A guest approaches the reception desk at a hotel and says to the desk manager, “Hi. I’d like a room for a week, perhaps longer.”
“Sure,” replies the desk manager.
“Will it be a single, double, or suite?”
“A single is fine.”
“Great. For a week, the price is $17,000. You’ll
have access to the room for 8-10 hours per day. ”
“Pardon me?” says the guest. “I don’t think I heard you correctly. I can only use the room for part of the day? What’s that all about? And what’s the deal on the price?”
“The price is the price. It’s non-negotiable. For security reasons, we limit access to your room. You wouldn’t want someone wandering into your room when you are not there.”
“Aren’t there locks on the door?”
“Oh no!” explains the desk manager.
“You can lock your valuables in the dresser or closet, but the room
doesn’t have a door.”
“Odd,” says the guest, “but I’ll take
the room.”
“Do you have any luggage?”
“Of course. It’s outside. I’ll go get it.”
“That’s not allowed!” shouts the desk manager. “We have a contractor who does that. They’ll get your luggage, bring it to your room, and remove it when you leave. It will cost between $3000-$15,000 depending on how much luggage you have and how much it weighs. Please pay the contractor directly for this service. Not me.”
“Anything else?” says the guest.
“Of course. Sheesh! It’s like you haven’t stayed at a hotel before. We have several contractors who specialize in unpacking and packing, including assembling your bed. You can choose the contractor you prefer. I’m assuming you’ll want electricity, a television, Internet, water, and cleaning services. Those are all separate fees from separate contractors.”
“So, the room doesn’t have a bed?” asks the
guest.
I’m assuming you’ll want electricity, a television, Internet, water, and cleaning services. Those are extra.
“Don’t be silly,” says the desk manager. “How would we ever know what type of bed you want? Only you know that. Although we’re happy to rent you a bed that’s been used by other guests for years. For all the services listed, you can expect to pay an additional $36,000.”
“To be honest with you, I thought this would be simple.
I have a big deal to close this week, so I guess I don’t really have much of a
choice. Does the hotel at least have a morning breakfast?”
“Absolutely. Here’s a menu and price list.
Please note that bottled water is $8, a large cup of coffee is $12, and a
sausage biscuit is $20. Also, if you bring any food to your room, we’ll charge
you a fee.”
The sausage biscuit is $20 or two for $36
“Well, I’m here so let’s get started,” says
the guest. “By the way, if I decide to stay another week, when do I need
to let you know.”
“Well, that’s complicated,” responds the desk manager.
“We only rent the property for a week. Then another company rents it next week. It changes all the time. You’ll have to start the process all over again if you decide to stay longer.”
“To be honest with you,” says the guest. “From the perspective of the customer paying the bill, this seems like a crazy way to run a business. And insanely expensive! Why would anyone stay at a hotel more than once?”
“Habit mostly. Guests who understand the process start by creating goals and a strategy for making money while they’re here. Others, like you my friend, arrive without a clue and probably will never come back. Which is fine. There’s always someone who needs a room for a week, even if they don’t know why. May I have your credit card? You may want to give me two or three since we’re likely to hit your limit.”
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Classic Exhibits Inc. designs and manufactures portable, modular, hybrid, and custom exhibit solutions, including Symphony Portable Displays. 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.
Trade show booth staffing should be easy. Tell the sales team to go to the show. Then invite someone from marketing or perhaps a go-getter from customer service. Ignore accounting, engineering, operations, and senior management. Easy peasy. And yet…
Consider this. Trade shows are expensive, chaotic, overwhelming, and confusing. They’re also an excellent venue for introducing products and services, meeting new clients, and generating business. Getting it right requires setting goals, creating a strategy, completing a list of tasks, and bringing the right team. The team matters.
Unfortunately, most trade show booth staffers don’t have a clue why they’re spending 5-6 hours a day for three days in their company’s exhibition booth. Fortunately, it isn’t hard to create an All-Star Booth Staff. It simply takes planning, communication, and discipline.
