Comments on: Lead Retrieval and Management (from Exhibitor 2007) http://www.awidernet.com/2007/04/12/lead-retrieval-and-management-from-exhibitor-2007/ Cool New Marketing Technologies: Caught and Served Fri, 06 Jan 2012 02:46:01 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Michael Nolan http://www.awidernet.com/2007/04/12/lead-retrieval-and-management-from-exhibitor-2007/comment-page-1/#comment-71471 Michael Nolan Sun, 08 Feb 2009 21:50:14 +0000 http://www.awidernet.com/2007/04/12/lead-retrieval-and-management-from-exhibitor-2007/#comment-71471 As someone who has spent nearly his entire adult life in the lead retrieval business (first as a provider of 'third party' software to exhibitors - 1987 and then as a lead retrieval company - 1992) I spend alot of time thinking about where this market is heading. Obviously I have a vested interest because its how I (and the other employees at my company) make money but I also like to think the reason I have been around for so long is because I try to stay somewhat realist about the various technology and marketing claims being advanced in this market. Where I think things are heading from a users point of view is what I like to call Instant Leads. That is, the exhibitor will 'expect' at some point in the future that the lead retrieval solution offered at a show (either by an approved contractor or a third party vendor) will enable an exhibitor to collect and retrieve the attendee data online, instantly. This expectation, I hope, will help move the various players and decision makers in this market to provide the exhibitor with products and services which allow for this. I dont have a lot of faith in the idea of a standard (encoding format or technology type). Not because it is not a great idea or because it would not work, quite the contrary. It would be a real benefit to everyone involved in the chain if standards were created and used. I just know that the humans in the chain have too much invested in not having a standard and other humans in the chain dont care enough to make the standards work. Regarding the future of 'third party' vendors, I think the market has already decided what will happen to them in the future. Just look at the current state of the players in this market. None of them have ever (combined) taken more than 2% of the market away from the appointed lead retrieval provider for a show and most (if not all of them) have at one time or another become (or attempted to become) full service lead retrieval providers. On the other hand I cannot think of one lead retrieval provider who has become a third party vendor of software and hardware to exhibitors. The reasons for this are: first, to paraphrase Willy Sutton - to be the appointed contractor - thats where the money is, and second there are too many types of encoding formats and encryptions schemes used today that keep the third party vendors from taking a large portion of this market. As for the future of specific technologies I would say that as long as people encode badges one thing will remain true in this market: a badge technology will gain wide acceptance in this market if it is less expensive than the alternative. To illustrate this point look at what happened in 1993-1995. In 1993 nearly all badges that had encoding and contained useful data (I dont think of a 1D string of numbers as useful data) were magnetic strip. Nearly all of the largest full service reg contractors where using this technology (RCS, Galaxy, CDS, Worldwide - some of the names have changed over the last 15 years). Then in 1993 2D barcodes hit the market and within a year or so this new technology had taken more than 50% of the market. Compare this to RFID today. Even though our industry shows have given countless seminars and workshops on RFID over the past 5 years and told everyone who would listen that RFID will be the next 'really big thing' in badge technology, today less than 5% of the market is using RFID , BECAUSE it is still 25 times the cost of printing a barcode and 12 times the cost of a mag stripe card. These last five years have been good for new companies trying to put 'square' RFID into the 'round' badges but the fit just wont happen for most shows. Just a disclaimer, I consider myself neutral when it comes to the best technology to use for things like lead retrieval at trade shows - I just want something that works and can fit into the distribution channel the market has already created. That's my take on where things are headed. As someone who has spent nearly his entire adult life in the lead retrieval business (first as a provider of ‘third party’ software to exhibitors – 1987 and then as a lead retrieval company – 1992) I spend alot of time thinking about where this market is heading. Obviously I have a vested interest because its how I (and the other employees at my company) make money but I also like to think the reason I have been around for so long is because I try to stay somewhat realist about the various technology and marketing claims being advanced in this market.
Where I think things are heading from a users point of view is what I like to call Instant Leads. That is, the exhibitor will ‘expect’ at some point in the future that the lead retrieval solution offered at a show (either by an approved contractor or a third party vendor) will enable an exhibitor to collect and retrieve the attendee data online, instantly. This expectation, I hope, will help move the various players and decision makers in this market to provide the exhibitor with products and services which allow for this.
I dont have a lot of faith in the idea of a standard (encoding format or technology type). Not because it is not a great idea or because it would not work, quite the contrary. It would be a real benefit to everyone involved in the chain if standards were created and used. I just know that the humans in the chain have too much invested in not having a standard and other humans in the chain dont care enough to make the standards work.
Regarding the future of ‘third party’ vendors, I think the market has already decided what will happen to them in the future. Just look at the current state of the players in this market. None of them have ever (combined) taken more than 2% of the market away from the appointed lead retrieval provider for a show and most (if not all of them) have at one time or another become (or attempted to become) full service lead retrieval providers. On the other hand I cannot think of one lead retrieval provider who has become a third party vendor of software and hardware to exhibitors. The reasons for this are: first, to paraphrase Willy Sutton – to be the appointed contractor – thats where the money is, and second there are too many types of encoding formats and encryptions schemes used today that keep the third party vendors from taking a large portion of this market.
As for the future of specific technologies I would say that as long as people encode badges one thing will remain true in this market:
a badge technology will gain wide acceptance in this market if it is less expensive than the alternative. To illustrate this point look at what happened in 1993-1995. In 1993 nearly all badges that had encoding and contained useful data (I dont think of a 1D string of numbers as useful data) were magnetic strip. Nearly all of the largest full service reg contractors where using this technology (RCS, Galaxy, CDS, Worldwide – some of the names have changed over the last 15 years). Then in 1993 2D barcodes hit the market and within a year or so this new technology had taken more than 50% of the market. Compare this to RFID today. Even though our industry shows have given countless seminars and workshops on RFID over the past 5 years and told everyone who would listen that RFID will be the next ‘really big thing’ in badge technology, today less than 5% of the market is using RFID , BECAUSE it is still 25 times the cost of printing a barcode and 12 times the cost of a mag stripe card. These last five years have been good for new companies trying to put ’square’ RFID into the ’round’ badges but the fit just wont happen for most shows.
Just a disclaimer, I consider myself neutral when it comes to the best technology to use for things like lead retrieval at trade shows – I just want something that works and can fit into the distribution channel the market has already created.
That’s my take on where things are headed.

