Atlanta-based business consultant Lawton Hall served for nearly 25 years in executive management positions developing the Apparel Mart and Fashion Accessories & Fine Jewelry Center at AmericasMart, the world’s largest fashion emporium, offering permanent booth space to more than 1,400 vendors and nearly 2,500 temporary vendors, all within a 2.1 million-square-foot exhibition center. As a consultant, Lawton Hall offers clients knowledgeable expertise on how to develop and manage trade shows in Atlanta, across the United States, and worldwide.

A trade-show event is a type of direct marketing and sales in which vendors in a particular industry meet in a convention center or exhibition space at a designated time of the year to promote their products and services in a highly unified and centralized way, thus making it convenient for customers and other interested parties to zero in on precisely what they need and want. According to the Convention Industry Council, there are nearly 10,000 trade shows in the United States each year, some of which are specific to cars, others for video games and electronics, for book publishers, and so on. As a direct, face-to-face marketing event, a trade-show booth and vendor presence is crucial for companies to stay ahead of the competition, promote a brand, and generate new business.                            

An experienced sales and marketing professional based in Atlanta, Lawton Hall previously served as senior vice president of sales and leasing for AmericasMart. Lawton Hall was responsible for the creation and implementation of the wholesale trade facility's newest product centers, which yielded a net gain of over 1.3 million square feet of new leased space in the time frame of 6 years.

Before the economic crash in 2008-2009, Atlanta was a city with a lot of speculation and subprime loans. However, after the market recovered in 2013, the city became one of the fastest cities to recover nationwide. Since the crash, the city has seen the fastest growth in areas that were hit hardest. This is combined with other areas that did not see such steep declines in property values, but still continue to grow.

In 2014, economists expect that the Atlanta real estate market will continue to flourish. According to a report titled “2014 Emerging Trends in Real Estate,” the city is expected to experience the largest increase in investor confidence. The city’s population is also expected to grow by 1.7 percent throughout the year, compared to the national average of 0.8 percent.                            

Atlanta resident Henry Lawton Hall, Jr. has worked in marketing and sales for AmericasMart (AMC, Inc.) for many years. During his tenure with AmericasMart, Henry Lawton Hall, Jr. oversaw new business development and successfully launched an apparel trade show, which increased revenue by millions.

One of the strongest trade-show venues outside of New York, AmericasMart hosts apparel markets throughout the year. The events bring together industry professionals to explore fashion, accessory, and footwear trends. Offering a range of expert speakers, the market also provides an opportunity for insiders to share marketing strategies and tips for building community support. Last June, the Atlanta Apparel market also served as the venue for the free Fab’rik Charity Fashion Event, which raised funds to support the fab’rik organization’s mentorship and job-assistance programs for young women. The next apparel market is slated for August 7th and will showcase the latest trends in clothing and prom-wear.

For more information about AmericasMart, visit www.americasmart.com.