Dumb Stuff People Do at Trade Shows
Now, I’m not calling anyone “dumb,” so lower your kitchen knives and baseball bats. What I am saying is that people do really dumb stuff at trade shows. Consistently dumb stuff. Anyone who participates in trade shows could write a book on what they’ve seen over the years. Pre-show marketing and post-show leads could cover several hundred pages.
WatchDOGS: Word on the Street — October 27th thru October 31st
This past Friday, October 31 was more than Halloween for me. I volunteered for WatchDOGS, a program through the National Center of Fathering. The concept is multifaceted: it’s meant to get fathers involved in their kid’s classroom and participate in the school as a whole.
Ghouls… Goblins… and CyberThieves!: Word on the Street — October 20th thru October 24th
In business, we all rely heavily on our Intellectual Property. It’s the fruit of the hard work we do each and every day in our business. And it’s the root of what “Shared Success” is all about at Classic Exhibits and our proud Distributor Network.
Recently, we were directed towards a website for an online exhibit company based in Southern California. We were informed that the online company was using images from our website, along with our kit numbers.
5 Tips for Presenting to Senior Executives
Making the Perfect Pitch . . . Low and Inside
Presenting to senior executives can be a challenge, even to seasoned professionals. When it comes to pitching your company, your services, and your design, you have to be perfect since you rarely get more than one chance.
The slideshow below, 5 Tips to Presenting to Executives, is informative and entertaining. It’s by Bruce Gabrielle author of Speaking PowerPoint: the New Language of Business. Give it a quick look, then go back and study it carefully. You’ll be glad you did.
SEG Installation Video from Optima
Side-by-Side Comparison
Kudos to our friends at Optima for their recent videos. They’ve upped the ante on how to script and produce a professional educational video. Here’s a terrific one to share with your customer if they purchased a silicone edge graphic display. Force them to watch it. It will save you a 9 a.m. call from the show floor that the SEG graphic(s) doesn’t fit. It does.
“Countdown to Trade Show Success” Free Webinar
Free Exhibitor Webinar on Nov. 6
I’ve heard you say many times, “Is there a trade show webinar available to my customers that is Professional, Brandable, and Free?” Why yes my dimple-faced sweet dumpling, there is. Marlys Arnold, the Trade Show Image Specialist, will be offering her “Countdown to Tradeshow Success” webinar on Nov. 6.
BONUS: Marlys will create a branded webpage for you to promote the webinar to your clients. Just contact her at marnold@imagespecialist.com.
How to Build a Small Wood Crate — Classic Style (video)
Over the years, we’ve gotten lots of compliments on our wood crates. I often joke that a distributor will call and say, “My client really liked their new display, but THEY LOVED THE CRATE AND PACKAGING!” Sigh . . . I’m never quite sure how to take that.
Our dedicated crate building team does an amazing job, so we thought we would show you how we build a small crate, often called a “coffin crate” in the trade. Expect a video showing larger crates in about a month.
Why Distributors Enjoy Working with Classic
I’m asked this question a lot. New distributors will say, “What makes doing business with Classic Exhibits different from other manufacturers?” But, before I launch into this, a bit of a warning. I’m writing this from the hospital, hopped up on drugs before I have surgery. I’m in pain but I will be better in a few hours. So allow me a little latitude if this rambles.
Another Great SKU Class : Word on the Street — September 22nd thru September 26th
Last week, thirty trade show professionals descended on Portland, Oregon for Shared Knowledge University. The group was diverse, both in background and geography.
We are proud of every SKU graduating class, but this class was truly exceptional in my opinion. To a person, each and every student came to learn, listen, and participate in the class sessions and hands-on product training. For that, I thank you all. Your engagement across both days was truly over the top.
“Buy” Button on Exhibit Design Search
Nearly nine years ago, we launched Exhibit Design Search (EDS), using OSCommerce. It required each distributor to maintain their EDS site and have an online ecommerce account. For all but a few distributors, it was a disaster. They didn’t have time to maintain their site, and the ecommerce function was superfluous. Rarely, rarely, rarely did anyone buy an exhibit online. So, we changed. We created a Classic-maintained EDS and removed the shopping cart.
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Customer Appreciation Reception at EXHIBITOR
Join us for a a Customer Appreciation Reception on Tuesday March 29 at the Eye Candy Lounge. The reception is sponsored by Classic Exhibits Inc., Display Supply and Lighting and Optima Graphics. To receive a complementary drink ticket, visit the Classic Exhibits (#1455), DS&L (#1361), or Optima Graphics (#1721) on the EXHIBITOR Show floor on either Monday or Tuesday. There are a limited number of tickets available — so don’t dawdle my friend. Your odds worsen with each passing hour.
