Comments on: Disrupting the Status Quo http://www.tradeshowstartup.com/2005/08/13/disrupting-the-status-quo/ Lessons From the Launch of Tradeshows & Internet Media Sat, 22 Nov 2008 14:34:36 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 By: Sue Pelletier http://www.tradeshowstartup.com/2005/08/13/disrupting-the-status-quo/#comment-30 Sue Pelletier Mon, 15 Aug 2005 19:10:01 +0000 http://www.tradeshowstartup.com/?p=45#comment-30 I was just reading this morning about the 2x rule--if you want to take on the status quo, what you do better be twice as good as what the status quo is doing (this was in relation to MSN's Virtual Earth taking on Google Maps, but I'd say the same holds for trade shows). The URL is http://jameskew.blogspot.com/2005/08/twice-as-good-rule.html. I'd think this is especially true if the status quo, once in decline, started getting better as the new show developed, which is what sounds like the case here, given what Rich says. I love the idea of sessions on "where we went wrong." As I tell myself when I'm skiing, if I don't fall down, I'm not pushing myself very hard to improve. Except it's less painful to learn from other's mistakes. I was just reading this morning about the 2x rule–if you want to take on the status quo, what you do better be twice as good as what the status quo is doing (this was in relation to MSN’s Virtual Earth taking on Google Maps, but I’d say the same holds for trade shows). The URL is
http://jameskew.blogspot.com/2005/08/twice-as-good-rule.html.

I’d think this is especially true if the status quo, once in decline, started getting better as the new show developed, which is what sounds like the case here, given what Rich says.

I love the idea of sessions on “where we went wrong.” As I tell myself when I’m skiing, if I don’t fall down, I’m not pushing myself very hard to improve. Except it’s less painful to learn from other’s mistakes.

]]> By: Rich Westerfield http://www.tradeshowstartup.com/2005/08/13/disrupting-the-status-quo/#comment-29 Rich Westerfield Sun, 14 Aug 2005 07:09:38 +0000 http://www.tradeshowstartup.com/?p=45#comment-29 Recent DEMA events have been managed by NTP, which is a client of mine, although I don't work on that show. I don't know any of the details of this (in fact didn't even know a competing show was being planned), but I will say that during the past two years, every show NTP has touched has gotten significantly better. I would imagine that at the start of due diligence by Convexx there may indeed have been desire by exhibitors to break off because of different issues regarding venue, timing, content, etc., but it appears that DEMA, with NTP's assistance, has responded to its markets' desires in such a way that there is no longer a hue and cry for a competing event. Recent DEMA events have been managed by NTP, which is a client of mine, although I don’t work on that show.

I don’t know any of the details of this (in fact didn’t even know a competing show was being planned), but I will say that during the past two years, every show NTP has touched has gotten significantly better.

I would imagine that at the start of due diligence by Convexx there may indeed have been desire by exhibitors to break off because of different issues regarding venue, timing, content, etc., but it appears that DEMA, with NTP’s assistance, has responded to its markets’ desires in such a way that there is no longer a hue and cry for a competing event.

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