Understanding and Shaping the Future of Exhibitions and Events For A New Generation – Future Leaders Institute Essay

By: Julie Holzer ( IAEE YP’s Newest Committee Member and 2008 Future Leader Alumni)

To explain my vision for the future of the exhibition and events industry, it is important to first understand the background and events that have shaped my perceptions. Though relatively new to the exhibition industry, I have been immersed in hospitality and events since 2001.

My first job in the industry wasn’t on solid ground, but on cruise ships. A fertile training ground in the events business, I planned, promoted and hosted events for crowds of one to 1,000 and that is where I truly learned that events are only as good as the people who attend them. Whether hosting a trivia contest or a main stage performance, I discovered that the key to success in any event lies in its appeal to the audience.

Before each cruise, a list of passengers with age range and nationality was available and it was this list that determined the events and activities scheduled for the upcoming cruise. Each itinerary and season brought different passengers and different challenges and we adapted to each set of guests coming aboard.

The trade shows and meetings that take place each day in the exhibition and events industry remind me of different cruises and itineraries. It is very easy to continue to use the same promotional materials, schedules and venues year after year, but I believe the biggest change coming to the industry will be when show organizers adapt to the changing demographic of their exhibitors and attendees.

Member of Generations X and Y are emerging and taking the reigns in the business world and their needs are different from those that have shaped the exhibition industry in past years.

Meeting planners are starting to capitalize on Generations X and Y and this is a shift from past practices. Time has become a premium for these generations and longer meetings have become replaced with shorter, more intensive meetings.

Another way this change has become evident is in the move to the web as a tool for trade show information. Exhibitor service manuals, pertinent trade show guidelines, surveys and even social networking are moving online for the ease and speed of consumers. Printed materials are becoming rarer as the web, e-mail and voice mail blasts become more prevalent.

The next generation of trade show and industry leaders will have to appeal to the next generation of people coming up in the business world. The future of the exhibition industry depends on appealing to its audience, an emerging audience that is younger each year.

CEIR and IAEE have recognized the need for this change and are starting to research the best way to appeal to this younger generation of industry leaders and decision-makers through research and surveys (IAEE e-mail titled “IAEE: CEIR Announces Call for Volunteers” and dated 4/30.) With an estimated 112 million people from the X and Y generation (according to William J. Schroer of the Social Librarian web site,) this is a huge audience that the event and exhibition industry is beginning to tackle and must make continued efforts to understand in order for continued success.

Shaping the future of the industry is an exciting endeavor and will not only affect how show organizers market to an emerging audience but also how suppliers do the same in a changing environment.

As a supplier, it is my job to find and utilize the means to change not only on a superficial but a real level the experience of the people we service. Whether it is online ordering or a user-friendly operating system, it is my hope to influence how we market to a new generation. It is about making life simpler and more time-effective.

Listening to employees and rewarding them for their feedback is an important step to finding out what our customers want. Generations X and Y make up a good deal of the work force of show organizers, service contractors and facilities. Realizing and understanding the needs of our own employees is the first step to understanding and marketing to the needs of our customers.

Every day more members of Generations X and Y are entering the work force and more Baby Boomers are retiring, and this is an important time for the industry. It is each of our responsibilities to adjust and do our best to influence a changing demographic. Whether we use our online tools or the people we have working with us, we can shape the future of the industry.

My experience aboard cruise ships trained me to always listen to my audience and never lose sight of a customer’s needs. This is a lesson I have taken with me and is an important one for the exhibition industry as new generations emerge and the industry’s dynamics change and evolve.