EXHIBITS AND SPONSORS

1. EXHIBITS AND SPONSORS EXHIBIT ADVISORY COMMITTEE CHALLENGES AND CONCERNS

2. WHY COMPANIES EXHIBIT & SPONSOR • BEST VALUE - EXHIBITS ARE VISITED BY POTENTIAL CUSTOMERS WITH REAL POTENTIAL PROGRAMS (DECISION-MAKERS) • DIMINISHING POTENTIAL PROGRAMS • NEW PROGRAMS FAVOR INCUMBENTS • LACK OF NEW STARTS (NASA/DOD BUDGETS EROSION OF BUDGETS) • TARGET AUDIENCE DECISION-MAKERS ARE MISSING

3. PRESENT EXHIBIT ENVIRONMENT • FLAT TO DECLINING MARKET • LOTS OF COMPETING ORGANIZATIONS OFFERING EVENTS/CONFERENCES • LOTS OF VENUES • FIXED COMPANY BUDGETS OR DECLINING BUDGETS • NO LONGER CAN AFFORD TO SUPPORT ALL EVENTS • COMPANIES MUST PRIORTIZE AND CHOOSE “BEST VALUE”

4. MAKE-UP OF ATTENDEES • DECISION-MAKERS ARE NOT ATTENDING • MANY TECHNOLOGISTS, RESEARCHERS, TEACHERS, STUDENTS & EXTRAORDINARY NUMBER OF FOREIGN PARTICIPANTS • EXHIBITORS – SOMETIMES PRIMES, BUT MOSTLY COMPANY SUPPLIERS AND COMPETITORS

5. CURRENT DEFICIENCES • LACK OF PAPERS & STUDIES BY CUSTOMERS (ITAR DRIVEN) • TARGET AUDIENCE NOT ATTENDING IN SUFFICIENT NUMBERS • LARGE PRIMES NOT EXHIBITING (JPC-LM SPACE SYSTEMS, BOEING, UNITED LAUNCH ALLIANCE, NORTHROP, RAYTHEON, PRAXAIR • REDUCTION IN FLOOR SPACE BY EXHIBITORS • SMALL COMPANIES EXHIBIT FOR EXPOSURE, NO PRIMES - NO NEED TO EXHIBIT • AIAA IS DILUTING THE QUALITY OF EXHIBIT PROGRAM BY THE SHEER NUMBER OF SHOWS

6. BUDGETING OF EXHIBITS • FUNDING THROUGH MARKETING OR COMMUNICATION BUDGETS • TECHNICAL AND MARKETING ENTITIES HAVE DIFFERENT CORPORATE MANDATES WITH DIFFERENT GOALS • MARKETING IS EXPECTED TO SHOW ROO/ROI WHEN PARTICIPATING, WAS IT A VIABLE EVENT? IF NOT, DO WE RETURN? • SHRINKING BUDGETS MUST CHOOSE “BEST VALUE” • ARE AIAA EXHIBITS BRINGING THE BEST VALUE ?

7. SUCCESSFUL CHANGES • VIP TOURS • COFFEE BREAKS IN THE HALL • UNLIMITED EXHIBITOR BADGES • GUEST BADGES • LUNCH FOR ATTENDEES – WHEN AVAILABLE

8. LOGISTICS • PROXIMITY OF EXHIBITS TO SESSIONS • DIRECT CORRELATION BETWEEN DISTANCE OF SESSIONS & ATTENDANCE IN EXHIBIT HALL • NOT ENOUGH TIME BETWEEN SESSIONS FOR ATTENDEES • NO SET TIME FOR REFRESHMENT BREAKS • OFFSITE ACTIVITIES DURING CONFERENCE DETRACT FROM THE EXHIBIT

9. MATERIAL HANDLING COSTS • 2ND LARGEST EXPENSE OF EXHIBITING • EXHIBITORS ARE PENALIZED FOR BRINGING IN LARGER BOOTHS, ENGINES, HANDS-ON DEMOS, ETC. ITEMS THAT ATTRACT ATTENDEES TO THE BOOTH • THE LESS PRODUCT AVAILABLE TO SEE, THE FEWER PEOPLE WILL VISIT THE HALL • VICIOUS CYCLE THAT CAN LITERALLY KILL THE EXHIBIT COMPONENT OF A CONF.

10. RECOMMENDATIONS • VENUE SELECTION-CUSTOMER PROXIMITY SHOULD BE PRIORITY • UTILIZE EMPTY SPACE IN CONVENTION HALL WITH DAILY PRESENTATION-OPENING SESSION? • SOCIAL ACTIVITIES REQUIRED IN EXHIBIT HALL • DEDICATED COFFEE BREAKS WITH ENOUGH TIME BETWEEN SESSION- 30 TO 45 MIN. • NO SESSIONS TAKING PLACE DURING BREAKS DEDICATED BREAK DEDICATED EXHIBIT TIME • ALL LUNCHES EVERYDAY IN THE EXHIBIT HALL • CUT THE NUMBER OF EXHIBITS FROM CONF. • INTEGRATE EXHIBITS INTO CONFERENCE PROGRAM

11. RECOMMENDATIONS CONT’D. • CO-LOCATE EXHIBITS WHERE SESSIONS ARE TAKING PLACE • NO-OFFSITE AND HAVE ADDITIONAL RECEPTION IN HALL • INTEGRATION OF EAC MEMBER ON PLANNING COMMITTEE • EXHIBITOR’S KNOWLEDGE AND ABILITIES CAN HELP CREATE AN INTEGRATED SUCCESSFUL EVENT, BUT THEY MUST BE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE AND CONTRIBUTE! • MATL. HANDLING –ORGANIZER’S DETERMINE CHANGE! NEGOTIATE BETTER CONTRACTS WITH DECORATORS • CONSIDER EUROPEAN MODEL

12. BENCHMARK SUCCESS • 2006 TO 2009 THERE WAS A 40% REDUCTION IN TOTAL EXHIBIT MARGIN AT ALL TAC EXHIBITS • AIAA MDA AND BALLISTIC MISSILE DEFENSE SUCCESSFUL WHY? ITAR RESTRICTED? BRINGS IN A DIFFERENT MIX OF ATTENDEES, DECISION-MAKERS? • NO DILUTED PRESENTATIONS • NSS DECISION-MAKERS ARE PRESENT COMPANIES WILLING TO SPONSOR AND EXHIBIT FOR EXPOSURE • DEDICATED BREAKS • ENOUGH TIME BETWEEN SESSIONS TO VISIT HALL • NO CONCURRENT SESSIONS