For years I’ve been hearing all the buzz about IMEX, but never had the opportunity to experience it first-hand until this year.

IMEX is often referred to as the mega-conference & trade show for the events & incentives industries. And it definitely can be overwhelming for a newcomer. I spent the first couple of days feeling breathless … trying not to miss any must-see sessions I had bookmarked or in-booth activities that sounded creative and fun.

I was there primarily to capture and record ideas for YOU – to be the eyes and ears for all my podcast listeners, followers and clients.

So now that I’ve had a window of time to process and reflect on all my photos and notes, I’ve put together a list of ideas gathered and lessons learned during those four days in Vegas (both good and bad).

Many exhibitors face a disconnect – the marketing team works hard to design an engaging and interactive exhibit that attracts crowds, but the sales team feels it’s not delivering the right type of leads.

How can you bridge that divide?

Teresa Lopez has a lot of experience getting both of these teams working together. In this episode, she shares some of her favorite strategies for how to:

• Get sales to see you (the marketing or exhibit manager) as part of their team
• Find the overlap to create the right in-booth talking points
• Design booth activations and experiences that are relevant
• Use lead gathering methods that streamline follow-up

You may not spend a lot of time thinking about vendor selection when it comes to your exhibit or event, but that could cost you.

Having vendor partners you can trust will make your job so much easier. But on the flip side … working with a bad one could spell complete disaster!

Evan Babins knows how to find and build relationships with trusted vendors, and in this episode he shares his expert tips on:

• What to look for in a potential vendor (and what to avoid)
• How to leverage existing vendor relationships
• Why you should consider yourself the quarterback for your exhibit or event
• What to do when things go sideways
• Where to look for great vendors

Ever been the unhappy victim of a slimy sales pitch? (Haven’t we all!)

Want to make sure you never come across that way?

Then you’ll want to take careful notes as you listen to my conversation with sales expert Aleasha Bahr, who believes there’s a much better strategy for those in-booth sales conversations. (Hint: It’s NOT all about selling!)

She’ll guide you step by step how to:

• Seamlessly weave your pitch into the conversation
• Put everything in context for each person
• Handle objections in a totally new way
• Create a more natural follow-up approach

When you’re at a trade show, it’s easy to get focused on simply gathering leads or generating sales – short-term results.

But beyond that, are you building meaningful connections that can lead to future business or open doors to other exciting opportunities?

I know I’ve made some of my best client and friend connections at a trade show. Perhaps that’s how you and I first met!

In order to meaningfully connect with someone – whether that’s a customer, neighbor, coworker, or anyone else – you need to focus on a few basic things. Together, these actions guarantee more effective communication and demonstrate your interest in the other person.

Earlier this year, I attended a workshop on how to market like Taylor Swift, and let me tell you … there are a wealth of insights you can learn by studying this multi-award-winning, stadium-packing music legend.

And it really doesn’t matter whether you know a single one of her songs (I’m only familiar with a few myself). We’re going to break down the strategies she uses to create raving fans who can’t wait for her next album debut – and how you can put each of these to use in your trade show marketing.

Designing an impressive exhibit display just isn’t enough anymore.

Attention spans are shorter, and attendees want experiences that not only educate about your products, but also involve and entertain them.

At the same time, sponsoring the opening reception or other official event at the show is likely outside the budget for many companies. So what’s a creative exhibitor to do?

Wendy Porter has decades of experience producing memorable events, and she joins us to share insider tips on:

• Why it’s more important than ever to create experiences off the show floor
• How to curate an exclusive experience for your ideal audience (with fun examples!)
• Why the way you transport them to your event sets the tone
• How to use in-booth activities to increase attendee dwell time
• What an “Alice story” is and why it matters

Lifestyles have changed since the "Great Pause," and stamina is a big part of that. While event attendees used to be willing to be booked solid from sunup to sundown (and far beyond), that just doesn't fly anymore.

Savvy trade show organizers and exhibitors are learning to integrate wellness into all aspects of the event – from the overall schedule to meals to in-booth activities and more.

In this episode, wellness consultant David Stevens goes beyond the buzzword of wellness and shares strategic ways to integrate well-being into events by:

• Becoming mindful of the attendee experience
• Incorporating wellness elements in your booth
• Designing after-hours events that won't burn people out
• Understanding what "wellness washing" is & how to avoid it
• Pacing yourself and your team to make it through the entire show