Ken Newman
Trade Show Presenter • Trade Show Emcee • Trade Show Magician • Founder of Magnet Productions
More than 30 years on convention floors. Still working them.
For more than three decades, Ken Newman has helped companies turn crowded convention halls into opportunities for genuine conversations, qualified leads, and measurable business results.
Today, as Founder and Creative Director of Magnet Productions, Ken is recognized as one of the industry's leading trade show presenters, emcees, infotainers, and live communication strategists.
He has worked with organizations ranging from innovative startups to some of the world's most recognizable technology, healthcare, cybersecurity, manufacturing, financial services, and life sciences companies.
But ask Ken what he does, and his answer is much simpler.
"I help companies give people a reason to stop."
A Different Kind of Trade Show Presenter
Most trade show presenters focus on delivering a presentation.
Ken Newman focuses on creating conversations.
After more than 30 years on convention floors across North America, Ken learned something many exhibitors eventually discover the hard way:
A great presentation isn't the goal. Business is.
Every crowd gathered, every laugh, every question asked, every transition to a salesperson - it's all designed around one objective:
Helping companies create more meaningful conversations with more qualified prospects.
That philosophy eventually became the foundation of Magnet Productions.
Ken didn't begin his career in marketing.
He began in entertainment and Learned 6 Important Pieces of Trade Show Presenting.
1.
Entertainment
Learning how to hold the attention of an audience that didn't ask to be entertained.
4.
Trade shows
Learning that a convention aisle may be the hardest room in the world. No seats. No obligation. No captive audience. Everyone is walking somewhere else.
2.
Magic
Learning that attention is earned in the first few seconds - or not at all.
5.
Infotainment
Discovering that the answer wasn't entertainment or information.
It was both… deliberately combined.
3.
Corporate events
Learning that business audiences will gladly give you their attention... but only if you give them something valuable in return.
6.
Magnet Productions
Turning decades of experience into a repeatable system that helps companies attract attention, communicate clearly, and generate better business opportunities.
Years ago, Ken noticed something that changed the direction of his career.
People weren't walking past booths because the products weren't good (most of the products were excellent).
They were walking past because no one had given them a reason to stop.
So Ken began blending storytelling, audience participation, humor, live demonstrations, and business messaging into one integrated presentation. Not to distract from the message. To make the message land.
Today, the industry often calls this trade show infotainment. For Ken, it has always been something much simpler:
Helping companies earn attention before asking for it.
His philosophy has remained remarkably consistent: 80% content. 20% humor (people enjoy laughing but they stay for the information)
Give them both, and they'll remember your message long after the trade show ends.
People often assume Ken is hired simply because he can hold a crowd.
That's only part of the story.
Long before he packs for the event, Ken is thinking about strategy:
✓ How should traffic move through the booth?
✓ How long should presentations run?
✓ Where should the audience gather?
✓ How should technical experts be introduced?
✓ How do presentations transition into meaningful conversations with the sales team?
✓ How does every part of the experience work together?
The presentation may be the most visible part of the process.
However, it isn't the most important. The strategy behind it is.
Companies don't hire Ken simply because he's entertaining.
They hire him because …
✓ They want better business outcomes.
✓ They want more booth traffic (but more importantly, they want the right people stopping).
✓ They need technical products explained in a way real people can understand.
✓ They have brilliant engineers who should be answering questions (not trying to gather crowds).
✓ They want presentations people remember long after the event ends.
✓ They want attendees talking with their sales team instead of walking past their booth.
Every recommendation Ken makes is designed to move exhibitors closer to those goals.
Even if you don't reach out to hire Ken as your Trade Show Presenter, here's what he wants you to know:
01
Bigger booths aren't always better.
A packed 10' x 20' booth often creates more excitement than a half-empty island exhibit (and costs far less).
As Ken likes to say:
"Think about your last dinner party. Doesn't everyone end up standing in the smallest room in the house?"
04
Everyone should stay in their lane.
Engineers should be engineers.
Presenters should present.
Salespeople should sell.
