Tim Bourquin, founder and president of TNC New Media, has started up a blog called, appropriately enough, Tradeshow Startup.
I found out about what he's doing through TSMI's Trade Show Marketing Report, and just had to call him for an article I'm putting together on blogging and meetings. When I caught up with him last week, he said, "I thought it would be interesting to blog about what goes into launching a new tradeshow." (Bourquin is in the throes of putting together the Podcast and Portable Media Expo, to be held in Southern California next fall.) He said he?s blogging as he goes for two reasons: "One is to have a record of just how hard it is to do. The second is to be helpful to others who are launching events. We all share similar struggles and challenges, and I?ll be talking about what I?m doing, the things I run into that surprise me." He adds that, when his company grows larger, "I?ll have the marketing department blog about how they?re trying to reach attendees and exhibitors, and the meeting planners blogging about doing hotel contracts."
I love this guy!
He says his main concern isn?t so much that attendees will find out about the inner workings of his show, but that if a major sponsor turns him down, should he mention that on his blog? "You know how it is: The other big companies will say, ?well, if they?re not going, we?re not going.?" Hopefully, that?s a bridge he won?t have to cross. (Some commentary on this whole idea can be found here, here, and here.)
If you have any advice?or commiseration?to share, or just want to watch someone go through the process of starting up a new show, check out Tim?s blog. I?m completely and utterly hooked.