The Trade Show Podcast

Enrico Gallorini is the Co-Founder and CEO of GRS Research and Strategy, a cutting-edge boutique multinational research firm headquartered in Venice, Italy. Enrico and GRS recently hosted the Human 2 Human Summit at Dubai taking ahead his ideas about In-person and creating a focused discourse. Enrico has dedicated his life to decoding the profound impact that in-person experiences at large human gatherings have on individuals, society, and the world at large. His most significant finding is the unique quality that only live events have, to inspire and drive human evolution. Through his research, he has uncovered remarkable and enduring patterns dating back to the very origins of humanity; insights that remain relevant today and will become even more vital in the future. Described as a forward thinker with a rare intellect and a distinguished expert in the events industry, Enrico is a Strategic Researcher specialising in Visitor Experiences and Author of the book: “In-Person: A Journey Through the Unstoppable Evolution of Events”. He has captivated audiences across 20 countries, delivering keynote speeches at prestigious universities and international conferences, where he explores the transformative power of in-person events. Enrico brings a unique blend of business intelligence, creativity, positivity and passion to the Human-to-Human industry. Enrico Gallorini Today, time is the scarcest resource. Enrico Gallorini believes that organisers should intentionally design tiered packages that cater to attendees’ limited time through curated journeys, better matchmaking, and moments of meaningful interpersonal connection. People are willing to pay higher prices for time-efficient, emotionally engaging experiences that go beyond run-of-the-mill experiences. Differentiated pricing can segment audiences, reveal new buyer segments, and generate actionable data intelligence for smarter event design and monetisation. Many touchpoints, such as registration lines and other waiting areas, waste emotional bandwidth and create uncertainty. Organisers should design these moments with clarity, presence, and engagement, so that waiting becomes part of the experience. Small human cues, rest spaces, and opportunities for reset elevate cognition, serendipity, and connection, ensuring that in-person time feels intentional, welcoming, and emotionally rewarding rather than chaotic. Enrico is critical of conferences that are ego exercises by sponsors or prioritise AV spectacle rather than speaker quality and preparation. He urges reallocating the budget toward credible speakers and meaningful formats. Likewise, exhibitors should staff booths with technical and domain experts—not just salespeople—so that visitors gain real insight, problem-solving value, and differentiated learning that justifies travelling to an exhibition. Run time – 00:43:29 Links for Subhanjan  subhanjan@pitch.link  https://www.linkedin.com/in/subhanjansarkar Links for Enrico: You can order the book here – https://a.co/d/2ONITzr GRS Research and Strategy (www.grsnet.it) https://www.linkedin.com/in/enrico-gallorini

Vince Battaglia produces and maintains online, private-labelled Global and National Trade Show Directories for dozens of suppliers, associations and media groups in the exhibition industry. His career in the trade show industry began 35 years ago at the Sands Expo in Las Vegas, and since the,n he has had several sales positions for Octanorm, Cort Trade Show Furnishings, beMatrix and TWI Logistics. Vince Battaglia Trade shows remain irreplaceably human, despite digital hype. Vince Battaglia says that virtual events and AI experiments since COVID proved limited for true deal-making. Physical shows rebounded quickly because buyers and sellers need trust, tactile product evaluation, and real conversations to commit to complex purchases. AI may enhance design, discovery, and promotion, but it cannot replace face-to-face relationship-building. Data accuracy and discoverability now shape industry growth. Vince highlights how fragmented, outdated show listings undermine exhibitor and attendee planning, while comprehensive, verified calendars unlock new market entry. Exhibitors also seek smaller regional and international shows they didn’t know existed. Reliable directories become crucial in such circumstances. Geopolitical shifts are redirecting supply flows and supply chains. Tariffs and trade uncertainty are pushing exhibitors and buyers to seek alternative suppliers and markets, changing where people exhibit and attend. This fragmentation creates both disruption and opportunity—new shows, near-shoring themes, and regional hubs emerging as companies reconfigure global sourcing strategies. Run time – 00:45:36 Links for Subhanjan  subhanjan@pitch.link  https://www.linkedin.com/in/subhanjansarkar

