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Sydney on Sale in 2006 was more compact and appeared quieter than in previous years. But according to the show’s organisers, ETF, more than 5000 people visited the event over the two days. Held on July 4 and 5 at the Sydney Convention & Exhibition Centre it had all the makings of an event that delivered results. But did it deliver?

According to the director of exhibitions at ETF, Rodney Cox, ETF has had great feedback from exhibitors about the show’s new look, especially the innovative welcome foyer with its “illuminated thinking” theme and the stylish “Meeting Place” a central point for visitors.
“Another key objective for this year’s Sydney on Sale was the showcasing of new concepts, so we were excited to see that nearly two-thirds of those surveyed said they discovered new ideas or products at the show,” Mr Cox said.
Held just two weeks before the RSVP 06 event (see page 16-17), there were plenty of companies that exhibited at both shows, with mixed results.

First-time exhibitor at both shows, Miramare Gardens, located in Sydney’s Terrey Hills, found both events positive, but were especially complimentary of Sydney on Sale.
“They attracted two very different clientele,” said conference and events manager at Miramare Gardens, Julia Lorenti.
“I thought both shows were successful for us. Being a new business it is important to get our name out there. The crowd at Sydney on Sale was definitely a more corporate crowd.

“The quality was not there with the people who came to RSVP. What I found more at RSVP were there were a lot of people in the industry who hadn’t booked expo stands and were trying to push their products onto us as an exhibitor. I was telling them that they should have booked their own booth.

“We didn’t get that at all at Sydney on Sale. The people we spoke to were more quality rather than quantity.”
Business Events marketing manager at Sydney Olympic Park Authority, Danielle Hoare, said “ETF did a great job in terms of the look, feel and vibe of Sydney on Sale however, the event was under their expectations in terms of quotable business.
“We attended RSVP for the first time this year and were impressed by the quality and number of new buyers and number of leads received,” she said.

“We will still be supporting Sydney on Sale in 2007, however we will be down-sizing. Given that RSVP is now a competitor to Sydney on Sale perhaps consideration should be given to moving the show dates so both shows can continue to attract strong attendence.”
Ms Hoare said of the visitors her team spoke to during Sydney on Sale about 70 per cent indicated they would also be attending RSVP.
Managing director of Spirit of the Rocks, Colleen Harrison said the event was a good one for them.
“[It] attracted many potential customers. We liked the layout of the show and were very happy with our booth. The organisers have been very helpful and the show has been very positive for us,” she said.

Director of sales, charters and incentives for Captain Cook Cruises, Nicole Friedler, said Captain Cook had obtained some good corporate and association leads and would continue supporting the event.
Diane Yanire of Allegria Designs said as a first-time exhibitor she was pleased with the event.
“We have made many business leads and buyers have expressed a lot of interest in our new product,” she said.

Providing evidence that budgets don’t have to be restrictive when theming was speaker Glen Lehman, managing director of Lehman & Associates, who spoke about the ‘mega’ and the ‘mini’ event. Mr Lehman told delegates about an event his company produced at Sydney’s Accer Arena for a Japanese client where the budget was unrestrictive. The function was a gala dinner and awards evening for 1200 people where the décor and theming of an underwater enchantment was provided by Lena Malouf Events. Mr Lehman went through the necessary planning for an event such as the creative concept, selecting the team, recording, prioritising, delegating and scheduling tasks, producing the concept and preparing a draft budget. The next step is to select the key team including technical, light and sound, venue operations, catering, entertainment, hire suppliers and access gear, transport and transfers, and special effects and other options.

For an accurate costing Mr Lehman suggested recording accounting hours, staggering the team to save money, recording profit and maintaining it, staggering payments if it’s a long lead time, adding a cancellation clause, and building a 10 per cent contingency into the initial budget. When using contractors as partners he told the audience a thorough brief should always be prepared, request a final quote, set the agenda, pay deposits to confirm, maintain scheduled timelines, and lead by example. When working with a small budget Mr Lehman said big results can still be achieved through some clever ideas. “You can serve a two-course meal instead of three. You don’t have to use premium wines. Living statues can be used as a surprise at a buffet. You can just do a cocktail instead of a meal.”

The New SOS

Sydney on Sale is not the core business of the Sydney Convention and Visitors Bureau, according to managing director Jon Hutchison. Mr Hutchison told media at a lunch during the annual tradeshow in July that the two-day show, a business events expo featuring Sydney venues, products and services, had been contracted out to ETF for that reason.
“The reason why we shifted the management of the show is it’s not strictly speaking our core business. We made a decision to leave it to the professionals and concentrate on our core business,” Mr Hutchison said. He said 40 per cent of new visitors registered to attend the show which was made smaller following a survey of exhibitors after Sydney on Sale 2005.
“We surveyed exhibitors last year and they said they wanted something not so spread out, something tighter and more intimate. It’s a very good-looking show.” ETF has renewed its contract with the Sydney Convention & Visitors Bureau for another term and will be running Sydney on Sale in 2007.