Key Considerations for Trade Show Staffing
Trade shows are a battlefield with winners and losers. On that battlefield, strategy and implementation outperforms brute strength every time. What are the goals? Is everyone clear about them? At a minimum, there should be a strategy and planning “booth camp” meeting before the show. Then, there should be alignment meetings every day before the show opens. Some companies even have meetings after the show hall closes to review leads, answer questions, and prepare for the next day.
When it comes to your trade show staff, you get what you tolerate. When you expect more, your team will rise to the challenge. Set clear expectations, communicate your goals, plan your strategy, and manage the environment, the days, and your post-show communication. It’s not easy, but your team (and your boss) will sing your praises when it’s “Go Time!”
8 Key Responsibilities for Any Trade Show Booth Staff
Generate Leads
Collect Data
Build Relationships
Promote Your Brand
Increase Sales
Improve Customer Service
Create a Positive Reputation
Learn about Customers, Competitors, and the Industry
Trade Show Booth Staffing Rules
Staffing is only as complicated as you make it. Let your trade show objectives guide you when making decisions on who to bring and how to achieve those objectives.
Rule #1: Knowledge
Not every booth staffer needs to know everything. Collectively, however, the team needs to know everything and know who’s the expert about every subject. The expert should be able to answer questions about that topic, as well as explain the features and benefits of your products or services.
Rule #2: Goals
Set clear goals for your booth staff. What do you hope to achieve by participating in the trade show? Then provide your staff with training on your products or services. This should include a thorough overview of your offerings, as well as any recent updates or changes.
Rule #3: It’s Not Over Until It’s Over
Provide your staff with feedback throughout the training process. This will help them to identify areas where they need improvement and make sure that they are on track to achieve their goals. Pre- and post-show staff meetings keep the team focused on the goals and address any concerns.
Rule #4: Explore
It’s not just about what’s happening in the booth. Give them time to explore the show floor, check out competitors, discover new suppliers, and meet with attendees at social events.
Rule #5: Have Fun!
Attending a trade show should be fun, and trade show booth staff training should be a positive experience for everyone involved. Make sure to create a relaxed atmosphere where your staff can learn and grow.
What to Look for in Trade Show Staff
Who should be there? That’s easy. Bring employees who know the products or services, who have charismatic people skills, who are personally invested in results, and who participate in pre-show planning or post-show implementation. Two out of four doesn’t cut it. A trade show isn’t a vacation. It’s a strategic investment. Your sales team may check all those boxes, but don’t be afraid to look for superstars in other departments who want to be at the show, understand the products and services, and will WOW! attendees.
In any pack, there are always the stragglers, the injured, and the just plain stupid. You can ignore them and allow them to be food for your competitors, or you can deal with the problem. The staffer who arrives late sweating tequila and lime, reeking of three cups of espresso, better have a good reason, like entertaining your key client until 4 am. Same with Susie Smartphone or Standing-on-the-Sidelines Sam. This isn’t a soccer tournament for 8-year-olds where everyone gets participation ribbons. It’s a competition where sales, money, and jobs are on the line. Everyone has to pull their share. At tough love companies, the Susies and the Sams get sent home via Greyhound with loose change for vending machine sandwiches.
Trade Show Event Staffing: How to Prep Your Team for Success
What they know is important. What they do with that knowledge is critical. You want the information dream team in your booth. Whatever the question, there’s someone there who has an answer, can get an answer, and lives to share that information.
Just knowing stuff isn’t enough. Each staffer must capture every sweet, savory nugget of information the attendee shares. Everyone thinks they’ll remember that game-changing conversation from Day 1. By Day 3, they couldn’t tell you their own spouse’s middle name even if you gave them the first three letters.
