Tim's Podcasting Trade Show Dilemma

Tim Bourquin at Tradeshow StartUp posts about an interesting challenge/conundrum.  Seems potential exhibitors at his Portable Media Expo don't want to be on the floor - yet they're willing to give Tim about the same amount of money as if they were on the floor in order to sponsor food and drink events around the main conference.

In other words, they continue to see value in investing in conference fees, T&E, and sponsorships to facilitate meeting face-to-face with Tim's attendees.  Which is good.

But they don't see value in having a traditional exhibit and all the related costs that go along with that - booth shipping, drayage, union labor, lead tracking, etc. etc.  Which is bad.  Or is it?

Note that the nature of Tim's event is not one where exhibitors represent big equipment of the touchy-feely kind.  It's mostly a show for software and small devices.  This is not a challenge unique to podcasting.  It's become endemic for most shows that rely heavily on niche software exhibits.

But that doesn't mean there isn't a solution out there.

Podcasting is hot.  But since it's more or less a social networking medium, I would think that the avenue most attendees would take on figuring out what to buy and how to set up their podcast studios would be to ask other podcasters how they're doing things.  From what I've read about and from podcasting evangelists, they seem to be an open-minded group, willing to experiment and share what they've learned.

Considering those dynamics, it might be worth it for Tim to investigate creating several "podcast studios" set up on the exhibit floor.

It shouldn't be hard to find groups of podcasters willing to use an on-floor studio to do their thing.  Especially if it meant they could play around with new equipment and applications in doing so.

So that's your starting point - getting some known podcasters to broadcast from the show floor.

Each studio would feature software, recording equipment, editing equipment, audio SFX, and anything else a podcaster might need to produce their show.  The companies whose equipment and software is being used would pay Tim for what is in effect a "product placement".  Therefore, each "studio" would be underwritten by multiple sponsors.

This allows Tim to feature all or most of the latest equipment and software on his exhibit floor, just not in a conventional trade show manner.  And he gets paid.  Maybe less than for a full booth, but enough to cover carpet, electricity, connectivity and whatever other costs are involved in creating the studios, plus a decent margin for Tim.

There should be no "exhibitor" objections to this since everything that can be used in the studio can be hand-carried in and (I believe) the connections can be done by whomever is using the studio.  This eliminates drayage and union labor charges.  There are no other significant expenses to the "exhibitor".

So now you've got a scenario where podcasting opinion leaders are broadcasting live from the floor while using - and commenting on - new technologies that the "exhibitors" are trying to get into the hands of these people anyway.  Their on-the-job reviews of this equipment will hit the airwaves immediately to be heard (or read) by thousands of others not in attendance.  Who will then buy (or not) the products being reviewed.

I don't believe there's a risk here for Tim.  Maybe there's a risk for the individual exhibitors if indeed the opinion leaders don't like their product.  But it's an interesting shift of tactics that I think could be a great play for Tim's event.  And one that not only gets the new product on the exhibit floor where it belongs, but also creates an interactive experience for attendees and an "event" worth following for those listening at home.

For those of you following this blog who know more about podcasting than I do, what do you think about this suggestion?

Comments

[Sue Pelletier]

I really, really like this idea, and it's just so, well, podcast-y. Don't know how the financials would work out, but what an interesting concept.

[Tim Bourquin]

Excellent post Rich - lot's to think about here!