This is an update on the 2 conventions we’re working on. The first, Inspection Universe, is almost ready to go and will be in Florida again this year, in the summer. It will be affordable for all. A second, shorter, smaller event in Vegas will be held in the winter and we’re working on making the Vegas one free for InterNACHI members only and very affordable for everyone else.
The Inspection Universe site is not quite done yet but some on the message board have been asking about who pays for conventions. InterNACHI doesn’t. Attendees and vendors pay for conventions (mostly vendors) and it is they that have to be able to afford them. Anyway, you can sneak peek at the site now www.InspectionUniverse.com
One of the problems for vendors (who carry the bulk of the costs of these conventions) is that in this current market, many small vendors can’t afford to attend. Without them, you can’t have a convention. Remember, the booth space cost is small compared to the cost of flying in people to staff the booth, their time, the time the vendor loses by having employees away from the office, hotel rooms, food, rental cars, etc. It often costs a smaller vendor $10,000.00 in real costs to come to a convention, even when the booth space is inexpensive. Without their booth space fees, we can’t have a convention.
So… I figured out a solution so that the smaller vendors can afford to have a staffed booth. I quickly set up an in-house event modeling agency www.ShowSmiles.com
Then I went back to all the smaller vendors who said that they couldn’t afford to attend and explained that we can set up their booths, attract attention to their booths, pass out their literature and free samples, tear down their booth at the end of the convention, and ship it back, all for free. The vendor doesn’t even have to attend. All the vendor would have to pay for was the booth space.
Anyway, every vendor who intially said they couldn’t afford to come… is now on board with this new option where all they have to do is buy the booth space and ship their stuff to the convention. I expect a full exhibitor hall.
We’re working to get 'er done.