CEIR Releases New Industry Insight Series Report

The Center for Exhibition Industry Research (CEIR) announces the release of a new Industry Insight Series report, It’s Not Your Father’s or Mother’s Trade Show Anymore – Engage with Caution. This document offers advice from a seasoned exhibitor training consultant who urges exhibitors to shift engagement approaches to align with the new dominant generation in the workforce, Millennials.

“Barry Siskind is a well-respected consultant in the industry,” noted CEIR CEO Cathy Breden, CMP, CAE. “His commentary walks the reader through the importance of exhibitors making changes now, to assure that an exhibit program keeps pace with generational shifts in play in today’s B2B marketing landscape.”

It’s Not Your Father’s or Mother’s Trade Show Anymore – Engage with Caution offers a synthesis of key findings from CEIR research that highlight unique generational preferences of business professional attendees. Siskind makes the case, based on his extensive exhibitor training experience, for the urgent need to shift attendee engagement approaches to align with what is apt to resonate with Millennials. This study helps the reader understand the underlying rationale for shifting approaches and offers concrete examples of how to shift booth staff engagement tactics to position face-to-face engagement efforts for ultimate business success.

Siskind remarks in the report, “Unlike acts of nature which produce immediate and often devastating effects, business disruptions do not always happen quickly, and their effects are often surprisingly positive. The exhibition industry is no exception.” He further notes, “When exhibitors ignore the influence of Millennials, they place their trade show investments in peril. Unless Millennials are being properly engaged, all good intentions are simply window dressing.”

This 12-page report covers the following:

1. Why it is important to adjust booth engagement techniques – data on the generational workforce shift in play and topline CEIR data on unique generational workforce preferences
2. Discussion of gaps of exhibit booth engagement approaches with what attendees use
3. Exhibit booth additions, improvement plans to enhance attendee engagement
4. How to convert attendee “window shopping” into engagement via the human factor

• Conversation opener examples
• Discussion of the power of empathy in driving discussions with attendees
• Questions to include in pre-show exhibit booth staff training to help maximize success of attendee engagement efforts
• Tactics to effectively disengage with attendees and successfully identify next steps

Click here to download the report.

EDPA, ESCA, IAEE, IAVM and SISO members can access the CEIR library and reports at no cost – a benefit of membership in these organizations.

About CEIR
The Center for Exhibition Industry Research (CEIR) serves to advance the growth, awareness and value of exhibitions and other face-to-face marketing events by producing and delivering knowledge-based research tools that enable stakeholder organizations to enhance their ability to meet current and emerging customer needs, improve their business performance and strengthen their competitive position. For additional information, visit www.ceir.org.

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Media Inquiries:
Mary Tucker
+1 (972) 687-9226
mtucker@ceir.org