Trade Show TalesBlog

Archive for 2013

2012 “State of the Company” Letter from Kevin Carty

January 19th, 2013 6 COMMENTS

State of the Company

Kevin Carty, Classic Exhibits Inc.

2012 is in the books! The Oregon Ducks are the Fiesta Bowl Champs, and the Mayans left for the golf course rather than finishing their calendar.

The basics. Q1 and Q2 were huge for Classic Exhibits with increases of 19% over 2011. Summer started slower than usual, but finished OK leaving us at a 15% increase through 3 quarters. Then Q4. Oh Q4, how strange you were. October was the second largest month of the year. November was flat. December started out steady, but the last two weeks, with the holidays falling on Tuesday, were mostly silent. In the end, we ended the year with an 11% increase over LY.

The Mix

2012 was a tale of two seasons with one common thread — iPad kiosks! iPad kiosks sold throughout 2012 in unheard of numbers thanks to you. We started with two models in February. That quickly exploded into more than 18 iPad solutions. Aside from Sacagawea, we’ve not seen a product take off and grow so fast.

MOD-1338 iPad Kiosk

But it was the MIX that was interesting. The first half of the year we sold kits. And a lot of them! Be it a 10 x 10 SEGUE, a 10 x 20 Sacagawea, or a 10 x 20 Visionary Designs. You couldn’t walk by the Set-up Area the first six months without seeing a sea of kits.

All the while, we were designing more custom island designs. Some based on older Classic designs that needed updating, but most from scratch by our talented internal team, Mike and Katina, and by two outside contract designers.

The result. In the final six months of the year, Design and Production have been busy building more custom island and inline exhibits. And Design has been especially busy designing new island projects for 2013 Q1 and Q2 shows. Just recently, we were reviewing the builds currently in Production and the ones slotted for late January. Custom Hybrid Inlines and Island Hybrids seem to be the lion share of what we we’re seeing.

Having said that, kits are still our bread and butter. Kits are projected to hold steady in the first six months. All this adds up to a great Q1 for us and for you.

Retail

Like 2011 and 2012, 2013 should be another growth year for our Retail build business. That is in large part due to your design teams reaching out into that segment and bringing these unique projects our direction. It’s been a great fit for our capabilities and a healthy layering to our normal trade show builds. This segment of our business, which gets processed and project managed through a different path than our trade show orders, follows a different cycle from our traditional business. This allows us to add capacity and volume without adding expenses. In other words, it’s a “win-win” for Classic and for our Distributors.

New Employees

Katina Rigall joined the Classic Design team in January of 2012. She has become a great face for the department while bringing exceptional design vision and talent.

Jeff Garrett joined the Classic Project Management staff in 2011 actually, but in 2012 moved from Set-up Instructions to a full-time Project Manager. The addition of Jeff’s personality and his attention to detail has given a great boost to an already exceptional team of PM’s at Classic Exhibits. To replace Jeff, we hired Cynthia Geddis, who has transitioned into that role seamlessly.

Jen LaBruzza joined Classic Exhibits in June 2012. She joined as the Western Regional Sales Manager. Her impact was felt immediately. Not just with in the network of distributors, but also internally at Classic. Her bright outlook and approach to business is refreshing, and her customers love her! But we all knew that would be the case.

Tony Bennett joined Classic Exhibits in 2012. Many of you worked with Tony in the past on Exhibit Design Search, but was on a contract basis. Somehow, Mel talked him into joining our crazy family permanently, and we are very grateful. I get comments from distributors weekly that Classic now has someone on staff to help with web-related needs. And Tony is a pro in that arena, especially when it comes to Exhibit Design Search and working with Classic distributors on their websites. It’s a service were proud to offer to Classic Distributors.

SKU (Shared Knowledge University)

Shared Knowledge University

Thanks to the 60 plus distributors who participated in onsite training at Classic Exhibits. We held two SKU sessions: one in April and a second one in September. SKU attendees were immersed in Classic Exhibits, Exhibits NW, ClassicMODUL and Eco-Systems Sustainable over a two-day period. The SKU program combines hands-on product training as well as classroom training.

