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    ABA TECHSHOW 2021: The Good And Not So Good

    by SimpleLaw on
    Bar Association ABA TECHSHOW

    Again this year, SimpleLaw is a sponsor of the ABA TECHSHOW. Naturally, it is all virtual in 2021. This is day 4 of 5 and as such, a good chunk has already passed. If you have a pass, we strongly recommend attending. This one is most definitely for the attendees.  So, that's a good lead in to the Good!

    The Good Stuff

    If you are an attendee or presenter at the 2021 ABA TECHSHOW, just wow. Lucky you. The content has been really great, offering a variety of topics including everything from tech to marketing to clients. And if you haven't been able to catch any of these sessions live, well, that's no problem!

    Sessions for ABA TECHSHOW 2021 are recorded (!) and can be viewed for up to 30 days after TECHSHOW ends. So, unlike the in-person TECHSHOW, when there are two sessions you want to attend and they are scheduled at the same time, no problem! And, beyond that convenience it's all from the comfort of your own home or office, depending on where you live and if you are able to return to the office. 

    The ability for more people to attend based on travel budget is another big plus. And oddly enough, Chicago, where we are based, has had FANTASTIC weather this week. Truly amazing. All the snow and below 0 temps are gone. Sunshine and warmth. And in Chicago, that's not that common in early March. The city is so amazing and restaurants are reopening with limited capacity so it's returning to the lively and vibrant city we all love. But, traveling to and from, hotels, meals, and all of those expenses add up fast. So with ABA TECHSHOW 2021 being online, none of those expenses are incurred and more people can 'attend'. 

    The Not So Good

    Unless you are a Platinum sponsor, which we are not, there isn't much interaction or visibility for sponsors. I'd tell you how many visitors we have had to our booth but frankly, I'm too embarrassed. And in discussing this with my fellow sponsors (who are not Platinum), the same is true for them. One Platinum sponsor I spoke with said their traffic to the booth is also very, very low. 

    To entice people to come to the booths, the organizers put together a virtual Swag Bag. So each attendee can get some goodies from sponsors, booth. However, in looking through the swag bag, most of it is content in pdf form that the sponsor already provides on their website or social media. So after looking through the top few giveaways, it's not very likely the attendee will get to the Bronze sponsors. Like us. 

    We knew it would be an uphill battle to get traffic to the booth. As such, we offer a Spin the Wheel game. Each spin triggers a donation from SimpleLaw to Feeding America because seriously, there are people who have been so adversely affected by the pandemic that hey, we can do good while we connect with lawyers, who can also do good. Then, on the wheel, people can trigger an additional donation to Feeding America OR win a prize for themselves. Like a real prize that we ship out. A super swanky wireless speaker (who can ever have enough...) or a screen/keyboard cleaner (again, who can have enough!). But even that isn't breaking through. Again, I'd tell you how many people have come to spin the wheel but I would be too embarrassed.

    I'm not placing blame on the organizers. They have messaged and reminded attendees to visit the sponsors. They are definitely doing their best to support us. But the fact is, because it's remote, it's easy to go to your sessions and then go back to work. I totally get that. Efficiency is key. And for many law firms who felt the financial impact of Covid, generating revenue and serving client is far more important.

    So, the not so good is only not so good for us sponsors. But we knew we were up against a big hurdle anyway so we aren't that surprised. Disappointed, but not surprised.

    So, Now What?

    Looking forward, we have learned, can be a less than productive use of our time when it comes to things like what ABA TECHSHOW 2022 will be. But, we really like the virtual platform AND the live aspect. Perhaps, like so many aspects of our life, the world after Covid will be a mix of what we did 'before' and what we did 'during'. We are so missing on the casual networking that happens when the event is live. Actually connecting with people, if it's a 'hey, how's it going' or seeing friends that we only see at TECHSHOW (you know who you are and yes, we miss seeing you!). There is a real energy and benefit to being in-person - physically, emotionally, mentally. We miss all of that. 

    But the Good stuff is pretty good!

    So, maybe, we will see some hybrid model. We vote for that. For attendees. For us sponsors, well, we need to get back to in-person. For many reasons. 

    What do you think? Did you attend ABA TECHSHOW 2021 this year? We'd love to hear your thoughts on it all.

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