--- title: "Friday Buzz: When Attendees Don’t Trust Exhibitors" id: "24565" type: "post" slug: "friday-buzz-when-attendees-dont-trust-exhibitors" published_at: "2014-08-08T17:19:14+00:00" modified_at: "2026-11-09T18:23:02+00:00" url: "https://associationsnow.com/2014/08/08/friday-buzz-when-attendees-dont-trust-exhibitors/" markdown_url: "https://associationsnow.com/2014/08/08/friday-buzz-when-attendees-dont-trust-exhibitors.md" excerpt: "Sharing an email with an exhibitor shouldn’t mean a constant stream of spam. One company calls for higher standards with marketing data. Also: where to find the good craft beer at #ASAE14." taxonomy_category: - "Meetings / Events" taxonomy_post_tag: - "AssociationsNow" - "attendee trust" - "event planning" - "exhibitor" - "Meetings" taxonomy_content_format: - "Article" taxonomy_role: - "Association CEO / Executive Director" - "C-Level" - "Executive Team" taxonomy_persona: - "Association Professionals" --- [Home](https://associationsnow.com/) » [Articles](https://associationsnow.com/format/article/) » Friday Buzz: When Attendees Don’t Trust Exhibitors It seems that even just a few spammy exhibitors can burn all the trust you’ve built up with your meeting attendees. [As BusyEvent notes (opens in a new tab)](http://busyevent.com/why-dont-event-attendees-trust-exhibitors-with-their-information/) ,when attendees no longer trust exhibitors with their contact information, they can miss out on valuable connections with vendors. “In a time where everyone wakes up to an inbox full of spam, we can’t blame attendees for being a bit doubtful of exhibitors’ intentions,” the company’s Nicolette Anderson writes. “Even if an exhibitor has the best intentions for managing an attendee’s contact information, people are trained to assume they are going to receive spam or be harassed by a sales person if they give out their information,” she notes. Anderson offers several best practices for exhibitors to follow—including being better about finding qualified attendees, being honest, keeping your word, and allowing attendees to opt in, rather than opt out. *Conferences That Work* author Adrian Segar, who commented on the post, pointed out [a similar piece of his own last year (opens in a new tab)](http://www.conferencesthatwork.com/index.php/event-design/2013/10/who-gets-my-information-when-i-register-at-an-event/) , noting that event organizers share responsibility here. Both make good points. Exhibitors should hold themselves to a higher standard, but event planners should do the same. What’s your take on the issue? ### Get a Sip in https://twitter.com/billwalker7/status/497433856577110018 **Craft beer is all the rage these days,** so you’re probably gonna want some while you’re at ASAE’s Annual Meeting & Exposition in Nashville, starting this weekend. Fortunately, Deirdre Reid has the scoop on spots where you can find frosty brews throughout the city, including Jackalope Brewing Co., Tennessee Brew Works, and Flying Saucer. “I always have high hopes of getting to a lot of breweries when I’m at a conference, but it rarely happens,” [she writes (opens in a new tab)](http://deirdrereid.com/2014/08/07/meet-you-in-nashville-craft-beer-asae14/) . “If you have more free time than I do, I hope you can hoist one for me. Or just grab me and make me come with you!” The post is only [the latest in Reid’s series of roundups (opens in a new tab)](http://deirdrereid.com/tag/nashville/) ahead of the conference. *(ht @[billwalker7 (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/billwalker7/) )* ### Other good reads **Even when Velvet Chainsaw Consulting** isn’t working at an event, [it’s working as a “secret shopper” (opens in a new tab)](http://velvetchainsaw.com/2014/08/06/secret-shoppers-spot-conference-experiences-youll-likely-miss/) to get a taste for what’s out there. **“The solution is actually quite simple:** Do what you love and is important to you *regularly*.” Developer Kent Nguyen has some [good thoughts on stopping burnout (opens in a new tab)](http://kentnguyen.com/personal/getting-rid-burnouts/) . **If you want to wander** around a social network you’ve never heard of before, [check out We Heart It (opens in a new tab)](http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-intersect/wp/2014/05/07/30-million-people-use-this-social-network-and-youve-probably-never-heard-of-it/) , which apparently has 30 million active users. < p>**Does your website use HTTPS?** If not, you might want to get on that. [Google says it’s about to become a factor (opens in a new tab)](http://googleonlinesecurity.blogspot.in/2014/08/https-as-ranking-signal_6.html) in its search rankings. (iStock/Thinkstock) [Ernie Smith](https://associationsnow.com/author/ernie-smith/) Ernie Smith is a former senior editor for Associations Now. [More articles by this author](https://associationsnow.com/author/ernie-smith/) Tags: [#attendee trust](https://associationsnow.com/tag/attendee-trust/) [#event planning](https://associationsnow.com/tag/event-planning/) [#exhibitor](https://associationsnow.com/tag/exhibitor/) [#Meetings](https://associationsnow.com/tag/meetings/) **Stay Informed** [Subscribe to our free newsletter](https://associationsnow.com/newsletter/) , *Associations Now Daily News*, to find out what’s happening in the association world every business day. ## You Might Like - [VideoExhibitor Insights for 2010 AnnualApril 19, 2010](https://associationsnow.com/2010/04/19/exhibitor-insights-for-2010-annual/) - [VideoExhibitor Update for the 2010 ASAE & The Center Annual MeetingJuly 20, 2010](https://associationsnow.com/2010/07/20/exhibitor-update-for-the-2010-asae-the-center-annual-meeting/) - [PodcastAssociations Now Presents: Beyond the Contract: Building Stronger Destination PartnershipsSeptember 24, 2026](https://associationsnow.com/2026/09/24/associations-now-presents-beyond-the-contract-building-stronger-destination-partnerships/) - [TemplateMembers onlyContributor Terms and ConditionsJuly 20, 2018](https://associationsnow.com/2018/07/20/contributor-terms-and-conditions/) ## Comments **Comments are for ASAE members.** [Learn more about comments on this site.](https://associationsnow.com/comments/) [Log in](https://associationsnow.com/login?redirect_to=https%3A%2F%2Fassociationsnow.com%2F2014%2F08%2F08%2Ffriday-buzz-when-attendees-dont-trust-exhibitors%2F%23comments) to your member account or [join ASAE](https://my.asaecenter.org/select-a-membership-type/) !