Stephanie Selesnick, Author at UFI Blog

Everyone is a Consumer First
Everyone is a Consumer First

Everyone is a Consumer First

We are consumers first and foremost, and as such, our attendees, exhibitors and stakeholders expect face-to-face, business-to-business events to be more like the experiences encountered at festivals, concerts, and other live events. Unfortunately, most exhibitions are not. Here are a few thoughts to modernize trade shows so they are more interactive and entertaining for attendees. They are based on ideas expressed at the recent XLIVE Esports Summit in Los Angeles, USA. For those of you who have [...]

By Stephanie Selesnick| 2018-04-11T15:24:00+00:00 April 11th, 2018|All, Best Practices, Digital Innovation, Exhibition Industry, Exhibition Marketing|0 Comments

Keeping Your Exhibition Relevant in the Future
Keeping Your Exhibition Relevant in the Future

Keeping Your Exhibition Relevant in the Future

The UFI European Conference theme this year is Future Proof Exhibitions. Keynote speaker Francis Friedman, President of trade show consultants Time & Place Strategies plans to have a strategic conversation with delegates on Future Building and Future Profiting of Exhibitions. Friedman says, as we look to the future “Attendee acquisition will no longer be simply telling people they will get ‘excellent networking opportunities, see the latest products on the show floor, and get access to educ [...]

By Stephanie Selesnick| 2018-03-19T09:49:47+00:00 March 15th, 2018|All, Digital Innovation, Exhibition Industry|0 Comments

Exhibition industry triggers best practice sharing
Exhibition industry triggers best practice sharing

Exhibition industry triggers best practice sharing

Exhibition Industry: Submit your best practice example today and win one of UFI's prestigious 2018 global industry awards! Your organization and teams work hard. Let the industry recognize their efforts! Deadlines are quickly approaching for the UFI Digital Innovations, Human Resources and Operations and Services Awards. Award themes are determined by their respective Committees and change annually. The Committees also serve as judges. The awards listed below are open to UFI members and non-memb [...]

By Stephanie Selesnick| 2018-02-15T10:57:52+00:00 February 15th, 2018|All, Best Practices, Digital Innovation, Human Resources, Operations & Services, Sustainable Development|0 Comments

Asia-Pacific Conference for exhibition professionals
Asia-Pacific Conference for exhibition professionals

Asia-Pacific Conference for exhibition professionals

The upcoming UFI Asia-Pacific Conference (formerly known as the UFI Open Seminar in Asia) takes place on March1-2 immediately after the UFI Educational Forum on HR Management (February 27-28). I spoke with Mark Cochrane, UFI’s Regional Manager for Asia-Pacific and asked him to share what he’s interested in hearing about during a few of the upcoming sessions at the upcoming Conference in Kuala Lumpur: Twitter: #ufikl Regional confernce highlights Keynote Presentation on Malaysia: Overviews of hos [...]

By Stephanie Selesnick| 2018-02-09T13:27:42+00:00 February 7th, 2018|All, Asia – Pacific, Best Practices|1 Comment

You can’t win if you don’t try
You can’t win if you don’t try

You can’t win if you don’t try

A fresh new year signals the beginning of Award Season. In the United States, films are being considered for Academy Awards, records and songs nominated for Grammy Awards, and designers are vying to have the hottest stars and artists wear their clothes, shoes and jewelry at the events. For the global exhibition industry, UFI has a number of prestigious awards that may be right up your alley. Is your company or organization doing something award-worthy? Have some of your team members successfully [...]

By Stephanie Selesnick| 2018-01-19T14:33:42+00:00 January 4th, 2018|Best Practices|2 Comments

Re-Engaging Exhibition Critics
Re-Engaging Exhibition Critics

Re-Engaging Exhibition Critics

Exhibitions are more than just a marketplace. They are an annual gathering of a community – trade or public. And when done right, the community takes ownership of the event, which is simultaneously amazing – and terrifying. Amazing because attendees become super fans and evangelists. They are invested all the way. They tell everyone they know how wonderful your exhibition is. How much they look forward to going every year. It’s “their” event. Terrifying because as super fans, they think they kno [...]

By Stephanie Selesnick| 2018-01-23T10:37:39+00:00 November 28th, 2017|All, Exhibition Industry, Topics|0 Comments

Jochen Witt to deliver his 10th and final Global Industry Review at the UFI Congress
Jochen Witt to deliver his 10th and final Global Industry Review at the UFI Congress

Jochen Witt to deliver his 10th and final Global Industry Review at the UFI Congress

For the past ten consecutive years, Jochen Witt has presented the Global Industry Review at each annual UFI Congress in Johannesburg, South Africa. The annual “State of the Global Industry” presentation is seen by many as the “cannot miss” session of the event. Stephanie Selesnick: Would you share a bit about your upcoming session at the UFI Global Congress in Johannesburg? Jochen Witt: This year, my presentation will be composed of three parts: Global politics and the economies of the most impo [...]

By Stephanie Selesnick| 2017-12-18T13:59:33+00:00 October 9th, 2017|All, Exhibition Industry Research|0 Comments

What if WE, as an industry disrupt ourselves?
What if WE, as an industry disrupt ourselves?

What if WE, as an industry disrupt ourselves?

Blogger: Stephanie Selesnick, President of International Trade Information, Inc. Disruption for business is defined as a radical change in an industry, business strategy, etc., especially involving the introduction of a new product or service that creates a new market. We know change is coming and that exhibitions have to evolve now, or go away. For example, look what digitalization has done. Can you imagine an exhibition without a website, LinkedIn group and some kind of social media presence? [...]

By Stephanie Selesnick| 2017-12-10T11:55:26+00:00 September 18th, 2017|All, Americas, Best Practices|0 Comments

Sharks, biodynamic vineyards and the exhibition industry (part 2)
Sharks, biodynamic vineyards and the exhibition industry (part 2)

Sharks, biodynamic vineyards and the exhibition industry (part 2)

Interview with UFI Global Congress 2017’s Keynote Speaker, Johan Reyneke, Founder & Owner of Reyneke Wines in South Africa (Part 2 of 2). Stephanie Selesnick: Please share your Cornerstone program encouraging home ownership and education for the winery’s workers and their families. How did it come about and where do you see it being in five years from now? Johan Reyneke: This ties in with biodynamics (part 1). We have to look after nature, profitability and people (who comprise the 3rd leg o [...]

By Stephanie Selesnick| 2017-12-10T11:55:26+00:00 August 15th, 2017|All, Management, Middle East – Africa|0 Comments

Sharks, biodynamic vineyards and the exhibition industry (part 1)
Sharks, biodynamic vineyards and the exhibition industry (part 1)

Sharks, biodynamic vineyards and the exhibition industry (part 1)

Interview with UFI Global Congress 2017’s Keynote Speaker, Johan Reyneke, Founder & Owner of Reyneke Wines in South Africa (Part 1 of 2). Johan will share his story of overcoming obstacles and leading change within the winemaking industry in South Africa - and how to apply some of the lessons he has learned to our businesses. Since many of us don’t know anything about you past your bio, we’d like to know a bit more about Johan. Stephanie Selesnick: How long have you been surfing? How many cl [...]

By Stephanie Selesnick| 2017-12-10T11:55:26+00:00 August 8th, 2017|All, Middle East – Africa|0 Comments

About Stephanie Selesnick