The industry-wide return to live in-person events has been exhilarating, but there is still a great deal of value to be found in utilizing the online format. This past month, PowerHouse Alliance member 21st Century Distributing hosted its annual 2021 Virtual Roadshow event. The second virtual iteration of the three-day event featured product demonstrations, live training sessions, business growth seminars, and arcade games for audio, video, and other CE retailers.
“This year we elevated the event with 31 live educational training and collaborative sessions. Feedback from participants indicated that the coupling of virtual walkthroughs and demos from manufacturer booths alongside product trainings delivered a cohesive, interactive platform that more closely replicates in-person trainings,” said Josh Vicini, Vice President of Business Development and Operations at 21st Century Distributing in the press release. “Our team is delighted by the record turnout from industry dealers, it seems we are learning more and more secrets to delivering successful events by listening to participants and giving them programs that work both with and for their business.”
Building off of last year’s virtual golf tournament, The 2021 Virtual Roadshow featured a creative arcade game-themed methodology for increasing participant engagement. Under this format, attendees earned points for going to training sessions, visiting manufacturer booths, and playing arcade games. Every 100 points yielded a raffle ticket for prizes ranging from an 85-inch Samsung TV to a Sonance 8.1 garden set with amp, and a Focal 5.1 channel surround sound system. In total, participating vendors provided a whopping $30,000 worth of products and prizes. Participants were also given the choice to spend their points at the virtual food court to have meals delivered directly to their homes. Furthermore, part of what makes the virtual format so useful for participants is the ability to attend events asynchronously. Participants can catch up on their favorite content and not stress over missing an important product reveal or training session.
“I really enjoyed both the flexible training schedule and the competitive reward system that this year’s Roadshow provided,” said Joshua Bright, owner of AV Upgrades, in the press release. “After a year of tremendous industry growth, I looked forward to the educational trainings that help me stay on top of trends and new product releases, combined with the time and ability to meet the trainers. If I happened to miss a session, I was able to bookmark it and watch it later.”
Inspired by the success of the 2021 Virtual Roadshow, the 21st Century Distributing team has decided to convert its online training platform into an online training center. Furthermore, all of the content from the recent event is available to be accessed online by all 21st Century dealers. 21st Century Distributing has been providing high-quality Audio and Video solutions to the Southeast region since the early 1980s. It is headquartered in Garner, N.C.