Anca Platon Trifan is the Founder and CEO of Tree Fan Events Productions, a woman-owned AV production and event technology agency, and the Producer and Host of Events Demystified, the Top 5 podcast in event production, event technology and AI. Her career was built backstage long before the spotlight. Anca came up through live production, calling shows, mixing audio, and leading technical teams under pressure, where decisions have real-time consequences. That hands-on foundation gives her rare credibility with both leadership teams and production crews, and informs her clear, no-nonsense approach to execution and strategy. Today, Anca speaks globally on AI, event technology, and leadership, advising organisations on how to adopt AI in ways that support people, performance, and scale. She is also a competitive bodybuilder, bringing discipline, resilience, and mental focus from training into her work as a business owner and speaker. What sets Anca apart is her ability to translate complex technology into confidence. She carries backstage trust onto the stage, elevates the professionals behind the scenes, and reminds audiences that great events and great businesses are built through care, judgment, and execution. Anca Platon Trifan Anca emphasises that the events industry is currently using AI primarily for efficiency and saving time on daily tasks, which is a tactical approach. This lags behind the broader enterprise world, where AI is leveraged as a strategic, transformative engine to reinvent operational models and gain a competitive advantage. For events to stay relevant, professionals must look beyond simply adopting tools and instead develop a comprehensive AI strategy. This strategy should align with broader business goals, address attendees’ desire for genuine connection, and use AI to enhance the entire event lifecycle—from planning to post-event follow-up—rather than just solving isolated problems. Technology alone cannot solve the core challenges of trade shows and events. Anca points out that many events fail to facilitate meaningful conversations, citing examples of poor booth engagement and follow-ups that occur months later. The real deficit, she argues, is often in human skills: curiosity, problem-solving, and the ability to be genuinely present. The industry needs to invest in training and intentionally staff booths with knowledgeable, engaged individuals who can provide value, even if it means directing a prospect to a competitor. In an AI-driven world, this “human factor”—character, creativity, and storytelling—becomes the key differentiator for creating memorable, effective experiences. While event technology has advanced dramatically in tracking data and attendee behaviour, the industry struggles to integrate these tools in ways that respect human psychology and capacity. Events often become overwhelming, with over-packed agendas leading to attendee fatigue and diminished retention. The future, therefore, lies in the thoughtful integration of technology to support— not replace— human-centric goals. This means designing for “permission-based engagement,” reducing digital distraction at booths, and using data to create more space for quality interactions. She stresses that success requires a mindset shift towards discipline and building habits that support intentional experiences, mirroring the approach she applies to health and fitness. Run time – 01:18:52 Links for Subhanjan  subhanjan@pitch.link  https://www.linkedin.com/in/subhanjansarkar Links for Anca Platon Trifan: Speaker website: https://ancaplatontrifan.me/ LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/ancatrifan/⁠ Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/anca.platon.trifan Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eventsdemystifiedpodcast

