The Canadian Rental Mart is sold out!

Feb. 18, 2010 – We are pleased to announce that the Canadian Rental Mart
is officially sold out! Every single booth has been booked. With 75
different exhibitors occupying nearly 200 booths, the Canadian Rental
Mart 2010 is sure to be the single most exciting event of this year. The
Canadian Rental Mart takes place March 9 – 10 at the Toronto Congress
Centre. For a complete list of exhibitors, please click here .

Many companies are offering great savings on show specials. Many others are premiering brand new equipment at the Canadian Rental Mart. Those in attendance will see things that no other person in the rental industry has seen yet. Whether you specialize in equipment or party rental, there is something for you at the Canadian Rental Mart.

Schedule of Events
Tuesday, March 9th

10:00    SEMINAR

“Myers-Briggs Personality Assessment”

11:00    SHOW OPENS

5:15    NEXT GEN RECEPTION
           By invitation only
       
          Foyer, Mississauga Ballroom
          Doubletree International
          Plaza  Hotel

5:00    SHOW CLOSES

6:30   GALA SOCIAL EVENT

          Mississauga Ballroom
          Doubletree International
          Plaza Hotel

Wednesday, March 10th

10:00    SEMINAR
“Profiting from the Restoration Market”

11:00    SHOW OPENS

4:00      SHOW CLOSES

Seminars and workshops
The latest and greatest in equipment, technology, and services are a big part of what makes trade shows worth attending. But they are far from the only things of value at the Canadian Rental Mart.

First, there is the education aspect. Knowing your own strengths is an invaluable tool. The Myers-Briggs assessment is a great way of determining not only your own preferences and communication styles, but those of others in your organization.

Suzanne Price will facilitate the MBTI seminar.

Suzanne Price is the program coordinator of Pre-Media/Media & Communications Fundamentals at Seneca College, and will lead a workshop on MBTI at the Canadian Rental Mart in March of 2010. She is a certified MBTI consultant through Psychometrics Canada. Price is a firm believer in the idea that someone can use the MBTI to help achieve his or her goals.

“For me, the MBTI was a complete turning point in my life,” says Price. “After a lifelong journey of entrepreneurial development, it was the one step I really needed. Since taking the assessment, I’ve experienced exponential growth in my life.”

Another great seminar is planned for March 10. Mark Weirda of Dri-Eaz will present “Profiting from the Renovation Market.” This is a great opportunity. Despite the lingering effects of the recession, many Canadians are choosing to renovate their homes in 2010. Those who know how to sell their services to the renovation marketplace may see an upswing in their business in the next year.

There are social aspects to the Canadian Rental Mart as well. Shirley McCormick is the CRA Ontario Social Events Co-ordinator and Secretary. She has organized a great program for the 2010 Canadian Rental Mart:

“After you have visited all the exhibiting companies and taken advantage of the excellent seminar that has been planned with your business needs in mind, be sure to attend the first-class banquet across the street at the International Doubletree Plaza Hotel on Tuesday evening,” says McCormick. “After a cocktail reception, you will be served a delicious three-course dinner. After dinner there will be awards presented to deserving recipients in the rental industry, and you will be entertained by two roving magicians during dinner, and with a stage show after dinner. And there will be lots of draw prizes as well.”

There will also be a Next Gen Reception at the hotel in the afternoon by invitation only. The rental industry has a lot of family owned and operated businesses, and the Next Gen Reception is where the up and coming stars of the industry meet and exchange ideas.

There are many great opportunities to meet experienced rental veterans in one place and enjoy a great social gathering. Attendance at the banquet or seminar is by pre-registration only. Please contact Shirley McCormick by e-mail at smc1smc2@gmail.com or by phone/fax at 1-905-697-0380. Tickets will be limited, so order yours early using your credit card or a cheque payable to CRA Ontario. All cheques should be mailed to Shirley McCormick at 20 Loyalist Ct., Newcastle, Ont. L1B 1A8.

