10 Things Bosses Never Tell Employees, But Should: Word on the Street — September 1st thru September 5th
I have been thinking all week about what to write. Several thoughts came to mind, usually influenced by “in the moment circumstances,” but none seemed to hit me just right. Then, a LinkedIn Pulse hit my inbox, one I felt compelled to share.
The Magnificent, Magical Middle of Trade Show Displays
The middle is the sweet spot in trade show displays. I offers customers value, quality, and personalization through design and customization. Classic Exhibits understands the middle market better than any other manufacturer. We design and build mid-priced displays with features, shapes, and quality not found in lesser displays.
197 Miles of Painful Bliss! The Hood to Coast Relay
On August 22, 2014 @ 3:30 a.m. 12 whackos and 2 dedicated drivers woke up to take on a challenge, one that they called FUN. I am one of those whackos — the Chief Whacko if you will.
The event is called Hood to Coast, aka …The Mother of All Relays. It’s an event in which 12 people with two support drivers and two vans run 197 miles from about 6000 feet on Mt. Hood to the beautiful Oregon Coast, Seaside, Oregon to be specific.
Dealing with Conflict. Are You an Elephant?: Word on the Street — August 11th thru August 15th
Is there an elephant in your office? If you don’t see one, it might be YOU!
An observation was recently shared with me. The context was leadership and dealing with conflict, and how leaders handle or don’t handle conflict in the workplace. The speaker said, “Show me the leader that doesn’t confront conflict, and I’ll show you the biggest elephant in the room.”
![How Your Eyes Move on a Website [Cool Inforgraphic]](https://www.classicexhibits.com/tradeshow-blog/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/how-your-eyes-move-on-a-website-infographic-internet-marketing-with-blog-optimization.png)
How Your Eyes Move on a Website [Cool Inforgraphic]
Single Grain designed this excellent infographic that explains:
How our eyes move on a website or blog,
How web design influences eye movement and interaction, and
Proposes tips for creating an effective website design.
Hot Hot Hot!: Word on the Street — August 4th thru August 8th
Summer Business
There is a heat wave in the Pacific NW. I mean HOT . . . at least for us. Mid-80’s to mid-90’s kinda HOT. Which if you have ever lived or visited here, you know we don’t get that very often.
Now for the cheesy segue. All this HOT weather has me thinking we are living in the Islands, and wouldn’t you know it, we are building and quoting A LOT of islands right now.
Vibrant Color and Stunning Contrast Gallery
Several months ago, Glenna Martin, our Graphic Design Manager, created the first Graphic Inspiration Gallery — Graphics that Complement the Display. Glenna pulled 38 Past 5 Days photos to show effective examples of structure and graphics. If you haven’t read her notes, I urge you to review them. You may want to consider directing graphic designers to the galleries if they are unfamiliar with trade show graphics.
RDC Innovation Day — Day 2 Notes
Day 2 (Innovation Day)
It was a day of epiphanies at the Red Diamond Congress about the trade show industry. Bob McClintock, COO of SMG, gave the morning keynote: A New Facility Model: Facility as Service Provider. I know. The title sounds pretty boring, but the topic and the speaker were anything but. SMG manages McCormick Place, the Pennsylvania Convention Center, and 70 other venues.
RDC Innovation Day — Day 1 Notes
I’m in Chicago this week for the E2MA Red Diamond Congress. For those unfamiliar with the Exhibit and Event Marketers Association and the RDC . . .
The E2MA is a community of exhibit and event marketers driven to benchmark the value of face-to face marketing. By facilitating discussions among all industry stakeholders, the E2MA’s Red Diamond Congress develops actionable ideas and solutions that can provide for industry growth and success.
20 Short and Impactful Years: Word on the Street — July 21st thru July 25th
Back in 1994, specifically in July 1994, I was working the 11 p.m. – 7 a.m. shift throwing overnight freight at a grocery store in Lake Oswego, Oregon. A co-worker/friend of mine had been telling me about this other job working for his dad’s business. One day, seeing that I was growing weary of the job, he asked me if I was interested in coming to talk to his father about an opening. I jumped at the opportunity, if for no other reason than I wanted to see the light of day rather than sleep through it.
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FAQ — Design Monday Exhibits
In Design Monday, you’ll see inlines and islands, portables and modulars, banner stands and hanging signs. Three new exciting designs each week from the best exhibit designers.
When it’s all about pushing the boundaries of creative design, everything is fair game. See what’s new every Monday.
Frequently Asked Questions . . .
10 Quick Tips for Any Trade Show Newbie
Trade shows can...
How to Save Money on Your Next Trade Show Display
Buy Value – Not Price. Too often we focus on the price rather than the value. It’s human nature, especially when budgets are constrained. However, we all know the difference between a good value for the price and a low price on a shoddy product.