When everyone focuses on what they do best, the entire booth performs better.
02
Most trade show presentations are too long.
Seven minutes is ideal.
Ten minutes is usually the maximum.
Beyond that, attendees begin thinking about where they need to go next.
Ken has never met a trade show attendee who complained that a presentation was too short.
05
People don't remember slides.
They remember experiences.
They remember conversations.
They remember moments where something suddenly made sense.
That's what stays with them long after the show, and often long enough to influence future buying decisions.
03
Entertainment isn't the goal. Connection is.
Humor lowers defenses.
Stories build trust.
Business follows.
Entertainment for its own sake may gather a crowd.
The right presentation gathers qualified leads.
Ask Ken Almost Anything About Trade Shows
Over three decades, Ken has become more than a presenter.
He's become a trusted advisor to companies trying to maximize the return on their trade show investment.
Clients regularly ask questions like:
-
Should we rent a larger booth?
-
How many seats should our theater have?
-
Should our engineers present or answer questions?
-
Would a trade show magician or presenter be a better fit?
-
How long should our presentations be?
-
How many booth staff members do we actually need?
-
What's the best way to increase qualified leads?
These aren't questions answered by reading an exhibitor manual.
They're answered through experience.
That's why many organizations begin by hiring Ken - and continue calling him long before their next event.
Events & Industries
Throughout his career, Ken has presented at many of North America's largest trade shows and conferences, including events such as:
CES
RSA Conference
Dreamforce
Black Hat
Oracle CloudWorld
Cisco Live
NAB Show
And hundreds of other conferences, conventions, user conferences, and corporate events.
His experience spans industries including:
Technology
Cybersecurity
Healthcare
Manufacturing
Construction
Financial Services
Life Sciences
Education
Consumer Products
Every industry has different audiences.
Every presentation is customized accordingly.
While many clients initially ask for Ken by name, one of his greatest strengths is knowing when someone else is the better fit.
Over the years, Ken has built and mentored a team of exceptional trade show presenters, emcees, hosts, magicians, infotainers, crowd gatherers, and event professionals.
Every member of the Magnet Productions team has been selected not only for their presentation skills, but for their ability to communicate complex ideas, engage audiences, and represent clients with professionalism.
Sometimes Ken is the right presenter.
Sometimes another member of the Magnet team is.
Either way, every engagement begins with the same objective:
Finding the right person to help your event succeed.
Frequently Asked Questions
01
Does Ken Newman still present at trade shows?
Yes. Ken continues to serve as a trade show presenter, host, emcee, and infotainer for select events while also leading Magnet Productions and mentoring the company's presentation team.
02
What types of presentations does Ken perform?
Ken presents live booth presentations, product demonstrations, in-booth theater programs, keynote-style hosting, corporate meetings, executive events, trade show emcee programs, and customized infotainment experiences built around each client's messaging.
03
What industries does Ken work in?
Ken has worked across technology, cybersecurity, healthcare, manufacturing, construction, financial services, education, life sciences, and many other industries.
04
How long should a trade show presentation be?
Ken's philosophy is simple: approximately seven minutes is ideal, and ten minutes is usually the upper limit. The goal is to create curiosity and begin conversations—not tell the audience everything they need to know in one presentation.
05
Can Magnet Productions customize presentations for technical products?
Absolutely. Every presentation begins with learning your products, terminology, audience, and business objectives. Ken believes the best presentations simplify complex ideas without oversimplifying their value.
Put Ken in Your Booth
Whether you're exhibiting at a major trade show, launching a new product, hosting a customer conference, or planning a corporate event, Ken Newman brings more than three decades of experience helping companies capture attention and create meaningful business conversations.
Sometimes that means Ken takes the stage himself.
Sometimes it means recommending another member of the Magnet Productions team who is an even better fit for your audience and objectives.
Either way, you'll receive honest advice, thoughtful strategy, and a partner who cares far more about your business results than simply delivering a presentation.
Tell Ken about your upcoming event. He'll tell you, straight up, whether he's the right presenter for it.
The Many Faces of Ken Newman
