Floor plan handout with exhibitors shown in there respective rooms or at least one big one on an easel.

Exhibitors post at least a 8.5x11 sheet of paper in the window of who they are.

I had a problem finding specific vendors and missed some because I wouldn't walk in a room that I could not determine was a exhibitor.

Then again I may just be getting old.

We had a good exhibitor and visitor turnout, but I don’t believe the show has reached a critical mass that will make it sustainable year after year. This is a chicken-or-egg kind of thing: we will need more exhibitors to attract the crowds that make it worthwhile for exhibitors to participate. For next year we need to develop an effective strategy for motivating this year’s exhibitors to return, attracting new exhibitors, and promoting the show more effectively to audiophiles across the US. A difficult task with no budget, but still doable with smart planning and a hard work on the part of a few dedicated planners.

There are some planning issues we should address within the next few months, and not wait until the last months before the show. This should result in a specific plan that we can communicate to all past and potential exhibitors at least six months before next year’s show. The plan is needed to give them confidence that their participation will be rewarded with a more widespread recognition of their products plus a greater potential for future sales. The LSAF is fun for hobby guys like me, but for commercial exhibitors the bottom line is sales and money. No matter how great their dedication to audio, if the show doesn’t generate future sales it’s not worth the expense of participating.

Some of the issues I am aware of are:

 Identify those audio businesses (manufacturers and retail sales) that would be good additions to the show, and implement an effective communication plan to attract them to the 2008 fest. Part of this would be a flyer we could send to potential exhibitors describing the show, along with a designation of who on the planning committee will contact them by phone or in person.

 Tighten the show dates and hours to something that visitors can rely on, so if they come anytime during the designated show hours the exhibitors will be there.

 Develop a more effective plan than a few internet forum posts for communicating the show to audiophiles within a few hundred miles driving distance and from across the US.

 Clearly identify and communicate the focus of the show; those characteristics that make it different from all the other shows. My inclination is to define it as a non-mainstream commerical show, with the focus on small manufacturers who sell over the internet. This isn’t intended to discourage anybody from participating, but the low cost of participation makes it a natural for smaller manufacturers and sellers who can’t afford to participate in the big shows. Please note this is NOT intended to discourage of exclude any audio related business from participating. In fact, I believe we should visit and invite all the Dallas area high end audio shops to exhibit a modest system at the 2008 fest. This would provide them access to many potential customers who otherwise wouldn’t be inclined to visit their shop. (High end shops are often intimidating to would-be audiophiles).

 Identify one Dallas person who is the interface with the hotel. This year I was hesitant to call the hotel for fear of duplicating somebody else’s efforts, but I had a very uneasy feeling about the suitability of the rooms for showing audio gear. It turned out the room furniture was even more portable than I had anticipated, but I still would have felt better if there had been one designated person with whom I could have communicated.

 Place more effective signage in the hotel lobby, and post a list of exhibitors with their room numbers. I will volunteer to participate next year as a non-exhibitor and bring a laptop and printer to update the list as exhibitors arrive and we learn their room numbers.

It would be a pity if it became just like any other audio show, with a gaggle of commercial rooms and lessening of the DIY, high eff, tubes crowd. Just my 2 cents.
-akhilesh

The DIY exhibitors are important too from a business perspective because they are able to demo products they have obtained from manufacturers who can't make it to the show. Some that come to mind from LSAF 2007 that were seen only in DIY exhibits are the Hawthorne Silver Iris speakers, The Trends amps, and the DCA 5.5 full range drivers. Two purchases I made as a direct result of previous shows were the Squeezebox, which I hadn't seen before Skip Pack brought his to Tulsa, and the Creative Sound Solutions full range drivers which Jim Griffin was exhibiting. A product I have already ordered as a result of this year's show is an upgrade kit for my Trends amp to make it sound more like John Busch's Michael Mardis Signature edition. A future purchase I'll make as a result of this year's show will be a pair of DAC 5.5 drivers.

Now, here's the MBA in me talking: The bottom line is that audio is a business and not a hobby for the commercial exhibitors, and they must be able to justify their time and expense with increased sales. I believe there's a "critical mass" of commercial exhibitors that will attract a greater number of visitors and maximize the value of the LSAF to them.

We need to reach out to vendors like Antique Audio, Handmade Electronics, BOI, E-Bay LP sellers, Electra-print and Magnequest, Sonicraft, etc., etc.

I'll put some of those Jacksons, 5 (hah!) where my mouth is and pony up $100 to start a kitty for some direct mail if someone else will do the work. Just tell me where to Paypal it.

-akhilesh