SHOW NEWS: Making the Most of Your 43 Seconds at Las Vegas

John Wolzq

Exhibitors and attendees will need to do extra planning in advance of the 11th annual National Industrial Fastener Show & Conference/West. With more than 800 booths competing for attendee attention and show management predicting 3,000 attendees, exhibitors will need a strategy to catch the attention of distributors.
The November 12-14, 2007, show at its Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas will be open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday and 9 a.m. to noon on Wednesday.
If the final number of booths reaches 850, which show management recently predicted, distributors staying the entire 10 hours will have an average of 42.4 seconds per booth. A distributor arriving the second day and spending the full three Wednesday hours on the show floor will have 12.7 seconds per booth.
Despite the number of booths jumping from 640 last year to what will be a NIFS record, show hours have not been extended for 2007.
Underation: Tell What You Do
Steve Underation has been advising exhibitors for 19 years, and he recommends booth signage telling potential customers “what you do” and “how you can make their life better.” He recalled walking trade shows and all he saw was company names that “didn”t mean a thing to me.”
Carbide die specialist Arken Manufacturing had never exhibited at a trade show before the 2007 International Fastener & Precision Formed Parts Manufacturing Exposition. Underation”s advice was a booth sign reading: “Carbide Die Pain? Get Help Here (Ask about 24-hour broken die turnaround).”
There are other examples of fastener companies providing solutions in signage: In recent years Cardinal Fastener & Specialty Co. Inc. has featured a large map showing the regions where they can deliver fasteners within one day and two days of its Cleveland headquarters.
JoAnn Whetsell of Ken Forging Inc. spends hours during setup carefully displaying eyebolts, turnbuckles and other company products so attendees walking by can quickly see what the Ohio manufacturer offers.

” When the aisles are crowded it is vital not just to “qualify” those approaching, but to “disqualify” people, Underation advises. “It can take more time to qualify people than disqualify.”
“Nine leads with carbide die pain can be Arken customers,” Underation explained. “For what reason would they want 100 business cards?”
Signage can disqualify attendees who also shouldn”t want to waste time talking to exhibitors who don”t supply what they use, Underation added.

NIFS/West features conferences on Monday:
” The Los Angeles Fastener Association will present “Understanding the Bolted Joint” from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday with instructor Carmen Vertullo of Simply Better.
” Engineer Jim Speck will present an application engineering workshop sponsored by show management from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
” “The International Economy and Its Effect on Costs, Demand & Pricing of Metals Affecting the Fastener Industry” is the subject of a Western Association of Fastener Distributors seminar with Dr. Bart Basi from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m.
” The Finance Industry Group Network and the Wisconsin Office of the Business Credit Management Association is sponsoring a finance, credit managers and controllers meeting from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The program will provide information and discussion of industry indicators and trends, risk analysis procedures, bankruptcy law procedures and payment habits of debtors purchasing from fastener industry suppliers. For information contact: Darryl Rowinski, BCMA, Tel: 262 827-2880 x222 E-mail: Darryl@wcacredit.org
” The IFI and NFDA will sponsor a Wednesday morning fastener quality seminar (see page one of this issue of FIN).
” Other related events include the one-hour Monday evening reception; Wednesday NIFS Hall of Fame luncheon inducting Barry MacLean of MacLeanFogg Company and Marty Schneider of Continental-Aero; and a Sunday golf tournament.
For hotel information, including nearby discount hotel alternatives, see the August 16, 2007, FIN.
For NIFS information contact show manager Susan Hurley. Tel: 614 895-1279 E-mail susan@fastenershows.com Web: fastenershows.com \ �2007 FastenerNews.com