New Outdoor Trade Organization Introduces Itself To The Upper Midwest

Posted: 04/16/2008 In Category: Outdoor Trade Shows / Events

Industry News Release Written By: Midwest Outdoor Rep Exchange

Madison, WI – The newly formed Midwest Outdoor Rep Exchange (MORE) is a unique trade organization created for outdoor retailers, reps and vendors in the Upper Midwest. To kick off the summer season, MORE will be holding their Summer Rendezvous at the Monona Terrace Convention Center in downtown Madison, Wisconsin on July 22nd, 23rd, and 24th.

"I'm excited to be working with MORE because of the synergy of the people involved,” says regional rep Megan Kress of Northstar Sales and Marketing. “It's more than just a trade show, it's the chance to breathe new life into the business, to try new ideas and look for creative ways to keep our business relevant and our industry viable.”

The Midwest Outdoor Rep Exchange will offer innovative new programs at this summer’s inaugural Summer Rendezvous, including a fashion show and reception on the roof of Monona Terrace overlooking Lake Monona, chef-guided tours of the local farmer’s market, and a picnic at one of Madison’s most popular events, Concert On The Square. MORE is also researching ways to offer a “greener” trade show, with incentives for retailers and reps to stay within walking distance of Monona Terrace, a “paperless” promotional campaign, and show-sponsored bus transport for retailers that will originate from both Chicago and Minneapolis.

With both a new trade show and regional trade organization for the Midwest, MORE will be:

MORE Timely—“MORE fills a gap in the buying cycle that better suits a broad range of dealers,” says Vanessa Hohn of Ames Adventure Outfiitters,”With an earlier show, we have the opportunity to give buyers more control, better discounts and a more complete and centralized showing.” The MORE Summer Rendezvous precedes Outdoor Retailer Summer Market so that time-stretched retailers can get the bulk of their existing business wrapped up before they go to Salt Lake.

MORE Effective— “It’s all about return-on-investment,” says Ryan Erickson, Midwest rep for Teva,”Even if we’re investing a little more money overall, the end-product will be the best event we can make it for everybody, and that helps all of our businesses.” MORE is open to all who want to be involved. A strong regional trade show that provides more draw for reps, retailers, and vendors creates more opportunities while saving time, dollars, and resources.

MORE Profitable— “I think that the MORE Summer Rendezvous will be a great benefit to the buyers and to us as well, in this time of increasing travel expense and earlier deadlines.” Says Vanessa Hohn of Ames Adventure Outfitters. An earlier trade show allows retailers who are pressed by deadlines a greater opportunity to earn deeper discounts. Brian Block of Ames Adventure Outfitters explains: “MORE gives us the opportunity to bring product to dealers earlier so that they can maximize discounts and ensure availability, and in this way we become better partners with our dealers for our mutual success.”

MORE Good Lookin’—Brad Werntz of Pemba Serves takes personal pride in offering the best of Madison to customers and colleagues: “I grew up somewhere else, but Madison has become my home and I’m proud of it. We’ll be able to use this beautiful little city to its full potential as a host for a dynamic new event.” The Monona Terrace overlooks Lake Monona, and is the jewel on the skyline of the city both night and day. It is also adjacent to the Capitol Square downtown and is on the city’s most prominent bike path. Attendees will be able to sit on grass by the water before, during, and after the show. Inside, the show will be fully carpeted, and reps will be offered incentives to create premium, professional booths.

MORE Happenin’— “There’s just so much potential to do fun, innovative things in the downtown Madison area,” says Nicole Erickson, Salomon Sports,”We’re really going to push the bar higher with the MORE Outdoor Rendezvous.” Plans for the event include on-water canoe and kayak demos, a portable climbing wall, and demo bikes for touring downtown Madison. In addition to a fashion show and rooftop party at Monona Terrace, more events are planned that will take advantage of annual summer Madison happenings such as the Farmer’s Market and the Concert On The Square. “By having the show earlier in Madison, it turns out that there’s a lot that we can offer that was never possible before,” says Chet Cisek of Wild Moon LLC,”Who knew?”

MORE Green — “With the walk-in venue for this tradeshow - and also by re-examining every other potential impact to the environment - we’ve been able to completely re-invent the show from a green standpoint,” says Pam Schwarzbach of The Ascentials. MORE is offering incentives for reps and retailers to stay nearby in hopes that fewer people will drive while they are at the show. Demo bikes will be provided for those who must commute from nearby hotels. To reduce cars further still, busses are being chartered from Chicago and the Twin Cities. MORE has done research that demonstrates that attending shows uses only 7% of the gas overall when compared to reps visiting retailers in their stores. By chartering busses to transport retailers from centralized locations, the goal is to push this percentage lower still. “We’re all talking about being more green,” says Brad Werntz of Pemba Serves,”It’s time now to DO something substantial. This is a start.”

Troy Kattreh of the Ascentials sums up the working platform of the Midwest Outdoor Rep Exchange: “Being efficient in how we conduct ourselves and manage our time has always been important to the bottom line. MORE enables us to be more efficient by being more effective. Effective, both with regards to how and when we conduct business with our retail partners given the continually evolving timelines, but also by adding value as an organization for our member reps and retailers beyond the sales component by introducing workshops, fashion shows and other value added functions. This is just a start, look for MORE over time."


For MORE information:
Scott Lynch, Show Director
(608) 217-2934
info@morexchange.org
www.morexchange.org

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