Things You Learn from 8 Year Olds: Word on the Street — January 26th thru January 30th

Trade Show Blog

Kevin Carty, VP Classic Exhibits

Kevin Carty, VP Classic Exhibits

8 … What an interesting age. Not quite the age where you start thinking you know everything, and not quite the age when you feel totally dependent on your parents.

Each Friday and Saturday, I am surrounded by 20 of them, including my twins, as their youth basketball coach. This includes one team of 10 boys and another of 10 girls. All 8 or approaching 8. Each week, they are a wealth of insights and lessons.

Lesson 1. It’s OK to celebrate when your opponent or friend scores.

Is it really such a bad thing to acknowledge a great shot in basketball by your opponent? Or to congratulate a business competitor on a win? For example, new product segments created by others can open potential business for your business as well. Just look at all the coffee shops, thanks to Starbucks. Rather than spending time getting angry, celebrate it and use it as fuel for you and your team to make changes to your business.

One of my players approached me at halftime saying, “Hey coach, that screen the guys put on me was awesome! I want to learn how to do that. Did you see what happened? His teammate was able to score so easily.”

Lesson 2. Having your teammate’s best interest at heart ONLY creates victory for the whole team

image9When someone challenges your solution or approach, listen to them and be objective about the information. Too often, we decide to go “our way” without heeding sound advice or help. Or without engaging our clients (who are part of our team) in a solution.

In the end, a win for the team (your business and your client) is all that really matters

One my girls walked up to a teammate and told her that the next time they were on the court she would pass it to her so she could score. Even though the girl who had the ball had no problem creating her own shot opportunities. But she realize that the other girl was a better shooter, which meant a greater likelihood the team would score.

Lesson 3. Details matter Coach!

This comes from my girls. At the end of each practice, they all want to know (more than anything else!) if they are wearing their gold or their blue uniforms for the game. To which I say, “I don’t know. Why does that matter?” The response from one girl was telling. “Details coach…they matter…like wanting to make sure I wear the proper color of ribbon in my hair. It has to match my uniform. Duh?!”

I know we all know this, but the devil truly is in the details in our business lives. The smallest can make the difference between a winning exhibit and a dud. You can create the most outstanding display for a company, but if their experience in setting it up becomes so painful due to poor setups, poor engineering, or just poorly packaging, it won’t matter how good it looks. The negative tone was already set, and it will influence how they perform at the show and how they approach the next one.

There are countless lessons these kiddos teach me every week, some more important than others, but all near and dear when you stop to think of the messengers — just 8 year old kids having fun.

Makes me wish we could all have a “younger” perspective in our daily business lives. It would certainly make it a lot more fun.

Have a great weekend!

–Kevin
https://twitter.com/kevin_carty
https://www.linkedin.com/pub/kevin-carty/3/800/32a

[subscribe2]

Recent Posts

Introducing the New Classic Website!

Good websites are never fully done. They evolve… and the new Classic website makes changes much easier. So, if “stuff” moves around or we add new features, it’s because we’re antsy about the status quo at Classic Exhibits. Which shouldn’t surprise you.

What Makes a Good Trade Show Booth?

When it comes to creating a good trade show booth, you are in luck. The booth design is the fun part for most exhibitors. You get to work with an exhibit designer who has your trade show goals and budget, along with an understanding of your customers, your culture and your branding. While the question “What makes a good trade show booth?” depends on the exhibitor, there are commonalities to every good trade show exhibit. We’ll explore those similarities in this article.

More Mix & Match Rentals from Classic Rental Solutions

About a month ago, we launched Classic’s Mix & Match Rental Guide as a tool to streamline the rental decision process with a comprehensive set of towers, counters, lightboxes, and kiosks. This “smarter not harder” approach was intended to make your job easier.

Our Membership in the Xperiential Marketplace

Classic Exhibits announces our membership in Xperiential Marketplace (XM), an innovative buying and education group for the exhibit industry. XM was founded by two industry veterans, Jason Weddle and Rob Cohen with a mission to unlock savings, create stronger partnerships, and increase growth.

The Power of a Branded Trade Show Exhibit: Strategy + Examples

Marketing professionals and exhibit designers know how to create a branded trade show exhibit that attracts traffic to the booth and maximizes the attendee’s experience. It starts with understanding the brand’s identity and creating a detailed strategic plan for the trade show.

The (3) Types of Portable Trade Show Displays

No category of displays is more perplexing than portables. Prices, capabilities, and quality vary considerably, and the differences are often opaque. As a result, buyers sometimes make hasty decisions based on attractive renderings, professional websites, and low prices.

Trade Show & Event Rental Furniture Trends

Kevin Dana from CORT Events shared trade show and event Rental Furniture Trends during an online webinar. His slide deck was the PERFECT example of the expression, “A picture is worth a thousand words.”

Trade Show Product Displays: Stands, Shelves, & Setup Ideas

For companies with physical products, the ability for clients to see, touch, taste, or smell their products is crucial to their trade show success. For them, “show and tell” isn’t standing in front of a monitor. It’s handing the product to an attendee, inviting them to participate in a demo, and giving them the opportunity to test it right then and there.

Island Booth Solutions for 360° Trade Show Impact

At most trade shows, island booths are the rock stars, attracting more foot traffic than inlines. Thankfully, it’s possible to mingle with the “stars” without blowing your marketing budget. In this article, we’ll review the basics of an island booth, the advantages, island design trends, and showcase affordable examples of island booths, both for purchase and to rent. 

Custom Tablecloths for Trade Shows: Options, Examples & Design Tips

Many trade show exhibitors ignore the branding of their tables, like custom tablecloths for trade shows. They default to the white or blue tablecloth supplied by the venue (or nothing at all). But a colorful, branded table throw with a logo can elevate their visibility, especially at smaller shows or events.