Display History — Portable Pop-Up Display
My first job in the trade show industry was with a pop-up display manufacturer in the mid-1990s. By then, there were half a dozen major manufacturers.
An Interview with Jen LaBruzza, the National Sales Manager of Classic Exhibits
Jen LaBruzza shared her thoughts on the trade show industry and Classic Exhibits in the interview below.
2018/2019 Annual State of the Company Letter by Kevin Carty
The Classic Exhibits Annual State of the Company Letter by Kevin Carty
An Interview with Tom Beard, National Sales Manager of Eco-Systems Sustainable Exhibits
Eco-Systems Sustainable Exhibits has always been a leader in responsible trade show exhibiting. From the very beginning, they focused on combining green materials with affordable upscale design. They believe that a booth doesn’t have to look “crunchy” to be green. It simply has to be sustainable.
Free Exhibit Hall Pass to 2019 EXHIBITORLIVE
Get a Free EXHIBITORLIVE Hall Pass with Promo Code 4044. Compliments of Classic Exhibits and EXHIBITOR Magazine. See registration link: https://www.exhibitoronline.com/live/2019/exhibithall.asp.
An Interview with Jim Shelman, GM of Classic Rental Solutions
Trade Show Rentals have undergone a seismic shift not only in design but also in sales. And, this trend will continue in 2019 and beyond. This week, we chatted with Jim Shelman, the General Manager of Classic Rental Solutions. So what should you expect as an exhibitor or a Classic Exhibits Distributor Partner? More of the same, which is a VERY GOOD THING.
2018 Odyssey Foods Custom Island Exhibit
While there were many exciting projects in 2018, the custom Odyssey Foods Island for Exhibits Northwest, Inc. was one of our favorites. The “Wow!” factor is off the charts. The exhibit debuted at Seafood Expo North America 2018.
Reflections on the Gravitee One-Step Modular Wall System
Two years ago, we introduced the Gravitee One-Step Modular Wall System, a radical approach to modular walls. No tools, no loose connectors, and no inventory of funky corners.
What have we learned in two years?
‘s Portable Modular Awards
Every year since 2014, EXHIBITOR Magazine honors design excellence in portable, modular, and system exhibits with the Portable Modular Awards (PMAs).
An Exhibit Design Search Video by the TradeshowGuy
Tim Patterson at TradeshowGuy Exhibits created an EDS tutorial video which he posted on YouTube. He will use it as a sales and marketing resource for existing and potential clients, but just having it on YouTube will also increase the exposure of his company. It’s a straight-forward video and very effective. See for yourself.
Recent Posts
‘ll Never Ask About Your Trade Show Display
It’s time to buy a trade show display. Unlike lawn mowers, cameras, or smartphones, there’s no Consumer Reports and your experience is limited. So, you do your research on the web, and if you are smart, you consult with a trade show exhibit professional. You ask the right questions about design, assembly, and how much it weighs. You even ask to see the warranty.
However, there are questions you won’t ask. How do I know? Because no exhibit manager has ever asked me these questions… and they should.
“Roll On Columbia, Roll On”: Word on the Street — Oct.5th thru Oct. 9th
Earlier this year, Classic Exhibits was awarded the contract to build an Interpretive Visitor Center for the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) in Portland. A local design firm brought us the project. This past Wednesday, we were delighted to attend the Grand Opening of the Interpretive Center.
The More Perfect, Perfect 10 Hybrid Display
Hold onto your dentures Grandma, we just made the Perfect 10 — More Perfect! The Perfect 10 and Perfect 20 feature the exclusive 100-Day Return Guarantee. If for any reason your client doesn’t like the Perfect 10 within the first 100 days, they can return it for a refund, minus graphics and shipping.
Wait… There’s MORE! ALL Perfect 10 Portable Hybrid Displays are ON SALE through November 27. Every. Single. One. There’s never been a portable display like the P10. No tools. Distinctive shape. Options galore. Download the literature below or in the Perfect 10 gallery in Exhibit Design Search.
Three Clever Trade Show Infographics
I’m a sucker for a clever, creative, well-designed Infographic. It reminds me of my childhood browsing through over-sized books about history, science, or sports where the graphics engage and educate.
I don’t have the patience or the talent to create infographics so when I find one that hits a bulls-eye about trade show marketing, I feel compelled to share. This week, I hit the jackpot and discovered three, all created by Megan Lemmons at Mostre Design/Advent Exhibits. My thanks to Megan for sharing with the Classic Exhibits Network.
