Trade Show TalesBlog

Why I Attend Trade Shows — Love on Aisle #600

May 21st, 2011 Mel White 8 COMMENTS
Love on Aisle #600 -- Trade Shows and Events

Love on Aisle #600 -- Trade Shows and Events

Shame. Shame, Shame. Get your mind out of the gutter. This is neither a steamy romance nor an even steamier fantasy. This is about the love of trade shows and why you, me, or anyone else attends them.

Over the years, I’ve read more articles than I’d care to admit about why trade shows are important, why exhibit marketing is effective, and why we MUST attend them. They make sense, in the same way that taking vitamins makes sense. On some level you know it can’t hurt and it’s good for you, even if you can’t always measure the results. I could give you the typical sales and marketing reasons to attend, but I won’t. Instead, I’ll share nine reasons why I attend trade shows. It may not be as informative, but it will be a lot more interesting.

Reason #1: I have to. I work for a trade show exhibit designer and manufacturer. Even worse, I co-manage the business so I can’t even pretend to hate trade shows, even if I did. Which I don’t. (Just in case my boss reads this, let me repeat, “I enjoy attending trade shows!”)

Reason #2: I get to see family, friends, and acquaintances. That’s a big deal to me. Until about two years ago, my brother lived in Las Vegas. Attending a trade show in Vegas was an excuse to see my brother. When TS2 was in Philadelphia, I had dinner with my old college roommate. Mostly, I get to see colleagues and industry suppliers whom I’ve known for years. Since I don’t travel quite as much as I used to, the shows are an excuse to chat about business and politics, to have a drink or two, and to gossip, learn, and enjoy.

Red vs. Blue

Reason #3: Competitors. They are there, just like you, with the latest and greatest. Even if you don’t get to see all the whiz-bang cool stuff, you get a sense of what direction they are headed. Are they moving upstream? Downstream? Are they investing in R&D? Who’s hanging out in their booth this year? Who’s not? I never understand why companies forbid their employees from chatting with competitors. Obviously, you have to be smart about what you do or do not share, but from my experience, most competitors are friendly, and the stories, observations, and lies you share are at worse harmless and at best enlightening. And to those not so friendly competitors . . . your paranoia will shorten your life by about 10 years.

Reason #4: I love walking the show floor because there are so many folks with encyclopedic knowledge about an industry. I attended my first trade show in 1994, about a month after starting as the marketing director for an exhibit manufacturer. The owner, a man who knew everyone at the show, introduced me to what seemed like hundreds of people. As we walked the show, he shared his knowledge about the industry, the history of the various companies, and the benefits and features of the products. What I learned by walking the show, both on my own and with him, compressed my learning curve by a good year. I could have never gotten the same information without attending the show.

Reason #5: Ink pens. My wife is a writer. She loves pens, all kinds of pens, but mostly fat pens. I score major points whenever I bring home 3-4 cheap trade show pens, especially if they have some kind of gimmick (and are fat).

Reason #6: Trade shows are an amazing buffet of new ideas. How can you not be impressed by the collective creativity? Whether it’s EuroShop in Germany or the local Business-to-Business show by the Chamber, I always discover new products, services, presentations, trinkets, and people. Even if I’m not looking for something specific, I usually find something worth pursuing after the show that will benefit our business or our customers. Would a virtual trade show offer the same experience? Perhaps, but I doubt it.

Reason #7: Customers. Trade shows are a lot like annual employee performance reviews. There should be no surprises, unless they’re positive. If you dread attending your annual industry trade show because of customer complaints, then your company is in serious trouble. I attend for just the opposite reason. Like Reason #2, I really enjoy meeting customers, talking about their businesses, learning about the challenges in their markets, and hearing about their lives. I know it’s a cliché, but shaking someone’s hand and looking them in the eye changes everything. Sure there may be a negative here and there, but it’s mostly all positive. Over the years, I can only count a few times, working with various companies, that I haven’t left a show feeling upbeat.

What? No Sewing Kit!

Reason #8: Hotel/Motel Toiletries. Actually, I don’t really care about the shampoo or the conditioner, but I hoard the little soaps. I am cheap, but that’s not the reason. I can’t stand the liquid soap at the gym where I am a member, and over the years I’ve probably left over a 100 bars of soap at the gym because I’m absent-minded. The mini-motel soaps are perfect. I don’t care if I leave them, and I don’t care about the brand.

Reason #9: Potential Customers. Next to chatting with existing customers, potential customers are my favorite reason to participate in trade shows. You get to see your company and your booth through their eyes. Is your product and service relevant to them? What interests them? What have they seen at the show that appeals to them? What does the future hold for them? For you? Far too many exhibitors are simply carnival barkers with more teeth and less visible tattoos. They want to close the sale, not create a relationship. That’s unfortunate because no one wants to be assaulted at a show. “Listen and Learn” is my mantra at every show.

Reason #10: For purely selfish reasons, I need a #10 to complete the list. Please take a moment and share your reason for attending/participating in trade shows. Why do you love to stroll down Aisle #600?

