The Chamber’s Business Un-Usual was a huge success. Over 2,000 attendees walked the floor of the Expo Center sharing information about their products and services. Doing business in this relaxed, “unusual” setting proved to be beneficial for all participants.
 
Here is an excerpt from The Orlando Sentinel, June 6, 2002.
By Sarah Hale
Sentinel Staff Writer
 
After setting up booths at several business expos in recent years, Mike Giordano finally figured out how to get people's attention. He sweet-talks them-with chocolate chips.

"Ooh, hello, that's what I want," one woman said after spotting the freshly baked chocolate-chip cookies that Giordano's staff was passing out.
His Carpe Diem Sales & Marketing gave away more than 1,000 cookies Wednesday at the Business Un-Usual Expo, sponsored by Orlando Regional Chamber of Commerce. The annual expo in downtown Orlando promotes business-to-business networking in a casual environment.

"We catch them when they're wiping chocolate off their faces," Giordano said. "That's when we give them information about what we do."
Most of the 130 businesses at the one-day event were giving away something-notepads, pens, magnets or soft-drink cozies, to name a few. Those attending perused row after row of booths, scooping up items along the way. Some didn't even stop to chat-they wanted only the freebies.

Trade-show-style marketing can be a cost-efficient way to reach hundreds of potential customers in a short time; but to be effective, the booth needs to stand out from the others. That's where the loud music, colorful backdrops and freebies-especially food-come into play.

Boston Market Corp. had a line of people extending past neighboring booths. Company employees doled out plates of honey-baked ham, mashed potatoes, and macaroni and cheese. Molto Inc., a wholesale ice-cream maker, passed out free samples of its specialty sorbet flavors, such as lemon rose petal, champagne and margarita.

Lynx, also known as the Central Florida Regional Transportation Authority, hung up hundreds of flashing red reflectors to promote both safety and the region's public bus system. It seemed to work: Some attendees strapped the tiny red lights to their name tags.

"Business doesn't have to be serious," said Jolynn Haven, owner of Professional Meetings and producer of the Chamber's expos for the past 15 years. "That's what this expo is about. Have fun with your booth."

John Connelly and his friend and co-worker, Fred Hill, browsed the exhibits while trying to drum up business for their Mid Florida Cellular store in DeLand. The two jokingly referred to the Boston Market display as the "buffet line."

"This is the best so far," Connelly said as he ate a bowl of mashed potatoes and gravy. "But when it's lunch time, all of the food booths are good."

"We've picked up some other free stuff," Hill reminded his friend.

"Yeah, but this fills me up," Connelly said.

Ron and Sharon Tucker, owners of Ameri-Quick Printing, didn't have flashing lights or fresh cookies-only some pens and peppermints. Still, the two were kept busy.

"We lucked out," said Ron Tucker, a first-time expo exhibitor. "Somehow, we ended up next to Boston Market. People are standing in line for food, and they're talking to us while they wait."

Sarah Hale can be reached at shale@orlandosentinel.com or 407-420-5718.