louder each day. Exhibitions aren’t the 800-pound gorilla anymore.
    This situation is a lot more dangerous to our future than the Brookings report. The problem is it’s more like a tapeworm inside our world. We can’t see it and it’s eating us from the inside out. If we don’t band together and solve this problem well, I can guess the result.
    And this crystal ball isn’t blurry

Maybe the days of giant monster shows are coming to an end, at least in some sectors. I don’t know. I do know that the exhibitors at the 1st Annual Pharmaceutical Meeting Planners Forum, which Medical Meetings cosponsored with The Center for Business Intelligence, walked away very, very  happy. Maybe it was because it was so niched to a highly desirable audience; maybe it was because, even though we didn’t have dedicated exhibit hours, we drove people there for every possible break. Maybe it was because the exhibitors really went all out to learn about pharmaceutical meeting planners’ specific needs, attending the conference sessions in large numbers. I don’t know. But it worked. Maybe the future of trade shows isn’t so much a huge, diversified mega-showcase. Maybe it’s smaller, and more specialized, and more vertical. Were I an exhibitor, that’s where I’d be spending my money, anyway.

Take it away, Rich! I know you’ll have lots more to say about this than I do.

Steve Miller also has chimed in on the brouhaha over Brookings, which I posted about earlier. More to the point, he touches on something that we all should be thinking about:

Our entire industry is threatened by a much bigger issue right now. Major corporations in many industries are seriously questioning the value of exhibitions. Corporations who represent the top 20% of our exhibiting universe in expenditures are tiring of our industry’s own Perfect Storm – high costs, the hassle factor, and lack of ROI. The voice of discontent grows louder each day. Exhibitions aren’t the 800-pound gorilla anymore.
    This situation is a lot more dangerous to our future than the Brookings report. The problem is it’s more like a tapeworm inside our world. We can’t see it and it’s eating us from the inside out. If we don’t band together and solve this problem … well, I can guess the result.
    And this crystal ball isn’t blurry

Maybe the days of giant monster shows are coming to an end, at least in some sectors. I don’t know. I do know that the exhibitors at the 1st Annual Pharmaceutical Meeting Planners ForumMedical MeetingsThe Center for Business Intelligence, walked away very, very  happy. Maybe it was because it was so niched to a highly desirable audience; maybe it was because, even though we didn’t have dedicated exhibit hours, we drove people there for every possible break. Maybe it was because the exhibitors really went all out to learn about pharmaceutical meeting planners’ specific needs, attending the conference sessions in large numbers. I don’t know. But it worked. Maybe the future of trade shows isn’t so much a huge, diversified mega-showcase. Maybe it’s smaller, and more specialized, and more vertical. Were I an exhibitor, that’s where I’d be spending my money, anyway.

Take it away, Rich! I know you’ll have lots more to say about this than I do.