CUTTING EDGE SHOW MANCHESTER 2013

[hibsjo(SCO)]

I attended the show today......It wasn't busy today so I had all the time in the world to talk to the suppliers I went to visit and saw a couple of "new" things, the hall was large but did what it needed to do and the venue was easy to get to.

 

I was invited along to the meal at ben and jerrys on sunday evening which was a good night (thank you Rachel)

carry on!

[Tom D]

i went on sunday was round in 15 mins to be honest wasnt impressed £4.40 for a bottle of pop & a bottle of water enjoyed my night out in hudddersfield tho

[Craig Gardner]

well you didnt miss much it wasnt a good show i was their for about n hour placed a couple of orders then went to blackpool with the wife just home the now.

 

craig

 

I'm sure the folks who put all their effort into organising the event will be pleased to read that...

 

Obviously I can't comment as I wasn't there (but I will anyway).

For me, the show is the place to go when planning a 'big' purchase, so you can compare different machines side by side.

 

If such a purchase is not on the cards, I only tend to go every other year or so. There can only be so much development within the trade & if you're just going for a general browse, it might well seem a bit 'samey'.

 

The fact that the seminars were introduced sounded like a great idea to me, I hope something similar will happen again next year when I hope to be there.

 

Peter's photos of the event HERE show a nice, bright, venue, with plenty of space around the stands & a nice high ceiling making it look spacious & welcoming.

 

 

maybe i should repost that was some good photos from peter.i think the main problem was the venue although easy to get to and free parking the hall was to large and to high a ceiling making it feel bare and empty when i was their the turn out wasnt great and due to the amount of space between stands it fealt very quiet.the best discounts and key deals was on the keyprint stand.

as for the seminars i saw duncan making car key programing look easy although the demo was not viewed by many it would have been better if he used a vw instead of the easy pug he demonstrated with to show the car key game aint as easy as he was implying . the seminars looked like a afterthought although a good idea.

but as usual standard and siserve put a lot of effort into humping the heavy shoe machines to the venue for folk to see so well done keith and peter.

and good to see the effort from gravograph and umarq for dispalyng their machines so people could make a decision on new machine whilst seeing both in action but as a owner of two trotec laser engravers their stand and demos was very poor considering their machines are so good that was disapointing.

craig

[robinh]

It's Catch 22. ......... If you want a bigger show with more exhibitors, more offers and more "buzz" then the show needs more visitors. Simples

 

If more people came to see the show more companies would want to have a stand. The venue was probably one of the best we have had. Geographically, and in terms of size and access. Chris Wilson and Gary Unwin did a terrific job of putting it together. Suppliers like Colin and Roger Barnsley who have been staunch supporters for many years were there. New exhibitors like SVIG. La querce, and Topy flew thousands of miles to be there. Renia and Rendenbach see it as an important fixture. Many other firms attend at great expense and effort in the hope that more visitors will stop making lame excuses and make an effort to see what is on offer. Then we read adverse comments on the forum.......... Come on guys. We need you ..... You need us. Lets get together.

 

By the way, the seminars were an integral part of the exhibition, not an afterthought and the people who gave them deserved a lot more support than they got.

 

Robin tired aching bad back and still have to unload the van and take it back before 9.

[hibsjo(SCO)]

=D>

well said

carry on!

[Mick Friend]

I concur - Shows/Exhibitions are really difficult to organise - I organise two and that is pretty much a full time job.

If your also running a business you do not have time for the 'hard sell' with supplier who are unsure. If you have someone pushing it can bring results - BUT then you really do need to have a huge publicity campaign - I only knew about it by being on this forum.

 

If your interested in the Auto side then ALEX - The only European Auto locksmiths exhibition runs on the 26/27 October in Nottingham see the website www.alexpo.co.uk lots of demonstrations on various cars in our award winning demo area - along with talks and lectures in the Theatre - free entry pre-register on the website.

[robinh]

Thank you Joe, even if you did call me an "Eddie Irvine" lookalike

 

 

I would say that most of the exhibitors were pleased with the quality of the attendance. Our concern is in actually improving numbers. We saw visitors from Cornwall and from the far north of Scotland ( one chap even came Lowestoft!) who made the trip and who I hope were not dissapointed. I think I am correct in saying that the vast majority of people working at the show are not paid for their efforts and it is considered to be part of their job to do these exhibition. Some of them do several each year, you can tell who they are by the practised speed and efficiency when it comes to departing. We do it because we love meeting people and having the opportunity to talk to them away from their workplace. Finding a suitable venue is not easy and the work put in by the organisers is massive to ensure that everything runs smoothly and that all problems are sorted as quickly as possible. But we are also there to make sales, otherwise there would be no point.

 

Robin

[robinh]

Stevenb

 

Many thanks for your pm, I have sent a reply but I don't know if it has actually "gone". I appreciate your comments and will let the committee know at our nest meeting.

