Ten learnings from IMEX America 2021

Creating difference: Stephanie Selesnick says there is much for meeting planners and event organisers to consider in terms of adopting gold standard strategies on display at November’s big industry show in Las Vegas: The self-billed, ‘Olympics of Events’ – IMEX America took place inside the Mandalay Bay Convention Center 9-11 November, 2021, with Smart Monday, 8 November. Some 8,600 industry professionals gathered to network and engage in business. Over 50,000 appointments were held during the three trade show days. IMEX America has been one of my favourite shows for years – even before moving to Las Vegas. I always admired the attractive show design, shell scheme packages and clever custom-designed stands. (In the US, pipe and drape is used in most shows, not shell scheme.) I took note of how education was parcelled out and shared – via campfires, silent discos on the show floor, igloos (yes, fabric igloos) as well as traditional ballrooms. Lastly, the commitment to sustainability and local charities I found (and still find) to be refreshing. Here are 10 differentiating things the IMEX team, led by Carina Bloom, do that I wish all meeting planners and event organisers would adopt to go for The Gold.

1. Set realistic expectations. Before the event was held, the IMEX team communicated that this would be a smaller version of the show. With the B2B events industry so decimated by the pandemic and so many international exhibitors, this was not a surprise. Be transparent with your stakeholders about what to expect on event-site ahead of your meetings and events.
2. Try new stuff. Communicate clearly that you’re trying new stuff. Shout it from the rafters. Sometimes the new stuff will work. Sometimes it won’t. Sometimes it’ll need tweaking to return in subsequent years. Case in point – one year there was a collaboration from C2 from Montreal, Canada. Sessions were held in a blacked-out tent on the show floor. Honestly, not one of my favourite things. But it was memorable – and different.
3. Kill the sacred cows. Re-examine and reinvent all the components that go into making your event or meeting what it is. Can registration run better? Housing? What can you do to surprise and delight your audience? What about changing the schedule or varying the type of keynote normally held?
4. Place your show office on the show floor. Be visible and don’t hide out in some hidden, barricaded office far from where your clients are. This is especially important if things are not going swimmingly, not that IMEX had that particular issue there.
5. Use matchmaking apps that work. IMEX has had years to tweak their proprietary matchmaking system and it is excellent. Great matchmaking helps build community. Bad matchmaking just makes people angry and/or disappointed.
6. Hybrid hosted buyer events work. The combination of appointments (hosted buyers) along with the synergy of other industry professionals on the show floor is a win. It guarantees all exhibitors will get some meetings. The regular, non-hosted attendee component keeps things interesting as one never knows who may walk into a given stand.
7. Partner, partner, partner. IMEX America partners with many associations and industry media and are generous in sharing the limelight. They are the Switzerland in a sea of alphabet soups and jurisdictional claims in the B2bB event world.
8. Be brave and try new stuff (part 2). Put some budget aside to do the unexpected. Create FOMO (fear of missing out). Make Instagram friendly areas and include the event’s hashtag. Hold a fundraiser for a local charity. Commit to a wellness programme.
9. Invite local politicians to your events (This one is mine). If there’s one thing we’ve learned around the world (except maybe Germany’s AUMA), the B2B events business and its financial and economic impact is something most politicians don’t know enough about. We must be our own advocates. Invite the politicians and explain the financial ramifications of your event being held in their city, state, region, or country.
10. Community is everything. When there was no choice but to go digital, IMEX embraced it and along with their technology providers, reimagined the experience. Planet IMEX was informative, whimsical, and easy to navigate. IMEX continued to try and do what they do best – safely provide meeting places for the meeting industry. Have you provided the same safe space for your industry or sector?