Trade Show Tips to the Beat of the 1950s
What’s the biggest mistake that exhibitors make? They wing it rather than plan. It could happen to you. Maybe you don’t know what to expect, or you just need a refresher. Here is some friendly trade show marketing advice with a few entertaining music videos along the way. Enjoy!
College Scholarship Deadline — EDPA Foundation
As many of you know, I am on the EDPA Scholarship Foundation Committee. The Exhibit and Designers Association Foundation offers college scholarships to member families who apply and qualify. It’s a great opportunity for the Association to give back to its members and a benefit to you.
SEGD (Society for Experiential Graphic Designers) Conference Notes
Several Classic employees attended the SEGD “Experience Seattle” Conference from June 9-11. It was well-attended by top professionals in the Experiential Graphic Design community and beyond, well-stocked with expert presenters, and well-staffed with knowledgeable personnel.
The Magical Middle of Trade Show Displays
Many exhibit houses and distributors devote nearly all their resources to low budget exhibitors (under $3000) or multi-national corporations. There’s nothing wrong with this approach, but it ignores the true sweet spot in our industry – The Middle.
These customers want value, quality, and most importantly, personalization in design and accessories. They
appreciate value-added resources such as consultation, reusable packaging, detailed setup instructions, and show services.
New This Summer at Classic Exhibits
Summer 2016 wouldn’t be “Classic” without new products and promotions. See all the new charging station options, including a 60″ conference table. The On the Move Portable Furniture line now includes curve, comfortable backs for white and black chairs. There’s two new Rental Furniture Galleries including soft seating, chairs, and bistro tables. Finally, you can’t go wrong with specials on 12 rental designs.
Trade Show Exhibit Systems by Pat Friedlander
When I was new to this industry, I heard the word “Octanorm” bandied about as if it were the last ditch attempt for stingy exhibitors There was no design consideration — just how many panels and how many uprights.
The 100-Day “Love It”| A Classic Exhibits Exclusive
There’s not much you can’t return or exchange these days… except a trade show display. Not anymore. Classic Exhibits announces the only 100-Day “Love It” Guarantee in the exhibit industry. Within the first 100 days after receiving your Sacagawea, Perfect 10/20, Quadro, or Quadro FGS Display, you can return it for a refund if you’re not completely satisfied (minus graphics and shipping).
A Better Way to Rent Trade Show Furniture
If you have ever rented furniture from the show book, you know it’s not always user-friendly. And too often, it’s a task that’s completed right before the show, adding stress and expense to your trade show experience. We have a better solution.
Meet Kim DiStefano, Classic Exhibits Designer
We’ve been talking with Kim DiStefano, an exhibit designer, for awhile. Kim lives a few miles from our shop in Milwaukie, OR. Enticing her to join us has taken some time and persuasion. Not that she didn’t like us, but as a contract designer with a family, she was uncertain if she wanted to work in an office. Well, eventually Kevin convinced her, wore her down, or she changed her mind. Probably a little of all three.
Classic Exhibits — Summer Gift Card Promotion
Earn a $25 Nike Gift Card for every $1000 in wholesale orders. Eligible on all Classic Exhibits inlines from May 26 thru July 31. Get your game on this summer with Nike gear compliments of Classic. Some restrictions apply. See details.
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Our Holiday Season Gift to You . . . SAVINGS!
SAVE 10% on all Rentals from Classic Exhibits through February 2013.
Need another reason . . . Offset your shipping costs by saving $100 on every $1000.
Review the complete line of rental solutions below or contact Jim Shelman (jshelman@exhibitsnw.com) for a rental solution designed to your specifications.
Classic Exhibits Town Call Meeting — Q3 Recorded Video
Every quarter, Classic Exhibits conducts a Town Hall Meeting with the Classic Distributor Network via GoToWebinar. In this meeting, we review sales and and design trends, new products, rental program changes, and industry news. The video is approximately 60 minutes.
In this Town Call, we also share our 2013 predictions, as well as details about our new iPad Kiosks and changes to Exhibit Design Search.
Amnesia or Arrogance: Word on the Street — Nov. 5th thru Nov. 9th
Has This Happened to You?
A person walks up to you at an event and says, “Hello, I am Robert. I am the VP of TooSee Displays.” All the while you are thinking, “We met six months ago. Does he not remember meeting me?”
I suppose it can happen to the best of us. But what if I told you this happened to me this week — for the 5th time with the same damn person! I kid you NOT.
