2014 NATM Convention & Trade Show Analytics Executive Summary

Participation

• Second highest attended NATM event in recent history with 880 registrants (15% increase over 2013 show).
• Sold out trade show floor 3 weeks before the event.
• Highest number of trailer manufacturers in attendance since 2010.

Exhibitor Survey

• 100% of exhibitors surveyed agreed that NATM Convention & Trade Show is a high quality exhibition that benefits their company.
• Of those surveyed and who plan to exhibit at the 2015 trade show, 100% said they will return and 1 said they will take more space.
• 46% of exhibitors introduced a new product. This is an opportunity for many exhibitors to increase their booth traffic by introducing new products.

Attendee Survey

• 95% of attendees said the value of NATM’s trade show was good to excellent
• Attendees gave the trade show a rating of 4 out of 5.
• 89% of responding attendees have a role in purchasing products
• Significant increase in number of first time attendees (13%)
• 92% of attendees indicated they will definitely or probably attend NATM’s convention in 2015.

Workshop Attendee Survey

• Overall Speaker approval rating was 4.18 out of 5

Attendee Comments from Workshops

• Very realistic. I’m impressed with how well it was presented. [I learned]New tactics I need to adapt to our current procedures. THANKS!!! Well done.—Attracting and Retaining Quality Employees workshop
• [The speaker] made me feel comfortable and engage me even though I have a language barrier. – Attracting and Retaining Quality Employees
• Glad NATM is doing this! – Transitions: How Successful Family Companies Structure Their Business for Future Success
• Very beneficial and informative.- Technical Forum: Morning Session
• SAE Session was very well prepared & Informative—Technical Forum:  Session 2

Next Show

• February 11-13, 2015 in New Orleans, Louisiana at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center
• 2015 exhibit space will be released first to 2014 sponsors, followed by pre-registered exhibitors. The space will open to all other eligible exhibitors by mid-to late June 2014.

 

Booth Spaces Filling Up Fast!

With less than 40 days left before the NATM 2013 Convention & Trade Show, available booth spaces are quickly dwindling. This is a golden opportunity to meet prospective buyers and make personal contact with those in the industry. In the National Association of Trailer Manufacturers, members do business with members, and this is a great way to encourage that interaction! The trade show in Charleston will allow for your company to meet many new people in a short amount of time and network with current and prospective customers in the industry.

Don’t miss this chance to exhibit! To visit our interactive Exhibitor Layout map and see which booths are still available, please click here.

Grab one of the last spots available by contacting Monica at 785-272-4433 or shoot her an e-mail at Monica.Johnson@NATM.com!

NATDA Trade Show 2012

Member Services Director Allison Malmstrom speaks with Pete Ybarra of Mazey Trailer Sales at the NATM booth

I recently had an opportunity to speak with trailer dealers at the North American Trailer Dealers Association trade show in St. Louis.  I enjoy speaking with your dealers- hearing their concerns, sharing our message of compliance.  Seeing your dealers also allows me to share NATM’s Dealers Committed to Compliance (DCTC) program. We gave tabletop displays to all of the NATM members, and Pam Trusdale, NATM executive director, says she’s pleased to see more and more exhibiting dealers at the NATDA show that are NATM compliant members.

Many prospect packets were passed out to dealers and potential associate members to join the program, and I received a great response from those I had the chance to speak with.  If you would like me to send your dealers information on the program, please e-mail me at Allison.Malmstrom@NATM.com.

Clint Lancaster, NATM technical director,  also had a chance to speak at the Aluma dealer meeting.  NATM is happy to provide you materials for your dealer meetings – please let us know how we can assist with your dealer education programs.

Technical Director Clint Lancaster and Rick Coffey showing off the new DCTC display

After attending the trade show, we at NATM are becoming more excited for our trade show in February. I hope you all have your calendars marked for February 20-22! Our 25^th annual NATM Convention & Trade Show in Charleston, S.C. will be one to remember. Please stay tuned to Tracks and our blog for updates on convention deadlines, workshops, speakers and sponsorship opportunities! We can’t wait to see you all there!

 

NATDA Trade Show

NATM recently attended the NATDA Trade Show in Dallas, Texas. NATM had a booth so that we could interact with dealers primarily to discuss the importance of selling NATM compliant trailers. We also participated in the educational program giving presentations on how to select a manufacturer, an overview of the NATM compliance verification program and an industry update.

NATM is now offering to attend our member’s dealer meetings in an effort to educate dealers about the compliance program and what it covers. We made our first presentation at the Aluma Dealer Meeting held during the NATDA trade show and several other manufacturers have already contacted us to make presentations at their dealer’s meetings. Dealers are the manufacturer’s link to the consumer and we want to ensure that dealers understand the importance of selling trailers that have been through the compliance verification process.

NATM is also in the planning stages of creating a program to recognize compliant dealers, that is dealers who sell compliant trailers. We discussed this program with a number of dealers at the NATDA show and there was real enthusiasm about the program. The NATM Dealer Committee will be working out the details and benefits of the program with the hopes of launching it before the end of the year.

The Dealer Committee just released a checklist template that dealers may use when delivering the trailer to the customer. Trailer accidents are often caused by misuse or the user not understanding how to correctly couple, decouple, load, unload and maintain their trailer. Hopefully, the checklist will be a useful tool in assisting the dealers in educating their customers. And while we are discussing trailer safety, I must always include a plug for The Trailer Handbook – A Guide to Understanding Trailers & Towing Safety. Watch for our promotion “Where in the World are NATM Compliant Trailers” to get a discount coupon for the handbook.