Dr Corey Seemiller is a seasoned educator, researcher, and speaker on Generation Z. Her work has been featured on NPR and in The New York Times, Time Magazine, Newsweek, Popular Science, USA Today, Business Insider, and The Chronicle of Higher Education, as well as in several other news publications and cited in nearly 5,000 academic articles and books. She has engaged in market research consulting for Fortune 10, 50, and 500 companies. With now more than a quarter of a million views, her TED Talk on Generation Z at TEDxDayton showcased how Generation Z plans to make a difference in the world. Corey led the Global Gen Z Study, where she worked with 91 researchers from around the globe to better understand cultural differences among Gen Z. More than 30,000 participants from 81 countries took part in the study, making it one of the largest Gen Z studies ever conducted. She recently completed her fifth study, Generations in the World of Work, and her book by the same name was released by Routledge Publishing. She is also the author of the books – Generation Z Goes to College, Generation Z Leads, Generation Z: A Century in Making, Generation Z Learns, and Gen Z Around the World. Dr Seemiller received her Bachelor’s degree in Communication, Master’s degree in Educational Leadership, and a PhD in Higher Education. She serves as a professor in the Department of Leadership Studies in Education and Organisations at Wright State University. Dr Corey Seemiller Dr Seemiller emphasises that Gen Z is profoundly values-driven and purpose-oriented, seeking meaning and connection in their education, work, and activities. She argues against the superficial stereotype that they are merely defined by technology use, noting instead that they are deeply motivated by passion, social change, and community involvement. Her research identifies a significant gap in Gen Z’s confidence and competence in face-to-face interpersonal skills, a trend that predates COVID-19. While they strongly desire in-person connection and experiences, they often lack the practised ability to network or engage in small talk, largely due to societal and educational shifts that provided fewer opportunities to develop these skills. Dr Seemiller advises that to engage Gen Z effectively, especially in contexts like trade shows and events, organisers must shift from offering purely informational content to creating unique, interactive, and connective experiences. The return on investment for this generation is not in accessing information they can find online, but in participating in transformative, communal experiences that foster genuine connections and cannot be replicated digitally. Run time – 00:48:50 mins Links for Subhanjan  subhanjan@pitch.link  https://www.linkedin.com/in/subhanjansarkar

In this episode, the second and last of our roundup series, we continue to provide highlights from episodes podcast over the year 2025, where we spoke to a star cast of industry experts and gained valuable insights on the state of the trade show industry, maximising ROI from events, best practices and much more. In this second special instalment, we continue our journey through the most impactful moments from our 2025 podcast season. This episode gathers a fresh selection of fundamental lessons shared by the thought leaders who joined us, offering a deep dive into the digital and human transformations currently redefining the world of trade shows and corporate events. Once again, we feature the voices of world-class experts who break down the most effective tactics for optimising brand presence and generating high-value connections. Through their testimonials, we explore how leading companies are adapting their strategies to stand out in an increasingly competitive market, sharing real-world experiences about what truly works in today’s business environment. This highlights focuses on providing practical tools to elevate your return on investment and perfect the logistics of large-scale events. From the use of emerging technologies to best practices in sustainability and attendee engagement, this episode serves as an essential guide for those looking to master the trends that defined 2025 and prepare successfully for the challenges of the coming year. Guests in Order of first appearance: Larry Kulchawik Enrico Galorini Carina Bauer Tahira Endean David Peckinpaugh Vijay Sharma Lorenzo Garbuzo  Sooraj Dhawan Marco Barozzi Josiah Taulbee Nancy Drapeau Run time – 00:39:57 mins Links for Subhanjan  subhanjan@pitch.link  https://www.linkedin.com/in/subhanjansarkar

In this episode, we provide highlights from podcast episodes in 2025, where we spoke to a star cast of industry experts and gained valuable insights into the state of the trade show industry, maximising ROI from events, best practices, and much more. This episode serves as a comprehensive recap, offering key highlights from a successful year of trade shows and events in 2025. We have compiled the most insightful moments from our distinguished guest lineup, creating a valuable resource for anyone involved in the trade show sector. Listeners can expect to revisit the essential discussions and expert analyses that defined the year’s conversations, providing a concise overview of the industry’s evolving landscape. We featured a star cast of industry experts throughout the year, including leading CEOs, seasoned event organisers, researchers, and marketing professionals. These specialists shared their extensive knowledge and front-line experiences, providing listeners with a unique, insider perspective on critical topics. Their collective insights cover the current state of the trade show industry, emerging trends, and future predictions, offering a wealth of information for both seasoned veterans and newcomers alike. The discussions went beyond mere industry overviews, diving deep into actionable strategies and best practices. Key segments are dedicated to maximising your return on investment (ROI) from events, effective networking techniques, and leveraging technology for better engagement. This episode distils these valuable takeaways, ensuring you gain access to the most potent advice and practical knowledge shared by our guests, and much more. Guests in Order of first appearance: Enrico Galorini Sridhar Ranganathan Lee Ali John Blaskey Steve Moore Carina Bauer Martin Kelly Nancy Drapeau Mathew Harris Marco Barozzi Run time – 00:36:36 mins Links for Subhanjan  subhanjan@pitch.link  https://www.linkedin.com/in/subhanjansarkar