Trade Show Garbage. Eco-friendly Solutions.
Our compliments to Smash Hit Displays for producing this graphic about waste from tradeshows and some smart solutions for reducing the overall volume. It can be as simple as recycling the waste, using recycled products, and making smarter decisions about your marketing materials. One additional “green option” is rental displays. Rental displays are ideal for exhibitors who are still deciding about how to optimize their trade show marketing or for those situations when a show requires a unique display solution.
Getting Over Ourselves: Word on the Street — Oct. 29th thru Nov. 2nd
In the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, I wanted to share some poignant advice from Seth Godin this week. I hope our friends in the NE and Mid-Atlantic States are getting things back on track and are seeing some light at the end of the tunnel. Know that you have been and will continue to be in the thoughts and prayers of your Classic Family.
Four New iPad Kiosks from Classic Exhibits
We’re excited to announce four new iPad Kiosks at price points and shapes we’re sure you’ll love. We’re serious about iPad Kiosks and Stands with 14 unique solutions. Most feature our patent-pending “Swivel Stop” which allows you to switch from Portrait to Landscape mode with two fingers in two seconds. It’s that simple.
Back from the Randy Smith Golf Classic: Word on the Street — Oct. 22nd thru Oct. 26th
I just returned home from the Randy Smith Memorial Golf Classic in Atlanta, an event presented by EDPA and E2MA. As many of you know, Kevin has been attending this event for many years. This was my third trip, and this year I filled in for Kevin who couldn’t attend. I golfed with Reid Sherwood, Cindi Cody, and Bill Glasser, and we had a great time.
Randy Smith, Jim Shelman, and Cindi Cody
A few weeks ago, Rich Johnson (one of the founders of the RSMGC) asked me if I would serve on the board of The Randy Smith. Obviously I accepted. I have been a loyal fan and supporter for 11 years. The Randy is a non-political group of industry folks who provide emotional and financial support to other industry people who have fallen on difficult times.
EDPA ACCESS 2012 in Palm Springs, CA
EDPA ACCESS: Complete Program Released
The 58th Annual EDPA ACCESS conference full agenda has been released! Join your peers at the only executive conference for designers, builders and suppliers of exhibits and experiences for three days of learning, networking and growth.
|| Reserve Your Seat!
Register NOW and reserve your seat for the quarterly Town Call Webinar on Thursday, November 8. Kevin, Reid, Jen, Jim, and Mel will provide a snapshot of industry trends, upcoming events, and all things Classic Exhibits. It’s your chance to grill us on what’s new, what’s different, and what’s the what. Don’t miss it . . . It’s like watching five monkeys at the zoo speak English.
Why Blog? What Bloggers Say.
We’re often asked by Classic Exhibits Distributors about the benefits of blogging: “Isn’t it time consuming? How do you decide on topics? How often should I submit posts?” I have a hard time answering those questions because the answer is, “It depends.” I ask them if they enjoy writing about our trade shows and events, or if they feel they have something to share about sales, marketing, or small business. They do, even if they don’t realize it. That’s the first reason to blog. Everything else is frosting on the cake.
Finding Your Voice at Trade Shows — American Image Blog Post
Admittedly, I read a lot of trade show blog posts. Partially, because it’s my job, but also because I enjoy seeing how Classic Distributors, industry suppliers, and competitors tackle familiar topics. As you can imagine, there’s a fair amount of repetition. There’s only so many ways to list “critical” trade show supplies or how to handle leads. But, there’s also a lot of creativity.
Audio Clips in Exhibit Design Search
One unique feature about Exhibit Design Search (EDS) is the Audio Clips. It seems a little odd to refer to “audio” as unique, but the internet is dominated by video and text which makes audio-only files unusual. That difference, I would contend, is a difference of distinction. It’s one way that distinguishes your Exhibit Design Search site from other online display websites.
‘s the Village that Matters: Word on the Street — Oct. 15th thru Oct. 19th
You would have had to live in a cave not to hear the news this past week about Lance Armstrong. And those who know me well, know that I have always been a very impassioned supporter of LIVESTRONG as well as Lance. To put it plainly, he is a hero of mine.
NEW Exhibit Design Search — 3 Minute Tutorial
Exhibit Design Search, the world’s largest trade show design database, has been updated. The updates include a streamline home page, simplified search options, and a reformatted Design Detail page. See all the changes and how best to navigate through EDS in this brief tutorial. Mel White from Classic Exhibits guides you through the changes.