SIA Industry + Intelligence ranks high across industries – remains a cornerstone of the Snow Show
Industry + Intelligence is “a chance to remove yourself from your day-to-day and physically be present to learn something new. It’s like going to college all over again…”
With nighttime temps plummeting and the SIA SnowShow literally just around the corner, it’s easy to get caught up in the excitement of reuniting with old friends on the show floor and the likely possibility of skiing powder at Copper Mountain.
But before all that can happen, you have to seriously consider why you are attending the show in the first place, and realize that perhaps the most important day of the event is actually before it even starts: at the SIA Industry + Intelligence day on January 25, 2017.
Considered the crown jewel of the show by many veterans, others say the education afforded by SIA and its curated experts outweighs anything they’ve seen at similar industry events at Interbike or Outdoor Retailer.
That said, SIA wants you there to see for yourself what all the hype is about, calling it the “day you can’t afford to miss.” It’s an invaluable resource for SIA members to take advantage of, from exclusive research, to networking, to cutting edge retail seminars, the value of which will be reaped all year long.
“Knowledge is power, and this day is an integral part of our industry,” said SIA Director of Communications & Marketing Todd Walton, “The intelligence and business insight that comes out of this day is incredibly valuable, but you have to be there and make it yours.”
If you haven’t already booked your travel, lodging, and registration for the January 2017 show, it’s not too late. Industry + Intelligence arms you to go into every meeting on the show floor with the most current data and talking points, essentially jump starting your conversations and maximizing everyone’s time, and informing the buying decisions you’re there for.
According to one presenter from last year’s SIA Industry + Intelligence, it’s a chance to “remove yourself from your day-to-day and physically be present to learn something new. It’s like going to college all over again for a day or two, and it’s super relevant for the industry.” Presenters are experts in processing and analyzing trends to help bring a personal focus to your career and business.
“Of all of the things we do at trade shows, I think that the Industry+Intelligence event before SIA is the most valuable in terms of getting real data that helps inform the activities we undertake, said Samantha Killgore, Marketing Manager, SCARPA North America. “We’re big users of data, and there’s always great insights based on data shared at this event. So having an industry-wide overview of trends, and how the landscape is changing based on those trends, helps us better understand our positioning in the market and where we want to go as a brand.”
And as the outdoor and bike industry shows continue to struggle to attract retail buyers and meet the earlier buying cycle needs of brands and a dynamic, evolving customer base, the SnowShow, now in Denver for its 7th year, remains as strong as ever, in no small part due to the value its members (who truly own the show, unlike OR and Interbike) place on not just the camaraderie of the annual tradeshow, but the opportunity to learn from their peers and the invaluable data mined each season by SIA to help them succeed.
“Honestly the SIA seminars seem more cutting edge. It’s probably because in general the audience skews younger than bike and outdoor. You get more action-oriented audiences who are operators in performance-based and innovative marketing,” said Craig Randall, Business Development and Integrated Services Director for Verde Communications. “They’re willing to learn and implement very readily.”
Randall presented last year on influencer marketing built around a case study from the brand Backcountry Access (BCA), a long time SnowShow attendee. “The crowd kept me up on stage for probably 20 minutes afterwards. It was awesome to be able to speak to and answer real questions in real time,” he said.
What is it about your business, your industry, that gets you heated? Global climate change? Over-inventory? Niching down? Shifting buying cycles? These pre-show seminars will prepare you for intelligent conversations for the rest of the season – far after your day of shredding powder at Copper Mountain with 100 of your best friends is long gone.
