IDRC converts 10 online technology. (Meeting Management).

When the executive board of the International Development Research Council, Norcross, Georgia, decided to host two trade shows a year instead of one, Angel Fortenberry turned to online technology to handle the increased workload. As IDRC's operations manager for global event planning, she spent a year researching association service providers that could help her create a paperless show. She also investigated virtual trade shows, a value-added option she wanted to be able to eventually incorporate into her online offerings.

Fortenberry found the answer to her challenge in a Web-based solution that enables potential exhibitors, attendees, and administrative staff to access the event through a link on IDRC's Web site (www.idrc.org). The cost effective solution includes an online booth sales module as well as registration, invoicing, and confirmation systems Redirecting IDRO's show budget for printing, postage, and phone/fax costs underwrote 90 percent of the cost of the new online application. Putting exhibitor prospectuses and exhibitor kits online, for example, saved thousands of dollars. Here's a look at how IDRC's paperless show has streamlined show operations.

ONLINE BOOTH SALES. In the old days, potential exhibitors would call Fortenberry to buy booth space. She would then repeatedly fax marked-up floor plans, applications, confirmations, and invoices to execute space buys. By putting the process online, Fortenberry eliminated all the paper shuffling as well as the politics involved in assigning booth space.

Exhibitors can now see a real-time floor plan online, color-coded to show which booths are reserved, the company occupying each booth, and which booths remain available. Not only did the online application enable Fortenberry to cross-market her two shows, but she sold 40 percent of booth spaces in the first two days. What's more, exhibitors' online booths allow them to promote their products and services for an entire year in a "virtual" trade show. This value-added feature, reports Fortenberry, is well-liked by exhibitors.

INVOICING. Fortenberry also wanted to improve the time-consuming process of querying potential exhibitors, creating invoices, and then printing bills to mail or fax. Now, in a matter of clicks, she can select a group of exhibitors and create and e-mail the invoices, along with all the necessary payment forms.

CONFIRMATIONS. After exhibitors register online, Fortenberry generates and sends confirmations electronically, along with booth set-up instructions and a link to the online exhibitor kit. The online program tracks every confirmation sent, giving her 24-hour access to up-to-date records.

THE PRINTED PROGRAM. No more rekeying exhibitor descriptions and contact information: Fortenberry simply accesses information keyed by exhibitors into their online booths, downloads it, edits it, and sends it to the marketing department to create the printed program.

IDRC had been preaching to members for years about how the Internet was going to change the way they worked. Now they truly practice what they preach.