THE TRADE SHOW OF THE FUTURE

Ever since I attended the Greenbuild Conference last November, I’ve been wondering: what is the 21st century trade show? While there were thousands of people in attendance and thousands of companies represented there, on the sold-out floor spece, two things struck me. The first was the lack of young people in attendance. The other thing is that there was little use of media or technology in evidence at the booths.

There were lots of education programs and workshops, but the subjects seemed to be largely devoted to construction and architectural interests. That may be what LEED and Greenbuild are all about, but there is certainly room to expand the audience to young people through programs that educate the next generation. Discount student admissions were offered, but the core group of attendees was workers in the various industries associated with the USGBC. To be sure, it’s a social event where companies get to meet their clients and vice versa. Also, the average person doesn’t understand the intricacies of LEED certification. There was very little evidence of video demos or more generalized content that would attract college and high school students to the show. There actually seems to be several shows—the educational seminars, the trade show floor, and LEED education.

I know that the purpose of conferences and trade shows is focused on commerce. But the future of sales is based on growing new segments instead of always preaching to the converted. Sales always has had a component of education to it. And if we’re not educating young people about sustainability, then we are assuming that the market will grow by itself.

The show is naturally a magnet for people who are getting into construction and architectural fields. People also like to touch and see things operate and you can’t do that through a computer screen. Even though it would be possible to present some of the same product information online, I don’t see how you get around the inherent human desire to touch and feel products. At least, there’s got to be another way to present using media that does no produce so much paper to say nothing of the carbon footprint of people coming from different points on the compass to Phoenix for the show. I applaud Greenbuild in achieving a zero carbon footprint by buying credits. It’s a great start and a model that should be emulated as well by non-sustainability themed conferences and shows.

The trade show of the future should be more interactive. New bar code, product, and image scanning applications on mobile phones, for example, would allow visitors to find out more about product information, specifications as well as prices. A virtual trade show using immersive environments would not satisfy the look and feel part, but it would allow people who couldn’t afford the trip to take advantage of the show. Less company personnel would be necessary at the actual show. Discounts could be also offered to attendees traveling together. Perhaps the idea of having only one national show could be offset by offering regional shows. As more LEED buildings become certified, you will be able to see products, services, and technologies in context and in use, hopefully somewhere near you soon. Mentor programs and job fairs would also be an additional draw for younger attendees.