Marco Barozzi is the Founder of Expo Consulting, with experience of over three decades in the exhibitions and events industry. His journey began with key roles in prestigious companies like the Blenheim Group, Miller Freeman, and Reed Exhibitions. Later, he founded Expo Consulting, helping organisations succeed in the complex and dynamic world of trade shows and events. Over the years, he has collaborated with numerous public institutions, SMEs, and event planners, sharing his expertise in trade show promotion, marketing strategy, project management, and exhibitor training. As the Country Manager of Fira Barcelona for the Italian market until 2022 and a faculty member of ICE/ ITA, he mentored numerous businesses and individuals, helping them navigate the intricacies of the event marketing landscape. Marco Barozzi When not immersed in the world of events, Marco enjoys travelling, reading, listening to music, and spending quality time with family and friends. Macro says that these experiences inspire and fuel his curiosity for discovering new ideas and perspectives. Marco explains many of the issues that exhibitors need to understand before planning or embarking upon participation in a trade show or event. These include actions such as setting objectives, researching the pros and cons of particular events, and training staff to have the correct approach in the booth. At the same time, Marco says that exhibition organisers are often too obsessed with spaces and dimensions in a trade show, and do not pay enough attention to creating value for the exhibitor and the attendee. Marco advises that exhibitors should get better education about trade shows and take the help of consultants and specialists to create better engagement at trade shows. He also believes that only the very large and well-structured organisations are currently following up on visitors in the proper way. He discusses many other important trends, such as AI and its impact on the events industry. Run time – 00:59:29 mins Links for Subhanjan  subhanjan@pitch.link  https://www.linkedin.com/in/subhanjansarkar Links for Marco Barozzi: E-mail: mbarozzi@expoconsulting.it Company website: www.expoconsulting.eu X: @marco_mbarozzi IG: @event_marketer57 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcobarozzi/ FB: https://www.facebook.com/marco.barozzi.39 Link to book – https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0F8VN4ZZQ?ref_=pe_93986420_774957520

Steve Moore possesses a deep passion for scheduling and innovation within the construction industry. He has led scheduling efforts on several billion-dollar projects across various sectors, holds multiple credentials, speaks regularly at conferences, and has been featured in various publications.   He has made notable contributions to the industry through the invention of many physical construction products, as well as digital hardware and software now widely used on construction projects.   Steve Moore In addition to his day job as innovation manager for a large construction company, he runs two construction software startups in his off hours.   Steve is the first in the line of exhibitors who are slated to appear on the show. Steve is the founder of a startup that makes software for the construction industry. In this episode, he discusses his pre-show process, his engagement at the show and post-show follow-up for his trade show participation.  He talks about his social media and specifically LinkedIn marketing, and the measures of ROI and reasons for continuing to go to certain events. He also talks about how event organisers can improve exhibitor returns based on his personal experience at many events.  He discusses what he could have done better to maintain engagement with booth visitors and the new tools that make follow-up easier in the trade show industry.  Run time – 00:50:12 mins Links for Subhanjan  subhanjan@pitch.link  https://www.linkedin.com/in/subhanjansarkar Links for Steve Moore  LinkedIn profile of Steve Moore: https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-moore-a1312113/ Our Website: https://www.intakt.app/  Our LinkedIn Page: https://www.linkedin.com/company/67203109/ 

