The Numbers Don\u2019t Lie

From the President

Mobile Electronics magazine recently completed a survey on KnowledgeFest with a summary of the results in the Stats section of this month’s magazine. I took some time reviewing the results and comments from individuals. The results reveal trends worth noting.

Which KnowledgeFest to Attend?

Most of the respondents attend one KnowledgeFest event per year driven by a few factors: geographic location of the event, perception that education would be about the same and cost of attendance. The cost was more about time away from the business.

For those who missed KnowledgeFest, the top response was time away from the store. As a former retailer, I can attest that leaving your business to attend any event will cost business in the short-term. However, thinking short-term can lead to some unintended results. What you can learn will provide enough value to exceed anything you would lose by leaving the store. I would recommend sending some of your team to each event, thus keeping your business open if you are not able to close the store.

KnowledgeFest is coming to Orlando, Florida, May 15-17, 2020. This new event will be held at the Orange County Convention Center. KnowledgeFest is becoming a coast-to-coast experience.

Based on survey results, many of you plan on attending. Face it, taking the family for a much-needed vacation just got easier and will provide a great excuse to learn and connect with the industry while you are in town. I look forward to seeing you there!

Perception or Reality

Launching new products was a common reason to make the annual trek to Vegas. Today, not so much. Many suppliers are launching at KnowledgeFest Dallas just in time for the all-important fourth-quarter of the year. Some are doing the same at the beginning of the year in either KnowledgeFest Long Beach or Indianapolis.

Based on the survey results, the perception is that most suppliers are launching something new in Dallas. This means you should stay in tune with your suppliers to find out when they’re showing off something new. Very few of them exhibit in Las Vegas. A big improvement over Vegas events is that not only will your supplier launch new products, they will have training sessions designed to teach you how to market, sell and install their technologies.

Another key point was interaction with vendors. This is accomplished through the exhibit floor and vendor training sessions. Getting one-on-one time with everyone from senior executives, your sales reps and technical liaisons was rarely achieved at other events.

The industry experiences camaraderie at KnowledgeFest. To me, this is what it’s all about—coming together for a common purpose and to support one another. New this year, Knowledge- Fest starts each exhibit floor opening with “Beer and Business,” a networking opportunity to show your appreciation to your vendors for supporting education. This allows vendors to provide special offerings for coming to KnowledgeFest and visiting them. Make sure you connect your favorite vendors, and be prepared to take advantage of additional value and savings. This is a great way to help pay for your trip!

Catching Up with Long Lost Friends and Making New Ones

Many of us still feel that our best opportunity for networking in our industry is at a Vegas event. Not so. KnowledgeFest has become the main event for all things networking. And survey results point to Dallas as the top networking location. This may have something to do with that grand celebration we have on the final evening of the Dallas event. The Mobile Electronics Industry Awards has grown into an “academy awards” for our industry. It is my favorite night of year!

Never Leave the Way You Came

The survey results point to significant improvements in both skills and operations for running your business. If there was no other reason to attend KnowledgeFest, this would be my top choice!

Learning something new that can help you drive more business has high value.

In addition, refining your operations with newfound knowledge can help you run a more efficient business. I have the privilege of speaking to many of you at or after KnowledgeFest. The stories are all unique, but they have a common thread. You will leave with more knowledge than when you arrived. You will be motivated to be better than you were before. You’ll feel like you are part of something bigger than yourself.

Regardless of your personal experience, please know that attending and supporting your industry event is what has made KnowledgeFest the best place to learn, connect and drive our industry forward to continued success.