‘s NEW Website
Launching a new or update website always feels like Christmas morning. It doesn’t matter if you have been immersed in the details for months. It’s still surprising and uplifting. Last night, we launched the new Exhibits Northwest website (www.exhibitsnw.com). Exhibits Northwest is a sister company of Classic Exhibits that operates exclusively in the Pacific Northwest.
YOUR Invisible, Inc.: Word on the Street — April 13th thru April 17th
We recently welcomed several new, very talented employees to the Classic Family. And as is our custom, Mel and I sit down with these employees to check-in and see how things are going after about a week of training and immersion.
During this time, we take the opportunity to talk about “Who Classic is” both internally as well as externally to our customers/partners. In that discussion, we use the term “Invisible Inc” quite often. It’s a phrase that was spawned from our participation in EDPA ACCESS Meetings.
Your Trade Show Booth Staff Needs HELP!
This shouldn’t surprise you. You know your staff sucks. They are lazy. They don’t know the products. They look like hell after Day 1. And, worst of all, they don’t have a clue why they’re there. Yet, you tolerate it show after show. Why? There shouldn’t be any reason why your staff isn’t spectacular. It’s time to put on your adult pants and do it right.
| The Bare Minimum
Even if you majored in marketing, you probably learned diddly squat about trade show marketing in your classes. Which is sad since trial and error is very, very expensive at a trade show or event.
Cool Technology at EXHIBITORLIVE 2015
I try my darndest to walk EXHIBITOR each year. Usually, that means a quick tour an hour before the hall opens. And while I ”see” the displays, I rarely get to talk to most exhibitors. So you can imagine how excited I was when Marlys Arnold from Trade Show Insights compiled a video of the Best of the Best Technology.
All in the Name of Customer Service: Word on the Street — March 16th thru March 20th
Have you ever stopped to appreciate what you do for your clients? I know it comes with the territory. We’re sales-driven people with customers who have high, sometimes unreasonable requests. But in the end, they are our customers, and we’ll do what we have to do to make them happy.
Our Final Four vs. Your Final Four Challenge
Test Your 2015 NCAA Men’s Basketball IQ by Picking the Final Four. Each Correct Team Earns You a Bigger Bonus.
100 Trends to Watch in 2015 from JWT Intelligence
As a faithful reader of the Trade Show Tales blog, you’ve probably wondered, “Why hasn’t Classic posted the link to the JWT Intelligence 2015 Trends Watch?” Perhaps, the Brogawear trend scared me just a little (yep, yoga-wear for men).
EXHIBITORLIVE 2015 Review: Word on the Street — March 2nd thru March 6th
Well I don’t know about you … but I am pooped! EXHIBITORLIVE 2015 has come and gone. What an amazing week of visiting with old friends, making new friends, and seeing all the exciting new things in our GREAT industry.
The Third Time is… “Charming.”‘re a Fab 50 Again!
Event Marketer announced their 2015 Fab 50 Fabricators serving the North American event and exhibit industry. For the third 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.
Recent Posts
Three GREAT Articles and One Video: Word on the Street — Feb. 20th thru Feb. 24th
Good Reads. One Silly Video.
With EXHIBITOR 2012 looming, this has been a hectic week. Not only are we working on the final touches for our EXHIBITOR booth, but we are also processing a TON of orders! Not sure if you found yourself on the Peek-A-Booth cams this week, but if you did, you know what I mean.
Classic Exhibits: EXHIBITOR 2012 Video — Part 2
From Tim Patterson (a.k.a. the Tradeshow Guy):
“Still on the track of what the heck Classic Exhibits is up to for EXHIBITOR 2012 (March 4-8, 2012 at Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas). I made another quick visit to their manufacturing facility this week. The result? A disagreement among the bigwigs, a rescue by a new designer, and the ‘inside scoop’ (perhaps!) from a Russian . . . “
EXHIBITOR 2012 Classic Video: Word on the Street — Feb 13th thru Feb. 17th
EXHIBITOR 2012 Video
Here’s a video about our booth, the first in a series leading up to the EXHIBITOR 2012 Show. We’re working with Tim Patterson, otherwise known as “The Tradeshow Guy.” You’ve probably read his wonderful blog, www.tradeshowguy.com. This video reveals two concepts, one proposed by me and the other by Mel White, our VP of Marketing and Business Development.
Smarter, Faster, Cheaper Solutions for your Trade Show Program
Earlier this month, I attended a Distributor Open House where over 200 customers came to see the latest exhibit trends and services. I was fortunate to participate in a 45 minute panel session entitled Smarter, Faster, Cheaper Solutions for your Trade Show Program. I thought I’d share those trends with you. The first five (Show Floor Trends) came from an Independent Labor Contractor. The next five or so (Design and Manufacturing Trends) came from Classic Exhibits. The last five (Smarter, Strategic Behaviors) came from the Distributor.