David Peckinpaugh has been with Maritz since 2011 and assumed the position of President & CEO for Maritz in 2021. A 40+ year champion of the events industry, David provides strategic oversight of Maritz while ensuring the consistent design and delivery of engaging and inspiring program experiences that drive business results.  Since joining in 2011, David has led the company through significant growth, placing renewed focus on clients, industry partnerships and global presence. He has also invested in reenergizing the company’s culture, introducing the company’s signature core value “Take Good Care of Each Other,” which has led to the company-wide purpose of “Unleashing Human Potential.” This aspirational initiative is based on a focus on a triple bottom line where financial, people and sustainability results are equally recognised and celebrated. In addition, David has also championed the company’s fight against human trafficking and to build awareness throughout the events industry of this insidious crime.  His passion and advocacy on behalf of the events industry has earned David accolades and recognition from peers and organizations including MPI Rise Award’s Meetings Industry Leadership, the Joint Meetings Industry Council’s Unity Award, Incentive Travel Council’s Advocate of the Year award,  the Boeing Institute of International Business International Visionary Award 2023, induction into the Events Industry Councils Hall of Leaders, a recipient of the 2025 PACT Freedom Awards and the Lifetime Achievement Award – Business Event Organizer, as part of PCMAs Visionary Awards. David Peckinpaugh David is a past member of the board of directors for PCMA, past Chairman of the PCMA Education Foundation and original co-chairman of the Meetings Mean Business Coalition.  In addition, David is a Certified Meeting Planner (CMP) by the Events Industry Council, Certified Incentive Specialist from SITE and is a certified Master Designer from Maritz. David is married with two grown children and has a passion for sailing, skiing and travel. In this episode, David Peckinpaugh talks about industry trends and how their organisation, Maritz, provides a range of services across various segments of the trade shows and events industry. He talks about the competition and innovation that they are driving. David also talks about the role of AI and its potential in aiding the industry. He delves into the new workforce comprising millennials and Gen Z, and how the industry must rapidly adapt to cater to their needs. He talks about sustainability as a business imperative and how customers are viewing sustainability efforts in the industry. This also brings to the fore the role of the airline industry, which is a crucial component of the events industry. Run time – 00:59:07 mins Links for Subhanjan  subhanjan@pitch.link  https://www.linkedin.com/in/subhanjansarkar

Appointed CEO of IMEX Group in 2009 following the expansion of IMEX into America, Carina Bauer has been part of the IMEX team since the very beginning, joining in 2002 as marketing and operations director with the original launch team. Carina is passionate about the business events sector and its impact on the world, taking a particular interest in issues around sustainability, diversity and inclusion, and mentoring. Carina also takes a keen interest in leadership development, organisational best practice and culture. Throughout her career, Carina has been an active member of the meetings industry. She’s Past Chair of the AEO Council (2021-2023) and the EIA (2021-2022), and Past President of the SITE Foundation (2020). She has previously served on the Board of the MPI UK Chapter and on global committees for MPI and PCMA. Carina is the proud recipient of a number of industry awards, including the SITE Richard Ross Past Presidents’ Award (2022), PCMA Wayfinder Award (2021) and ICCA Inspirational Women Award. (2018).  Carina Bauer She enjoys spending time with her family (she’s a mother to two boys) and travelling for work and pleasure. She is an adventure sports enthusiast with a particular love for climbing and skiing. In her spare time, Carina works with a variety of local charities and is Chair of the Brighton and Hove Albion Foundation—using the power of football to help people get active, learn and stay well throughout Sussex. In this episode, Carina Bauer talks about global trends in the trade shows industry and developments after the pandemic. She also delves into specific modes of hosting events by IMEX. Carina delves into how exhibitors are measuring ROI on events, and how buyers may leverage tools and data provided by IMEX. She talks about how AI is making it difficult to distinguish between real people, which makes face-to-face events even more critical for the marketing team. The core deliverable in a business event is undoubtedly the business outcome. But over and beyond that, the experience at an event makes it more attractive and builds brand loyalty. In that respect, how the show is hosted becomes important for creating a great event. Run time – 00:49:40 Links for Subhanjan  subhanjan@pitch.link  https://www.linkedin.com/in/subhanjansarkar

