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