Controlled Chaos: Word on the Street — Sept. 21st thru Sept. 25th
If you have kids like me, you know the difference between “chaos” and “controlled chaos.” Here is how I explain it as a parent: You know those big trampoline havens? The indoor trampoline park has quickly replaced Chuckie Cheese as THE place to have a birthday party.
Well, these trampoline parks are located in massive warehouses. But within those spaces are sections or what I call Kiddie Play Prisons, divided into areas with guards. Instead of wielding a gun, they are armed with a smile and a walkie-talkie to communicate with the other guards.
The Sale That Got Away
Sales are funny that way. We are so conditioned by “sales success” that we tend to ignore “sales failure.” So we congratulate ourselves on what we did right to land the order. Not on what we did wrong that kept us from getting it. It’s easier to create excuses. To blame the situation or a person.
John Zipay: Six Month Update (or What I Did During My Summer Vacation)
Wow! I can’t believe it has been six months since I joined the Classic Exhibits Family as the General Manager for Exhibits Northwest!
Where to begin… The Northwest is fantastically beautiful with postcard views in every direction. The folks here are down-to-earth, extremely health, and environmentally conscious. Professionally, my daily challenges haven’t changed very much, and the overall industry feel is more or less the same. Just like you, we use our experience to recommend the best exhibits and services to our customers.
Share, Rent, Borrow, or Buy Your Next Display?
As a parent, you teach your children to share — share their toys, their candy, their whatever.
At Classic, we’ve seen this rental trend since 2008. At first, it was driven by necessity. Exhibitors were committed to a show and/or committed to trade show marketing and their budgets were slashed. Now, however, that trend has less to do with slashed budgets and more to do with personalization, capacity, ownership, storage, and design.
How to Speak Graphic Designer (Infographic)
28 Design Terms Marketers Should Know
Wow! Two sensational infographics within a week. This one should be printed, framed, and hung on the wall next to every graphic designer and marketing manager. No more misunderstandings about leading and kerning. No more wasted conversations about web-friendly fonts. No more confusion about UI and UX.
10 Steps to Trade Show Success (Infographic)
Some infographics can be confusing… But not this one! An outstanding infographic from Bag of Ideas, a promotional products company in the UK. This is one worth printing or forwarding to your tradeshow clients. Bag of Ideas — A pat on the back for this clever and practical message. Well done!
‘s Your Trade Show Kryptonite?
We shouldn’t but we do. We hope hope hope that the next attendee who walks in our booth is Superman. Not Superman Superman, but the sales equivalent of Superman. Faster to sign a contract than a speeding bullet. More powerful than the VP of Purchasing. Able to leap over objections in a single bound. We yearn for Superman (or Superwoman) to enter our trade show booth space.
Trust Me!
I receive Seth Godin’s daily blog post. To say “I receive” his posts doesn’t do them justice. They’re always the first or second email I read in the morning. This one was especially relevant.
Here’s a simple marketing strategy for a smaller company trying to compete in a big-company world:
Choose your customers, trust them, treat them well.
Say yes. Bend the rules. Show up on time. Keep your promises.
Don’t exert power merely because you can.
Be human, be kind, pay attention, smile.
Not everyone deserves this sort of treatment, not everyone will do their part to be the kind of customer you can delight and serve. But that’s okay, you don’t need everyone.
Deep Thoughts from the E2MA Red Diamond Congress
I attended the E2MA Red Diamond Congress in Boston last week — my third time at this annual two-day conference. The RDC is a small, but growing, group of stakeholders in the event and tradeshow industry which includes show organizers, general contractors, associations, distributors, tradeshow managers, suppliers, and labor.
When Technology Bites: Word on the Street — July 20th thru July 24th
I love technology! But sometimes, I fear, we miss the basics, the commonsense in our effort to make things more efficient and streamlined — like what makes sense. For example…
Last week I met with a transportation company, one of the well-known Big TWO. At the beginning of 2015, this carrier introduced a slick handing system in their sorting facilities replacing the old system that required someone to manually check measurements on larger packages.
Mid-Year Review: Word on the Street — July 13th thru July 17th
I am writing this a few weeks late, but in fairness, there’s a lot going on at Classic Exhibits.
It’s been an exciting 2015, thanks to you, our loyal and creative distributors. Orders have been ALL ACROSS THE BOARD. So let’s review the highlights, identify some trends, and share a few stories.
The year started with a bang. January set the tone after a busy late December. It was clear we were going to be in for a wild ride filled with growth, unique challenges, and a mixture of tradeshow, event, retail, and permanent install projects.