Archive: Business & Technology

Monday saw 100 degree weather.  Tuesday there was a tornado watch.  But Wednesday the weather was almost perfect with clear skies, a sunny day, and tolerable temperatures.  It was as if someone knew that Showcase Tompkins was scheduled for Wednesday.  The annual business exposition is hosted by the Tompkins County Chamber of Commerce at the Ithaca Farmer's Market each year, so decent weather is a must.  "I have to thank the weather gods," said Director of Membership and Public Relations Doug Levine.  "If this had been on Monday when it was 101 degrees out I probably would have canceled it.  But with the weather breaking like this I am absolutely thrilled."


Levine says it was the best attended event the Chamber has hosted.  "We lost count after 500," he says.  Part of that success has to do with the extra effort Levine put into marketing this year, and he credits part of that marketing success to the weather.  "I advertised on the Weather Channel," he says.  "'Local on the Eights' has the scroll at the bottom.  People wanted to know when the heat wave was going to end and I'm sure they read the bottom and saw that Showcase Tompkins was coming up.  So I think it really paid off."

It paid off for a lot of local businesses who came to meet the community and let them know what they have to offer.  "We've come as visitors to the show many times," said Alternatives Federal Credit Union Carol Chernikoff.  "We decided it was the right year to come and participate.  We've been meeting a lot of people, and a lot of people who know about our services and who we are and what we do.  And we've been meeting a lot of people who are just stopping to ask what we do and who we are, and taking information.  So it's been a good event for us to be at."


Rasa Spa Owner Rachael Hogancamp agrees.  "Because I'm so busy with the spa I like coming out and meeting folks who own and run other businesses, getting to talk to them and see how they're doing," she says.  "One of the reasons why I do these is to come out and actually get to talk to the community, because we're kind of tucked into the Island Health Center building.  So sometimes it's hard to meet folks and get them to know what we're doing.  I felt like we have gotten to talk to a lot of people already today."

Her booth was offering paraffin dips, giving her staff a chance to interact with visitors to the show.  Many businesses also had something special to offer.  The ADminders was giving away hand powered flashlights and mints as samples of the hundreds of thousands of promotional items they sell.  Restaurants were not the only ones offering food as Alternatives Federal Credit Union handed out brownies and Elmira Savings Bank served sno cones, a big hit in the 80+ degree afternoon.  Herson Funeral Home gave away a two night stay at a new Bed & Breakfast in Newfield, and visitors got to take away bags full of samples, literature, and just plain fun things.

Arco Iris provided entertainment

James Warren did magic in his booth to promote his act

Some of the businesses offered items for the Chamber's raffle give-away, which they held during a break from the band Acro Iris's set.  Chamber President Jean McPheeters greeted visitors as well as acknowledging this year's show sponsor, Fingerlakes Technologies Group , Inc.

Some businesses came to tell people about new features.  "This past year we just opened a monument business in addition to the funeral services that we provide, said Herson Funeral Home 's David Penepent.  "We're showcasing our monuments that we provide to our families in the community."


Ancient Wisdom Productions also had something new to announce.  "Today is the first day that we have released a new identity for Ancient Wisdom," said AWP President Christopher DelCollo.  "We're still the same company.  We still have the same focus on Web site design and identity design for small business.  Now we've shortened 'Ancient Wisdom Productions' down to AWP and we're going to try to get that name out now."

DelCollo said that Showcase Tompkins is so important that it was valuable to use the venue to make the announcement.  "We were working until about a half hour ago to get it all set up," he said as the show began.  "As I was setting up things here today Tyler and the rest of the crew were back at the office putting the final touches on the new Web site and all the other materials that we have here today.  So it all came together just in time."


And while there were plenty of newcomers to the exposition, many companies said they return year after year.  "This is our fifth or sixth year so we kind of know what to expect," DelCollo says.  "We always end up meeting people here that we end up working with later.  So it was important for us to set today as our deadline to get our new identity out, to turn a couple of heads today and see who we can get interested in our work."

"Last year was our first year," said Overhead Door of Cortland's Josh Clark.  "It worked out great.  This is a fun event.  We meet a lot of new people and we get some referrals from people.  It's a good event for us."

"We've been here four years now," said East Hill Flying Club Chief Pilot David Saint George.  "Last year we had just a small laptop and not a very big presence.  It's been very successful so this year we brought the Powerpoint and the big screen TV and I think it's going very well.  I think Doug Levine does a great job with it."


The club was there to promote flying and their annual Father's Day Fly-in Breakfast this Sunday.  "The pancake breakfast helps us defray the cost of flying.  We're a not for profit.  It's a tradition with us.  Pancakes seem to be what we do well.  Flying is something yuo can't just do downtown.  You have to come to an airport so you have to lure them in.  We'll have 1,200 people at the breakfast.  it is a wonderful tool, and the food is excellent."


Showcase Tompkins is unique because it manages to merge both business-to-customer relation building with business-to-business interactions.  Visitors said they learned a lot they didn't know about local businesses, and it gave business people a chance to forge new relationships.  And each year the show grows.

"We by far have broken the record for the most people ever at Showcase Tomkins," Levine told the crowd.

----
v4i23