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Office Honey-Do’s: Word on the Street — May 14th thru May 18th

May 20th, 2012 Mel White COMMENTS
Office Honey-Do's:

Word on the Street by Kevin Carty

Getting it Done in 75 Days (or Less)

It’s that time of year –mid-May– when at home or at the office, you find yourself tackling projects that have been accumulating in that “to-do” list. You know the ones! They start accumulating in mid-January when it’s too cold, but (we tell ourselves) we’ll get to them when we have a little more time.

In our business, this is the time of year when we start addressing and completing many of those projects. We do a lot of product development, strategizing, and investigative purchasing this time of year, but we also address nagging tasks and or ideas that have gone unattended. Our projects are comparable to that deck you mentioned to your wife back in January. Remember . . . the one you said you would build once the weather was better in June.

This year is no different, but sales this May are staying stronger than normal. But even at that, we are pressing forward with side projects and general clean-up. Without boring you with the laundry list, let’s just say it includes everything from re-organizing the racks, painting, rotating inventory, working with the local power company on new energy efficient plans, and renovating restrooms in the building. We’re even building in a shower for those employees who bike or run to work.

In June and July when sales are slowing, these projects allow us to keep our crew busy during months that otherwise they would be working shorter schedules. Even at that, we still have to plan around the heavy summer vacation schedules.

We are also working on re-addressing graphic dimension templates, refining our already stellar set-up instructions, and preparing for several new staff positions. You’ll hear more about these new positions in the next month, all of which will set the foundation for better customer service and additional services.

I wish we could enjoy the downtime a bit more, but I really appreciate the drive, diligence, and dedication of our entire staff to capitalize on these times. Ultimately it makes our lives easier when we are going 100 mph in August.

So, what are you doing this summer to make your business stronger this fall? What projects make the top of your office “Honey-Do” lists?

Be well and have a great week ahead.

–Kevin Carty

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

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SKU & You: Word on the Street

May 13th, 2012 Mel White COMMENTS
Shared Knowledge University & You

Word on the Street by Kevin Carty

Shared Knowledge University & You

About this time of year, we normally send the Classic Distributor Network a survey with 15-18 questions. Not this time. We have cleared our schedule on June 12, 13, and 14 to connect with you. We’ll talk, we’ll listen, we’ll learn, and we’ll find answers together.

Join us on June 12, 13, and 14 for three days of sharing via Classic’s “SKU & You” sessions. On Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, you can participate in three (3) educational webinars, two (2) topic specific webinars, and two (2) one-on-one phone calls with Kevin Carty, Mel White, and Reid Sherwood. Choose the session(s) that target your interests and/or concerns.

Schedule:

1.  Knowledge Webinars (45-60 minutes) | 10 am – 11 am

  • Designer Design Tips for Sales-cessful Island Exhibits (Tuesday) —  Exhibit Designers: Erik Frost, Michael McCord, Mike Swartout, Katina Rigall, and Greg Garrett
    [Reserve Your Seat Now]
  • A Hybrid is a Hybrid is a Hybrid. Really? (Wednesday) – Mel White
    [Reserve Your Seat Now]
  • What’s All the Hub-Bub about Silicone Edge Graphics (Thursday) — Kevin Carty with a special guest from Optima Graphics
    [Reserve Your Seat Now]

2. Open Session Webinars with Kevin, Mel, and Reid Sherwood (45-75 minutes) | 11:30 am-12:45 pm

  • Open Chat  (Tuesday). What’s New in Design, People, and Trends. Join Us!
    [Register Now]
  • Open Chat  (Wednesday). Take Us to the Woodshed . . . What Did We Do Wrong/What Can We Do Better. Join Us!
    [Register Now]

3. One-on-One Phone Calls with Kevin and Mel

  • Two Hour Open Blocks on Tuesday and Thursday. We’ll be sitting by the phone waiting to answer your questions or just chat. First come. First serve. No tipping required.

Look for times and additional details later this month in LinkedIn, the Classic Exhibits blog, and e-broadcasts to the Classic email list.

Be well!

–Kevin Carty

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

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“New and Improved” Peek-a-Booth — More Webcams!

May 11th, 2012 Mel White 1 COMMENT

Peek-a-Booth Webcams at Classic ExhibitsThe New and Improved Peek-a-Booth

Peeking just got better. We added another camera in the Purchase Set-up Area for a total of three. Plus, we added two to the Rental Set-up Area. The Purchase and Rental areas are on opposite ends of the Classic Exhibits facility.

If my math skills are correct, we improved your peeking ability by 250 percent (from two to five webcams). There are now three unique angles in the purchase staging area (two facing forward, one facing the backside). The rental webcams both face forward.

The webcams all have pan, tilt, zoom, and snapshot capabilities.

Take a moment to play with Peek-a-booth on Classic Exhibits website. The temporary username and password are:

Username:  classicexhibits
Password:  spring_2012

In the future, please call or email Classic Exhibits for the current password. The password changes periodically for security reasons and bandwidth limitations.

–Mel White
http://www.linkedin.com/in/melmwhite
mel@classicexhibits.com

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Based in Portland, Oregon, Classic Exhibits Inc. designs and manufacturers portable, modular, and custom-hybrid exhibit solutions. Classic Exhibits products are represented by an extensive distributor network in North America and in select International markets. For more information, contact us at 866-652-2100 or www.classicexhibits.com.

