“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.
What Makes a Custom Exhibit a Custom Exhibit?
When is an exhibit custom? Now more than ever, it seems the term “custom” is fluid. Is it based on materials, project dollar size, or who builds it? Is it an original design, not one based on prior concepts? Or does it matter as long as your client views it as custom?
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.
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!
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.
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‘s a New Regime in Town: Word on the Street — March 12 thru March 16
As you all know, I think EXHIBITOR Show 2012 was AMAZING. But it did not go off without a hitch. It had nothing to do with the organizers. They did a fantastic job! It had to do with the local union steward unfortunately.
Here is the deal. There is a new regime in the local Las Vegas union, which at first glance and given the economic hardships of the past three years would lead you to believe that positive change is coming. Unfortunately NO. And to make matters worse, the union leadership decided to flex their muscle at an industry event. To me that is counter intuitive, but to them it made perfect sense. Let me explain.
What Really Goes On at Conventions in Vegas
I’m back from EXHIBITOR, jazzed about the trade show industry and excited about what 2012 brings . . . then I stumble into this story in BusinessWeek.com. Joe Stein, the author, agreed to go to seven conventions in three days in Las Vegas. That’s just plain crazy. Heck, I can’t even go to seven fast food joints in three days without suffering from intestinal rumba.
Nevertheless, it’s a good read . . . even if he takes the easy path with some very, very broad generalizations.
EXHIBITOR 2012…What a SHOW!: Word on the Street — March 5th thru March 9th
Goosies!
To steal a phrase from J-LO (yes, I said J-LO) . . . EXHIBITOR 2012 gave me goosies! 🙂
Let’s start on March 5 at 11:30 am. Normally the Classic Crew would be standing in the booth waiting for the doors to open and for the first attendees to arrive. But we weren’t! We weren’t because starting at 10:30 am we already had other exhibitors (most of which were customers) in our booth looking around, admiring the Classic Exhibits booth, and eager to learn about what we were showing this year.
‘s Showtime: Word on the Street — Feb. 27th thru March 2nd
It’s Showtime!
Classic Exhibits and its family of companies is ready to show at EXHIBITOR 2012. We look forward to seeing you at booth #1645 this week.
The exhibit installed Friday and Saturday and looks amazing. Special thanks to James and Corey from Exhibits NW who led the set-up charge. And special thanks to Chris Griffin and the men from TS Crew for their stellar work.
Our Final Pre-EXHIBITOR2012 Video
EXHIBITOR Video #3
EXHIBITOR2012 is less than a week, and Tim Patterson, the intrepid “Tradeshow Guy” reporter, made a surprise visit at Classic. Up until now, we’ve held our cards close to our chest regarding the booth design and graphics. However . . . Being coy was no longer an option with Tim planted in the setup area asking questions.
Here’s your chance to see the structure about midway through assembly. Kevin and Mel discuss the concept in more detail and invite you to the booth where you can meet Tim and Marlys Arnold, our trade show marketing gurus.
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 . . .