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.

What Makes Classic Exhibits Different

What Makes Classic Exhibits Different

“What makes Classic Exhibits different?” It’s my opportunity to speak about our culture of sharing and creating. Sharing our innovation and production capabilities to help your clients engage their audience on the trade show floor is a primary focus for us. It’s never about rolling up to bin A12 and pulling a complete 10×10, 10×20, or island exhibit design off the shelf and sending it off to Las Vegas or Chicago. It’s about choices.

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EXHIBITORLIVE Portable Modular Award Photos

EXHIBITORLIVE Portable Modular Award Photos

Earlier this week, EXHIBITOR sent us photos from the Portable Modular Award ceremony at EXHIBITORLIVE. Classic Exhibits won three awards: the People’s Choice Award for the Parallon island exhibit, a Find It Top 40 Exhibit Builder honoree, and #1 for Service and Reliability among the Top 40 Producers.

EXHIBITOR Magazine will feature all the winners in the June (or July?) publication. Below are photos from ceremony that feature us. Yes, just us! Hey, I told you it was a vanity post.

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Women in Exhibition (WIE) Mentorship Program and Survey

Women in Exhibition (WIE) Mentorship Program and Survey

As many of you know, I am a leader in the Women in Exhibition (WIE) group. Our group held a very successful meeting in Las Vegas in February.

In an effort to continue connecting women in our industry, we are announcing a mentorship program. There is no obligation to participate, but we’ve heard from women, in all facets of our industry, who would enjoy sharing their experience and guiding other women toward success.

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Erica Dougherty from Exhibits Northwest Shares Client Feedback

Erica Dougherty from Exhibits Northwest Shares Client Feedback

Erica Dougherty, an Account Executive at Exhibits Northwest Seattle, connects with her clients because she takes the time to get to know them and their business. That extends to feedback after a show, which is invaluable.

According to Erica, “My client, Darryl at DF/Net Research, is wonderful about sending feedback and kudos to me/us. He has allow me to share his success stories which may be beneficial to other Classic Distributors. Below are two emails from two shows, along with photos.”

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MORE Seismic Changes in Trade Show Products — April Edition

MORE Seismic Changes in Trade Show Products — April Edition

Please check your branded Exhibit Design Search today. You have four new product galleries, all with at least 80% margins. Gone are Visionary Designs, Perfect 10, Sacagawea, and SEGUE. These have been replaced with more budget-friendly systems and interactive products. As we learned from EDPA, it’s all about the”experiential” for contemporary exhibitors.

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All New EDS Changes!

All New EDS Changes!

Yes, EDS has changed… again. Now, don’t shake your head. You should be excited about these changes since they are all based on suggestions from you, our Classic Exhibits Distributors. I’m going to refer to them as “3 Modifications” since the word “change” makes some of you sweat like a cold watermelon on the 4th of July.

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Women in Exhibitions (WIE) Post-Event Review

Women in Exhibitions (WIE) Post-Event Review

To the women who participated in the Women In Exhibitions event at EXHIBITORLIVE 2018… THANK YOU! It was the most successful meeting we’ve had with 100+ women in attendance. We gathered Tuesday morning at Border Grill in Mandalay Bay for a delicious breakfast and discovered “How to Design Our Lives to Flourish” with Guest Speaker Lynette Xanders. What an energizing way to start the second day of the show!

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RECENT Exhibit Design Search Updates (see the GIFs)

Your Branded Exhibit Design Search

Nearly every month, we push functional or visual changes to your branded Exhibit Design Search website. Some you may notice. Some you may not.

Do you want to know a secret? I’m a obsessed with EDS (OK, that may be the world’s worst kept secret). And I force Tony, Glenna, and everyone else at Classic Exhibits to share that obsession. If only there was a 10 step program for an EDS addict?

Trade Show Marketing Success Video (Very Practical Advice!)

Earlier this week, Classic Exhibits hosted the Countdown to Trade Show Success webinar with trade show marketing expert Marlys Arnold. I wish EVERY EXHIBITOR would take 45 minutes and watch it. She presented practical advice about exhibit marketing, graphics, and booth etiquette. If nothing else, start watching at the 29 minute mark, “The 10 Commandments of Booth Staffing.” Excellent advice and spot-on photos of bad and good behavior.

