When it rebranded the old HTSA logo some time ago now, the group intended to capture visually the idea of staying ahead of the curve and maintaining a mindset of consistent growth. And grow consistently, they have – in many ways.
For starters, as someone who’s been away from this particular event for a handful of years, the thing that struck me most was how the show itself has grown. The Vendor Fest, a staple of an HTSA Spring Conference, has ballooned into a mini trade show of sorts with dozens of vendor partners participating; the demo rooms throughout the venue featured a collection of new and unique vendor collaborations; the number of attendees was up; and the team behind HTSA itself has grown as well.
Business among the group’s members in booming as well. During the event’s General Session, HTSA Executive Director Jon Robbins reported that the past few months have been much better than expected. To close out 2024, HTSA members’ business was up over 7 percent, while January and February of this year performed 25 percent better than the same period last year, according to Robbins.
“We expected business to be flat last year, and we were told that flat would be considered a good thing,” Robbins said. “We’re seeing greater potential, and the impact here is more than just percentages. It’s real business impact.”
Looking to capitalize on and not lose any of that momentum, HTSA’s Spring Conference put a special emphasis on the idea of “Wonder.” As it strives to meet its mission of staying ahead of the curve, the group encouraged dealers to continue seeking out that “next big thing” in the industry. Robbins highlighted many of the major evolutions the integrator has gone through over the years – from purely audio and stereo to audio/video, the rise of the home theater experience, to now smart home experts, lighting and shading, the list goes on – and said that integrators’ strength has always been in their ability to adapt to the ever-changing needs of their clients.
“We’ve always been able to evolve and master new disciplines,” said Robbins. “It’s our job as an industry to create solutions for things that our customers are wondering about today. The way we do that is by placing an emphasis on education. The more we learn, the more opportunities we’ll uncover.”
Talking Tariffs
It wouldn’t be a fully complete business conversation today without touching on the topic of tariffs. The show here in Arizona is taking place as the industry – and nation, truly – sits by waiting on word from Washington on what the tariff policy will look like moving forward. That “Liberation Day” announcement, scheduled for the afternoon of April 2nd, will influence much of how the industry looks and performs over the ensuing months, but the sentiment coming out of the show – from vendors in particular – is that much will still need to be learned about what the policy directly truly means.
During a panel discussion on tariffs that featured representatives from Crestron, AiSPIRE/WAC, Lenbrook, and Sonance, it was very apparent just how differently vendors are preparing to address the new tariff policy and how widely varied they are in how impacted their businesses will be and the challenges they will face moving forward. What was consistent, though, was their agreement that something is going to happen, they’re going to have to react in the form of a product price increase or a tariff surcharge, and that consumers and integrators alike are aware and expect whatever increases are coming – not that that makes it easier to swallow.
An area that was addressed and agreed upon by vendors and integrators alike, though, was the importance of communication throughout the process. Facing an incredibly fluid situation, all vendors involved in the panel said they’ve committed to being very transparent and open as change occurs – and they want integrators to openly communicate with them as well.
Bottom line, tariffs remain a confusing topic and it’s one that’s going to require a patient approach and a certain amount of flexibility in how all parties choose to address it.
Finding Their Story
Actionable advice is the cornerstone of any successful event, and the HTSA Spring Conference was a masterclass in delivering just that to members. In particular, the show’s keynote speaker, Magician Rob Anderson, shared a strong message around how to build a strong rapport with clients and deliver a truly exceptional experience.
Leaning on his expertise in the world of magic, Anderson shared a particularly impactful clip from a David Copperfield show that helped to drive his message home. What separated Copperfield, considered one of the greatest magicians of all time, was his presentation of an otherwise standard magic trick – the “girl in a box” trick.
While a timeless trick among skilled magicians, what Copperfield does with the trick, and what Anderson wanted attendees to notice, was how the attention and intention in Copperfield’s delivery is less on the box itself, and more on the story he’s trying to tell. He builds a connection with his audience by latching onto the story of him and the girl in the spot. He brings his theatrical flare to the performance. And he delivers a truly spectacular experience that separates him from nearly all other magicians, past, present, and future.
In connecting with a client, integrators have a chance to do much the same by latching onto the experience they’re providing, and not so much the tech specs that make it happen.