Congratulations!
Congratulations to Glenna Martin at Flying High Creative Resources on the birth of her daughter: Lela Jane Blankenship. The mother and daughter are both fine. Lela tipped the scales at 7 lbs 4 oz and 19″ long. According to Glenna, “As you can see she has quite the head of hair. We’ve decided to keep her.” 😉
Word on the Street — November 1st thru November 5th
Our People . . . .
Many of you, who have been distributors, vendor partners, and industry friends, have heard us speak about how the heart and soul of Classic Exhibits is its people. They are the key to our success.
Obviously to be successful in this business, we also have to have attractive designs, quality products, and advanced manufacturing capabilities, but at the end of the day, its our people that make Classic a truly remarkable and great company. So please indulge me today as I share some information and some praise about our wonderful people.
FAQ — Island Exhibits
Designing a Trade Show Island Exhibit is equally exciting and nerve-racking. It’s exciting to design a display that showcases your marketing message and draws attendees to your booth. It’s nerve-racking because islands can be expensive, and when budgets are tight, you want to get the biggest bang for your buck and to maximize your Return on Investment.
FAQ — Intro Fabric Panel Displays
For nearly two decades, Intro Fabric Panel Displays have been the perfect choice for a flawless, re-configurable portable display.
Known for its strength, exceptional alignment, and customizable display panels, the “two-sided” Intro Fabric Panel Display performs beautifully in the most demanding trade show schedule. The Intro comes in 10 x 10, 10 x 2, and table top display configurations.
Word on the Street — October 18th thru October 22nd
The Tao of the Dude . . .
Last week, I was in Seattle for a management meeting at the Exhibits Northwest office. On the drive up, Mel shared an article with me from the magazine Mental Floss. Mel knows I’m a big fan of the movie The Big Lebowski, a Coen Brothers flick. The Big Lebowski (TBL) was featured in an article entitled, “The 25 Most Powerful Movies of the Past 25 Years.”
Perfect 10 Portable Hybrid Displays — 10% Special
No, no one’s pulling your leg, telling a whopper, or simply fibbing . The Perfect 10 is on sale though the end of the year. And what could be more enticing than a sale on the most innovative portable hybrid display EVER.
It’s true. Until 12/31/10, select Perfect 10 and Perfect 20 inline kits are 10 percent less.
In case you happen to be a Perfect 10 newbie, here a few of the reasons why the P10 has revolutionized portable trade show design over the past three years.
FAQ — Perfect 10 Portable Hybrid Display
There’s nothing quite like the Perfect 10 Portable Hybrid Display . . . Easily recognizable, utterly unforgettable. When you name a product Perfect 10, it had better be perfect and with Perfect 10 you get flawless performance at every trade show. Look to Perfect 10 and Perfect 20 Portable Hybrid Displays for an exhibit that blends large graphics, sexy curves, and portable assembly into a stunning trade show exhibit at a sweet price.
Word on the Street — October 11th thru October 15th
Diversifying was the overriding theme of conversations with distributors this week. When I make calls to Classic Exhibits Distributors, I ask about their sales and what they are seeing in the market. I inquire where their sales are coming from and where they see them headed in the coming months.
FAQ — Table Throws
Table Throws seem so simple. Yet, quality varies considerably. We offer only the best materials: premium twills, vinyl perma logos, and dye sublimation. Our trained artisans craft the highest quality seams and hems, and the throws are washable and fade resistant.
Choose from 8 ft, 6 ft, runners, or even custom sizes.
Word on the Street — October 4th thru October 8th
Worship the Moment . . .
This is not really a work subject, but it is something that a good friend and vendor rep. said to me at a dinner this week.
He and his wife were on vacation in the Pacific NW, so I had dinner with them on one of their last nights. Not only was it great to spend time catching up, but it was also a pleasure to hear about their vacation.
Blogging for Beginners 101 — Replay
Last month, Tim Patterson at Interpretive Exhibits conducted a Blogging for Beginners webinar. If you missed it, you can still see it through the magic of YouTube.
Here’s what Tim had to say about the webinar on his website (www.tradeshowguyblog.com):
Want toHlear about blogging? Want to know how WordPress works? Here is video playback of the Blogging 101 webinar I hosted in late September with the assistance of Classic Exhibits.
Perfect 10: On the Cover of Creative Magazine
What do Jennifer Aniston, Jennifer Lopez, and Perfect 10 Hybrid Displays have in common? They are all featured on the cover of magazines this month. True, you won’t see our “celebrity” photo at the supermarket checkout stand, but we’re very proud nevertheless. Be sure to check out “Gia” in all her splendor in the August/September issue of Creative: The Magazine of Promotion and Marketing.
To read the magazine’s “tell all” expose turn to page 105. It’s shocking!