The regional trade show model continues to gain momentum in the AV industry, with the Almo Pro AV E4 Experience celebrating its 16th year of bringing audiovisual technology and education directly to integrators and dealers across the country. As the E4 Experience program expands into new cities and further refines its format and structure, Greg O’Rourke, director of trade shows and events, Almo, outlines the strategic vision behind these local events that draw hundreds of key industry stakeholders.
Almo E4 Experience Maintains Core Value Prop
In an interview at the E4 Experience held Oct. 7 in Chicago, O’Rourke detailed how the program maintains its core value proposition while continually evolving to meet changing market needs. This year, the E4 Experience introduced a series of AI-focused keynote presentations from Microsoft’s Amanda Stewart, expanded its attending manufacturer roster and adjusted class scheduling based on attendee feedback. “Sixteen years since its formal launch, the E4 program continues to evolve and, as a result, it continues to grow,” O’Rourke explains.
Key developments for 2026, when the E4 Experience goes back on the road, include scheduling changes and expansion into new cities. Almo is moving its first E4 event to February (the week after ISE) and will add Dallas back to the city rotation. The revised schedule includes stops in Anaheim (February) and Washington, D.C. (March), followed by a return to Dallas in September and Boston in October.
Almo has leveraged direct input from both vendors and attendees to restructure the day a bit, better balancing education sessions with much-desired exhibit floor time.
“Based on feedback, we’re shifting our classes to mornings and late afternoons,” O’Rourke says. “We used to do sessions throughout the day, so now we’re changing that up to give our attendees more dedicated time on the show floor.”
Regional Strategy Addresses Market Access Challenges
The E4 Experience is nicely complementary to larger industry events like CEDIA Expo/CIX and InfoComm. Specifically, it targets markets that may not have easy access to those large, multi-thousand-person trade shows. “We consider ourselves not a competitor with InfoComm but [rather] a complement to it [in] that we can bring the E4 Experience to the smaller cities,” O’Rourke states. The strategy appears successful, with each event drawing approximately 45% to 50% new attendees alongside scores of returning attendees.
This regional approach provides particular value for integrators who want to bring clients into a showroom-like setting. This, O’Rourke says, lies at the heart of experiential selling. “One thing we ask our integrators and our resellers [to do] is to bring their customers to the beautiful, lively space,” he reinforces. “This is their showroom floor here. Come meet the salespeople [and] see the newest technology in person.”
Plug-In Events Expand Geographic Reach
Recently, Almo has supplemented its E4 Experience program with smaller Plug-In events targeting markets that can’t necessarily support full-scale E4 Experiences, but that still benefit from face-to-face engagement. These events, held at breweries, wineries and other local venues, feature tabletop displays with hand-carried products rather than full-scale exhibit booths.
“The Plug-In is more of a networking event [and] less than a product-driven event,” O’Rourke explains. These intimate gatherings typically attract about 45 customers and 20 manufacturers, creating optimal conditions for one-on-one discussions. Recent Plug-In locations included Nashville, Tenn.; Denver; and Cincinnati, Ohio, with three new events planned for 2026.
The Plug-In format also allows for additional training opportunities. Following the Nashville event, Almo scheduled manufacturer training rotations with its Southeast sales team, demonstrating how these smaller touchpoints can efficiently serve multiple business objectives.
Partnership Integrations Create Unique Experiences
The Chicago E4 Experience featured Almo’s first integration with JBL’s Roadshow program, representing an exciting new approach to manufacturer partnerships within the E4 framework. JBL conducted live audio demonstrations at scheduled intervals, providing attendees with an experiential, multisensory learning opportunity beyond traditional booth visits.
“That’s the first time that we’ve ever done anything like that with an E4. And we’re very excited about it,” O’Rourke says. The collaboration extends to additional markets, with plans in place to host future JBL Roadshow events in Pittsburgh and Charlotte, N.C.
Having attended the Roadshow program myself, I can attest it’s well worth the time investment. Attendees got to experience the sonic power of JBL ceiling speakers, while also better understanding the nuances of different models and form factors. Then, the demo shifted to column speakers to give attendees a feel for various soundscapes to meet differing vertical market and application needs.
The Almo/JBL partnership illustrates how regional events can accommodate specialized manufacturer programs while still maintaining their core education and networking focus. The integration model may signal future opportunities for manufacturers seeking to enhance their market visibility through demonstrations at E4 Experience events.
Almo Pro AV E4 Experience Emphasizes Accessibility
A significant competitive advantage for E4 Experience events remains their no-cost structure. Unlike many industry conferences, which require registration fees, entail extensive travel expenses and involve multi-day commitments, the Almo E4 Experience provides comprehensive access to education, networking and product demonstrations at no charge to attendees.
“There is nothing that attendees have to pay for,” O’Rourke says of the E4 Experience. “Parking is validated and your meals are covered.” Plus, there’s all the free education that gets AV professionals their CTS renewal units (RUs). This accessibility factor becomes particularly important for smaller integration firms or individual technicians who need CTS RUs but cannot get to larger conferences.
The single-day format further reduces barriers to participation. Attendees can complete morning keynotes, exhibit floor visits, education sessions and networking activities, and they’ll still return home by evening. This minimizes not only business disruption but also family disruption.
Almo Pro AV E4 Experience Demonstrates Enduring Value
As the AV industry continues adapting to changing market conditions and customer expectations, regional events like the Almo Pro AV E4 Experience demonstrate the enduring value of face-to-face interactions among industry peers and colleagues. With consistently high satisfaction ratings and strong attendance, these localized touchpoints represent an important part of our industry’s future.
