Yeah that’s me – Doctor Dave – Trade Show Practitioner/or The Dude, as most of you call me!
I truly like trade shows. I know that is probably a weird statement to make, but you’ve got to look at it from my point of view. I have been doing trade shows on a national and international level for 26 years. Sick huh? Oh well, I like the camaraderie of the set up process, seeing all of my exhibitor friends, and helping each other get those booths set up and ready for you…..our valued customers. We trade show exhibitors are like a traveling circus. We go from town to town doing the set ups and tear down week after week and we hang out together before and after even these events. Even if we’re fierce competitors during the day we still get together to hang out after the business is done. It’s a lot of hard work but also a lot of fun if you approach it properly. It is what we do, and it is because of you that we do it!
I like knowing that you are coming to learn, investigate, and renew old acquaintances at these trade shows, and to also maybe purchase a new machine or one of our many tools to save you time and make that job easier and faster.
I like trade shows because it gives me a chance to be one-on-one with you. It allows us to actually show you our products and how they work, and in most cases you can test drive then right there at the show. I come to the shows prepared and loaded for just about any contingency. We always have our techs with us so we can also answer those tough questions about engines or our products with authority and facts. In most cases we offer the “trade show discount” to motivate you to make the decision right there, saving you dollars for making that decision at the show.
The PRI show in Orlando was a little smaller than last year in my opinion. It seems like the motor homes and back curtains keep creeping closer to all of us on machinery row. However, you made the show a success by your attendance. Your attendance allowed Goodson to once again announce that this PRI show was worth the time and many dollars it takes to be at the Orlando venue. Once again PRI delivered on its commitment to you. They also delivered what we as exhibitors need to sustain ourselves for exhibiting at these events. Thanks to all of you who attended this year’s PRI show!
The IMIS show was the very next week. I got home from Florida just in time to do the 24 hour turn around. I needed clean clothes and also needed to get to the office to insure all the business from PRI was handled. We drive to IMIS because its not that far and allows me to be in competition with myself on how fast I can make the trip. My best time from here to there got even better. Beat last year by 22 minutes. You know about anybody can drive 80 MPH, but to drive 80 miles in an hour for many hours is the key to getting A to B in a reasonable time. (Remember, don’t try this at home. I’m a professional.)
The IMIS show is a little different than PRI. It draws a huge following from about a 500 mile circle around Indy. The show is only in its third year, and I admit last year was little light in attendance. This year however those doors opened up and a steady stream of happy and enthusiastic engine builders started making their way throughout the show floor. I noticed that some of my trade exhibitor buddies had reduced their footprint due to last year’s lack of attendees. I suspect a lot of them will probably step it up next year due to the success this year’s IMIS-INDY SHOW. Thank all of you for attending this year’s IMIS show.
You know if you breakdown the IMIS –INDY Show acronym it says this, “I-MIS-INDY.” I tip my marketing hat to the show people who thought that up, very clever indeed.
Over-all both shows delivered what they said they would deliver and we thank the promoters who work so hard to make these events possible. Goodson will continue to support both trade shows because they deliver. We look forward to seeing you again at the next event, wherever it may be.
See ya in the streets!
Dave
David Vizard’s ability to break this high tech information down to something even I can understand is pretty amazing. I thought for sure this seminar would be way over my head as most you would probably guess. But I actually learned a bunch of stuff and I hope to be able to apply it in the many conversations I have with you as I travel around this big country of ours. The delivery was great and attendees must have asked a hundred questions and I know everyone came away with something they could put to use right away when they got back to the shop. After the first day came the “evening session” where a very relaxed atmosphere allowed even more one on one time with David, with questions, questions, and more questions. David did a great job in answering all of those questions to boot. I was surprised by how much energy this guy has! He talked all day and into the night and never got tired? I gotta get me some of that!
While I was there in Houston, I got to take in a couple of rounds of qualifying at the O’Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Nationals Full Throttle Tour. It was good to smell the burning tires and feel my eyes watering from all that nitro in the air. Sweet guy smells for sure. I hooked up with team Kalitta and thanks to Ben Marshal for getting me through the front door. It was really cool to hang in the DHL pits with Jeff Arend and to see Jon O, the crew chief. He’s lighter than the last time I saw him; eating right and exercising are paying off big time. To top it off that DHL funny car beat ‘em all to be Top Fuel Funny Car Champion winning out over Mike Neff in the finals. This is a very sweet win for that DHL funny car as Houston is the only venue that Scott Kalitta won prior to his passing while driving in Englishtown.
I had my daughter with me at this race. It was her first time ever at an NHRA drag race. Can you believe that? We had dinner the night before with Bill McNight from Clevite and Linda and Judson from SAM, John Goodman and Dave Hagan from AERA. Bill had invited 
Terry McMillen is a fun guy to hang with. What a treat it was for my daughter to be able to have dinner with someone like Terry. At the races the next day, Terry put her right into the driver’s seat of his dragster. I know he has a new fan. I think that is what I like most about drag racing…..it is all about family. Everybody taking care of and watching out for each other.