Trade shows are exhausting physically and mentally. There is zero chance you’ll remember the details even if you have an eidetic memory. Honestly, the lead retrieval system doesn’t matter. What matters is having a system your group understands and follows. You can’t be a namby-pamby about this. There should be consequences for not adhering to the information capture process.
Trade Show Staffing Strategy & Consulting with Classic Exhibits!
Booth staff training is an important competitive advantage. Yet, most companies ignore it or simply go through the motions. It’s not automatic. The same energy that went into designing the exhibit, creating the graphics, completing the forms, and arranging the travel and lodging should go into training. It doesn’t happen on its own and well-prepared exhibitors will always own the show floor over their lazy competitors.
Classic Exhibits has been designing and building solutions since 1993. We’ve been honored as an Exhibitor Magazine Find-It Top 40 Exhibit Producers and an Event Marketer Fab 50 Exhibit Builders multiple times. Along with numerous Portable Modular Awards. With over 200 Distributor Partners throughout North America, there’s a Classic representative close by to assist with any project. Contact us today whether you need an inline rental display, a double-deck island exhibit, or a contemporary kiosk rental. At Classic, we’re not just different. We’re better.
Exhibit Leader Insights, an Exhibitor Insights Report in partnership with The Exhibitor Advocate, Explori and Exhibitor Group, is a report based on a survey sent to exhibitors working currently in a range of industries with the aim of understanding:
The decision-making process for exhibitors: when planning their events program
How trade shows are perceived – and valued by exhibitors and their companies
How external and internal factors are shaping events programs, both now and in the future
According to the report, “Trade shows continue to provide value to exhibitors both as marketing and sales channels, and their worth is generally recognized by senior leadership teams – perhaps more so than before the pandemic.
However, there are some warning signs. Cost concerns cast a long shadow over the research. Exhibitors are clearly feeling squeezed by rising exhibit-related costs, and they are likely to attribute this to hikes in venue, organizer and contractor fees – rather than factors beyond the industry’s control, such as costof-living effects and broader economic forces.”
Download the Free PDF
To download the FREE Exhibit Leader Insights Report, click HERE. Below are select pages from the report.
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Classic Exhibits Inc. designs and manufactures portable, modular, hybrid, and custom exhibit solutions, including Symphony Portable Displays. 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.
A Trade Show Exhibitor walks into a bar and says to the bartender, “I’ve never been in a bar before, but a friend suggested I try the 20 x 20 Booth Space.”
“That’s a very popular drink,” says the bartender, “especially with my regular customers. The 20 x 20 Booth Space costs $34,000. If you are interested, I have some questions.”
“That seems very expensive,” the Exhibitor replies, “but I’m new to this so why not. What questions do you have?”
“First of all, do you want the Top Shelf liquor or the Bottom Shelf liquor for your 20 x 20 Booth Space?”
“What’s the difference?” asks the Exhibitor.
“Alcohol does the heavy-lifting or work in a drink, and the Booth Space requires several liquors. It’s not optional, but you do have choices on the quality. Top Shelf liquor has the most experience, having aged from 10-20 years. The quality is exceptional and the taste predictable. My best customers always ask for their favorite brand by name. The Bottom Shelf liquor can be cheaper, but it’s also raw, unfiltered, and unpredictable. I’ve received Bottom Shelf liquor aged less than a day, which is a little scary.”
“OK, I’ll have the Top Shelf then,” says the Exhibitor. “I don’t want surprises.”
“That will be an additional $8,000,” the bartender replies.
“What? The Booth Space drink doesn’t include the liquor?” asks the Exhibitor.
“Oh no, it’s extra. You’ll also need to decide on the mixers — like grenadine, club soda, vermouth — along with the fruit juice and slices, the straw, and an umbrella. Those prices are a la carte and will need to be purchased from the bar. You’re not allowed bring any of those in here.”
“How much are those?”