]]> By: John Schroeder http://www.awidernet.com/2007/04/12/lead-retrieval-and-management-from-exhibitor-2007/comment-page-1/#comment-70515 John Schroeder Tue, 27 Jan 2009 17:17:03 +0000 http://www.awidernet.com/2007/04/12/lead-retrieval-and-management-from-exhibitor-2007/#comment-70515 @Rob I believe that I do have some insight (a fair guess at least) on where lead retrieval is headed. I think that anyone interested in this blog should have somewhat of an understanding of the history of lead retrieval. Compared to most technical equipment, lead retrieval technology has tended to move a bit slow. In fact, card swiping is still a mainstay of collection methods - very OLD technology. What I would like to explore, is the future of third party systems. I do see a place in the near future for third party systems. For the time being, exhibitors remain mostly unchallenged by the official lead retrieval vendors of trade shows. They often offer a license for exhibitors to use their third party technologies in cases where they have proprietary bar codes and the like. They also offer to convert their captured IDs to data for a fee. However, in cases where badges have encrypted information, and the lead retrieval vendor is unwilling to offer licensing, third party systems - and in fact, the entire process the exhibitor has come to rely on for lead follow-up, are compromised. As lead retrieval companies begin to protect their market share, you may see that third party systems become less viable in the future. Unless the third party vendors can come to agreements with what is - in not uncertain terms - their competition, third party systems will be less viable in the future. Beyond those issues are hardware issues. Will you always have the right technology for the job? There are a plethora of barcode symbologies, track encoding on magstripe cards, and RF and UHF ID tags to consider - as well as future radio tag standards and frequency operations. Lead retrieval vendors will slowly introduce more robust on-line post-show marketing tools as time goes by to fill the needs of exhibitors and add value to the cost of rental. The tools will be limited and not fully functioning as most software CRM packages, but will most likely allow exhibitors some form of follow up. That's my take on where things are headed. @Rob
I believe that I do have some insight (a fair guess at least) on where lead retrieval is headed. I think that anyone interested in this blog should have somewhat of an understanding of the history of lead retrieval. Compared to most technical equipment, lead retrieval technology has tended to move a bit slow. In fact, card swiping is still a mainstay of collection methods – very OLD technology.

