Summer at Prime Time

The room was filled with the sound of reggae music and businesses connecting. Cocktail umbrellas adorned our drinks and leis were draped around our necks. Free to the public, the Sarasota Prime Time event packed in over 200 guests to enjoy their last bit of summer at The Chamber’s “End of the Summer Bash” on August 19 at the Sahib Shrine.

The Sarasota Prime Time is an after-hours tradeshow exhibit, offering business exposure for participating members as well as networking opportunities for all attendees. Presented by PayServ Systems, the event brought in nearly 40 member booths, many of them getting festive with the summer theme and offering raffle prizes and giveaways for lucky attendees.

Make the Most of Your Tradeshow: Part One

Allison Imre, iHeartMedia Sarasota

At a recent Shumaker Chamber University, Allison Imre presented valuable information on trade shows at “Make the Most of Your Tradeshow.” Imre is the Senior Account Manager of iHeartMedia Sarasota. With 245 million monthly listeners in the U.S., iHeartMedia has the largest reach of any radio or television outlet in America. The company owns and operates 858 broadcast radio stations, serving more than 150 markets throughout the U.S.

Imre is no stranger to trade shows. Her experience with trade shows started at her previous position with the Kansas City Royals and has expanded since she joined iHeartMedia Sarasota.

If you’re like Imre, you’ve been to your fair share of trade shows. In fact, everyone in our audience raised their hands when asked if they’ve attended one before. And their experiences were mixed. For some, the trade show wasn’t worth their time or investment and for others there was success in meeting new people, closing deals and setting appointments. By opening the trade show conversation, Imre offered some of the best tools, tips and tricks to use when attending or exhibiting at a trade show.

With The Chamber’s End of the Summer Bash Prime Time exhibit quickly approaching, let’s start with what we learned to do as a trade show attendee.

Photo courtesy of Jake Bibler of Mavella Photography.