Building Vendor Relationships

Coverings Coverings, the premier international trade show and conference dedicated exclusively to showcasing the newest in ceramic tile and natural stone, has grown to be the largest and most important show of its kind. Coverings features 1,200 exhibitors from more than 50 countries and attracts more than 33,000 visitors year after year.     Challenge/Goal:  After many years staging the million-square-foot show in Orlando, Coverings decided to move the show to Chicago to reach new markets in ceramic tile and natural stone, and a different audience.      Strategy/Tactics:  NTP brought together a task-force made up of the show’s general service contractor, the building, the freight-forwarded and the utility provider to determine the best approach in reaching and educating the show 1,200 exhibitors, many of whom are international and therefore, accustomed to different approaches to exhibitor move-in. Through an education plan with a coordinated and coherent effort on all sides, we identified the challenges we expected to encounter, developed solutions to these challenges and then set out to educate our exhibitors. Meetings were held at a competitive show in Italy and at TS² - THE Industry Event for Exhibit and Event Professionals, held in Chicago nine months prior to Coverings. A total of eight seminars educated exhibitors about the work rules and regulations, how to use EACs and how to order utilities. An e-mail and direct mail campaign also reached exhibitors in the months leading up to the show.      Results:  Coverings experienced a smooth show with 14% more exhibiting companies and grew attendance by 8%.