Have cancelled trade shows impacted your company's business?
Yes and no. We are still selling and figuring out how to virtually engage with our customers, but we are not able to launch new products at large shows such as Drupa. At the same time, the work-from-home movement has created a need for our consumer products for sure.

What steps are you currently taking to mitigate these impacts?
Honestly, it is out of our hands. We are being as fluid as we can to still have engagement with our customers.

Has the absence of live events and trade shows impacted how your company's upper management perceives their value?
It has not, as we are working on how we deliver in today's virtual environment and then applying what we've learned to make our live events better when they come back.

Which of these impacts is the one that most keeps you up at night?
What the future holds for face-to-face marketing and events: when will it return, what will it look like, what challenges will we face, who is going to pay for any additional processes like extra cleaning, providing PPE, etc.

Has your workload increased, decreased, or stayed the same?
I wouldn't say it's up or down; it is just different. However, I have tried to control the hours I am now working to be a more reasonable amount. I'm still planning for events moving forward and spending a lot of time on updating playbooks and processes and looking at hybrid and virtual models.

How do you think your face-to-face marketing program will change considering the pandemic?
We are pausing before making any commitments to events and shows moving forward, as we don't know how long restrictions will be in place and don't want to commit money to something that we can't get back if shows or events are still in question.

How do you think the future of face-to-face will change as a result of this pandemic?
I have so many questions about the future. Assuming shows resume in the fall or next spring, how do we mitigate liability for our staff and our guests? Will we need additional protective equipment for booth staff or for those working the show, and who will provide it? How will the show floor and/or booths be sanitized during the event and between events? Who pays for the additional precautions? Will this be made transparent or rolled into something like drayage or space costs? How will we mitigate the "entitlement" behavior of workers wanting to make up for lost wages? We saw this after the dot-com bubble burst and after recessions. Jurisdictional discussions were more prevalent than ever before.

How optimistic are you that shows you've regularly attended will return once the pandemic is over?
Some will be back, and some will not. It really depends on how stable the show was and how much the investment will be for the organizer to bring it back and how much of a commitment they have from exhibitors – and how they treated exhibitors during the cancellation or postponement.

What lessons have you learned from this COVID crisis that may benefit your program moving forward?
You never can plan enough for this type of situation, and thoroughly read the contracts you are signing. Also, during times like these, you sure learn which partners have your back and which are only in it for the money.

What changes, if any, should the trade show and events industry collectively consider implementing as a result of this pandemic?
Now is a time for us to really reevaluate the business model and how shows and events are done, especially regarding rising drayage costs, union labor minimums, etc. We have a great opportunity to look at those pain points and work on fixing them or even changing the model to be prepared for when the industry comes back.

Read more interviews with exhibit managers coping with COVID-19.