The Internet Retailer Conference in Chicago

The Internet Retailer Conference in Chicago was one of the largest exhibitions of technology in the history of e-retailing. Naturally, the Solid Cactus team was there. We held our own with the big boys for several important reasons.

Making a Splash

Solid Cactus was among 180 exhibitors at the conference June 5th-7th at the Hyatt Regency with nearly 3000 e-tailers. How do you stand out? We did what we do with our web designs; we looked great. Our booth was among the best. We spent considerable time and money designing a classy business exhibit; it pays dividends every time we use it. In addition the Solid Cactus team of Sean Gove, Kurt Illian, Cactus Complete Commerce whiz Phil Gaughan and yours truly were there. CEO Joe Palko and COO Scott Sanfilippo attended. We believe that if it’s a major event you treat it as such and we did.

Big Time Branding

In addition we branded the conference. We included inserts in every program for the event. If you got a show guide, you saw Solid Cactus. Everything comes with a price, but it was easily worth investing in the inserts for the publicity. We believe our efforts worked. We scanned 450 badges in the three days.

Reputation Helps

We spent extended time talking with many Solid Cactus clients. We know people by name and we feel invested in their success as e-tailers, but in Chicago we finally put faces with names and it was great! Our clients are crucial to our success. New business regularly walks through the door because of client recommendations, and we met hundreds of new people who already knew us by our name and our clients’ good words. Thank you all.

Cost Counts

There were lots of big time companies charging frankly breathtaking prices for the same services we deliver at less than a tenth of the cost. We stood out to anyone who test drove our software, visited our sites and asked about price. We were very affordable.

Tips for Visiting a Conference

When planning to visit a conference, do your homework! Look for online reviews of previous shows. Look at the agenda to find something that works for you. Check the exhibitors to see if they’re the best in their class. And check the speakers to be sure you want to hear what they have to say. Come visit us! Our next appearance is the Philadelphia Gift Show at the Greater Reading Expo Center in Reading Pennsylvania July 23rd-26th. See you there!