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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Universal Trade Show and Event Charging Stations

Our charging stations are ideal examples of how Classic Distributors drive innovations. Several years ago, we were asked to develop a charging station with two monitors. Good idea. Great product. But not very useful for most trade shows and events.

Classic Exhibits… By the Numbers

In business, as in life, we celebrate milestones. This morning after adding an article to Trade Show Tips, I decide to count them — 74 articles. It’s more than I thought, but 74 isn’t 740 or 7400 so the number didn’t freak me out.

Having started down this path, I decided to look at other numbers. For example, how many blog posts have we published in Trade Show Tales?

Gravitee One-Step Demo Video

On Day 3 of EXHIBITORLIVE, we shot a video of Kevin highlighting the features of the new Gravitee One-Step Modular System. By then, he had perfected his Gravitee presentation… well… mostly. Admittedly, it’s no ShamWow or Ronco Rotisserie pitch but how many times can you say, “But wait! There’s more!” in real life?

Gravitee Modular Strikes a Winning Chord

I’m at 32,000 feet, headed home from EXHIBITORLIVE 2016 in Las Vegas. After four weary days (and nights), I wanted to share with you the overall show vibe from the Classic Exhibits perspective.

To those not in attendance, I hope you viewed our videos highlighting Day 1 and Day 2. They show how slammed we were both days. On the morning of Day 2, I was approached by another exhibitor who said, “Kevin, ya know in grade school where we all learned to share. Would you mind sharing some of your attendee traffic with the rest of us?”

EXHIBITORLIVE — Thumbs Up & Thumbs Down

We’re back from an early EXHIBITORLIVE 2016 this year. While it’s still fresh on my mind, I thought I’d share a few Thumbs Ups and Thumbs Downs. the Gravitee Modular System was the Belle of the Ball.

A Subtle Update to Exhibit Design Search

How often have you heard me say, “Exhibit Design Search is a work in progress, always evolving and changing.” I’m glad I can’t see you. It would hurt my feelings… just a little.

Nearly everyday, we make little changes to EDS. Sometimes it’s as simple as changing the wording, adding a kit, or linking to a new photo.

Women in Exhibitions Meeting at EXHIBITOR

Hi everyone, Katina here!

Calling all women in the exhibition industry! I’ll be leading the Women In Exhibitions (WIE) meeting on Monday, February 29 at 5 pm. Please join us as we network and build key relationships with other women in our intriguing industry. The Mandalay Bay conference room assignment has not been made yet, but if you are interested, please do two things:

1) Join the WIE Group on LinkedIn

2) Send me an email so I can follow up with you personally as soon as I have the location. My e-mail is katina.rigall@classicexhibits.com.

Custom Inline Exhibit with LED RGB Lights (Very Cool!)

Do you want to see something AMAZING?

As we head into EXHIBITOR, I wanted to share a video of a recent build. It’s two 10 x 10’s inlines that convert into a 10 x 20.

Before you say, “big deal Kevin…an inline exhibit…we have seen them all”…I challenge that idea.

EXHIBITORLIVE is Monday After Next

So close. We’re a mere two weeks away from another EXHIBITORLIVE. And yes, out of respect for EXHIBITOR, I add the LIVE in italics and caps (but noticeably wince each time).

EDS Training Video by The TradeshowGuy

Tim Patterson, aka The Tradeshow Guy, created a quick video tutorial on Exhibit Design Search. He covers the major EDS points in just 7:34 min., something I couldn’t do under any circumstance. You’ll learn how to do a quick search, review details about a design, save them in a gallery, see exhibit photos, and share trade show marketing tips. Frankly, it’s hard not to be a little jealous of Tim’s video and audio panache.

Best Award — Vote For Classic Exhibits (please)

The E2MA and Exhibit City News present the first annual BEST Awards created to honor the Best in Exhibit Servicing & Technology among trade show industry service organizations and management companies.

Top 10 Trade Show Rental Designs

When I started in the this business, waaaayyyyyy back when folding panel systems and pop ups were duking it out for design supremacy, rentals were an afterthought. Really a non-thought. The Great Recession changed that. Rentals are now HUGE. And CUSTOMIZED. And BEAUTIFUL. At least those from Classic Rental Solutions.

Backlit Retail Kiosk with Monitor Mount and iPad Insert

Classic Exhibits designed and built these Backlit Retail Kiosks for an auto dealership. The kiosks include a large monitor connected to an iPad, USB charging connections, LED lighting, vinyl graphics, and a backlit SEG fabric graphic.

Classic Rental Rewards Winners

Several years ago, the Classic Rental Solutions Division had a problem. A large percentage of our returns were coming back with significant damage and/or missing components. We weren’t sure what to do, but we knew we had to do something. We couldn’t restock those components since our policy has always been “If it doesn’t look like new, we won’t ship it. Period.”

2015 Annual State of the Company Letter

We started the year on an upswing with a record-breaking Q1 across all divisions at Classic, including ENW, ClassicMODUL, and Rentals. There were several promising trends — some new, others cultivated in 2012-2014 but coming to fruition in 2015.