“Prices range from $1000 to over $10,000. Here’s something you’ll find amusing. Sometimes, I don’t know the prices when I’m mixing the drink, so I charge you after you’ve already finished it.”
“Anything else?” says the Exhibitor.
“You’ll be happy to know that we don’t charge for the glass.
That’s included, but we do charge for the weight of the glass, bringing you the
glass, taking it away, and then bringing it back to you.”
“Well, that shouldn’t be too expensive, right?”
“Actually” says the bartender sheepishly, “It’s not cheap, and the price can vary from week-to-week and depends on the size of the glass. Cocktail glasses are less expensive than highball glasses. Margarita glasses are the most expensive.”
“So, what are we talking about pricewise and why does the
glass fee cost so much?”
“For the 20 x 20 Booth Space drink, I would estimate $12,000 to $15,000. Maybe more. Honestly, the glass fee isn’t really about the glass or my bringing it to you. It covers the building rent, the furnishings, my salary and benefits, the carpet, the other employees you don’t see, and even our annual Holiday Party. It’s really a slush fund for everything else.”
“I had no idea a drink could be so expensive,” the Exhibitor
replies. “It seems like a complicated way to run a bar. I’d still like a drink,
however. Are there any cheaper options?
“Of course! You might be interested in the Show Rental Special. It comes in multiple sizes and flavors, and you don’t pay for all the extras we discussed before.”
“That’s great!” exclaims the Exhibitor. “Tell me more.”
“OK, do you see those tables over there? Earlier today, we had a large crowd that drank for hours. They were a rough bunch and did considerable damage. However, they left a lot of unfinished drinks. You can have any of those drinks for a reduced price but don’t mix them together. We don’t know how to charge for anything other than standard drinks.”
“Is that really an option? Who would want that?”
“Oh, you would be surprised. People come to bars for lots of reasons. Many come because they don’t know where else to go so they order whatever is the cheapest. They’re looking for the fastest, easiest, and simplest choice, even if it means drinking a Show Rental Special that someone ordered a few days ago. Honestly, we don’t even bother to clean the glasses anymore. Fortunately, we make lots of money on those customers so we’re not complaining.”
“My head is spinning,” says the Exhibitor. “Please tell me there’s a drink for someone like me who wants to come to a bar, drink from a clean glass, and pay one or two of the charges you’ve previously mentioned.”
“There is,” said the bartender. “We have customers who order the Portable/Modular. Generally, it’s a straightforward drink, although there are creative options for those with more sophisticated tastes. The other drinkers in the bar may turn up their nose when you order a Portable/Modular, but I run a no judgement bar so those customers are always welcome. I’ve learned they often order the more expensive drinks when they come back, if I treat them right.”
“I’ll have one of those,” the Exhibitor replied. “Is there
one that doesn’t require a glass and comes in its own container?”
“Yes, but now you’re killing me financially. Next, you’ll be
saying you’ll want to bring it into the bar from the outside. How’s that going
to work?”
“Hey, I appreciate all the helpful advice. I don’t fully
understand the business model, but you seem to be doing well. Does anyone ever
complain? And who do they complain to?”
“That’s the beauty of this business model,” says the
bartender. “They bitch and moan all the time, and I smile, pretend to care, and
go about my business. Fortunately, they rarely speak to the right people
because those people are somewhat invisible. They’re in charge of all this, but
they don’t ask too many questions or seek advice.”
“One last question. Does anyone ever come in the bar, chat with your customers, and never order a drink?”
“Yes, my customers are good about telling me when that happens, and I escort him or her out of the bar. They usually come back, and I must be more persuasive, if you know what I mean. Sadly, there’s always someone who wants to hang out in a bar, pester my customers about their life, and not buy anything.”
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Classic Exhibits Inc. designs and manufactures portable, modular, hybrid, and custom exhibit solutions, including Symphony Portable Displays. 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.