Larry Kulchawik is a seasoned leader in the global trade show and exhibit design industry, with over 45 years of experience specialising in international face-to-face marketing. His work emphasises the critical importance of adapting marketing strategies to local customs and cultural expectations. Larry’s career spans leadership roles at three of the top U.S. exhibit design firms — Exhibitgroup, Derse, and 3D Exhibits. He has served as President of the Exhibit Designers & Producers Association (EDPA) and the International Federation of Exhibition and Event Services (IFES), representing members in over 45 countries. In recognition of his impact on the industry, he has received the Hazel Hays Award from EDPA and the Roger Taurant Award from IFES. He also authored two books – “The Invisible Industry –  The Evolution of Trade Shows – A Trillion Dollar Secret” and “Trade Shows from One Country to the Next,” a widely respected guide detailing exhibit strategies and cultural insights across 45 countries. A graduate of Southern Illinois University, Larry studied design under legendary visionary Buckminster Fuller, whose influence shaped his approach to creative problem-solving and global design thinking.  Today, Larry remains actively engaged as a consultant, speaker, and educator, supporting college-level exhibit design programs at Bemidji State University and FIT/NYC, and contributing a regular column on international topics for Exhibit City News.  Larry’s unique global perspective, combined with his passion for mentoring and industry advancement, continues to make him a vital voice in the evolving world of trade shows and experiential marketing. Larry Kulchawik Larry Kulchawick talks about the Trade shows as an Invisible Industry because, on its own, the industry is a trillion dollars’ worth of business. He talks about the history and evolution of the trade shows industry, starting at the world fairs in Europe, when they were not even industry-specific. Since then, trade shows have come a long way in terms of specialisation, processes, technologies and scale, growing to be a one trillion-dollar industry that is unlikely to be known outside stakeholder circles. Larry believes that the power of face-to-face interaction, emotion, and the possibility of discovery— an Eureka moment by his definition— are the crucial reasons why the trade show industry receives the largest portion of the marketing budget allocation and continues to be relevant. Run time – 01:00:11 Links for Subhanjan  subhanjan@pitch.link  https://www.linkedin.com/in/subhanjansarkar

Tahira Endean is the Author of Intentional Event Design, “Our Professional Opportunity”, and Our KPI is Joy, Using Live Events to Catalyse, Happiness, Productivity and Trust. She is also the Co-founder of Strategy Table – helping companies Transform Team Dynamics Through Expert Meeting Facilitation.   Tahira is a curious event designer and education curator for the MICE industry. She is passionate about global travel, intentional event design and the integration of technology into our lives and events to enhance the human experience. Tahira wore her “Association Hat” as Head of Events for SITE from 2019 through the pandemic and until we returned to events fully in 2023. Change is inevitable, and in 2023, Tahira put her passion for lifelong learning into practice by earning an MSc in Creativity and Change Leadership. Tahira continues to educate the next generation, teaching Event Strategy and Design at the British Columbia Institute of Technology.  Deeply committed to the industry, Tahira has been recognised for a range of contributions, including 2022 Influencers with Northstar Meetings, SmartMeetings – Women in Meetings Visionary (2021), MeetingsToday Top 20 Trendsetter (2018), a MeetingsNet Changemaker (2016), the MPI BC Chapter Mentor of the Year (2018), amongst others.  In 2015, Tahira was inducted into the Meetings Canada Hall of Fame in the Big Idea category.  Tahira Endean Driven by a fascination with what we are learning about neuroscience and the power of the five senses to enhance memory, knowledge retention, and improve connections, she is continually seeking appropriate ways to design the most relevant incentives. meeting and event environments.  Tahira also loves travel, cooking, time with her family, and anything with bubbles!   Tahira speaks to Subhanjan about why humans connect, and the experience of attendees and participants at events should be the paramount criterion on which to base the design of events. Ultimately, people want to connect and experience empathy and joy at such gatherings.  Events are costly, and when organisers plan them, they typically look at factors such as display effectiveness, website functionality, technological efficiency and a host of other such criteria. But they ought to spend at least a tiny amount of their resources on thinking about the human experience.  The customer journey starts with the anticipation phase, when they start packing for the journey to the event. Great events should make the arrival, the registration, and the welcome- all of these memorable experiences for the attendee. After all, out of three or four-day events, most people tend to remember only six minutes of the entire engagement after a while.  Run time – 01:03:07 Links for Subhanjan  subhanjan@pitch.link  https://www.linkedin.com/in/subhanjansarkar

