Trade Show Executive

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POWER LUNCH SPONSORED BY POWER LUNCH SNAPSHOT CHRIS DOLNACK Natl. Shooting Sports Foundation, Inc. • Senior vice president & chief marketing offi cer, 2010 – present • Senior vice president, 2005 – 2010 • Managing director, program development, 2002 – 2005 • Director of development, 1999 – 2002 W-G-K, Inc. Manufacturer’s Representative, 1999 Colt’s Manufacturing Executive director of merchandising, advertising & sales promotion, 1997-1998 Smith & Wesson • Director of marketing services, 1996 –1997 • Regional sales manager, 1995 –1996 • Marketing manager, sporting goods & law enforcement, 1992 –1995 • Public relations manager, 1991 – 1992 Professional Affiliations • International Association for Exhibitions and Events, currently serving on IAEE Senior Executive Roundtable Committee • Professional Convention Managers Association (PCMA) • Accredited by the Public Relations Society of America • Frequent speaker on social media Education • St. Joseph College, West Hartford, CT • Buena Vista College, Storm Lake, IA • Pennsylvania State University Continued from page 34 BOB: As research has proven, the SHOT Show has a loyal audience. How important is social media in nurturing and growing your attendee base? CHRIS: Our exhibitors and attendees are very tech savvy. We have a threeperson emerging media team here on staff to execute our robust program that utilizes a variety of platforms, including Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, as well as the SHOT Show website and our blog. We periodically hold live online chats to answer questions. We use our in-house studio to create video messages, most recently to promote the show, update attendees, and explain how to use our show’s mobile app. BOB: I understand you’re a master at Twitter.? CHRIS: Social Media Marketing Magazine ranks me Number 46 among the “Top 100 CMOs on Twitter.” We use Twitter and Facebook to take the temperature of our customers, particularly during the show. They also help us monitor problems at the show so we can correct them immediately. In turn, they help drive up our customer satisfaction numbers. BOB: What other marketing methods motivate your audience to attend? CHRIS: Our marketing mix includes print ads in trade publications, e-mail campaigns and e-newsletters. However, I think the most effective marketing is done by our attendees, who create such great buzz prior to show. This year it was spectacular. BOB: You had visitors from over 100 nations at this year’s show. How did this come about and do you have special programs for them? CHRIS: Diedra Cauley, our director of exhibitions and conferences, spearheads many efforts to recruit international buyers. We have a booth in the American Pavilion at the IWA & Outdoor Classics Show in Nuremberg, Germany and provide SHOT Show registration and Las Vegas hotel information. At the SHOT Show, all international buyers are enrolled in a VIP Program and receive a card giving them access to a 24-hour concierge hotline while in Las Vegas. We also have a VIP Lounge at the show, offering Europeanstyle hospitality, interpreters, meeting rooms, business machines, etc. BOB: You created SHOT on a Budget, a listing of great places in Las Vegas where attendees can stretch their dollars. How successful is this program? CHRIS: Judging from the feedback on Facebook and Twitter, our attendees really like it. In my opinion, Las Vegas is the most exciting city for trade shows and fine dining. Yet we have a lot of mom-and-pop businesses that attend and they’re looking for more affordable dining options, so we created that option. Our exhibitors and attendees are very tech savvy. We have a threeperson emerging media team to execute our robust program that utilizes a variety of platforms. We use our in-house studio to create video messages, most recently to promote the show, update attendees, and explain how to use our show’s mobile app. BOB: Speaking of money, would you care to share the revenue breakdown between exhibitors and attendees? CHRIS: Our revenue split is approximately $20 million on the exhibitor side and $2 million for the attendees. BOB: What defines a successful show for you? CHRIS: A successful SHOT Show for me is where the buyers and sellers achieve their objectives and they give high ratings for their overall experience at the event. 36 March 2013 | Trade Show Executive
SPONSORED BY BOB: How did you get started in this industry? CHRIS: Very early in my career, I managed the exhibits in 80 consumer shows for Berkley, a leading fish and tackle company. I quickly learned my way around most of the major convention centers — and also grew to really appreciate the value of face-to-face events for sales lead generation. BOB: Who were your mentors? CHRIS: On a personal level, certainly my father and grandfather, who instilled in me a passion for hunting, shooting and the outdoors. Also, the NSSF Board Chairman, Bob Scott, whom I worked for at both Berkley and Smith & Wesson. And then there is Ken McAvoy, senior vice president of Reed Exhibitions. BOB: What do you value most in your associates? CHRIS: Loyalty, candor, commitment and accountability — these are central ingredients to build a foundation of trust. BOB: What book are you currently reading? CHRIS: I’m re-reading Making a Difference by Steve Gilliland. It’s inspiring and instructive about making a difference in everything you do. I regularly purchase books for my staff and myself to make us all better people and managers. BOB: What is your secret extravagance? CHRIS: It’s not a secret: I enjoy a good cigar, along with an appropriately paired wine or spirit. BOB: What keeps you awake at night? CHRIS: The fact that the SHOT Show accounts for 80% of our organization revenue. We have to continuously improve on our customer’s experience because if we don’t, someone else will. Shooting the Breeze. Dolnak and senior NSSF managers make it a point to stop by every booth on the last day of the show to thank exhibitors and seek their feedback. Dolnack also emcees the State of the Industry presentation and introduces the event’s A-list entertainment. There were too many colossal trade shows that disappeared within three years because they didn’t pay attention to their customers’ experience. BOB: Finally, if you could be any other person in the world, who would you trade places with? CHRIS: I can’t say there’s anyone I would trade places with. My lifelong avocation has become my vocation and there aren’t many people who are this lucky. Plus my friends and family keep me grounded. Contact Chris Dolnack at (203) 426-1320 ext. 227 or cdolnack@nssf.org Columnist BOB DALLMEYER, CEM, has been chairman of both the International Association of Exhibitions and Events (IAEE) and the Trade Show Exhibitors Association (TSEA), as well as a former director of the Center for Exhibition Industry Research (CEIR). In 2006, he was inducted into the Convention Industry Council’s Hall of Leaders and received IAEE’s Pinnacle Award in 2008. Contact Bob at (323) 934-8300 or bdallmeyer@tradeshowexecutive.com www.TradeShowExecutive.com | March 2013 37
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Trade Show Executive

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