Blogs

Jul 05, 2023
If you are an exhibitor in the food and beverage industry, you’ve probably noticed a shift in food and beverage marketing trends toward personalization over the past few years. This trend began with small businesses but has since been adopted by major corporations. Personalization enhances connection by providing each trade show guest with a unique experience. There are many ways to personalize a food or beverage product. One of the ways you could implement personalization is to print names or photos onto individual packaging or even the product itself. Implementing an effective food and… more
Jun 28, 2023
As the world becomes increasingly aware of the power of language and its potential to perpetuate biases and stereotypes, we must examine the words we use daily. This is especially important in the events industry, where we have an obligation to create inclusive and welcoming environments for all attendees, exhibitors, partners and more. In part two of our series, we’ll explore additional words and phrases that are common in the events industry but have negative historical connotations or promote exclusivity. From the insensitive use of “manhours” to the problematic term “grandfathered-in,”… more
Jun 21, 2023
Face-to-face trade shows were fatally interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Many companies were forced to let go of their exhibit managers, and as a result, they are now filling that function with less experienced personnel. This has highlighted the need for exhibitor education and training of inexperienced personnel in a way that ultimately generates better quality leads that make their follow-up easier for the sales force. Trade shows are generally a significant cost line item on a company’s marketing budget, and it is no longer cost-effective to simply show up and show off to exhibit.… more
Jun 14, 2023
The use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) used to be the stuff of dreams for event planners, but with the introduction and growing popularity of tools such as ChatGPT, these dreams could soon become reality. Launched by OpenAI back in June 2020, the AI-based chatbot is creating waves of excitement. With the ability to provide incredibly detailed and human-like responses to highly demanding queries, ChatGPT has the potential to revolutionize the way we gain information.  However, in the event industry, there are still many who question whether the technology will ever be ready for more… more
Jun 07, 2023
The majority of trade shows that American businesses attend will be on U.S. soil, but there are also significant benefits to exhibiting in the United Kingdom. With the second-largest population in Europe and the sixth-largest economy in the world, the U.K. is a global business hub and an important bridge between the U.S. and Europe. While the events industry in the U.K. has many similarities to that of the U.S., the terminology used can vary significantly. Below is a glossary of common industry terms and how they differ between the U.S. and the U.K. “Trade show” (U.S.) Versus “Exhibition” (… more
May 31, 2023
Advances in natural language understanding (NLU) have made chatbots more than a stopgap for customer service alone. The increased flexibility in their application has allowed organizations to implement AI-powered technology by channel and by purpose to provide intelligent guidance and contextual support for a myriad of business processes and workflows. In the event marketing space, chatbots have now become essential for promoting and even assisting in the management of an event. However, these “virtual agents” offer many advantages beyond a few basic touch points within the customer journey… more
May 24, 2023
Most event marketers are facing an uphill battle right now as they try to build momentum for their event registrations. Sure, potential attendees may have seen a social post or email about their event, but did that compel them to drop everything and register for it?  Most likely not. In fact, numerous studies have shown that registrants now need between five to 15 touch points before they commit to an event. As a marketer, you’re doing your best to reach your audience in all the right places. But what if everything you’re doing on your own just isn’t enough? Consider working with an event… more
May 17, 2023
Navigating a trade show can be a daunting experience for visitors, as the repetitive grid layout, the lack of reference points and the sheer size of events can make it hard to find your way — especially when there are multiple halls. Post-event surveys often capture verbatim feedback from visitors that cite navigation as a leading source of dissatisfaction with the event experience. A key obstacle for event organizers in solving this problem is that we are prone to thinking about the visitor journey in the way we want it to happen and overlook the idiosyncrasies of what attending an event… more
May 09, 2023
Recently, I had a phenomenal connection with an exhibitor at an industry trade show. We really clicked, the conversation flowed and their solution looked like a good fit. So when I got an email from this person after the show, I was excited to open it. Unfortunately, it was a generic follow-up email probably written by their marketing department. This was just a complete letdown. I was seriously excited to connect again, but then I started to wonder if maybe I was thinking about a different company. Or maybe I didn’t remember the conversation the same way. Or maybe the solution was not as… more
May 03, 2023
As an event marketer, you know that creating valuable and engaging content for your conference attendees is crucial to the success of your event. However, what happens to all that great content after the conference is over? If you’re not repurposing it, you’re missing out on a valuable opportunity to reach a wider audience, extend the life of your event, reinforce its value and leverage past event content to promote upcoming events. Repurposing conference content involves taking the information, insights and ideas presented during your event and transforming them into different formats that… more
Partner Voices
Here at Mandalay Bay, venues are inviting and innovative. As one of the most iconic names on the Las Vegas Strip, the Mandalay Bay Convention Center has recently undergone an exciting upgrade. This renowned venue now offers everything your business needs, with a refreshed convention space designed to inspire productivity and creativity, as well as an impressive selection of world-class restaurants and amenities. If you're searching for a venue that is both inviting and innovative, Mandalay Bay is the place to be. Mandalay Bay is committed to investing in a new wave of enhancements, not only in the convention space but also throughout the entire resort. With new restaurant openings and remodels, spectacular entertainment, and updated rooms, Mandalay Bay promises to deliver new and exciting experiences to its guests until 2024. To create a truly effective conference venue, Mandalay Bay has carefully considered what businesses require. The right technology, capacity, and inspiration are essential to take ideas to the next level. The refreshed Mandalay Bay Convention Center has been designed with your business in mind. Every room is equipped with newly-upgraded technology, enhancing our ability to support bandwidth demand and overall data capabilities. Additionally, the addition of 10 new digital walls provides bigger and more dynamic ways to display customized content messages. Mandalay Bay offers world-class conference space and service. The venue options range from ballrooms to ample pre-function spaces, catering to teams of any size while accommodating multiple large groups simultaneously. Our certified planners work collaboratively with you to understand your specific event requirements, anticipating your business needs and offering the best-fit solutions. In addition to providing exceptional conference facilities, Mandalay Bay is also dedicated to sustainability. We strive to give our guests an unforgettable experience while minimizing our impact on the environment. As part of our sustainable energy efforts, you'll find refillable water stations throughout the property, eliminating the need for single-use plastic bottles and reducing unnecessary plastic usage. Mandalay Bay is proud to offer an upgraded and enhanced experience for businesses seeking a venue that combines innovation, convenience, and sustainability. Whether you're hosting a conference, meeting, or other business event, Mandalay Bay's refreshed convention space, world-class service, and commitment to sustainability make it the ideal choice. Come and discover the new wave of experiences awaiting you at Mandalay Bay on the Las Vegas Strip. Wherever your organization is going, getting there starts with being here.