Richard Erschik is a trade show industry veteran with over 50 years of experience, evolving from being a company’s exhibit manager to one of the most respected voices in post-show sales lead management and exhibitor training. Over 3 decades ago, Richard identified the industry’s widespread failure of post-show sales lead follow-up which persists till date. Richard founded a very successful marketing services company that processed over 1 million sales leads, helping 147 companies turn their trade show leads into real sales.  Richard led the company to generate over $10 million in revenue and was named “One of the Most Innovative Companies in the Country” and a “Best Practice in Trade Show Marketing” by American Airlines. Rich later sold his business and dedicated the next chapter of his career to training exhibitors, delivering more than 350 in-person seminars and online workshops to over 50,000 professionals. He has been a featured speaker at the EXHIBITOR Show in Las Vegas for 18 years and was named in Trade Show Executive Magazine’s “Who’s Who in Exhibitor Education.”    Known for his no-nonsense approach, sense of humor, and unforgettable real-world stories, Rich’s mission has always been simple: help companies stop wasting money at trade shows—and start converting their leads into measurable sales results for a positive ROI.   He is also the author of two books that tell his captivating industry story: “Trade Shows Don’t Cost… They PAY!” and “From Problem to Profession.”   Richard Erschik In this episode, Richard Erschik talks about the problems in the Exhibition Industry, delving into some core issues, such as the roles of Marketing versus that of Sales, and why Marketing should not just hand over leads to Sales just after an event is done.   He discusses the lack of experience and training in the Exhibition industry, especially post-COVID, when a lot of experienced people had to be fired simply because there were no exhibitions at that time. After the pandemic has passed, however, the problem of not having experienced people is still affecting the industry.  Richard believes that Trade Shows clearly are the best way to get the right prospects in front of the seller, face-to-face, but not all leads are good, and not all leads will buy immediately. It is the job of the marketing department to qualify hot leads and nurture the others based on their progress along the buying journey. These and many other insights.  Run time – 00:49:06 Links for Subhanjan  subhanjan@pitch.link  https://www.linkedin.com/in/subhanjansarkar Link for Richard Erschik  www.ExhibitorTrainingWebinar.com

A PGDM from Indian Institute of Management Calcutta, Mr. Sooraj Dhawan is attributed with inception and sustainable success of several landmark Trade Shows in India, including International Engineering Sourcing Show (since 2012), InfoComm India (since 2012), IPHEX India (since 2013), Cap India (since 2016), Source India (since 2016), Logix India (since 2019) PlexConnect (since 2023).  Mr. Dhawan is the Director of Falcon Exhibitions Pvt. Ltd. A visionary business strategist, Mr. Dhawan specialises in International Trade development & Investments and feels that trade shows are the best way forward to business expansion. He is also a big advocate of ‘Make in India – Export from India and is an acknowledged specialist in organising International Buyer-Seller meets in India in areas, including Engineering, Power & Electricals, Automobile components, Rubber, Plastics & Chemicals, Pharmaceuticals, Textiles and Information Technology.  Currently, Mr. Dhawan is the President of Indian Exhibition Industry Association. The Indian Exhibition Industry Association (IEIA) is the national apex body representing the Exhibitions industry in India, comprising 400+ leading Exhibitions industry players, sectoral associations and trade bodies. He is representing IEIA in the prestigious India M.I.C.E. Board formed by the Ministry of Tourism, Govt. of India.  Mr. Dhawan is National convenor for MICE Sector Panel of Bureau of Indian standards. He also represents India in the ISO Standards body and in the UFI ISO Working Group. Mr. Dhawan is currently Director to the Board of Governors at IIM Calcutta Incubation Park and is focused on mentoring startups all over India. Mr. Dhawan is also a trained business mediator and empanelled with the Ministry of Company Affairs in New Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad and Kolkata for offering business mediation and conciliation services.  Sooraj Dhawan In this episode, Sooraj Dhawan talks about the current state of the Exhibition Industry in India, as well as future plans and required actions to take it further.  He points out that modern infrastructure for MICE is growing rapidly in the country, not just in Metros but also Tier II and Tier III towns, making India a very attractive destination for global exhibitions. What needs to be added to the mix is much greater international flight connectivity to emerging destinations in the country.  Alongside, in terms of technology, there is great skill and adoption in the country, providing a robust base for leveraging the India Stack. In the area of manpower, there needs to be greater skilling, which associations and universities are already developing and delivering.  Run time – 00:50:04

