KC Trade Shows & Conventions are a Promotional Opportunity

By Mark Forsythe The Kansas City Post Conventions and Trade Shows happen every day throughout the United States. Some are massive affairs like the Consumer Electronics Convention that occurs every year in Las Vegas. Some are tiny gatherings, consisting of ten to twenty people convening in a conference space at a hotel. Kansas City's Convention and Visitors Bureau does a fine job of bringing in all types of conventions to Kansas City. But as with most things, I'm sure even the leadership at the bureau would agree that we can always do better. No convention is too small to pursue. Large groups like Walmart have a quantifiable economic impact. That's important. But small groups can pay dividends down the road. Sometimes a small convention grows every year to enormous proportions. Read the histories of some of these trade shows or conventions. A great deal of them share the same story. They started small. A few people with similar interests or businesses meeting for a half a day. The next year maybe a few more, perhaps some that traveled from out of town. Soon the half day meeting grew to two, then three days. The attendees grew from less than ten to greater than one hundred. An even greater byproduct of some of these smaller conventions is they give Kansas City a chance to market itself as a home for industry. Any one convention could have a decision maker looking to start, or relocate a business. What better way to pursue these opportunities than by having those decision makers spend a few days in Kansas City in the relaxed environment of a convention? Kansas City should pursue a "Grow Your Own" strategy. Working with the Convention and Visitors Bureau our mayor and council must attempt to identify fledgling conventions and trade shows and lure them to Kansas City. Something as simple as a phone call or a handwritten letter from a City Councilman may be enough to lure dozens of new opportunities to our city. People go where they are wanted, and our leaders need to let as many conventioneers as possible know that they are wanted in Kansas City. Finally, the sales job doesn't end with just getting the conventions to come. Once our guests have arrived, elected officials need to use the opportunity to stalk the hallways, shake some hands, make some new friends. Even make themselves available as guest speakers where appropriate. Every visitor to Kansas City is a sales opportunity. Our leaders need to learn to love to sell, and get across the impression that they love their product. Let's all work together to not only bring conventions here, but keep them here.