We will host two SKU sessions in 2013. Please stay tuned for the dates and make plans to attend. Not only will you leave having a better sense for Classic and its family of companies, but you will also get to understand the true meaning of “Portlandia.” [Keep Portland Weird]

Custom House Partnerships

A big focus for us in 2012 was partnering with more Custom Houses as their inline, small island, rental and extrusion provider for their in-house clients. As in much of business, relationships are the key. Mel, Reid, Jen, and Jim Shelman did a great job forging new and reinforcing existing Custom Partners for Classic Exhibits this past year.

The Classic Town Calls were created in 2012 as a quarterly webinar to talk about the previous quarter and what to expect next quarter.

Kudos to Mel on this. The Town Calls are designed to be an hour long “checking in” from us to you and from you to us. It’s a really helpful way to connect off the show floor and out of the normal course of business and see what’s going on. Our goal is to provide nuggets of content that you will find useful selling Classic products and running your business in general. And, to get “immediate” feedback from you on trends and issues.

In addition to the Town Calls, Classic conducted educational webinars throughout the year on Hybrid Displays, New Designs Trends, Rental Trends, Exhibit Design Search Tricks and Tips, and Social Media.

ClassicMODUL

ClassicMODUL expands yet again! The latest ClassicMODUL depot opened in August in St Louis, MO. The new operation provides not just raw metal access to builders in the Midwest and parts of the East, but also provides CNC bending like our NW facility! This is a HUGE addition for Tom Jones and his staff, giving them an even broader reach and capabilities.

ClassicMODUL also modified its Pricebook in 2012. If you have not taken the time to review the new prices, please do. In conjunction with having material in virtually every part of the USA (Northeast, Southeast, Midwest, and West Coast), saving you shipping dollars, the prices of many extrusions and accessories dropped a bit as well. Contact Tom if you have any questions or projects you would like to compare against your existing provider of engineered aluminum extrusions.

Classic Rentals

Island Rental Exhibit

Jim Shelman and James Sharpe, along with their great staff, should take a bow for another strong year in the Rental Division. Their success reflects their willingness to take on new challenges and innovative designs that other suppliers reject as “non-rental.” We expect the Rental Division to continue its double-digit growth this year as more and more Classic Distributors turn to hybrid rentals as a viable and cost-effective solution for their clients.

Thanks guys for all your hard work

Eco-Systems Sustainable Exhibits

In 2012, Classic Exhibits acquired an even larger share in this great company. While all Marketing, Sales, General Management, and Accounting are in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Production and Project Management has shifted to our facility in Portland. Tim Hanley is the Project Management Lead onsite at Classic and another project manager has recently been added. We expect Eco-Systems Sustainable sales to continue to grow at a rapid pace.

Much of Eco-Systems prosperity has been the result of their innovative designs. They have a unique vision on hybrid displays, one very different from Classic. They added a new Director of Design, Lisa Koskela, in 2012. Her eye for design and creative sense is continuing to chart a great course for Eco-Systems along with Eric Albery’s focus on relationship sales. We are very excited and proud of our relationship with their group.

Events

Classic participated in three major events in 2012:  EXHIBITOR, the inaugural E2MA Conference, and EDPA ACCESS.

EXHIBITOR Show was nothing short of spectacular. As a company, it was clearly our best presentation in 20 years. We showed off not just our inline creativity, but also our large scale island capability. Thanks to those who attended EXHIBITOR and stopped by to see us on the floor and at our hospitality suite. It was a pleasure seeing you and hearing your thoughts on the industry. Your input makes a big difference in how we plan our future.

The E2MA Conference was in July in Chicago. This was the first event for the new formed association, a marriage of the former TSEA and the EACA. Jim Wurm and his entire group did a terrific job of providing compelling content. But more importantly, they did a great job of listening and then taking what they heard and applying it to the association’s mission moving forward as evidenced in their recent publishing of “The Rising Costs of General Service Contractors Services” study. Very well done!

