Trade Show Tales Blog

Trade Show Tales is your comprehensive guide to informative articles about trade show marketing, exhibit industry news, promotions, and updates on Classic Exhibits. 

For specific topics, use the Search Tool in the blog or visit the Trade Show and Event Tips in Exhibit Design Search.

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| July and August 2017

The summer trade show season is in full swing in July and August. Check-out the 10 biggest trade shows in North America during these two hot months, including Comic Con and Outdoor Retailer.

Top 5 Fallacies of Trade Show Exhibit Rentals

Probably nothing has changed more in Trade Show Land than exhibit rentals. What used to look like subsidized housing on the show floor is now indistinguishable from purchase exhibits.

Portable Hybrid Displays — Summer Sales Tips #4

The Perfect 10, Magellan, and Sacagawea Portable Hybrids are clever, sophisticated displays with features not found in less expensive imports, such as knob assembly, adjustable support legs, and best-in-class 4K dye-sublimation fabric printing.

Gravitee One-Step Modular System™ — Summer Sales Tips #3

Most modular wall systems are designed for European trade shows where tools and time are in abundance. North American trade shows are just the opposite, prioritizing speed, modularity, and easy assembly. The Gravitee One Step™ Modular System assembles without tools or loose parts.

‘s Biggest Competitor?

Recently, I’ve been on the road, visiting Classic Distributors in the Midwest and South. We chat about industry trends, new products, and challenges in their market. Occasionally, they will ask me about competitors. That’s a topic, to be honest, that makes me uncomfortable.

SuperNova™ Lightboxes and Exhibits — Summer Sales Tips #2

Not all LED lightboxes are created equal. Most use low quality aluminum extrusion, inferior LED modules, and low resolution fabric printing. SuperNova™ Lightboxes are the exception. SuperNova Lightboxes are exceptionally durable. Our propriety LED modules outperform the competition. And, we use only HD or 4K dye-sublimation printing for vibrant colors and details.

InCharg™ Charging Stations — Summer Sales Tips #1

At Classic Exhibits, we strive to make your job easier, whether in Design, Customer Service, Marketing, or Product Development. This summer, we’re sharing 10 Sales Tip Sheets on products like SuperNova™ LED Lightboxes, Gravitee One-Step™, Eco-Systems Sustainable, and others. Each sheet will feature features and benefits, product descriptions, and a bonus audio clip. This week we started with our hard-charging superstar — InCharg™ Charging Stations.

| June 2017

It’s officially summer. Thank goodness. Time to relax, enjoy a picnic, and attend a trade show. What? You forgot about trade shows? Shame on you.

Let’s start June with the NBM Show in Indy. Below are 10 Great Shows that embrace a trade show in June and the wonder of the Summer Solstice (June 21 – 22).

A Positive Change is Coming

A positive change is coming. The photo below shows a custom translucent “hurricane” t-knob. It’s an M6 thread with a 10 mm thread length and a 25 mm width (approximately 1 inch). This will replace some of the M6 screws in one of our current product lines making assembly faster and easier.

Which line? Well, we’ll leave you guessing on that. We don’t want to give away too much yet, especially to our competitors. Expect an announcement in about 45 days.

7 Reasons to Attend Shared Knowledge University

Earlier today, a Classic Distributor asked me why they should attend Shared Knowledge University on June 12-13. Honestly, I had to think about it since I’ve never been asked that before. Which is a little odd. So, why should you (or any distributor), spend two days attending Classic’s comprehensive training in Portland, OR?

Trade Show Material Handling Calculator and Infographic

If you are familiar with trade shows, you are all too familiar with material handling or drayage. These two terms, which mean the same thing, often elicit a very strong emotional response from exhibitors. So what is drayage? Drayage refers to the movement of your trade show booth items from your carrier’s delivery vehicle to your booth space.

Gravitee One-Step Modular System (Video)

Below is a Gravitee One-Step video where we disassembled a large conference room in less than five minutes. When we took the video, that was the only goal. Then we sent it to Glenna, our Graphic Designer, who saw what we clearly failed to see — namely a whole lotta plumber’s butt.

| May 2017

We know you are patiently waiting for National Hug Your Cat Day on May 15. As are we. To help you pass the time, we’ve compiled a list of 10 BIG trade shows happening in May 2017. What do cats have to do with trade shows? Thank you for asking: What Cats Can Teach Us About Trade Shows.

What a Mel Meltdown Looks Like

Twelve years ago, we coined the phrase “Exhibit Design Search.” Back then, it was exactly that — a simple way to search through our product galleries for kit numbers and features. As with anything successful, there are bound to be copycats. Other display vendors and distributors have attempted to replicate Exhibit Design Search.