What I would like to explore, is the future of third party systems. I do see a place in the near future for third party systems. For the time being, exhibitors remain mostly unchallenged by the official lead retrieval vendors of trade shows. They often offer a license for exhibitors to use their third party technologies in cases where they have proprietary bar codes and the like. They also offer to convert their captured IDs to data for a fee.

However, in cases where badges have encrypted information, and the lead retrieval vendor is unwilling to offer licensing, third party systems – and in fact, the entire process the exhibitor has come to rely on for lead follow-up, are compromised.

As lead retrieval companies begin to protect their market share, you may see that third party systems become less viable in the future. Unless the third party vendors can come to agreements with what is – in not uncertain terms – their competition, third party systems will be less viable in the future.

Beyond those issues are hardware issues. Will you always have the right technology for the job? There are a plethora of barcode symbologies, track encoding on magstripe cards, and RF and UHF ID tags to consider – as well as future radio tag standards and frequency operations.

Lead retrieval vendors will slowly introduce more robust on-line post-show marketing tools as time goes by to fill the needs of exhibitors and add value to the cost of rental. The tools will be limited and not fully functioning as most software CRM packages, but will most likely allow exhibitors some form of follow up.

That’s my take on where things are headed.

]]> By: Rob Everton http://www.awidernet.com/2007/04/12/lead-retrieval-and-management-from-exhibitor-2007/comment-page-1/#comment-26104 Rob Everton Sun, 11 Nov 2007 06:20:25 +0000 http://www.awidernet.com/2007/04/12/lead-retrieval-and-management-from-exhibitor-2007/#comment-26104 I've certainly been on both sides of this sort of discussion. I'm not sure the debate belongs on this blog, but you're more than welcome to make your point(s). I wonder if anyone can offer an idea of where lead retrieval is headed next. I’ve certainly been on both sides of this sort of discussion. I’m not sure the debate belongs on this blog, but you’re more than welcome to make your point(s). I wonder if anyone can offer an idea of where lead retrieval is headed next.

]]> By: Michael Nolan http://www.awidernet.com/2007/04/12/lead-retrieval-and-management-from-exhibitor-2007/comment-page-1/#comment-25813 Michael Nolan Sat, 10 Nov 2007 01:56:03 +0000 http://www.awidernet.com/2007/04/12/lead-retrieval-and-management-from-exhibitor-2007/#comment-25813 Rob: Great summary of some interesting things at the Exhibitor Show. Technologies and new companies have entered this market and there have been enormous changes (and choices for exhibitors) since I started in this business (auto id applications in the trade show market) in 1986. One of the things that has NOT changed is how some people insist on reshaping history to fit their own press release. Just for the record, John H. knows that he was still producing and selling morality videos to high school guidance counselors in the late 80's when I created the first third part lead retrieval software product on the market (FreeLink). I am certain John remembers this because I sold him the badge reading DLL's he needed to enter this market in 1996 (as I did with Capture Technolgies a few years later) . NewLeads and my company, ExpoBadge dont really compete and my focus is not really in the third party software products anymore (mostly because it s a business model that , in my opinion, cannot be supported) but I was reading your blog and thought that at the very least I should correct Johns' oft repeated but seldom challanged description of his company 'creating' the field. NewLeads has done a great job of offering a mix of products to the market that are perfect for a certain type of exhibitor. They should be proud of what they have done over the past 10 years without embellishing the truth about who created the market. So what if they were second to market? Being second isn't necessarily a bad thing, unless you try to convince everyone you were first and the real first guy sees that you wrote it in a blog where all the world can see it. Rob: Great summary of some interesting things at the Exhibitor Show. Technologies and new companies have entered this market and there have been enormous changes (and choices for exhibitors) since I started in this business (auto id applications in the trade show market) in 1986. One of the things that has NOT changed is how some people insist on reshaping history to fit their own press release. Just for the record, John H. knows that he was still producing and selling morality videos to high school guidance counselors in the late 80’s when I created the first third part lead retrieval software product on the market (FreeLink). I am certain John remembers this because I sold him the badge reading DLL’s he needed to enter this market in 1996 (as I did with Capture Technolgies a few years later) . NewLeads and my company, ExpoBadge dont really compete and my focus is not really in the third party software products anymore (mostly because it s a business model that , in my opinion, cannot be supported) but I was reading your blog and thought that at the very least I should correct Johns’ oft repeated but seldom challanged description of his company ‘creating’ the field. NewLeads has done a great job of offering a mix of products to the market that are perfect for a certain type of exhibitor. They should be proud of what they have done over the past 10 years without embellishing the truth about who created the market. So what if they were second to market? Being second isn’t necessarily a bad thing, unless you try to convince everyone you were first and the real first guy sees that you wrote it in a blog where all the world can see it.

