St. Louis, Mo. — The National Wood Flooring Association 2012 Wood Flooring Expo is showing significant signs of growth over the NWFA’s recent shows. The show currently has booked 70% of its trade show hall with three months still left to fill the show floor. The show floor also will have 100 more booths than the 2011 show in San Diego. Attendance is ahead of last year’s pace as well by more than a third.
Much of this increase in activity can be attributed to the total relaunch of the show for 2012. The NWFA has added education tracks emphasizing technical skills, management, and marketing, as well as fourth track dedicated exclusively to providing CEUs approved by the American Institute of Architects, and the American Society of Interior Designers. This track will bring an entirely new audience of attendees to the show that has never been targeted before, and will offer exhibitors new prospects while offering contractors potential new business contacts.
Also new to the show are keynote speakers who have a direct relationship to the industry. Ken Schmidt, former
Marketing Director of Harley-Davidson, will talk with the group about recovering from a down economy through marketing and branding. HGTV celebrity carpenter/designer, Carter Oosterhouse, will be on hand to talk about design trends that could influence our industry, and will also present the 2012 Wood Floor of the Year awards.
For attendees, the NWFA will offer a coupon book for the first time featuring thousands of dollars in show special savings for attendees who book their rooms at the headquarters hotel. This coupon book will provide exhibitors with increased show traffic, will provide contractors with savings that will offset their attendance fees, and will provide distributors with increased sales when coupons are redeemed after the show.
The trade show will feature demonstrations each hour, and will have a prize drawing following each demonstration. In addition, the final two hours of the trade show will feature a closing party with raffles and door prizes from exhibiting companies, and one lucky winner will drive away on a new Harley-Davidson motorcycle.
The show will be held April 10-13 at the Gaylord Palms Resort & Convention Center in Orlando, Florida. For more information about reserving a booth, or registering to attend the show, visit www.nwfaexpo.org.