2018/2019 Annual State of the Company Letter by Kevin Carty
The Classic Exhibits 2018/2019 Annual State of the Company Letter by Kevin Carty with news about training, new products, and industry trends.
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?
EXHIBITOR 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.
Misleading Online Prices for Trade Show Displays
Many online display websites are masters at enticing buyers with crazy low prices, which on further investigation are not quite as “cheap” as they seem. Then, there’s quality, warranty, and customer service questions to consider as well.
The Rules have Changed at Trade Shows
You know the rules: #1. Never eat or drink in your trade show booth and #2. Don’t stare at your cellphone while on the show floor. It makes sense, mostly. But it’s 2018, Dude. There’s gotta be a middle ground
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How Your Eyes Move on a Website [Cool Inforgraphic]
Single Grain designed this excellent infographic that explains:
How our eyes move on a website or blog,
How web design influences eye movement and interaction, and
Proposes tips for creating an effective website design.
Hot Hot Hot!: Word on the Street — August 4th thru August 8th
Summer Business
There is a heat wave in the Pacific NW. I mean HOT . . . at least for us. Mid-80’s to mid-90’s kinda HOT. Which if you have ever lived or visited here, you know we don’t get that very often.
Now for the cheesy segue. All this HOT weather has me thinking we are living in the Islands, and wouldn’t you know it, we are building and quoting A LOT of islands right now.
Vibrant Color and Stunning Contrast Gallery
Several months ago, Glenna Martin, our Graphic Design Manager, created the first Graphic Inspiration Gallery — Graphics that Complement the Display. Glenna pulled 38 Past 5 Days photos to show effective examples of structure and graphics. If you haven’t read her notes, I urge you to review them. You may want to consider directing graphic designers to the galleries if they are unfamiliar with trade show graphics.
RDC Innovation Day — Day 2 Notes
Day 2 (Innovation Day)
It was a day of epiphanies at the Red Diamond Congress about the trade show industry. Bob McClintock, COO of SMG, gave the morning keynote: A New Facility Model: Facility as Service Provider. I know. The title sounds pretty boring, but the topic and the speaker were anything but. SMG manages McCormick Place, the Pennsylvania Convention Center, and 70 other venues.
RDC Innovation Day — Day 1 Notes
I’m in Chicago this week for the E2MA Red Diamond Congress. For those unfamiliar with the Exhibit and Event Marketers Association and the RDC . . .
The E2MA is a community of exhibit and event marketers driven to benchmark the value of face-to face marketing. By facilitating discussions among all industry stakeholders, the E2MA’s Red Diamond Congress develops actionable ideas and solutions that can provide for industry growth and success.
20 Short and Impactful Years: Word on the Street — July 21st thru July 25th
Back in 1994, specifically in July 1994, I was working the 11 p.m. – 7 a.m. shift throwing overnight freight at a grocery store in Lake Oswego, Oregon. A co-worker/friend of mine had been telling me about this other job working for his dad’s business. One day, seeing that I was growing weary of the job, he asked me if I was interested in coming to talk to his father about an opening. I jumped at the opportunity, if for no other reason than I wanted to see the light of day rather than sleep through it.
A Humbling Lesson About 10 ft. Displays
Over the years, I’ve learned a humbling lesson. There’s safety in numbers when it comes to 10 ft. inline trade show displays. Most exhibitors choose the predictable over the bold, the safe over the dramatic. And while I understand, I also don’t understand. Yes, budget is a factor. Fear too. No one wants to make the wrong decision when purchasing a display.
A Sustainable Partnership that Works — Eco-Systems
Late last week, Eco-Systems took another big step — redesigning their website. For those who have gone through that ordeal, you know how arduous it can at every stage. There are no easy tasks when it comes to website redesign, organization, graphics, and coding.
Custom Table Top Display Video
Charlie Shivel, a project manager in the Customer Service Department, discusses a custom Visionary Designs table top display. This table top was designed by Trina Broten, a Classic Exhibits Designer, to fulfill the specific marketing requirements of a distributor’s client. Charlie does a terrific job of keeping it short, sweet, informal, and informative. Well done Charlie.
NEW Rental Rewards Program
At Classic Rental Solutions, our mission is simple. To produce the highest quality rental exhibits and experiences in the industry. No exceptions.
We stage, inspect, and photograph every order before shipping. We pack the exhibit very carefully. We include staging photos, packing photos, and setup diagrams with every shipment. And we’re available anytime, day, night, and weekends for any questions from your I & D team. We understand that a quick call might save your client an hour or two of extra labor.
Happy (Post) 4th of July!: Word on the Street — June 30th thru July 4th
July is here and it’s off with a BANG! Even in this shortened week, business is booming, and by the looks of the quotes you are sending us, the remainder of the month looks to be busy.
EDPA Foundation Scholarship Fund: Word on the Street — June 23rd thru June 26th
Aside from being on the Board of Directors for the Exhibit Designers and Producers Association (EDPA), I also sit on the EDPA Foundation Scholarship Committee. It’s a committee that I have been apart of for five years and feel very strongly about.
The EDPA Foundation Scholarship Fund was created in 2004 to award scholarships for families of industry members to help pursue a college/university level education. The EDPAF Scholarship Program applications are now being accepted for the 2014-2015 school year.
Recorded Version of the Exhibit Design Search Webinar
Twice a year, we conduct an Exhibit Design Search webinar. The title always changes, but it’s always a Tips, Tricks and Techniques session on how to use EDS more effectively. Typically, I don’t record it because, well, I forget. I’d love to give you a better excuse, but I can’t. This time I remembered.
Does Your Mirror Lie?: Word on the Street — June 16th thru June 20th
We ALL do it. Every morning we look in the mirror. If we are honest, we ask ourselves, “Does what I see in the mirror match what my colleagues, family, and friends see in me?”
Before you think I am going on some sort of Freudian rant, I am not. But, as business professionals, we face this question every day.
Red Diamond Congress (RDC) — July 28-31
The 2014 Red Diamond Congress (RDC), the third annual meeting of the Exhibit & Event Marketers Association, takes place July 28 – 31, 2014 at the Oak Brook Hills Resort in Oak Brook, Illinois. The RDC brings together all of the major players from the exhibit marketing industry to engage in thought leadership, best practice exchanges, and education aligned with business and marketing metrics and strategy.