EDPA ACCESS. My favorite event in so many ways. I once again left ACCESS 2012 inspired by my peers and by the direction of our industry. I truly believe that there continues to be an “out with the old and in with the new” push in our industry which is much needed. And EDPA and all its members seem united in moving forward in a positive direction.

One more event that I would like to reflect on from 2012 . . .

On September 23, 2012 “The Club” rode . . .  Club 815 Powered by the EDPA Foundation. It was a motley crew of exhibit industry folks, and one stepdad (mine), who joined together to raise money for Mike Swartout, our Design Director at Classic Exhibits. And of course we were supported by you through your well wishes, prayers and donations. We raised a very large chunk of much needed money for Mike and his lovely wife Janet to offset their rising medical bills.

And yes, we rode up a several multi-mile hills with a steady 45 mph head wind with gusts up to 75 mph on occasion. While I have thanked all the men and women who rode with me, I want to thank you for making that event an opportunity to help out a family member in our industry. You did amazing work.

Onto 2013 and let’s get excited about it. The simple fact is that we are on a slow recovery from the recession, but we are recovering a bit at a time.

Thank you for your support of Classic Exhibits, ClassicMODUL, ExhibitsNW, Classic Rentals, and Eco-Systems. We could not do what we do or put food on our families plates without your support and trust in us daily. So on behalf of Classic Exhibits Inc., thank you for a great 2012!

Here’s to an exciting and profitable 2013 together!!!!

Kevin Carty
Vice President
Classic Exhibits Inc.

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Trade Show Exhibit Specials — January 2013

January 16th, 2013 COMMENTS

Trade Show Exhibit Specials

Throughout the year, we feature some of our most exciting trade show designs at a special price or with bonus features. Click on any display to see the special in the Design Description.

Four Amazing Specials:

  1. Save on Select Visionary Designs Islands
  2. Get a Port\Land iPad Kiosk Case at a Promotional Price
  3. $100 OFF on Aero Portable Table Tops and
  4. Free Lycra Case Wrap with Select Quadro EO Pop Up Displays

See the individual kits for details. Be sure to check back frequently. We often add trade show displays based on feedback or demand.

http://www.classicexhibits.com/trade-show-exhibit-design-search/display-specials/

–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.

When Optimism Wears Sensible Shoes: Word on the Street — January 7th thru January 11th

January 13th, 2013 COMMENTS
Split Personality: Word on the Street -- Jan. 7th thru Jan. 11th

Word on the Street by Kevin Carty

Happy New Year!

I know its a little late to say that, but truthfully it felt like the new business year did not start until January 7th. With Christmas and New Years on a Tuesday, many folks took extended vacations or worked shorter days. Be that as it may, we are here. 2013 is off and rolling. And I for one am glad.

Mel posted an article in the blog this week from The New York Times. It was about business optimism and can we afford to be optimistic [Can I Afford to be Optimistic? by Jay Goltz].

Normally, I would look at articles like that and scoff. My nature is to hate articles that temper market/business optimism. But this is different. This article spoke to me as it relates to our business in particular. Those who know me, know that I am more than a glass half full guy. As Mel often says, you need a yellow wet-floor sign around my glass because it is always overflowing.

Recently, I attended an informative economic seminar that spoke to many of the same points in the NYT’s article. The simple fact is we took a HUGE hit going into this recession as an economy. A hit that takes a really, really big recovery to get back to even. And while we are all very happy that the economy is growing, it’s growing at a very small rate. Most economist estimate 3-4% a year at the most. Yes, that is a positive recovery, albeit a very paced (and exceedingly frustrating) one.

I now have much more of a split personality. Ask our Eastern Regional Manager, Reid Sherwood. He often makes the comment, “You really have changed a lot in the past couple of years.” Part of that is just being more “in the business” than I ever was before. What I mean is that I am here everyday for the most part. I travel less than I did because I now have small children. And frankly, I have that luxury as we’ve grown and added dedicated territory reps like Jen and Reid.

