SKU-Tastic!: Word on the Street — May 18th-May 22nd
Last week was not your normal May at Classic Exhibits. Why?
We held our most recent edition of Shared Knowledge University (SKU), Classic’s bi-annual distributor training session.
This SKU was so great that my friend Dave Brown from Optima coined the term “SKU-Tastic!” I wholeheartedly agree.
Join Us @ 2015 Red Diamond Congress
You are cordially invited to the 2015 Red Diamond Congress from July 20-22 in Quincy, MA. The RDC provides education, information, and networking opportunities for Exhibit and Event Marketers Association members and industry colleagues. It also explores new models, new methods, and new practices for the entire community of exhibit and event industry professionals.
Classic Exhibits is proud to be an official sponsor of the Red Diamond Congress. Should you have any questions, please contact Jim Wurm at E2MA (jimwurm@e2ma.org) or feel free to email or call me, Mel White, at Classic Exhibits. See you there!
Inline Exhibit GiftCard Promotion
Earn GiftCards this summer from Classic Exhibits. The Gimme the GiftCard promotion includes all inline exhibits sold between May 18 and July 31. Classic Distributors earn $25 for every $1000 wholesale on inline orders. Choose from hundreds of retailers at www.giftcardmall.com. See details for an exclusions, such as rentals.
All Eco-systems Sustainable Inlines/Islands are on SALE!
Vacation is two weeks away… for your kids! BUT you still have to go to work, punch the clock, and sell displays. It’s never easy this time of year, but our friends at Eco-systems have a solution. In May, June, and July, all inlines and islands are on sale. Plus, you can win cash. As in $111. See the details and contact Matt Wish (matt@ecosystemsdisplays.com) for a version you can email to your client database.
What Not to Eat in Your Trade Show Booth
Trade show experts tell us to never eat in the booth. It’s bad etiquette. From my experience, this arbitrary “food rule” is specific to North America. For example, at EuroShop, there was food everywhere, whether served to attendees or eaten by staffers. It’s time we dispense with this food hypocrisy. People are going to eat, so let’s agree on some guidelines. Some food is appropriate. Others not so much. Here are my suggestions of food never to eat/serve in your booth.
Hidden Gems in Exhibit Design Search
With over 1400 kits in Exhibit Design Search, some magnificent designs simply get lost in the shuffle. It happens… but it’s still sad. So we asked our experts — the project managers, designers, and territory managers from Classic Exhibits and Eco-systems Sustainable — to select designs they felt should get more “street cred.”
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.
4 Basic Trade Show Tips — 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.
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‘ll Never Be the Cheapest
The Cheapest
Anyone who sells a product or provides a service will invariably get asked at some point, “Why aren’t your prices lower?” That’s a tough question because the answer isn’t always what the questioner wants to hear. Frankly, everyone thinks everyone else charges too much. It’s the nature of buying and selling.
At Classic Exhibits, we get asked that question from time to time. Typically, it’s by a distributor who’s competing against an online display site like www.sittinginmybathrobe.com or www.10percentmarginsrule.com. Their prices are cheaper, sometimes significantly cheaper on basic products like pop ups, banner stands, etc.
We could apologize . . . but we won’t. We’re not selling products of similar quality and design or offering the same “take it or leave it” service. So, why are our prices our prices?
EDPA Access 2011 Review: Word on the Street — Dec. 5th thru Dec. 9th
EDPA Access Review
Success! One word that describes EDPA Access this year!
This year’s event was set at the beautiful J.W. Las Vegas Marriott Resort and Spa. It not only provided a beautiful setting, but also a nice venue for the Supplier Showcase, the networking events, and the conference sessions.
What’s Your Corporate Culture?
What’s Your Company Culture?
Every company has a culture, whether they recognize it or not. Some companies promote it as an asset. Others see it as the elephant in the room which no one discusses. Then there are those executives who speak about their culture using glowing terms like empowerment, self-actualization, and mutual respect. They talk about “open doors” when, in fact, their company could be a reality series on MTV. The infighting, politics, departmental espionage, and gossip would make a Survivor or Jersey Shore star blush.
Eco-Systems Sustainable and Classic Exhibits Partner at Greenbuild Expo
Demand for Green Exhibit Systems Increases
The October 2011 Greenbuild Conference and Expo in Toronto, Ontario drew over 23,000 attendees. Greenbuild Expo showcases innovative products and services that exemplify how to use “green” to grow businesses. With over 1,700 exhibiting companies at this year’s event, the demand for eco-friendly tradeshow exhibits was higher than ever.
