Many partners say there are just too many shows. Informa, CompTIA, ChannelCo, TD, Ingram, HTG, vendors (like Microsoft Ignite or Dreamforce) and on and on. Too many shows, not enough attendees. The result is competition for the vendor dollars.
The top Master Agencies have been holding their own conferences for quite a few years. They are now starting to interfere with the big channel shows – in dollars and attendance.
When TCG has a 12 stop road show in 2018, that is going to suck up a bunch of MDF from their sponsors. They didn’t have a road show last year, so someone lost out. There is NOT an unlimited number of sponsor dollars.
There is also a finite number of target attendees. (The average partner attends just 2 shows per year.)
Apparently there is a finite quantity of good content and fresh keynotes that are relevant. (I will leave that rant alone for now, but just note that quality content and relevant keynote message are factors to attendance.)
One show that I have been a speaker at has gone through a ringer. The day passes skyrocketed and show floor attendance took a big hit. Then the show decided it was going to crack down on suitcasing. [Note: Suitcasing is when you do not register for the show but attend for meetings. I am not certain you can throw me out of the coffee shop at the hotel though.]
Other shows have had a relevance problem that caused them to stop having two shows a year. Now they have one that is a lot better.
Through the years you have to change with the times. Adjust. Pivot maybe.
Now we have the channel show in Philly coming up and I am hearing that the company behind it is checking registrations like Santa’s elves to see who was naughty. And by naughty I mean, who registered as a partner instead of a supplier. “Since [company Q] has a strong partner program, we do consider you to be on the partner recruitment side and thus subject to supplier rates … it’s a recurring request from our exhibitors that those with attendee passes be likely partners for their programs.”
Imagine registering for the show in August and getting hit with a new invoice 2 weeks before the show to “re-adjust” your invoice to mark you as a supplier because you are a master agency? Weird. Then to talk to a bunch of other master agencies your size and none of them have had a similar issue. Hmmm.
That won’t exactly get you what you think it will. As much as the industry likes to throw around numbers of the 100s of thousands of potential partners, most shows have been in the same pool for years. And that pool maxed out several years ago.
Shows need traffic (eyeballs). Obviously targeted traffic is better, but some traffic is better than none.
Earlier this year before the Vegas show, there was a LinkedIn post that made the rounds that basically said do not buy a pass because it just wasn’t worth it. This show is still fighting to explain its value. Most attendees are NOT there for the sessions. They are there for the meetings – and the parties.
A channel show allows you to meet with a bunch of vendors and suppliers at once. But this isn’t exclusive any one channel show any more. Now a partner can attend any number of events to meet her vendors and partners.
How does a partner decide?
- Some are cheaper to attend. (The hotels in Philly are ridiculously priced.)
- Some shows have other benefits. CompTIA knows that the way to a partner is through their stomach.
- Shows can put you in a room with your self-selected tribe. Ingram Trust X, ASCII, HTG and RR usually have a homogeneous attendance of mainly MSPs.
- Some shows are very technical or specific to a vertical or an ecosystem (Gluecon, Dreamforce).
Shows have to have a clear identity.
Show runners also have to provide an experience.
For quite a while, Informa’s East Coast show has been a big question mark. Let’s not forget about the disaster that was DC two years ago. Austin was better when ChannelCon was there.
The energy varies per show, too. A part of it may very well be that the traditional agent shows are starting to become a big frat party that some of us outgrew. They still have booth babes, keggers, beer pong, and a lack of emphasis on anything positive or technical. (I say that since the keynotes are doom, gloom and politics.)
I have run shows and events for many years (see BarCamp Tampa Bay, IGNITE Tampa, II4A, TCA, FISPA). I know how tough it is to get attendees, good speakers, quality content and make people happy. My rule: who is the customer? The customer is the Attendee. Most shows, the customer is the vendor. When you only care about the dollars, the show ends up sucking.
Since it is a partner’s hard earned cash and his valuable time, she will choose with her pocketbook which shows are worthwhile.
Marketing 101: give the people what they want.
Coffee, water, wi-fi, learn something relevant, make a new friend, don’t waste my time, safe environment – that’s it.
As a conference company your job is to grow a tribe and feed the tribe.
It isn’t about the 5500 registrations – (obviously because you are going through the registrations now and no way are you sifting through 5000+) – it is about the engaged and the take-aways.
At FISPA, the show is about the culture. It is one of the few shows like it. Care is taken to preserve that culture. At BarCamps the show is about the attendee that learns, shares and speaks. BarCamp is an Unconference, which means anyone can speak. It is peer to peer sharing. BarCamp Tampa Bay has been about building a community of techies and start-ups since we started it in 2007. Culture and Community, not numbers and dollars.
It is your show, you can do what you want. Yet if you are losing ground to other shows, you have to ask yourself: Who is my customer? What value do I bring? You might be answering those questions incorrectly.