John Blaskey has generated hundreds of millions of pounds of new prospective business for his clients through face-to-face marketing. Global multinationals, national trade organisations, not-for-profits and countless SMEs have benefited from John’s insights.   John’s key theme is persuading his audiences to stop hiding behind their screens and engage with prospects. Engaging with our fellow human beings has proved to deliver far more long-term business relationships than via online methods. John’s content addresses how to identify real prospects, how to evaluate them, how to listen actively to their needs, how to align their messaging consistently and how to take advantage of our universal connectiveness.   From manufacturing display panels for exhibitors 40 years ago to disrupting conventional exhibiting norms, John is certainly an unconventional figure. His calling today is to inspire and persuade any ambitious organisation to create sustainable live marketing strategies, to differentiate themselves, and measure every aspect of their performance.   John Blaskey In this episode, John Blaskey discusses his key findings throughout his 50 years of experience in the Trade Shows industry, and his unique propositions that can enable organisations to get better results from exhibitions and trade shows. He believes that essentially, events where people gather have risen from primal roots such as the bazaar and the agora.  Even today, people gather at events to fulfil their desires of socialising and entertainment, of spectacle and camaraderie. It is in this context that John proposes that booths must therefore host performances, and these performances must draw in the right audiences. At the same time, he advocates qualifying visitors before letting them into booths, which must be treated as private enclosures.  He also believes that events are a part of a continuum that must be designed to take qualified leads onto the next stage, or next event, which should be a private one-on-one interaction. Exhibitions are marketing engagements and are not meant to garner sales.         Run time – 00:48:54

Sridhar Ranganathan believes that B2B businesses thrive on human connection. His startup B2Brain enables exhibitors at Events and trade shows to generate a high-quality pipeline and better ROI by providing them a way to capture, analyse and engage leads.  Having done stints in product leadership at InMobi, Yahoo and Zoho, Sridhar strives to understand user behaviour and incentives at a fundamental level and to architect the product experience based on these insights.  B2Brain is used by companies in vertical markets, such as Zetwerk and Appify, to amplify their GTM efforts and derive more value from events and trade shows.  Sridhar Ranganathan In this Episode, Sridhar discusses the current state of the Events Industry in the context of why businesses of various sizes involve themselves in exhibitions and events. Branding, pipeline building and connecting are primary motives.  In each instance, the measure of success is different, and except for direct pipeline building and lead generation, measuring ROI is often difficult. However, the most important factor is that events must be looked at as a process rather than a one-off.  Preparation for the event, with meticulous detailing, as well as follow-up after the show, are crucial for the success of this process. What often happens, though, is that the energy of face-to-face connections at the event drops drastically after the show as people get back to their daily routines. Hence, the grind of following up meticulously falls through the cracks, and the results are thus less than desirable.       Run time – 01:07:47

In Conversation with Enrico Gallorini, Co-Founder & CEO, GRS Research and Strategy. He speaks to Subhanjan Sarkar in this episode on how Trade shows and events can deliver ROI.

In Conversation with Leanne Velky, Owner & Operator, Leanne Velky, Inc.. She speaks to Subhanjan Sarkar in this episode on how Trade shows and events can deliver ROI.

In Conversation with Lorenzo Garbujo and Vijay Sharma, Senior Consultants, jwc. They speak to Subhanjan Sarkar in this episode on their report on the Trade Shows and Events Industry worldwide.

In Conversation with Matthew Harris, Senior Managing Partner, Harris Capital & Partners. He speaks to Subhanjan Sarkar in this episode on how Trade shows and events can deliver ROI.