The Brand Experience: Word on the Street — Nov. 21st thru Nov. 25th
Have you ever worked with a client who obsesses about “Brand Experience”? That’s been my week. We just completed a very large retail project for a client whose brand experience is just as important as their products, if not more important.
Your EDPA VIP Pass Courtesy of Classic Exhibits Inc.
Your EDPA VIP Pass Courtesy of Classic Exhibits Inc.
Access 2011 in Las Vegas
Be sure to enter the discount code “seVIP11.” Please visit us in the EDPA Product Showcase to see examples of SEG aluminum extrusions and iPad counter solutions. Kevin Carty, Jim Shelman, Reid Sherwood, and Mel White will be attending the event.
The “Seek Reid” Promotion Winners
The Winners of the “Seek Reid” Promotion
Congratulations to the winners of the “Seek Reid” promotion who found our furry fiend in Exhibit Design Search at VK-5075, a 20 x 20 island. Their names were chosen randomly from all the correct entries.
Gary Camarato, Optima Graphics
Chuck Michel, ELITeXPO
Gary and Chuck won Amazon Kindle Fire Tablets.
EDS Changes and Enhancements:
Finish What You Start: Word on the Street — Nov. 7th thru Nov. 11th
“Finish What You Start.”
It doesn’t matter whether it’s a chore assigned to us as a child or, or as an adult, a home project we start with good intentions only to let it linger. Your parents and now your spouse is rarely sympathetic. There’s a darn good chance they’ll launch into the “Finish what you start” speech.
EDPA Access 2011 — Why Classic Exhibits Participates: Word on the Street — Oct. 31st thru Nov. 4th
And Why You Should Too
For several years now, Classic Exhibits Inc. has been a very active participant in EDPA and the EDPA Access event held every year. Proudly I might add. Often we are asked by distributors, vendors, and other service providers why we feel the event is so important. So I thought I would share the reasons why we go, in part to persuade those who have been on the fence about attending this year.
Happy Holiday Exhibit Specials (November and December)
Magellan Hybrid Specials
Hold on to your dentures Grandma! We discounted 15 upscale Magellan Hybrid Designs — 15% off msrp. This is a first. We’ve never offered a 15% discount on hybrid displays before.
And these aren’t your ho-hum, get me a rocking chair displays. They’re the trade show equivalent of Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah, and New Years Eve in one amazing package! Get that mistletoe ready because you’ll want to kiss us every time you show a customer one of these sweet deals.
7 Mistakes Exhibitors Make
Are You (or Your Customers) Making These Mistakes?
Here’s the second in a series of 3 videos outlining the “7 Mistakes Exhibitors Make.” In Part 2, trade show consultant and author Marlys Arnold covers three mistakes exhibitors make regarding booth staff and how to avoid them. Click here to view this 6-minute video on YouTube.
Put Me in Coach: Word on the Street — Oct. 17th thru Oct. 21st
We’ve All Been There
We’ve all been in the position where we’ve been trying to get “that one account” for . . . forever. You patiently wait, all the while maintaining contact and slowly building a relationship, biding your time until the current vendor makes a mistake or there’s a project they either can’t do or aren’t willing to try.
Ten “Guaranteed” Techniques to Get Traffic to Your Booth
What Can I Do to Increase Traffic to My Booth?
I get asked this a lot. I explain the importance of selecting the right show, meticulous pre-show planning, careful graphic messaging, and booth sales training. They nod and say “Yes,” “Uh huh,” “OK,” and “Of course!” But I’m no fool. I can hear their disappointment and reluctance. All that takes time, energy, planning, and a dash of creativity. In other words, it’s too much work.
The Industry Gives Back: Word on the Street — Oct. 10th thru Oct. 14th
andy Smith Memorial Golf Classic Follow Up
On Monday, October 10, hundreds of industry professionals gathered in Atlanta to honor those who are either going through medical hardships, lost their battles, or lost loved ones to sickness or accidents.
Like years past, it proved to be a highly emotionally charged event. And this year Classic Exhibits had one of their own honored, Mike Swartout, our Director of Design, who is currently battling stage 4 prostate cancer.
‘t Make Sense
I’m about to become a heretic. Get those $6 bottles of convention hall Aquafina and Dasani ready. It’s the closest thing we have to holy water.
Since the mid-90s when I fell into the trade show biz, I’ve been conditioned to believe that every organization benefits from a well-planned trade show marketing program. It doesn’t matter whether it’s a Fortune 500 Goliath operating on seven continents or a three person non-profit in Elizabethtown, KY.