 

Kind regards

 

Robin

[StevenB]

Message received loud & clear Robin

[hibsjo(SCO)]

thats a god dam lie

 

 

 

i said Eddie Jordan

 

carry on!

[Tom D]

sorry chaps but still thought it was shite oops

[robinh]

Ok Tom D. We have a meeting planned in 3 weeks time to discuss Manchester and start to organise the 2014 show so please let us know what you think would make the next exhibition either more interesting or less shite so that we know what to do next year.

 

If anyone else has any constructive ideas we are always ready to listen.........?

 

Robin

[Paul_]

After working at these shows for 20 years, I was often asked why can't we buy anything today. I know exactly why; because we don't want a 'market feel' and want to continue with the 'exhibition feel'.

 

How about having a small separate 'market' area where wholesalers (those already exhibiting and other smaller ones) can have deals on display as take away today.

 

I totally agree with not having stock sold generally at the exhibition but a small separate area could work very well.....just putting it out there for discussion.

[Mick Friend]

Paul

I do think you are a bit outdated now- People want t go with cash in their pockets and spend it - My two shows are popular because of this - Now buying a hug machine to take home is silly but doing deals on stuff and putting in in the car is very popular.

You don't need to loose the exhibitor feel. But I would be many more would attend if you softened the approach. After all I can browse your products on line - why do I want to see it in a box on a table????

[petercoulson]

Paul

I do think you are a bit outdated now- People want t go with cash in their pockets and spend it - My two shows are popular because of this - Now buying a hug machine to take home is silly but doing deals on stuff and putting in in the car is very popular.

You don't need to loose the exhibitor feel. But I would be many more would attend if you softened the approach. After all I can browse your products on line - why do I want to see it in a box on a table????

 

Mick I think that's what Paul is saying. We have a rule of exhibiting not selling at our shows. For the past 3 years now we have always discussed a separate area but our venues get filled without this although I do think there is a case for it. However, it will not benefit all the attendees and with the ease of the internet and carriage now the show is much more a showcase - a feely touchy website if you like so what the answer is I do not know. With your shows Mick do they have separate stands or just stock their stands with enough to sell?

[Mick Friend]

No they still take orders for delivery but if they say have 30 boxes of cylinders - keyblanks - locks whatever the bring them and sell them MPL's are very popular to take home with you - the stands are very mixed one showing how his cylinders are pinned the next with merchandisers with padlocks on- the next selling off old stock of safes. lock picks to try and buy a very varied and mixed show - but it works

[Paul_]

Paul

I do think you are a bit outdated now- People want t go with cash in their pockets and spend it - My two shows are popular because of this - Now buying a hug machine to take home is silly but doing deals on stuff and putting in in the car is very popular.

You don't need to loose the exhibitor feel. But I would be many more would attend if you softened the approach. After all I can browse your products on line - why do I want to see it in a box on a table????

 

That's exactly what I just said. Its not permitted to sell stock on the day to take away at the moment but I feel the show would benefit from this. Also wholesalers would have an area where they could do bulk deals and also have a great opportunity to clear some old stock, there is always someone looking for a bargain.

[grahamparker]

Couldn't agree more with both of you more, take away deals with extra discount and no carriage are always good.

[Mick Friend]

I dont think 'another' area would work you would need at least two staff to be there one for toilet breaks etc -what many do at my shows is bring in stuff on day one and restock for day two.

[Paul_]

I'm so confident that idea would be a success that I would even say (the worrying from the organisers point of view) Is that this area would be the busiest and most popular area.

People would get in their cars and drive an hour or so to the exhibition if they knew they were going to get some bargains. I've heard the same phrase time and time again..."it's only worth going to the show if you are going to make a big purchase like a finisher or engraving machine"

 

We need to make people want to come along. I fully appreciate that we don't want the whole exhibition to become like a market so some careful planning is needed. Also if the idea works and some smaller wholesalers (or more diverse ones) have success then they may take out an exhibition stand the following year.

[Mick Friend]

I agree but floor layout is essential you dont need all the stands selling next to each other or that will syphon people away - a stand with big kit next to a smaller wholesaler with surplus followed by a major wholesaler etc

[petercoulson]

We will take this on board, we have already discussed many times. Having a separate area would be just about impossible space wise for at least one venue and staffing would be an issue. Food for thought though.

[Mick Friend]

Need any help- ask

[Paul_]

Peter,

Whose job is it to try and sell exhibition space to wholesalers and manufacturers?

 

Why do we rarely see new companies. Has anyone ever tried contacting more diverse companies such as those that manufacture/wholesale slippers, leather goods, watches, walking sticks...etc etc.

 

We work in a very diverse industry and surely some of these more diverse companies would like to exhibit. Maybe an introductory rate to encourage them.

[Mick Friend]

Oh how I wish it was that easy