Our 2011 EXHIBITOR Show Invitation
Attend EXHIBITOR 2011 for FREE as a Guest of Classic Exhibits Inc.
Simply click the link below. You will be taken to a registration form. Once you complete the form, the final price will be zero, gratis, zippo, nada.
For this most generous gift, we ask one favor. Visit us at booth #1455, a 20 x 30 island exhibit where we’ll showcase the latest products and rentals from Classic Exhibits Inc. and Eco-systems Sustainable Exhibits.
https://preview.tinyurl.com/48ct6a3
Rental Exhibits Aren’t What They Used to Be. THANK GOODNESS!
We’ve Come a Long Way in the Exhibit Rental Business
Not so long ago, the choices were limited to pop ups, panel displays, and bent and dirty aluminum extrusion from the show contractor. You could spot a rental booth from clear across the show hall. All that has changed . . . Thank goodness! More often than not, you couldn’t spot a rental if you were staring at it on the show floor. Rental exhibits are no longer cookie-cutter, off-the-shelf kits. Most manufacturers welcome modifying and customizing existing rental kits or creating new designs. They’re individually designed just like purchased exhibits.
Word on the Street — January 31st thru February 4th
When a Company Gets “Too BIG”!
Please indulge me for few minutes. I really need to rant about a project from last week.
Now, I have no intention of naming names. However, I think this story has merit for being told, if for no other reason than to highlight what I hope Classic Exhibits never becomes, i.e., a company “Too BIG.”
‘s Counting?!)
When we launched Design Monday on April 18, 2005, our objective was simple (and perhaps a little naive): to transform the image of Classic Exhibits from a medium-sized systems manufacturer to a leader in innovative portable, modular, and hybrid displays. At the time, we were designing and building some of the industry’s most creative trade show solutions. However, as we joke about it now, the industry perception of Classic Exhibits was “five guys in a garage making folding panel and pop up displays.” We hadn’t been that company for many years, but we had done a lousy job of marketing our new designs and communicating the changes at Classic Exhibits.
Word on the Street — January 24th thru January 28th
I hope you all had a great week both professionally and personally.
Is it just me, or do you too find yourself feeling overwhelmed with business-related tasks right about now? Whether it’s quotes, new orders, expansion, marketing, etc. Whatever it may be, if you are like me, you need an extra five hours each day to accomplish everything on your list.
Tightwad Tuesday Specials
Some Customers Can’t Resist a Bargain
Look for these Retail Specials every Tuesday in February and March.
Word on the Street — January 17th thru January 21st
This past week, I spent a lot of time in coffee shops working on pricing. Whenever we look at price changes, I typically check out of the office for a few days and work remotely. That way, I can concentrate exclusively on raw material prices and how those increases affect our designs.
Annual Letter from Kevin Carty, VP of Sales
Thank you very much for your continued support of Classic Exhibits, Exhibits Northwest and ClassicMODUL! The Classic Exhibits Inc. team appreciates your orders, suggestions, and support.
The NEW SEGUE Sunrise Portable Hybrid
Introducing the SEGUE Sunrise Portable Hybrid Display — the World’s Only Tool-Less Display featuring Silicone Edge Graphics (SEG). The engineered aluminum frame assembles with attached knobs in about the same time it takes to assemble a pop-up display.
The Sunrise features a durable MODUL aluminum frame and large format tension fabric graphics. Choose from three 10 x 10 and three 10 x 20 designs.
Social Media Planning: What You Should Do in Q1 2011
Depending on what your company’s involvement is in social media, there are a number of approaches you can take to moving forward during the first quarter of 2011. And that’s the KEY: MOVING FORWARD from wherever you are at this moment. With the forward motion of all things social media, if you sit still you’ll get further and further behind!
Word on the Street — January 3rd thru January 7th
Duck Duck War Eagle!
NO I am not alluding to the child’s game of “Duck Duck Goose!” I am referring to Monday’s National Championship Game between the Oregon Ducks and the Auburn Tigers.
The Top Trade Show Giveaways of 2010
In an article in Successful Meetings, although smartphones and iPads are shaping the meetings of tomorrow, traditional promotional products continue to impact the meetings of today according to a recent survey from the Advertising Specialty Institute (ASI). More
100 Things to Watch in 2011
At the start of every New Year, the experts roll out their “trends” for the coming year. This one from JWT (J. Walter Thompson) takes a global perspective on technology, media, consumerism, and social trends in alphabetical order.You may not agree with every one or even recognize others, but frankly, that’s half the fun. Enjoy!
Word on the Street — December 27th thru December 31st
Out with the Old and In with the New
This past week was filled with a flurry of new (albeit last minute) orders and lots of quote requests for the New Year. It was a promising sign heading into 2011.