At most conferences where networking is the ultimate goal, attendees are brought together in one room and left on their own to meet and exchange business cards.
The One-On-One Appointment Show at the ING Spring Conference takes it a step further, arranging a series of 20-minute meetings between people who can help each other grow in the golf industry.
The One-On-One Appointment Show will be one of the highlights at the 24th Annual ING Spring Conference, scheduled for June 1-4 at Resorts Casino Hotel in Atlantic City.
Nearly everyone at the conference can benefit from participation in the ING One-On-One Appointment Show, which will be held over two days at this year’s conference. It was created to place an emphasis on business relations between the media and golf companies, resorts, destinations and entrepreneurs.
Participating companies set up tabletop displays. Beginning at 8 a.m. on Tuesday, private meetings will be held every 20 minutes, for five hours over two days – Monday and Tuesday mornings of the conference.
The exhibitor and the visiting media member or business attendee share the time, with the goal being to create win-win-win programs for the company, the media and the audience, whether it be advertising, feature stories or special promotions. At the very least, a business relationship is established or nurtured.
It is also a perfect time for writers to gather story material and TV/Radio broadcasters to do interviews. Over a half-dozen golf radio shows are expected to take part in Radio Row during the Appointment Show. Each show will set up a table, and exhibitors will be brought to the table to do recorded radio interviews for future airings.
The ING staff gathers all meeting requests ahead of the conference and makes appropriate matches for the appointments. The entire schedule is determined and published prior to the show to allow for adequate planning time.
Another key element of the conference for exhibiting companies is the Demo Lab on Tuesday afternoon. Historic Atlantic City Country Club will host this year’s ING Demo Lab, where companies with golf equipment and training aids set up on the range and putting green where attendees try the products first hand. Companies that have verbally committed to participating in the Demo Lab so far include Bridgestone, RadiusRoll Putters, Razor Golf, SNAG, and TaylorMade Golf. A total of nearly 20 companies are expected to take part.
The 2014 ING Spring Conference will welcome approximately 150 people from all walks of the golf industry and media. The educational format has been revised to feature more customized choices, including sessions on Social Media Marketing.
Three golf tournaments will be conducted at Seaview Resort and Blue Heron Pines, including the ING WGAT National Qualifier.
Resorts Casino Hotel will serve as the official headquarters of the conference, hosting all of the educational sessions and most of the meal and networking elements of the meeting. It was the first casino hotel to open in Atlantic City, back in 1978. It has since undergone a major renovation, including the addition of the spectacular Margaritaville entertainment complex.
