OPEI EXPO 2001 Attendance Up 5 Percent

As of Sunday morning, Warren Sellers, EXPO show director, said non-exhibiting attendees totaled more than 22,000 at the July 20-22, 2001 gathering of outdoor power equipment (OPE) exhibitors, buyers, dealers, retailers, manufacturers’ representatives and distributors, as well as lawn and landscape professionals, general contractors and rental dealers.

On the lawn and landscape profession side, Sellers noted a 7 percent attendance increase, showing the growing interest among end users at the traditionally dealer- and distributor-oriented show. "That’s the one category that the last six years has increased every year," said Sellers. "A lot of exhibitors want to talk to the lawn and landscape professionals."

DATE CHANGE PAYS OFF. According to Sellers, EXPO originally started out as a Monday through Wednesday show, changed to a Sunday through Tuesday format and had held at a Saturday to Monday show for the past four years. With show attendance dropping in recent years, show organizers shook things up a bit this year by moving to the Friday to Sunday format. "I think the new format helped with the second and third day," noted Sellers, who said trade shows historically drop in attendance each day, with the first day being the best attended and the last day the least attended. "But this year," Sellers continued, "hearing from the exhibitors, they thought the second day was as good, if not better, than the first."

Peggy Douglas, vice president of communications for EXPO sponsor, the Outdoor Power Equipment Institute (OPEI), said the new format allows OPE dealers to only be away from their business one working day. "For some of the smaller dealers," Douglas said, "the less time they have to take away from their office, the more likely they are to come.

"Overall, I heard very good comments form exhibitors and attendees. In general, I noted that traffic was very, very good. Although it may have started out slow on some of the mornings, by afternoon the halls were crowded everywhere. The outdoor demo area was also crowded, and the last day traffic looked solid. I think the shift to Friday, Saturday and Sunday might have paid off here."

MORE CHANGES IN STORE. EXPO 2002 will stick with the Friday to Sunday format July 19-21, 2002, at the same location. However, adding to show organizers’ attempts to boost attendance, EXPO 2002 will include the inaugural National OPE Dealers’ Convention, which will start two days prior to the show and run through the first day of the show. The dealers’ convention, July 17-19, will feature educational seminars on service, marketing, e-commerce and business management to help stimulate dealers’ businesses, as well as a keynote session, networking opportunities and roundtable luncheon discussions.

"We wanted to establish an event for dealers that would draw dealers only," Douglas said. She noted that when EXPO started 18 years ago, it was more of a dealer show than it is today with the recent expansions into areas of interest to lawn and landscape professionals and commercial and consumer users. "We want to make sure the dealers still feel a focus at EXPO because it really still is their show even though we’ve expanded into the other areas," she explained. "Since they’ll be in Louisville, they can go to the events and then come to the show. We’re hoping this will draw more of them."

Sellers said next year’s dealers’ convention will be the first national seminar-based OPE dealer convention, and he is expecting about 400 dealers to attend. He also predicted that the addition of the convention could influence some manufacturers to adjust product introduction schedules. "Several manufacturers have already talked about piggybacking new product launches or announcements around that convention," he said, noting that some manufacturers currently show new products to their distribution channel in August, and by the time EXPO rolls around, the products are 11 months old. If more manufacturers introduce products at the show, Sellers predicts that dealers and distributors will have more motivation to attend. "Having this dealer convention and encouraging manufacturers to announce their line a couple days before EXPO will give more excitement to the show and give dealers and retailers more reason to attend, as well as lawn and landscapers."