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The Dirtiest Word in the RFP Process: Word on the Street — April 30th thru May 4th

May 6th, 2012 Mel White 6 COMMENTS

Word on the Street by Kevin Carty

Earmuffs Kids . . .

“BUDGET!” There I said it! The dirty word that none of us like to discuss when starting a new design. But it doesn’t have to be that way.

Let me be so cavalier as to suggest that we rip the band-aid off when we first start the design process. Don’t get me wrong. Make sure you introduce yourself and show the client around your place or let them give you a tour of theirs . . . whichever applies. But then cut to the chase.

Now I know what you’re saying, “But Kevin, you don’t live in our world. You are not the one in front of the end-users everyday. You are not the one who always gets the 1/2 honest answer or the unrealistic requests.” I agree. I am not. But I am on many of the initial calls as your manufacturer representative for the project. So I get it! Especially the frustration of the answer to the dreaded question that goes something like this, “Well, we are not really sure. We know we want an open, airy, and fresh look that can house all our product presentations, four staff members, and space for a live presenter. Most importantly, we want to not look like anyone else and to really standout.”

Ouch! Ahhhh!

This is usually when I make a comment that makes the room go silent. Something like, “Well, we can make exactly what you want between $50k-$125k. It just depends on how much you want to standout and exactly how ‘fresh’ of a look you are looking for.” This usually gets a response of . . . “Oh, that seems like a big spread in dollars for the same footprint.”

Point being, you can go out and buy a 4-door sedan tomorrow and do the same thing. You can spend $19,999 or you can spend $59,999 for what appears on the outside to be a car that is the exact same dimension. But once you lift the hood and/or open the doors, you will see the differences. Both cars may suit your base purposes just fine, but one certainly comes with more options and accessories. And one will make your more noticeable.

In these situations, what our PM’s, designers, or anyone else at Classic working with the client does is take you and your client to Exhibit Design Search — preferably yours if you have a branded version or ours if you do not. Then we ask the client to “drive the models,” and check the boxes that fit them — size of exhibit, type of exhibit, and price range. In doing so, you are essentially getting the client to self select and reveal their budget range.

Now to be fair, you are often working with clients who are new to trade shows displays. They don’t have a point of reference. To them, they see a pop up display and assume it costs $199 with graphics. The sticker shock can be jarring, and they may not see the distinction between two banner stands and a portable counter and a custom hybrid. Why does one cost $10,000 more than another?

Now, I don’t pretend to think this always works or that it fits all scenarios, but at the end of the day, it gives us the best chance at being successful. We have to know their realistic budget — are they a Kia or a Mercedes customer. Is the car a means of transportation or is it a refection of their personality? Do they want it to last two years or ten years? Does it make more sense to lease or rent?

Design and detailing can solve a lot of the other issues once we know that.

Be well!

–Kevin Carty

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

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In the “Old Days” . . . .

May 3rd, 2012 Mel White 4 COMMENTS
Shooting from the Hip (trade show tips)

Shooting from the Hip by Reid Sherwood

It was Better Back When (Except When It Wasn’t)

The trade show market seems to be back, maybe not with a vengeance, but certainly with a nice steady fire. (Yes I know all the fire comments are coming — but hey, I asked for it.) Classic Distributors haven’t complained recently about business, but they have all said, “It’s good, but still not like the old days.”

The “Old Days” are a little of what I would like to talk about here. Please feel free to add to my jaded perception.

In the “Old Days” . . . We had the Luxury of TIME

When I took my first order ever in this industry (circa 1987) from Mary Ann Kenkle at what was then Omni-Craft in South Bend Indiana, she ordered a very simple 6 ft. tabletop with a backlit, silk-screened header. We required six weeks production and needed to have a hard PMT of their artwork. PMT is photomechanical transfer. It typically came in the mail. Today, we have exhibits that look custom, are often available in “8 Days or Less,” and expect that Optima will ship us the fabric graphic in 48 hours.

In the “Old Days” . . . We had CUSTOMER LOYALTY

RFP’s were sent to three companies, and the incumbent was truly a partner. I had a conversation with a good friend and distributor a few weeks back about the fact that there are lots of opportunities out there, but not all are worth chasing. As we continued the conversation, he told me about a RFP that he received that included his company and 13 others. If they are looking at 14 companies, then the buyer really has no idea what the final goal is. Customer LOYALTY is a partnership.

Good Times?

In the “Old Days” . . . We had EXHIBIT DESIGNERS and GRAPHIC DESIGNERS

If you have a computer with Microsoft Paint, then you are a graphic designer, or if you have Google SketchUp, then you are an exhibit designer. I have often heard Mike Swartout, the Design Director at Classic Exhibits, say, “Ya know, that really isn’t a bad design, but they forgot to allow for one critical element…..GRAVITY.”

Sometimes the design can be so complex with curves, layers, great backlit images, and with every bell and whistle that you would find on a Rolls Royce. Other times, a simple Sacagawea 10 ft. exhibit with a nicely done fabric graphic and easy assembly is just the ticket. The difference is in the thought that went into creating the solution. Not how many buttons can you click on your computer and make a pretty picture.

I am sure there are many more, but these are the things that I hear about most often. Please feel free to add on whether they are sarcastic or serious. We welcome all comments (as long as they are safe for grandma’s ears).

Till the next time,

Reid Sherwood
reid@classicmodul.com

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