The 5 Cs — Capacity, Control, Cost, Convenience, and Creativity
At Classic Exhibits, we’ve learned a few things over the past 30 years. For one, everyone wants to be in control. In our business that means the design, project management, construction, staging, and delivery of their client’s display.
However, we can’t do everything which requires trusting others to be responsible. Ideally, we want them to care just as much as we do about each project and client.
At Classic, our business depends on earning the trust of our distributor partners. When they trust us, they’re much more likely to send us their projects (outsource), rather than handle it themselves (in-house). So, why should you send your next order to Classic?
Below are “5 Reasons Why Sending Your Purchase or Rental Project to Classic Exhibits Might Be the Smartest Decision You Ever Make for Your Mental Health and Financial Bottomline.” Or for the sake of simplicity, “The 5 Cs” — Capacity, Control, Cost, Convenience, and Creativity.
C1. Capacity by Harold Mintz
The sale you’ve been working on for the past two months just closed. Congratulations! It’s beautiful, functional, and if all goes well, it’s going to be profitable.
For many, the natural instinct would be to place this beefy 20×20 island onto your shop’s production schedule. After all, the clock started ticking as soon as you accepted that 50% deposit, and you now have less than two months until it needs to be in Orlando for NMB (National Mustache Bache).
While your production team is more than capable of building this booth, you’re also in the midst of one of our industry’s busy seasons and time is tight. If only you could wave your magic wand and find more craftspeople, more space, more machines, more material. Basically, find more capacity.
Abracadabra! Done!
Did you know that for 30 years Classic Exhibits has been the exhibit industry’s premier private-label builder for Partners just like you? Classic has your extra craftspeople, space, and machines. Classic is your MORE CAPACITY!
So, when your production schedule starts looking like a traffic jam, take a deep breathe and RELAX.Our capacity is YOUR capacity.
C2. Control by Gina Porcaro
We can all agree, losing control can be uncomfortable. There’s the “fear of the unknown,” the “what ifs?” and the “if I do it, I know it will be done right.”
However, losing control can sometimes be the best decision you’ve ever made, especially when you realize what you have “lost” control of is in the capable and talented hands of a trusted partner. Classic Exhibits is an award-winning custom builder, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with the best exhibit builders in the industry.
What if you could provide the same quality to your clients from start to finish? What if that partner is behind the scenes and an extension of your business? Where you can send a purchase order and artwork and then, a few weeks later, like magic, you receive finished staging photos, branded instructions, and crates with your logo. Soon after, the exhibit arrives at the show site. If this sounds like minimal work, low risk, and guaranteed profitability, then you would be right.
Classic has the talent, expertise, and craftsmanship to not only meet, but most likely exceed your expectations. Go ahead… lose control with us!
C3. Cost by Tom Beard
What’s the cost to outsource vs. in-source an exhibit build?
Outsourcing needs to be evaluated in three ways: the outsource partner’s capabilities, actual dollar cost, and your overall risk tolerance. Each is important.
Capabilities – First and foremost, you need an outsource partner that has the production capabilities to meet or exceed your own in-house capabilities. Classic Exhibits has cost-effective solutions for both smaller projects and larger custom builds, all in-house. The last thing you want is to outsource a project to multiple partners for wall systems, custom work, or graphics since it’s rarely cost effective.
Dollar Costs – When building in-house, you’re tapping into your design, estimating, purchasing, project management, detailing, production, staging, shipping, and accounting. When outsourcing to Classic Exhibits, your costs are largely redirected to other projects since Classic fulfills those roles. Then there’s efficiency. We can’t be experts at everything. You may be an expert at building a large custom exhibit… but building an inline or small island? The final product will undoubtedly be amazing but at what cost in time, people, materials, and lost opportunities?
Risk Tolerance – This is a hidden cost. Let’s break it down into two scenarios.
#1. An existing client comes to you with a project that might be considered too small to handle in-house (dollar size or booth size). You need to evaluate how to protect this client and preserve the business. Do you allow your client to go to a competitor or is the real solution to partner with a builder like Classic?
