Trade Show TalesBlog

Archive for June, 2019

Shared Knowledge University, Summer 2019 Video

June 27th, 2019 COMMENTS

What did you miss on June 20-21 in Portland, OR? Well… Just another wildly successful Shared Knowledge University. Our proud SKU graduates enjoyed two days of intense sales, marketing, and design training along with hands-on product demos and presentations by Optima, CORT, Momentum Management, and Blue Pony.  They were long days… but the SKUer’s somehow managed to rise to occasion by celebrating their success each evening. Truly, truly inspiring!

Our sincere thanks to our gracious SKU attendees, our wonderful sponsors, and to the Classic and Eco-systems Sustainable employees who were (as always) such wonderful hosts.

Finally, a special thank you to our guest speaker Kent Thomas (https://www.arrow-cc.com/), who taught us that all Marketing Managers are a mixture of creativity, ego, and insecurity — with a dash of SPITR (smartest person in the room).

SPONSORS:

* CORT Rental Furniturehttps://www.cort.com/event-rental

* Optima Graphicshttp://optimagfx.com/

* Blue Pony (Visual Media) —  https://www.bluepony.com/

* Momentum Management (Labor)http://momentummgt.com/

Since 1993, Classic Exhibits has been North America’s leading builder of quality trade show exhibits for professional exhibitors. Browse through 1500 contemporary displays or request a custom design personalized to your trade show marketing goals.

Find success on the trade show floor with an exhibit that reflects your marketing message… at a price that will make your CFO giddy. For more information, see http://www.classicexhibits.com and https://ecosystemsdisplays.com.

Rental Exhibit Types: Rejects, Reruns, and Remarkables

June 25th, 2019 COMMENTS

There are Three Types of Trade Show Exhibit Rentals:  Rejects, Reruns, and Remarkables. All rentals depend on the exhibit supplier’s inventory and willingness to customize. So what’s the difference?

Rejects

Rejects: These are instantly recognizable as traditional rental designs from the GSC show manual. They are built from battered aluminum extrusion and Sintra graphic inserts. They are ugly, ineffective, and increasingly being replaced by modern modular wall systems.

Reruns

Reruns: Many rental designs now use modular wall systems. A very positive trend. Unfortunately, the designs depend on the supplier’s inventory, which is often limited. That means choosing from a narrow selection of inline and island configurations which are repeated again and again on the show floor. It’s a step up, but not a custom rental.

Remarkables

Remarkables: Customized rental designs are the exception since they depend on a large rental inventory, custom manufacturing, and design flexibility. They are generally indistinguishable from a purchase exhibit, since they are personalized to the exhibitor’s marketing requirements. They can be more expensive, but even that depends on the rental supplier and the exhibitor’s willingness to commit to multiple rentals.

Just because a supplier has a rental option, it doesn’t guarantee their rental inventory supports “remarkable” designs. Ask questions. Request designs. See photos of past rental projects. Finally, don’t fall in love too quickly. You deserve to date a few unremarkable candidates before committing to a long-term relationship.

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

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Classic Exhibits Inc. designs and manufacturers portable, modular, hybrid, custom, and rental 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.

How to Market Wireless Charging Stations

June 14th, 2019 2 COMMENTS
How to Marketing Wireless Charging Stations

This week, I received a promotional email from Plum Grove Inc., a printing and marketing company and a Classic Distributor Partner. I was impressed (and delighted). Not only was the email design attractive, but it was also compelling and timely.

Wireless Charging Station eBroadcast

Recently, we upgraded Classic’s line of InCharg™ Charging Stations by adding wireless capability, a feature found on many Apple and Samsung smartphones (as well as others). Many exhibitors now include charging stations in their trade show booths as a convenience to attendees and to their staff. Plum Grove recognized that trend… and reacted.

See the full email image below. I love the compelling introduction, the benefits and features, and the overall organization. It’s a well-crafted and visually interesting marketing email. Nicely done Plum Grove!

14 Wireless Charging Stations

NEW Tool-Less SuperNova LED Lightboxes

June 12th, 2019 COMMENTS
SuperNova SEG Tool_less Lightboxes

This is a BIG DEAL!

Allow me to explain. First a little background. When we engineered our single- and double-sided SuperNova lightbox extrusions (CEI-110 and 152), we were committed to having the strongest lightboxes in the industry — thicker walls, harder 6063/6065 T6 aluminum, and strategic internal extrusion support. In addition, the corner and spline connections were rock solid, preventing light leaks and eliminating most vertical or horizontal bracing except on the tallest or widest lightboxes.

Single- and Double-sided SEG Extrusions

Peel back the SEG fabric of our competitor’s LED lightboxes. You’ll see internal framing or bracing to prevent hour-glassing and light leakage. Even on lightboxes smaller than 10 ft. wide. Some as small as 5 ft. wide.

That “rock solid” construction meant as many as four connections at every joint, all requiring tightening or loosening hex screws. While no one complained, we knew there had to be a better option. A tool-less option. Currently, there are several tool-less lightboxes on the market. None ideal. Some compromise strength by using a single-button connection. Others have a separate bulky attachment with large knobs. And still others have complicated fasteners, which while elegant, are expensive to replace.

We would love to tell you we saw the problem and quickly engineered a better solution… but that would be a lie. It took us over a year in R&D. Idea after idea. Failure after failure. Why? We refused to compromise on strength, ease-of-assembly, and affordability.

SuperNova Tool-Free Lightboxes

And Then We Succeed!

Our new Tool-less SuperNova Lightboxes achieves all of those goals. While there may be more “complicated” solutions, there are none stronger or easier. We estimate the new tool-less connectors reduce assembly by 70-80%. Plus, the splines and the corner connectors can stay on the extrusion reducing the possibility of lost parts. Even the translucent knobs are innovative since they eliminate shadows and reflections.

Effective immediately, new SuperNova Lightbox orders will include the tool-less option whenever possible, whether a standalone LB or a LB in a table top, inline, or island design. We expect this to cover 90% of all LB orders. Exceptions include non-90 degree corners, boomerang base plates, and internal extrusion supports on large lightboxes (support only). Even on those, the tool-less options will be incorporated wherever possible.

Please let us know if you have any questions about SuperNova Lightboxes. This is a BIG DEAL, especially for you and your clients. It’s never been easier to assembly an LED lightbox on the trade show, event, or retail floor.

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

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Classic Exhibits Inc. designs and manufacturers portable, modular, hybrid, custom, and rental 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.

Exhibit Design Search Boot Camp Webinar — Video Replay

June 11th, 2019 COMMENTS

Recently, I conducted two Exhibit Design Search webinars via Go To Webinar. Below is one of those recorded sessions for anyone unable to attend the live event, or simply for any Classic Distributor who wants a better understand of how to navigate EDS quickly and efficiently.

Become an EDS Warrior!

In this one-hour Exhibit Design Search Boot Camp, you’ll learn the essential skills to attack every opportunity with ruthless precision and speed. You’ll discover how to execute an efficient #sales strategy by finding and sharing #exhibit designs, marketing tips, setup instructions, and photos.

Every mission requires a plan to succeed, and EDS Boot Camp will give you the tools and knowledge necessary to accomplish your goals. Invest an hour. You’ll use the skills you learn for years to come. BE ALL YOU CAN “EDS” BE! — Questions? Contact Mel White (mel@classicexhibits.com)