Classic Exhibits 2013 Annual State of the Company Letter
It’s that time of the year when Kevin Carty, VP of Classic Exhibits, reports on 2013 and offers his insights on 2014.
Highlights include:
Uptrend in Sales in 2013
More Custom Hybrid and Custom Fabrication
New Classic Exhibits Website (oh so close to launch)
Growth in Rentals
Retail / Corporate Environment Trends
New Product in 2014
Positive Outlook about 2014
Click Here or on the image below to download the full 3 page PDF.
$349 iPad Telescoping Stand with Rolling Travel Case
Spin. Twist. Bend. Swivel. Exercise? That’s so January 1.
Why buy the P90X or join a gym when the MOD-1365 Telescoping iPad Stand does it all. Turn a knob and spin. Make an adjustment and tilt to your heart’s content. Even do those squats with the adjustable telescoping feature. As a bonus (yes, there’s more!), you can take it with you. The MOD-1365 comes with a travel case with wheels. Best of all . . . It’s on sale at $349. Call today. Seriously. Call today.
Resolute This! Word on the Street — December 30th thru January 3rd
I am all about resolutions and changes for the better, especially when it comes to health and family. But why such a focus on New Years. I mean I get it, a new year . . . a new you and all that. But REALLY? After the 4th or 5th year of failing, I would suggest choosing a different date. Start on June 8.
How to Entertain Yourself During Any Meeting
Here are a few suggestions on how to entertain yourself during any meeting. Your colleagues will appreciate your efforts; perhaps not during the meeting or that month but when they look back and reflect on all the years they spent cooped up like a chicken in a factory farm they’ll have a little chuckle.
100 Things to Watch in 2014 (by JWT Intelligence)
Annual Forecast of Trends
It’s that time of year when JWT Intelligence releases their forecast of key trends that will shape or significantly impact consumer behavior in 2014.
Why Our Brains Love Curves
In my last blog post, “Exhibit Designs that Sell,” I offered some tips on how to achieve a nearly 100% success rate. This time, I want to delve into a design element that connects to a deep-rooted preference in many people — graceful, mesmerizing curves!
Happy Holidays from Your Classic Exhibits Family: Word on the Street — December 16th thru December 20th
Is the tree up? Are the packages wrapped? Are you ready for the mayhem?
It’s the best time of the year in my humble opinion. Christmas and New Years are just around the corner. Literally! And just when you think you’re done with all your holiday shopping and you have everything prepared for the big day, you always find that you have one more thing to do or to get.
Eco-Systems Sustainable Exhibits Annual Letter
This week, we’re sharing the Eco-Systems Sustainable Exhibits Annual Letter from Eric Albery, the VP of Marketing and Business Development. As many of you know, we have a manufacturing partnership with Eco-Systems. For those unfamiliar with Eco-Systems, we encourage you to visit eSmart Galleries in Exhibit Design Search or spend time on their website (www.ecosystemsdisplays.com).
Best Blogging Practices Webinar (now on YouTube)
FREE BLOGGING WEBINAR. Experts say blogging is probably the most important tool in your social media toolbox. More important than Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, or LinkedIn.
EDPA ACCESS 2013 Review: Word on the Street — December 2nd thru December 6th
Marco Island was the setting and what an incredible setting it was. It was 20 degrees in Oregon all week, windy and crisp. But in Marco, it was in the mid-80’s and sunny. Not that I got to experience much of the sun. We had a jam-packed week of content rich sessions and enjoyable networking.
Prior to the ACCESS event, as a member of the EDPA Board of Directors, I participated in a motivating Board Meeting with my fellow Board Members.
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Word on the Street — April 19th thru April 23rd
R & D: Seven (Not so Simple) Steps
Just writing “Seven Steps” makes it sound so simple, like it has a defined start and finish. But if you do much of it, you know it’s a living, breathing thing that never really rests. To stay ahead, you have to constantly be thinking of innovative and practical designs for your customers (See Design Monday this week for example).
Kit Changes to Sacagawea Portable Hybrid Displays
Effective Immediately:
You asked . . . and we responded.
Sacagawea Portable Hybrid Displays now include ALL tension fabric and direct print graphics in the kit price. There are updated kit and price list sheets in the Distributor Section of Classic’s website. We have also updated the checklist sheets to include the new PS Series designs.
Word on the Street — April 12th thru April 16th
“On the Road Again”!
I hope last week was a great one for you all! It certainly was for me. I was on the road visiting customers and partners. I also met with several “future” partners.
Here are some of the things I learned that continue to give me hope for the state of the trade show industry.
Polarized Artwork on an Inline Hybrid Display
One of the luxuries of working in the trade show business, particularly as a manufacturer, is seeing so many creative displays and graphics. Not a day goes by that we don’t witness something impressive. But there are those days when we see something truly spectacular.
