Strictly Business: Q&A with Debra Moreno of the Greater Bakersfield Chamber of Commerce
| Friday, Oct 21 2011 12:00 PM
Last Updated Friday, Oct 21 2011 12:00 PM
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Debra Moreno
The 21st annual Bakersfield Business Expo is 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Oct. 27 at the Rabobank Convention Center, 1001 Truxtun Ave. The business-to-business trade show drew 140 booths and more than 1,600 attendees last year. We asked organizers of the Greater Bakersfield Chamber of Commerce to talk about the event and business in general.
Name: Debra Moreno
Title/Occupation : President and chief executive officer of the Greater Bakersfield Chamber of Commerce
Question: Why did the chamber decide to launch this expo 21 years ago?
Answer: Two of the Bakersfield Chamber's strong areas of focus are business education and business networking. We felt a major business-to-business trade show that combined those two elements would be of great benefit to the business community.
Q : How many booths did you have your first year?
A: We filled the floor of the convention center with booths our first year. Now we fill both the floor of the convention center and the lobby.
Q: What kinds of industries will be participating in this year's expo?
A: Large businesses to small businesses, retail, technology, finance, really anything you can think of. The mix of businesses this year, as in past years, is very diverse. If you provide a product or service, this is a great way to show off and meet many potential new customers or clients in a short time.
Q: Did booth rentals drop off during this last recession? If so, are they back where they were before or are you still rebuilding?
A : We saw participation by both exhibitors and attendees go up when the recession hit. When times are harder, businesses recognize that they need to put their face and their brand out there even more to show the community they are still in business.
Q: Is it too late to get a booth if you'd like to exhibit something? What was the deadline?
A: As of Thursday, we had four booth spaces left. Anyone interested in participating should contact the chamber at 327-4421 to see if they can still get in.
Q: How much is admission to the expo for members? How much for non-members?
A: Chamber member businesses each receive some free tickets, but the event is open to all businesses and it's only $5 to get in. Tickets are available at the chamber in advance or at the convention center box office the day of the expo.
Q: What will that buy you? What can visitors see and do at the expo?
A: We always have exhibitors who are anxious to debut some new product or service, so we always have some surprises. Besides the networking at booths where there are lots of prizes and giveaways from exhibitors, we have a dozen local restaurants and caterers with food samples spread throughout the venue, and of course because it's in the evening, some liquid libation is available.
Q: How is the networking scene in Bakersfield in general? Are there many networking opportunities other times of the year to get to know potential partners and customers?
A: The community has different types of networking such as through specific industry related associations. The chamber's strength is in bringing potential customers and clients together. We do that through mixers, trade shows, networking breakfasts, ribbon cutting ceremonies, business seminars and committee meetings. All of these bring diverse types of businesses together to connect. But we also do have industry-specific or work-focused committees such as our energy and international trade committees and governmental review council that bring together people in like industries or with similar interests.
Q: A mixer, expo or a conference doesn't always give you a lot of time to make your case. If you only have a few minutes with an important contact, what's your advice for making a strong, graceful pitch in a short amount of time?
A: Everyone needs an elevator speech, a concise description of what you offer that can be delivered in the time it takes you to ride the elevator. Practice getting the most important points together in 20 to 30 seconds. You can't always make your case in that short of time. That's why the chamber started the Connect For Lunch program, which brings small groups of four members together once a week in chamber member restaurants, to get that more in-depth networking.
Q: Bakersfield's unemployment rate was 14.4 percent in August. Are there any opportunities for job seekers at the expo?
A: While this trade show is not a career fair, it certainly is an opportunity to meet new people in the business world and to reconnect with people you may not have seen for awhile who may not know that you are available for a new position.
Q: You've got a business continuity seminar coming up Nov. 10. What's the purpose of that seminar?
A: This training will focus on planning for change in your company, whether it is succession planning for who will lead the business next or recovering quickly after a disaster or some disruption of business.
