Re: NEC Smarthome show - longish post!

["Chris White" <cmw@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

One of the problems with the show was it was new and spun out of the
Home Building and Renovating from last year.

As people have said, that is why others stayed within the HB&R show,
others moved, others didnt come, I for one joined in. Speaking to a
number of people who walked the show but did not have a stand they
thought they had made the wrong decision.

For us it was a fantastic show, very busy with people queing at the
door on the Thursday morning! But I do accept we didn't go for a big
splash or impact/techie feel.

Why, because the show was new, we were new and no one knew how well
received / attended it would be so we did not want to potentially
'waste' a to much money on it. We have booked for next year, we will
be bigger and we will be more whizzy.

One thing to remember about the show, it was a spin off from HB&R so
the majority of us were targetting that sector of the market, new
build, networked and automated homes. A number of us where more open
to the DIY route and willing to supply you but that is only because I
have done the HB&R show for the last 3 years and the majority of those
visiters want to have some input in the installation.

Seminars - All I can say about these are that mine ;) were very well
attanded, all four day the session was full and it generated a good
number of questions and stand enquiries.

In closing, the show was and will never be a UKHA style show as it
will be just to techie for the majority of people. There is a place
for this kind of techie show but I question weither it will have the
same draw as the smart home show did.

PS. Mark's Automatedhome forum fliers disappeared off our stand
quickly enough, so that should help generate more interest. We just
have to be carefull not to scare them off by appearing over techie to
the un-initiated.