Who is at the target-rich HITEC show? Almost no one in DS

June 21, 2011 by Dave Haynes

Trade shows should be target-rich environments, so any digital signage vendor looking to crack the hotel and restaurant sector would logically have people and probably a booth at the big Hospitality Industry Technology Exposition & Conference (HITEC) on right now in Austin, Texas.

So who is actually there? I know Four Winds Interactive does a pile of trade shows and has maybe 10 people there this week. Symon and Intello Technologies (Montreal) are also there. JANUS  Displays has a booth, as do the big display guys. But that’s it as far as I can tell.

There are roughly 5,000 people who spec and source IT solutions for their hotels, resorts, clubs and eateries.

Trade shows are expensive, no doubt, but the smart guys who are quietly growing solid businesses are looking beyond just the annual gatherings of the digital signage clans and putting significant dollars and effort into being at events where there are a lot of prospects and very few competitors.