Conference FAQs
Who attends GMDC Marketing Conferences?
Can you attend a GMDC Marketing Conference without being a member?
How many CCC appointments occur at a conference?
Which wholesale/retail companies attend the conferences?
My company has regional/local reps calling on our customers, so why do I need to duplicate this effort?
Is this an order-writing show?
How are the appointments made?
As a Supplier, do I get to select the buyers I meet with?
Once the appointment schedules are published, is there any way to get additional appointments?
Will I meet with every Wholesaler/Retailer that attends the conference?
Is there any way get my products in front of EVERY W/R at the conference?
What else happens at a GMDC Marketing Conference?
Who attends GMDC Marketing Conferences?
Global Market Development Center (GMDC) Marketing Conferences are designed to connect trading partners at a top-to-top executive level, i.e., those individuals that have the authority to make business decisions. As a result the attendees from our Wholesale/Retail (W/R) memberships include the corporate vice presidents/directors of purchasing/merchandising and in most cases the participation of category managers/buyers. The attendees from our Supplier members are executives who function as national sales managers and above within their companies.
Can you attend a GMDC Marketing Conference without being a member?
No, you must be a GMDC member to register and participate in these events.
How many CCC appointments occur at a conference?
Many of the W/R companies attending a GMDC Marketing Conference will host over 300 CCC appointments, with the average approaching 175 appointments over the course of the conference. A total of more than 14,000 pre-scheduled, table-top appointments are conducted between W/R and Suppliers at any one of our conferences.
The CCC meetings held at the General Merchandise Marketing Conference are either 8 or 16 minutes in length, and are 10 or 20 minutes at the Health Beauty Wellness Marketing Conference.
Which wholesale/retail companies attend the conferences?
We don't know for certain until the registration deadline, but traditionally well over 90% of our member companies do attend the Marketing Conferences. Because GMDC is a non-profit association, only members can attend our conferences. Therefore, you can look at our membership listing and know that these companies plan to attend the conferences (barring any unforeseen circumstances, such as mergers, new store openings, etc.) because they have already committed their yearly membership dues.
My company has regional/local reps calling on our customers, so why do I need to duplicate this effort?
Suppliers and manufacturers have the opportunity to meet with customers face-to-face and learn their needs firsthand, as well as to check to see how your reps are performing in the course of representing your business.
W/R attendees at the conference have the opportunity to meet with senior level management from the supplier side of the business.
Is this an order-writing show?
Although order-writing has been known to take place at our conferences, the focus at a GMDC Marketing Conference is upon establishing new business relationships, nurturing existing business partnerships and connecting with the thought leadership taking place within the industry.
How are the appointments made?
Each W/R company registered for the conference utilizes an online appointment selection sheet to indicate which suppliers they would like to have included on their pre-scheduled appointment list. Each supplier entry on their selection sheet includes a product description, the supplier company's registered individuals---along with their titles, any appointment solicitation text that was submitted beforehand by the supplier, a link to the supplier's website and to their GMDC member profile, as well as product imagery and accompanying descriptions for any merchandising items the supplier has entered into the Showcase.
As a Supplier, do I get to select the buyers I meet with?
No, the buyers ultimately select all of the appointments. However, the entire Appointment Selection process is preceded by a window of time during which registered suppliers may utilize the GMDC website to enter targeted "appointment solicitations" for those W/R with whom they have a compelling reason to meet. All such solicitations are then incorporated directly into the tailored Appointment Selection screens used by each W/R to select their appointments. It should also be noted that each W/R is required by GMDC to choose enough suppliers to fill-up a significant percentage of their available appointment time (with the exact percentage of time dependent upon how many tables they are hosting on the appointment floor).
Once the appointment schedules are published, is there any way to get additional appointments?
Once you arrive at the conference, you can take advantage of our "On-Site Appointment Request Process" to request appointments with companies with whom you do not have a pre-scheduled appointment.
Will I meet with every Wholesaler/Retailer that attends the conference?
No, because each W/R ultimately determines the suppliers they'll be meeting with on their schedule. However, the average supplier company usually has between 30 and 40 pre-scheduled appointments on their schedule, depending upon their product lines. Generally, suppliers in their first year of membership will have a relatively high number of appointments, due to the fact that one of the reasons our W/R attend conferences is to look for new ideas and items.
Is there any way get my products in front of EVERY W/R at the conference?
You can secure what is essentially a virtual appointment with every W/R in attendance simply by participating in the Showcase and Sample Box programs that are held in conjunction with every General Merchandise and Health Beauty Wellness Marketing Conference.
GMDC builds an extended Showcase appointment into the schedule of every W/R in attendance at a particular conference, and because any interest a buyer might have in your Showcase entries is communicated back to you in near real-time, participation in the Showcase is an excellent opportunity to measure the collective interest of the customers in your featured products, promotions, and innovative merchandising formats. Perhaps even more importantly, as a Showcase participant you have the opportunity to turn any interest a buyer may indicate in your Showcase entries into additional appointments while you are still at the conference.
The Wholesaler/Retailer Sample Box allows suppliers to reach out to the wholesalers and retailers before the conference event begins. Your products will be delivered to every registered buyer so they can view, touch and use the items prior to arriving at the conference---increasing the opportunity to have a pre-scheduled appointment or to secure one on-site.
For detailed information relating to these programs at a specific conference, including dates and fees, please click the Conference tab on the GMDC website or contact GMDC Member Services.
What else happens at a GMDC Marketing Conference?
GMDC Marketing Conferences provide a multitude of opportunities to network with other attending Wholesalers, Retailers, Manufacturers and Suppliers including educational programs, business sessions, industry roundtables, meals, receptions, and the gala "Dinner with the Chairmen" evening event.