]]> By: Rob Everton http://www.awidernet.com/2007/04/12/lead-retrieval-and-management-from-exhibitor-2007/comment-page-1/#comment-5497 Rob Everton Mon, 23 Apr 2007 14:21:56 +0000 http://www.awidernet.com/2007/04/12/lead-retrieval-and-management-from-exhibitor-2007/#comment-5497 woops - I didn't miss your exhibit - I just didn't bring back any literature to remind me to write about you. In fact, my badge was scanned at your booth using the "house" lead management system. Sorry for the omission, and thanks for calling it out. NewLeads definitely deserves to be mentioned here for providing such a wide range of solutions for exhibitor-owned lead-retrieval systems. woops – I didn’t miss your exhibit – I just didn’t bring back any literature to remind me to write about you. In fact, my badge was scanned at your booth using the “house” lead management system.

Sorry for the omission, and thanks for calling it out.
NewLeads definitely deserves to be mentioned here for providing such a wide range of solutions for exhibitor-owned lead-retrieval systems.

]]> By: John Hasbouck http://www.awidernet.com/2007/04/12/lead-retrieval-and-management-from-exhibitor-2007/comment-page-1/#comment-5394 John Hasbouck Sun, 22 Apr 2007 04:08:47 +0000 http://www.awidernet.com/2007/04/12/lead-retrieval-and-management-from-exhibitor-2007/#comment-5394 Sorry you missed our exhibit at the Exhibitor Show. NewLeads created the field of third party lead retrieval offerings in 1996, and today is still the leading provider of the systems you describe. We offer touch screens, PDAs, TabletPCs and mini-laptops to help Fortune 1000 companies collect and manage leads. Many of our clients also use our web offering, "mynewleads.com" to distribute and strategically manage their leads after the show. If you'd like another look, please visit our site at <a href="http://www.newleads.com" rel="nofollow">www.newleads.com</a> , or inquire with any of our longstanding customers, including Eli Lilly, Panasonic, Xerox, Motorola, Whirlpool and hundreds more. Thanks!--John Hasbrouck, CEO Sorry you missed our exhibit at the Exhibitor Show. NewLeads created the field of third party lead retrieval offerings in 1996, and today is still the leading provider of the systems you describe. We offer touch screens, PDAs, TabletPCs and mini-laptops to help Fortune 1000 companies collect and manage leads. Many of our clients also use our web offering, “mynewleads.com” to distribute and strategically manage their leads after the show. If you’d like another look, please visit our site at http://www.newleads.com , or inquire with any of our longstanding customers, including Eli Lilly, Panasonic, Xerox, Motorola, Whirlpool and hundreds more. Thanks!–John Hasbrouck, CEO

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