European Microelectronics
Exhibitions ....
For most IMAPS conferences the income from selling exhibition booths contributes significantly to the economic result of the conference. As organisers we constantly struggle to keep up the numbers, but can we do it a little better?
I have previously in this column mentioned the initiative in IMAPS-Nordic to involve the exhibitors more actively, asking them their opinion in how to improve and make it even more attractive for them to be present.
The results so far are: just after the opening papers to invite all exhibitors in 1-2 minutes to present themselves and their activities to the audience (still in the conference room), to offer 1 free conference ticket incl. proceedings (and all meals) to each exhibiting company, to have all (extended) coffee breaks in the exhibition hall and to have (extended) lunches and dinners organised as buffet style meals also in the exhibition hall. And then - as something obvious - to make sure that the technical programme is made so interesting that it attracts as many delegates as possible.
All this is now standard offering.
Does it help? Are exhibitors happy?
The answer is so-so. I have a feeling that the initiative is appreciated, but to satisfy the exhibitors, more than this is needed. If we could change the downturn of the whole industry, if we could change the pessimistic outlook, if we could change the travel restrictions even in big companies, if we could bring in new blood from a new, fast growing industry - we might succeed.
But to be honest, we are fighting a tough fight. We have to make the conferences as interesting as possible having papers that describe new developments, trends and utilisation of the latest technologies. Doing so we succeed in keeping the number of delegates relatively high, in spite of restrictions in the number of delegates from former generous companies. But this also means that during the conference hours the exhibition area is almost empty!
And if we do not bring in new interesting topics, we will have a situation where the exhibitors will see only “old” faces, people they already know well.
So why should they exhibit?
We have recently in IMAPS-Nordic seen that some of the traditional exhibitors of e.g. pastes and substrates have started to come as delegates instead of exhibiting.
Why? Because times are tough, and we do not create additional business for them.
Of course this is an unhealthy trend that will hurt us all in the end.
What can we do?
I believe we should start being honest about this and invite exhibitors for their own sake but also see their presence as a kind of sponsoring - and therefore we should be more active in reflecting this in our welcome speeches and dinner talks. Mark it on banners etc. One of the places I have seen this done in practice has been at the Pan Pacific symposia organized by SMTA. Here, after my feeling, the organizers are doing a serious and good job to acknowledge the exhibitors.
But we are once more back to marketing. We in IMAPS will have to market our conferences and exhibitions a lot better, tracing and mailing new groups of relevant people not aware of the world we will open for them.
We have to cooperate with and encourage the exhibitors to invite old and new customers, so we also attract at-door visitors to the exhibition. We have to listen to the needs and ideas of the exhibitors. We have to thank them for their valuable support.
I hope to receive your comments on this. And I will make sure it will be edited and distributed to the right channels.
Søren Nørlyng
noerlyng@micronsult.dk
noerlyng@micronsult.dk
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