Book Download — Super Networking at Events and Tradeshows

A couple of months ago, Tim Patterson, otherwise known as The Tradeshow Guy, wrote a 90 page e-book titled, Super Networking at Tradeshows and Events Using Social Media. He had copies printed and gave them away to friends, industry colleagues, and at trade shows. Classic Exhibits was a sponsor for both the book and the printing.

Reconfigurable Custom Inline Exhibit

All Custom. More Than Modular.

One of the most overused terms in the exhibit industry is “custom modular.” Too often, it means, “At some point in the future if you purchase more components, you can transform this display into another size, but you’re unlikely to do it any time soon.”

However, when done well, it truly means “custom” and “modular.” Here’s an excellent display example, narrated by Charlie Shivel, a project manager at Classic Exhibits.

Why the Big Picture MATTERS in Graphic Design

Many trade show clients and graphic designers are unfamiliar with how to design for 3D structures. If you have a client that fits that description, then our new Graphic Inspiration Galleries will be useful. We’ve dug through the Past Five Days (P5D) photo archives and identified outstanding examples of graphics.

Invite Your Clients and Prospects to Free Training

On April 29, Classic Exhibits will host the “Countdown to Trade Show Success” webinar with trade show marketing expert Marlys Arnold. You have the opportunity to invite your clients and prospects to participate for free, compliments of Classic.

RFP Certification Program: Word on the Street — April 7th thru April 11th

The EDPA RFP Certification program seeks to verify that certain items are in existence, that industry standards and best practices are met and adhered to, based on various benchmarks. Research conducted in 2012 with the assistance of Exhibit Surveys to Corporate Exhibitors proved there “was unanimous enthusiasm for the concept of an EDPA ‘Good Housekeeping Seal’ that would prescreen exhibit house vendors on the basis of business integrity and operational practices and capabilities.

The Experts at the Table: Word on the Street — March 31st thru April 4th

So, forgive me if you’ve seen this video after Seth Godin posted it. It quickly went viral. But, it’s just too good not to share in my weekly WOTS.

Have you ever been in this meeting before? And if you have, should I ask, “Have you ever been any of the ‘non-engineers’ depicted in this video?”

Sour Apple(s): Word on the Street — March 24th thru March 28th

I have long admired the folks in Cupertino for their innovative thoughts, ideas, product aesthetics, design intuitiveness, etc. Apple is a model in many ways of how marketing and product development should be.

Well . . . even the shiniest Apples sometimes have a worm in them, or best said, sometimes they are picked a little too early. This apple is a little sour once you take that second or third bite.

EXHIBITOR / GlobalShop 2014 Recap: Word on the Street — March 17 thru March 21st

My nose is bleeding, my eyes are burning, and I am exhausted! Yep, you guessed it, I was in Vegas for the past week. 🙂

Like many of you, the Classic Team descended on Vegas starting last Friday for both EXHIBITOR Show and GlobalShop. Since we exhibited at both shows, let me break this into two blog posts starting with EXHIBITOR.

Why EXHIBITOR Matters (But Should It?)

Each year, I have to remind myself why participating in EXHIBITOR matters. That may seem odd. After all, EXHIBITOR spends a mountain of cash listing all the reasons to attend. Who am I to argue with them. They know their audience. But, I still have to ask myself why should I attend? I’ve gone at least fifteen times.

The EDPA Portable/Modular Summit: Word on the Street — March 3rd thru March 7th

There’s one event/meeting I would strongly encourage you to attend — The Annual EDPA Portable/Modular Summit. This meeting will be held at EXHIBITOR on Tuesday, March 18 from 3:45 – 4:30 pm right on the show floor. It’s free. Just head towards the Food Service Area (far right of exhibit hall) and look for the sign leading you to the meeting.

Classic Exhibits Named a 2014 Fab 50 Exhibit Fabricator

Event Marketer announced their 2014 Fab 50 Fabricators serving the North American event and exhibit industry. For the second year in a row (drum roll please . . .), Classic Exhibits was honored by the editors of Event Marketer and the analysts at the Event Marketing Institute.