#2. Your AE has landed a promising long-term prospect, but your shop is swamped with work and the project is too small to consider both in size and return, Is this 10 x 20 client the next Microsoft? The margins on the first project may be small but will this prospect turn into a long-term client with multiple opportunities? Classic can produce custom in-lines that allow you to bring a small client on board cost-effectively.
Give us a try. We are more than happy to quote your project so you can compare margins.
C4. Convenience by Mel White
Convenience: Something (such as an appliance, device, or service) conducive to comfort or ease.
Did you know there are 150,764 convenience stores in the United States. That’s approximately (1) convenience store for every 2,200 people. That’s a lot of coffee, gas, and honey buns.
We love convenience. And why shouldn’t we. Our lives are
busy and when we can achieve the same result faster or easier, it makes sense. Yet,
as I’ve learned over the past twenty years working in the exhibit industry, “easy
and fast” sometimes takes a backseat to “slow and control” even when the easy
path is more profitable.
Three Examples of Easy and Fast vs. Slow and Control
A. Everyone has their weaknesses. We can’t all be superstars at everything. If your primary business is designing and building large custom exhibits, then designing smaller portable and modular displays can be a distraction. However, those clients, whether they’re existing ones or potential ones, represent opportunities. Having a trusted partner design and build those projects with minimal effort on your part is convenient.
B.Designing and building a website is hard. Maintaining one is even harder. Sites with hundreds of products are challenging as manufacturers add, modify, or discontinue items. Even revising prices can be an agonizing and painful task. When a supplier provides a “ready-made” solution, it means giving up control for convenience. It’s a difficult choice even when it makes more sense financially not to invest time, energy, and resources into website maintenance.
C. Estimating expenses is challenging. Design, detailing, project management, and staging are expenses for any exhibit company. You try to build-in those costs, but not every project goes according to plan. Those unexpected costs lower the final margin. When those tasks are handled by a supplier, unpredictability shifts to them, assuming you’ve met your responsibilities to the vendor. Your margin remains consistent and predictable. Predictability is a convenience and a benefit that’s often not overlooked.
When all things are equal, convenience should be at the top of your list. It will make your life easier and more productive.
C5. Creativity by Katina Rigall Zipay
Classic’s Creative Design team can tackle any project – small to large, simple to complex. Take a look at Exhibit Design Search, our online search tool. You’ll see the wide range of sizes and degrees of customization. All of these designs sprang from the minds of our creative team and represent a small sample of our design capabilities. Our designers have decades of combined experience, are experts at designing with Classic’s systems, and love to create custom solutions.
If your company doesn’t have a designer on staff, or if you typically work with a contract designer, consider Classic as a option. Or if your staff does include designers, consider using a Classic designer when you are at capacity, or you want a design that utilizes specific Classic systems. Our team knows the Classic product lines. We know how to push the limits to create unique design solutions from our products. Plus we know the custom capabilities in our wood fab and metal shops and often collaborate with our production technicians on solutions.
Communication, flexibility, and creativity should go hand-in-hand. Every week, our designers work with other designers, account managers, project managers, and even end-users. In fact, did you know we are happy to join conference calls with you and your client, acting as YOUR designer? We are on your team and want nothing more than to help you get the sale.
I encourage you to use our creativity as a tool in your toolbox! Contact us at design@classicexhibits.com.
Conclusion
You have choices, not only to build it yourself but also to send it to another supplier. After 30 years, we’ve understand that our reputation depends on the project you sent us last month and the one you send us next month. It’s earned job-by-job, success-by-success. Sometimes that’s a tabletop. Other times it’s a custom 40 x 50 island. We welcome the chance to be your designer and builder.
Classic Exhibits Inc. designs and manufactures portable, modular, hybrid, and custom exhibit solutions, including Symphony Portable Displays. 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.
