Weekly Tip

Looking Foward to CEDIA EXPO 2011 in Indianapolis
By Sharmon Rodgers, Delano Associates

For those of us who have attended CEDIA Expo for many years, we have fond memories of the years when the show was held in Indianapolis. The downtown area was compact and everything was pretty much within walking distance if you were lucky enough to be in one of the downtown area hotels. But then the custom install industry and Expo attendance show grew…and we basically outgrew the capacity of the convention center and the hotels surrounding Indianapolis. Now several cities and locations later, I am looking forward to going back to Indy for Expo.

After attending the recent CEDIA Expo site visit on behalf of a manufacturer client, I am happy to report that Indianapolis has definitely stepped up to the challenge. The expanded convention center and the addition of several new hotels - while still maintaining that “everything close” downtown appeal - was a welcome sight. Many of the old haunts are still there, but there are also many new developments and changes that were a nice surprise. And everyone I talked to in Indianapolis - from the cab drivers, hotel personnel and restaurant staff - are very excited to have our group back.

With any new location for a tradeshow there are changes to how things operate in each city or convention center. Here are a few tips to make the transition easier whether you are an attendee or an exhibitor:

* Plan your Expo time accordingly. We all know that schedules are hard to keep to at a tradeshow, but it does help to plan your meetings and activities taking into account location of appointments, transit time, and some extra buffer to allow for delays. The new Indianapolis convention center is quite large. To give you an example it took me approximately 15 minutes to walk from the main entrance area to the JW Marriott and that was with no stopping – and I walk fast! So during the actual show times – I will add at least another 10 minutes to that time to account for any delays.

* Schedule meetings, training, and after hours activities early! If you are an attendee and plan on taking advantage of the CEDIA training and Manufacturer Product Trainings, register early so that you can plan your schedule on your time frame, not based off of what spots are left.

* Make restaurant reservations for large groups ahead of time. Indianapolis has always had a great selection of downtown restaurants, but if you have a large group of people for dinner, make your reservations early.

* Click here for a variety of information to help make your time in Indianapolis more productive:

o Attendee, Exhibitor, or Media Info
o Show Floor Map
o Host City information for restaurants and transportation
o Schedule of Special Events
o CEDIA University registration and MPT training schedules

CEDIA Professional Services Members, trusted for their professionalism and reliability, offer CEDIA members unmatched channel expertise in specialized fields and insight into the latest trends and tactics in the custom installation industry. These individuals and companies offer a wide-array of services and consultation programs including support with marketing and advertising strategies, graphic design, website design, product launches, public relations, promotional goods, product design and development, hardware and software engineering, trade show management, strategic business planning, financial and administrative development, and more. For more information on CEDIA Professional Services Members can help you and your business, please visit www.cedia.org/psat.