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Q: What do manufacturers gain by participating in ITX workshops?
With personnel and travel costs reaching all-time highs, using ITX Continuing Education Workshops lets you get the most value out of every marketing and training dollar. ITX workshops enable you to meet scores of firm principals and design decision-makers in a single event, rather than scheduling costly and time-consuming "box lunch" presentations at individual firms. That means you can significantly reduce your annual training/marketing budget, while actually reaching a larger audience and expanding your company's presence in existing and new markets. What's more, ITX workshops typically attract firm principals and design decision-makers - the key people manufacturers need to speak to.
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Q: What topics are presented at workshops?
Each workshop focuses on one central topic (such as building envelope design, moisture protection, improving energy performance, etc.) Four or five non-competing building product manufacturers participate. Each presents a 1 or 1.25 hour AIA/CES Registered Provider continuing education program that is relevant to the topic. All presentations must meet AIA HSW (Health/Safety/Welfare) requirements, and it's highly recommended that presentations also meet AIA SD (Sustainable Design) requirements.
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Q: In what cities or markets are workshops presented?
We present workshops in major U.S. cities such as New York; Chicago; Washington, D.C.; Charlotte; Jacksonville; Milwaukee; Kansas City; San Francisco; Indianapolis; Louisville; and many others. (Click here to see our current schedule.)
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Q: Who is the target audience for a presentation? Who will be there?
Invitations are typically sent to AIA members, CSI members, non-member architects, engineers, specifiers, building owner representatives, general contractors, interior designers, and government officials. Based on past workshop attendance, most of the attending firms are active in designing commercial projects, and have ranged from large to mid-size and smaller firms. The majority of workshop attendees are usually firm principals and key decision-makers.
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Q: How many attendees will be expected at each workshop?
Our average attendance is more than 50 qualified professionals per workshop - and it is not uncommon for workshops to attract more than 100 participants. For everyone's protection, ITX requires a minimum commitment of 25 participants to schedule a workshop. ITX has the right to postpone or cancel any workshop that does not meet this requirement at least three days prior to the workshop date. From past experience, however, this is virtually never an issue.
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Q: How far in advance are workshops scheduled?
ITX presents between 12 and 35 workshops per year. Schedules are finalized 45 to 180 days in advance of each workshop. (Click here to see an up-to-date current schedule.)
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Q: What type of presentation can I make?
All continuing education presentations must be an approved AIA/CES Registered Provider continuing education program, and must be generic and non-sales oriented.
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Q: What if my company is not an AIA Passport Provider? How can I develop an acceptable presentation?
ITX has extensive experience helping companies develop AIA-approved continuing education presentations. If you are not already an AIA Passport Provider, we will gladly advise you on developing a presentation that meets AIA guidelines for continuing education credits. Please contact us for additional information on this service.
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Q: How are the workshops promoted?
ITX works together with local AIA and CSI chapters, engineering societies, government agencies, and other hosting organizations to advertise and promote each workshop. Sponsors typically use newsletters, e-mails, personal contacts and direct mail, and ITX provides ready-to-print promotional brochures and registration forms to the sponsoring organization. (Click here to see an example.)
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Q: Is there a cost to the attendee?
ITX provides workshops free of charge to the hosting organizations, but in most cases, the organization charges a fee for their members and others to attend. This ensures very few no shows since prepayment is required in most cases. It also allows the sponsoring organization to develop a source of non-dues revenue.
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Q: What about competition? Will I be the only speaker in my product category?
Yes. Four or five non-competing manufacturers can participate in each workshop. Each manufacturer represents a different product category within the central topic.
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Q: Can we recommend additional manufacturers that may be interested in participating?
Yes. Please have manufacturers contact ITX.
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Q: Does my company have to participate in all the workshops in a series - or can I pick just a few?
To keep the quality, integrity and reputation of the workshop series at the highest level, we require manufacturers to commit to all workshops for the spring or fall series. Between 12 and 35 workshops are scheduled per year.
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Q: What is the typical schedule for a day-long workshop?
Registration typically starts at approximately 8 a.m. Presentations then begin at 8:30 a.m., and consist of five 1-hour, or four 1.25 hour AIA/CES Registered Provider continuing education programs. The day includes a morning coffee break, and lunch is served. The workshop presentations usually end mid afternoon.
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Q: What opportunities will I have to make contacts and get possible leads?
Each participating manufacturer will have a tabletop discussion area, which attendees visit during breaks throughout the day. This allows the attending architects and designers to discuss their project needs one-on-one with each speaker. This is also where you can present, samples, binders and other literature.
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Q: How much experience does ITX have? How can I be sure I'm part of a quality event?
Since 1988 ITX has provided building product workshops and construction training in the United States and throughout the world including China, Mexico, Poland, Bulgaria, Hungary, Korea, Taiwan and many others. Since 2002, our U.S. continuing education workshops have been delivered to more than 14,000 design and building professionals in the United States alone. We are particularly proud of the reputation we have built among both manufacturers and sponsoring organizations. Please check out their comments here.
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Q: What is the participation fee?
The workshop fee is a mere fraction of the cost that would be incurred in trying to reach the same companies using traditional "box lunch" presentations at individual firms. Please contact us directly to discuss participation fees for your company.
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Q: Could I attend a workshop as an observer and see if it's right for my company?
Yes. ITX Corporation would be happy to arrange for free workshop attendance for a qualified manufacturer's representative. Since ITX workshops are so popular, however, we ask that you contact us as soon as possible to make the necessary arrangements.
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Continuing Education Workshops for Design and Building