All seminars and social events will take place at the DoubleTree International Plaza Hotel.

Location, location, location
The DoubleTree International Plaza Hotel is the official headquarters hotel for the Canadian Rental Mart. This Pinnacle award-winning hotel is located directly across from the Toronto Congress Centre, where the

show will take place. The DoubleTree International Plaza Hotel is also situated moments from Pearson International Airport (YYZ), only twenty minutes from downtown Toronto, 5 minutes from Woodbine Race Track, and 20 minutes from Canada's Wonderland. For your convenience, the Doubletree provides complimentary shuttle service to and from the airport and an onsite car rental agency.

Please make all reservations directly with the hotel, using the information provided below. Please note that rooms may not be available after February 4, 2010. Early booking is recommended.

Phone: 416-244-1711
Toll Free: 800-668-3656
Group Name: Canadian Rental Mart 2010
Group Code: CRM

Have it all!
Trade shows can be an overwhelming experience, even if you’ve attended dozens over the years. Having a firm plan in place means that you’re sure to see everything you came to see. You’ll leave the show secure in the knowledge that you’ve spoken with the best people to help your business. Below are some great tips for making the most of your trade show experience.

1.    Establish your goals

Know what you want going in. Your goals are going to dependent on a large number of factors. Someone who is fairly new to the industry may simply want to visit as many booths as possible, and will plan accordingly. An old hand with lots of experience will probably want to be a little more selective, and target just the exhibitors that have something new to offer.

2.    Set a schedule and stick to it

Make sure to play to your strengths when it comes to setting your schedule. Sitting down and writing out what you’ll be doing every minute of every day sounds efficient, but if you’re the sort of person who prefers to play things by ear, you will either drive yourself nuts or simply abandon your schedule completely within the first hour. A more fluid schedule might be the best thing for you if that’s the case.

In any event, make sure your schedule fits your personality. Don’t try to make your personality fit the schedule.

3.    Pre-emptive strikes

Exhibitors want to talk to you. After all, that’s why they are there. But sales reps have a lot of demands on their time when they’re working shows, and they may not be able to give you the attention you deserve if you just wander by. The solution is simple. Make appointments to speak with them. Ideally, you can take some time before the show to set up these appointments.

4.    Bring a large bag

Ever tried to stuff 12 pounds of assorted marketing materials into a laptop case? Trust us, it doesn’t work. The most efficient thing to do would be to give serious and sober consideration to every single item, and to use prior experience to tell you if you should keep it or not.

However, efficiency is highly overrated. Situations like this don’t call for efficiency, they call for cramming every single thing you receive into a great big bag. You can sort through it at your leisure when you get home. The Canadian Rental Mart only lasts a few days. Don’t waste time weighing the pros and cons of picking up a flyer. Just grab everything and go. You have a recycling bin to deal with the eventual rejects.

5.    Write things down

Feel free to take some notes. If you don’t want to look like a reporter, don’t carry your notebook in your hand. Instead, try to take a break every two hours or so, and write down anything interesting, while it’s still fresh.

6.    All work and no play means Jack was dull to begin with

There are a lot of social activities associated with trade shows. It’s a great chance to talk shop with like-minded professionals. Students of business history know that more than one million-dollar deal foundered in the boardroom and was resurrected in the pub.

7.    Don’t waste time

Time is really the only commodity a person has. Don’t get trapped into hour-long presentations for products you’ll never buy just to be polite.

8.    Dress for success

In this case, that means casual wear with comfortable shoes. Save the tie and tails for the social events.

If you have any questions, regarding the Canadian Rental Mart, please feel free to contact Mike Davey or Ed Cosman using the information below. We’re looking forward to seeing you at the Canadian Rental Mart!

Mike Davey
888-599-2228 ext. 241
mdavey@annexweb.com

Ed Cosman
888-599-2228 ext. 276
ecosman@annexweb.com