Open Letter to Custom Houses: Word on the Street — Feb 6th thru Feb. 10th
n Open Letter
This week I want to address a particular group in our industry: Custom Houses.
Classic Exhibits has been in business since 1993. Over those years, Custom Houses have been some of our best customers, not only for Classic Exhibits, but also for ClassicMODUL and Classic Rentals. For that we are very thankful. But I have a question for this group — How do you view “system sales” and manufacturing as we roll into 2012? Whether it’s simple systems like a pop-up, modular systems like the Euro LT Laminate, or more complex systems like custom hybrids?
The “Build a Better Trade Show Image” Fest
Wanted to give you a heads-up on an exciting online event happening in the trade show world this month! We’ve been invited to participate in a special promotion — along with other exhibit industry vendors — to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the book, Build a Better Trade Show Image, by Marlys Arnold.
ACT NOW to Attend EXHIBITOR FREE!
See Classic Exhibits Inc. in booth #1645 at the EXHIBITOR2012 Exhibit Hall, March 5, 6, and 7, from 11:30am to 3:30pm.
Courtesy of Classic Exhibits Inc
Back from the Magic Kingdom: Word on the Street — Jan. 30th thru Feb. 3rd
ey All!
As Mel mentioned last week, I was on vacation in Disneyland and California Adventure. And boy was it a blast. Going as an adult can be different, but taking your kids for the first time is just pure joy. Seeing them react to everything was priceless and an experience my wife and I will never forget.
The Great “Classic” Tradeshow Wall
Classic’s Great Tradeshow Wall
Sometime you just gotta take a flyer and throw it out there. If it sticks, it sticks. Jeffrey D. Brown has created an intriguing concept called The Tradeshow Wall, based on his success with The Guitar Wall. It’s part advertising, part resource center, part artwork. And, of course, it’s 100 percent unique.
We agreed to participate in the original free wall. Then after seeing it, we took the next step and had Jeff create a Classic Great Tradeshow Wall that includes images from Classic Exhibits, ClassicMODUL, and Classic Rentals.
This, That, and The Other: Word on the Street — Jan. 23rd thru Jan. 27th
It’s Mel. This week, I’m filling in for Kevin who is at Disneyland entertaining his five-year old twins at the Magic Kingdom. For those on the East Coast and South, yes there’s still a Disney Park on the West Coast. I know. It seems weird with DisneyWorld a mere 3000 miles away, but five-year olds don’t know the difference . . . yet.
This week we’ll share some odds and ends . . .
‘s Sage Advice: Trade Shows Work
If you’ve ever visited us in Portland, you know that we always treat you to lunch at Bob’ Red Mill. Bob’s Red Mill packages whole grain products, such as oatmeal, beans, bread mixes, etc., for supermarkets in North America and around the world. You may not recognize the name, but the next time you visit your local supermarket, head to the “healthy foods” section and you’ll see Bob’s Red Mill products in clear cellophane bags. They also happen to have a restaurant and company store on International Way.
Meet Katina Rigall, Designer: Word on the Street — Jan. 16th thru Jan. 20th
Our Newest Design Addition — Katina Rigall
We are excited to welcome Katina Rigall to Classic Exhibits. Katina has an extensive custom design background, along with a solid knowledge of portable, modular, and hybrid displays. She is going through our training program this week, otherwise known as “15 Years of Facts Crammed into 7 Brutal Days.” Rather than give you a high-highfalutin, PR-spin bio of Katina, we thought we’d let her introduce herself.
100 Global Trends in 2012
100 Things to...
2011 “State of the Company” Letter from Kevin Carty
Happy New Year! Hope you had a great Holiday Season.
Classic Exhibits Inc. and its divisions continued to rebound in 2011, after showing solid increases in 2010. Across the board, volume grew from 22 to 33 percent, depending on the division. Most refreshing, we saw no single trends, meaning our sales volume came from kits and custom, rentals and extrusions, and trade shows and retail. Nearly every week we were surprised by interesting projects that challenged and stimulated us.
Pedestals and Workstations and Counters! Oh My!
Do you remember last year’s trade show debacle? The booth staff complained about the lack of storage. The marketing manager wondered where and how to demo your company’s product. Especially embarrassing was the aimless wandering of potential clients.
This year is different. You included, at the suggestion of your exhibit designer, pedestals, workstations and a reception area. They are the unsung workhorses of any exhibit, easy to overlook during planning, but always missed during a show.