Word on the Street — April 5th thru April 9th
Got Any Secret Travel Tips?
Busy week. On Monday and Tuesday, we hosted a small group of distributors for an extensive training session. On Wednesday, I was putting the final touches on a business trip for this coming week. I’ll be traveling to three separate destinations, and each destination has a distinctly different agenda. This is a complicated trip, and it made me realize that although I travel frequently, I don’t consider myself either a road warrior or an expert.
Word on the Street — March 29th thru April 2nd
Not only is it a great song 🙂 . . . but it’s a living philosophy within Classic. As a company, if you fail to evolve or fail to take chances then you stop giving people a reason to look to you for solutions.
Manufacturing is a Funny and Fickle Business
Manufacturing is a funny and fickle business. Products are designed, engineered, built, tested . . . then re-engineered, re-tested, and finally launched (hopefully to eager and admiring customers). Most companies do their best to get it right. They care about quality, especially on new products.
Word on the Street — March 22nd thru March 26th
Following Up on Trade Show Leads . . .
To be honest, I could almost just say “I was following up on leads” and you would get the gist of my week. But I will expand, while keeping it short, because I am still in full follow-up mode even this weekend.
First, I am going to gripe a bit. Like many of you, I attend a fair number of shows. Sorta comes with the job description. Although many are industry related, there are others I attend if I’m in the area or if I know we have built a display at that show. But I am going to pick on one show in particular . . . without naming it.
Common Marketing Mistakes Can Doom Successful Companies
Occasionally, we all need a not-so-gentle kick in the pants about Marketing. Kevin Renner, in an article appearing in the Portland Business Journal, reminds us that marketing is more than brochures, trade shows, and data sheets. Marketing with a capital “M” must be infused in the totality of the organization. Even something as simple as the company parking lot can make or break a deal.
I’d enjoy hearing your comments on this column.
https://portland.bizjournals.com/portland/stories/2010/02/22/newscolumn1.html
Preview the NEW Peek-a-Booth Video Cameras
As a dedicated reader of the Trade Show Tales Blog, you deserve something extra. No, not money, at least not this month, but we are announcing a new feature on the Classic Exhibits website called Peek-a-Booth. An e-broadcast announcement will be sent in a few days, but as a “Preferred Reader” you deserve a sneak peek (pun intended).
Word on the Street — March 15th thru March 19th
POST-EXHIBITOR 2010 — Thoughts and Comments
What a week!
We are back and in follow-up mode — especially after such a great show.
My trip to Vegas actually started the week before EXHIBITOR as I arrived on Thursday to attend GlobalShop. Also a very good show this year. Then I moved over to Mandalay Bay on Friday to setup our exhibit for EXHIBITOR. I don’t know about you, but I love getting to the floor when it opens the first setup day. It’s completely empty except for the staging of the semi’s and forklifts.
“Classic” Chippendales Video Compliments of Larry Crumlish
You may want to step back from the table in case you are eating. In fact, we strongly recommend that you wait at least an hour after eating before viewing this video. The images are VERY disturbing.
Our thanks to Larry Crumlish from InSource for sending us this Chippendale video and for his explanation:
Video Emails from Classic Exhibits at EXHIBITOR 2010
We thought you might enjoy these videos taken by Jeff Abramson from MaxYourImage. The first video shows a quick walk through of the Classic Exhibits booth and an update by Kevin Carty, VP of Sales about EXHIBITOR 2010. Kevin discusses attendance at the show and the Classic products featured in the booth, including rental display kits and silicon edge graphics.
And the Sacagawea Winner is . . .
Our thanks to everyone who attended the Classic Exhibits Hospitality Suite last night at Mandalay Bay. A special thanks to Gina Porcaro and Tim Bonesteel from Optima Graphics for serving as bartenders. The conspicuous tip jar may have crossed the line, but otherwise your skill at keeping everyone lubricated was accomplished with graciousness and finesse. And, in spite of Mel’s best efforts to provoke distributors and vendors alike, there were no fights.
Now the drawing . . . The winner of the Sacagawea Portable Hybrid Showroom Giveaway . . . . (the obligatory drum roll please!)
Word on the Street — March 8th thru March 12th
There are lots of articles about the benefits of renting vs. buying an exhibit, including this one on Classic’s website. But, I don’t recall ever reading an article that discussed the do’s and don’ts once a client has decided to rent. With over 20 years of experience managing rentals for clients, including the past five managing the Rental Program for Classic Exhibits, I’ve learned that decided to rent is the easy part. The hard part comes after the rental decision has been made. With all modesty, please allow me to share these tips from someone who has experienced his fair share of rental bruises over the years.