b'COVERINGS 2020AsChairmanofCoverings2020incant be replicated.NewOrleans,IwitnessedrsthandHurtado said, The webinars theincredibleandvideosofthecontrac-jobperformedtorstageweregreat.Ithink byourshowthesecouldbeturnedinto managersTaffygreatadvertisingpiecesused EventServices.to encourage people to come They worked withtotherealshow.Adigital theCoveringseventcouldencourageavir-Board to navigatetualcommunitywhomaybe throughunprecedentedchallengesduecannotaffordtoattendthe toCOVID-19,includingworkingwithshowinperson.Miniwebi-insurancecompanies,exhibitorsfromnarsandvirtualnetworking allovertheworld,hotelcontracts,andevents would be a great way ultimately, the decision to cancel the event and quickly convert content and educationforpeopletoconnectpre-toavirtualformat.TheCoveringsshowandreallygetengaged marketing team worked closely with thewithin the tile community.Board to develop a program that we feltHurtado had some sugges-we could offer that would provide valuetions for future shows, virtual for the attendee, and put minimal pressureor physical. The overall pro-on the exhibitors to have to scramble tomotionofCoveringscould convertboothsandproductcontenttoimprove,shesaid.There avirtualformat.Asyoucanimagine,is a big space for Coverings/many of our exhibitors were experiencingNTCA to fill on social media majorissuesrelatedtoCOVID-19,andandotherchannels.There were not in a position to focus on suchcould have been more stories, signicantchangestotheirmarketinglivefeeds,andpostsprior and sales strategies. Since the show wastotheeventaswellasdur-held, we have seen an explosion of virtualing. It would have been super platforms and solutions. Moving forward,interesting to see more of the we will look to use these platforms, notbehind-the-scenes of some of toreplacethevalueofnetworkingthatthe webinars or training semi-a show such as Coverings offers, but to promote and create awareness of contentnars. More promotional posts and events that will take place in Orlandoofthetools,productsand next April, when we can all get togetherpeople behind the tilever-againinperson.I,forone,amreallysus just all the pretty kinds of looking forward to that. tilewould have been greatBart Bettiga, NTCA Executive Director to see. 50TileLetter | July 2020'