We’ve wrapped up our 2018 experience at The Buildings Show (Construct Canada) and from an exhibiting perspective, I would at best rate our efforts and results as a C- or D. We didn’t have much original to display or present, and I certainly took a passive approach to the show, following virtually every “do not” in exhibitor etiquette.
The results at least from this show will probably prove equivalent to the quality of effort we put into the event.
I can offer a weak justification for our poor performance. This year is very much a transition year for the business. We’ve transformed from a printed to an online publisher — but next year we will have a major new product and seriously expanded operating scope.? The sites/product we have in place now cannot properly demonstrate the new offerings. While the site for the new publication is in place, at www.ontarioconstructionnews.com, its infrastructure and key value-providing elements aren’t there yet.
This is in part because the planned business won’t go into full operation until next June, about six months from now. Broadcasting too loudly only raises premature expectations.
Still, if we needed to pay cash for our exhibit space, and we couldn’t keep our accommodation and management costs to rock bottom levels (AirBNB helps in this regard), the show this year would have been a colossal waste of money and the only reason to attend (at least with our presentation level) would be to maintain a placeholder for next year.
That will come soon enough.
