Hearthlist Digest #296 - Wednesday, May 5, 1999 Length of HPA Expo by "Larry James" <[email protected]> Re: HPA Show by <[email protected]> HPA Show cont' by "tony" <[email protected]>
(back) Subject: Length of HPA Expo From: "Larry James" <[email protected]> Date: Tue, 4 May 1999 23:17:28 -0400 I have to agree 100% with Tony, the show is not long enough. I am glad I have heard this from someone else, I was beginning to think I was the only one who thought this. I do not understand the trade show committee's reasoning with shortening the show. Until last year, I always figured the next logical step was to make the show longer, but instead it got shorter. The show continues to get bigger and bigger every year. At the annual meeting before the trade show opened on Friday morning, one of the HPA staff gave comparative figures for the size of the show in Phoenix this year compared to when it was held in Phoenix in 1992. The number of square feet inside and outside was dramatically bigger. I didn't write these figures down, so I cannot repeat them, but it was more than 3 times bigger as I remember. But we now have less time to cover a much larger show. And what about going to education sessions or caucus meetings that takes time from the showroom floor? I think it is terrific that there are 2 full days of education before the show starts, and I was using those 2 days to get in as many education sessions as possible. From my perspective, so was everyone else. I don't think I had ever seen the education as well attended, as it was this year. But some of the sessions are not offered in the 2 days before the trade show opens, and I have to take time away from the trade show floor to attend, which leaves me with even fewer hours to get around a much larger show. My idea of why the show is not as well attended on Sunday or previously on Monday morning, is because people want to leave for home on Sunday to be there for the start of the next week. Or, they went to too many receptions and had too much of a good time on Saturday night, and did not feel like getting up on Sunday morning. My suggestion is to move the show up earlier in the week, and have Saturday be the last day of the show, so people can travel home on Sunday. Start the show on Wednesday and run through Saturday. Have the education still start 2 days earlier on Monday. This way we will have a clean week to spend at EXPO and be able to see everything with a longer trade show. I felt like I was rushing around for the 3 days I had, and I KNOW that I did not get to see everything I wanted to. On Friday and Saturday I could hardly squeeze into some of the booths, because they were so busy, which took longer to see fewer booths. And then on Sunday the show was practically empty. Which made me worry that they will be cutting the show to only 2 days next. To answer John before he asks, yes I already filled out an attendee survey, with this suggestion on it. As I did last year. I just feel like I am swimming upstream with this suggestion. That's why I was really glad to hear Tony felt the same way. My 2 cents worth, well.... maybe 5 cents. ;) Larry James High Country Stoves Laramie, Wyoming [email protected]
(back) Subject: Re: HPA Show From: [email protected] Date: Tue, 4 May 1999 23:17:29 -0400 Re Trade show. Why not start the trade show on Thurs at noon, have it run thru Sunday and have all the classes on Monday and Tuesday? That way everyone gets to benefit from a longer show, more time to check inside and outside booths, and, also get the benefits of lower plane fares as they are still staying over the weekend. More people will stay for the whole show instead of deserting the place on Sunday. As far as Reps spending all the time socializing, I think maybe there were a few ,but, for myself,I was too busy, and the show too short to even spend enough time walking it. Mr Mike
(back) Subject: HPA Show cont' From: [email protected] (tony) Date: Wed, 5 May 1999 13:45:29 -0400 Just to recap my comments about the show not being long enough.....correct me if I'm wrong but, with show hours Friday and Sat 10-5 and Sun10-3, that's 19 hours the exhibit hall is open. I can't remember the specifics, but weren't there approx 300 exhibitors? If that's correct, we had 3.8 minutes to spend at each booth. Think about that! Who's the genius who scheduled something like that? Seriously, it cost over $3000 to send my party of 4 to that show and none of us could stop at every booth...I think the figure we all used was "about 60%". HPA brags about how the show is bigger and better ever year, well I don't think it's better, I think it's worse!! I want quality time with the vendors. This is serious business to me, I don't want to be rushed! Tony Palmer