When I made the decision to travel less, I also made a commitment to get more involved in the day-to-day operations of the business. In doing so, you never loose the Optimistic Sales Side of your personality, but you have to balance that with the practical reality of the economics of the business. It’s been a great learning experience for me, but one that truly has given me a split personality. 🙂

Optimism Wears Sensible Shoes

I think you should walk away if you ever loose your sense of optimism. But I also know that this recession has taught us that you have to temper your optimism with reality. Most of which is driven by managing expenses. The simple fact is, it’s much wiser to manage your expenses than to project large overly optimistic sales increases to cover expenses.

. . . 2013 will be GREAT! And we WILL see another year of revenue gains. But we will experience that with a discipline for managing costs and channeling money into development and training. We have to — we all do. The simple fact is we are still climbing out of a big hole as a nation. And at 3-4% growth, we have a long way to go. Hopefully as small businesses (the heart of American business), we can all be realistic stewards of our businesses, and maybe even inspire our government a little along the way

OK, that was the optimistic side of my personality sneaking out. Bring me a mop.

Looking forward to another great week. I love January (and February, March, and April) when it tests our abilities to maximize every opportunity, to take design to the next level, and to pull another rabbit out of the hat. This is our Black Monday folks. When we turn every “touch” into a long-term business relationship.

Be well.

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

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“Can I Afford to Be Optimistic?” by Jay Goltz

January 11th, 2013 COMMENTS

Jay Goltz, a contributor to “You’re the Boss: The Art of Running a Small Business” in The New York Times asks himself, “Can I Afford to Be Optimistic?” For anyone working in a small business, you might enjoy his thoughts.

“It is time to complete the budget for 2013. I now have the final numbers from 2012 to help in the planning/forecasting/guessing game that I have been playing for 35 years. My comptroller reminds me that every year, for as long as she can remember, she has had to reduce my projections by midyear. Great. Is it a shortcoming to be optimistic if you own a company? The answer is yes, and no. At the moment, more yes.

This year did not turn out as I had planned, or perhaps as I had hoped. There was no big recovery in either the economy or in my industry (home furnishings). We did make some progress, but I had budgeted and spent money as if we were going to be in a recovery or growth mode: more people, more inventory, more advertising.

I have lived and navigated through many recessions, and I can tell you that this has not been a normal one. In the good, old recessions, you would have a down year and then recuperate slowly over the next one or two. We are now in year five, and while things have clearly gotten better, we are hardly back to where we were in 2008. The unemployment rate is still high, and most small-business owners I know are still struggling.”

Continue to The New York Times article

–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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Exclusive E2MA Study about the Rising Costs of General Service Contractor Services

January 2nd, 2013 4 COMMENTS

The E2MA (Exhibit and Event Marketers Association) has spent two years on a study that presents factual data about the rising costs of exclusive services provided by General Service Contractors (GSC). We’ve all “known this,” but now there’s a summary of actual facts and data that makes it real. No trend jeopardizes the full recovery and future of the trade show industry more than this.

Please take a few minutes to download and review. Share, share, share with anyone and everyone who has a vested interest in trade shows and trade show marketing.

Download the E2MA PDF Slideshow Presentation

Successful Meetings summarized the findings and recommendations in the online article:  E2MA: Trade Show Organizers Must Negotiate Lower Costs for Exhibitors.

“In response to its findings, E2MA has recommended a course of action that’s based on full disclosure and better control of costs. For instance, it advocates “game changers” such as bringing general contracting in house and eliminating exclusive show services, as well as the following “simple” solutions:

  • Disclosing all show management rebates and discounts to exhibitors;
  • Understanding what exhibitors are paying, identifying pain points and negotiating on their behalf;
  • Providing all costs up front in the exhibitor prospectus;
  • Simplifying show rates and rules; and
  • Eliminating the practice of discounting exclusive services and combining with other non-exclusive services.”

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

*********************************

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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