The Association For Manufacturing Technology (AMT) announces its partnership with Ethnometrics to measure the “purchase experience” at IMTS 2008 in September 2008. IMTS is the largest show to apply this type of research to the trade show experience.
“Purchase experience” refers to the science of measuring the effectiveness of a selling environment in creating a fulfilling and memorable interaction between buyer and seller. Ethnometrics combines qualitative and quantitative research with behavioral measurement techniques to provide insights that lead to significant improvement in the value of the show for attendees and better ROI for exhibitors.
“Ethnometrics will provide us a data-driven method of measuring the IMTS experience,” said Peter R. Eelman, AMT vice president-exhibitions. “Given the large number of exhibitors, the floor space IMTS covers, and the debut of McCormick Place West, this new level of information will provide facts to support strategic decisions that can drive growth. It is a great value-added tool that will help us strengthen our partnership with exhibitors and provide a dynamic assessment of the value attendees and exhibitors gain from IMTS, and how that value can be improved.”
The IMTS analysis will measure such attributes as the effectiveness of show layout and design for optimum traffic flow, key characteristics and behaviors that attract attendees and encourage them to engage and interact, and the effectiveness of exhibitors in creating an environment that promotes interaction from initial contact to final purchase. In addition to the overall study, plans are being made to offer the Ethnometrics research tool to IMTS 2008 exhibitors so they may gain insights into attendee behavior centering on their specific exhibits.
The International Manufacturing Technology Show (IMTS) is the largest and longest running manufacturing technology trade show in the United States is held every other year at McCormick Place in Chicago. IMTS is ranked among the largest trade shows in the world. Recognized as one of the world’s preeminent stages for introducing and selling manufacturing equipment and technology, IMTS attracts over 90,000 visitors from every level of industry and over 40 countries. IMTS is owned and managed by AMT.
Founded in 1902, AMT represents and promotes the interests of American providers of manufacturing machinery and equipment. Its goal is to promote technological advancements and improvements in the design, manufacture, and sale of members’ products in those markets and acts as an industry advocate on trade matters to governments and trade organizations throughout the world.
Ethnometrics is the industry leader in bringing retail store behavioral research to the exhibit floor. They are a six sigma-based consulting firm committed to providing measurement driven customer solutions to business applications for Fortune 500 companies like Best Buy and Whirlpool. Their expertise focuses on the fact that business entities spend countless resources on items that they think create value for customers but never verify the effectiveness of these resources in delivering that value. Ethnometrics’s ultimate goal is to optimize this spending by eliminating and/or redirecting it to venues that provide the maximum return on investment in order to make IMTS a world class experience for those involved in exhibiting, attending and managing the shows.
For more information go to [www.amtonline.org].