— Mel White

Additional Blog Entries:
10 Quick Tips for Any Trade Show Novice
Trade Shows as First Dates

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Classic Exhibits Welcomes Display Supply & Lighting to EDS

May 21st, 2011 Mel White COMMENTS
Display Supply and Lighting

New Galleries in EDS

Lighting and Exhibit and Electrical Supplies Galleries

Classic Exhibits Inc., a designer and manufacturer of portable, modular, and custom hybrid displays, announces the addition of Display Supply & Lighting’s (DS&L) products to Exhibit Design Search. Exhibit Design Search (EDS) is a comprehensive web-based search tool for trade show displays and accessories, and includes over 1400 displays, 2000 photos, and 50 trade show articles. Most Classic Distributors have branded versions of EDS on their websites.

The two new galleries, Lighting and Exhibit and Electrical Supplies, supplement the existing 26 display galleries by adding a complete line of halogen, LED, fluorescent, and incandescent lights to the search database, along with display needs like Velcro® brand products, multi-outlet strips, and replacement cords.

DS&L joins four other vendors as strategic partners in Exhibit Design Search. Those partners include Eco-systems Sustainable Exhibits, Optima Graphics, Brumark Flooring, and Classic Exhibits. Each partner contributes to and manages galleries that reflect their expertise and product lines. Classic Distributors benefit from a “one-stop shop” on their website and can order products directly from each strategic partner.

According to Rob Cohen, Vice President of DS&L, “DS&L is excited to support the efforts of our partners to market solutions using technology in sustainable, cost-effective tools like EDS. Classic Exhibits has built an effective portal that allows distributors and their customers to easily learn more about, and select, products that meet their needs, and we are proud to be a part of that solution.”

“We are delighted to partner with DS&L,” says Kevin Carty, VP of Sales at Classic Exhibits. “This collaboration reflects our core philosophy of “Shared Success,” in which we work with industry leaders to create best-in-class solutions for our distributors and their customers. For customers, Exhibit Design Search makes it easy to find the right products at the right price using a web-based search tool that promotes the brands that matter – our distributor’s brands. In this way, we win, our customers win, and our suppliers win.”

For questions about Classic Exhibits or Exhibit Design Search, contact Mel White, VP of Marketing and Business Development at mel@classicexhibits.com or 503.652-2100 x-210. For more information about Classic Exhibits, refer to www.classicexhibits.com or www.classicmodul.com.

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

Based in Portland, Oregon, Classic Exhibits Inc. designs and manufacturers portable, modular, and custom-hybrid exhibit solutions. These solutions include the Perfect 10, Sacagawea, Magellan, Euro LT, and Visionary Designs. The Classic line also includes ClassicMODUL Aluminum Extrusions with over 200 profiles and hundreds of accessories for trade show, museum, architectural, and retail environments. Classic Exhibits products are represented by an extensive distributor network throughout North America and in select International markets.

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Trade Shows as First Dates

May 10th, 2011 Mel White COMMENTS
Trade Show as First Date

Trade Shows as First Dates

Are You Nervous?

Trade shows are like first dates, first meetings, or job interviews. These “firsts” can scare the bejesus out of you. They should. No matter how well you prepare, the unknowns trump the knowns by a ratio of about 10,000 to 1. If you’ve ever been on a blind date, or even a first date with someone you’ve just met, you know that a date is about being the person you strive to be, not the person you are.

Of course, not everyone has the gumption, the imagination, or the self-awareness to lift their game to the next level. Some people never grasp that first impressions are lasting impressions. They wear scuffed shoes to the job interview, slouch in the chair, chew gum, or dress inappropriately. They make the decision easy for the interviewer. On that important first date, when every word and every gesture is scrutinized, they monopolize the conversation, talk with their mouth full of food, and tell jokes that would offend Andrew Dice Clay.

I suspect, however, that most of us strive to make a positive first impression. After all, we want to be liked and we want to be respected. In a typical social situation, we engage others in conversation in order to learn about their lives and to share ours.

Looking Good

Then why do so many trade show exhibits stink and so many trade show booth staffers stink even more. For the vast majority of attendees, their first impression of you is based on your display. It’s their first date, your first interview, and the first meeting for both of you. Walk the typical trade show, whether it’s a Chamber of Commerce “Meet and Greet” or your industry’s lollapalooza in Las Vegas, Orlando, or Chicago. About 50 percent of the exhibits are creative, targeted, and well-planned. The booth staff understands their roles and makes every effort to behave like outstanding role models. No inappropriate scratching, no Starbucks coffee cups littering the display, no obsessive Crackberry distractions. They are there to work the show and understand that during show hours they are on stage and every interaction is a performance.

Looking Bad

Ralph and Alf

Alf and Ralph

And then there are the other 50 percent. Let’s start with the booth. Ttoo often it’s bulletin board artwork stuck to a booth built by the Alf and Ralph, the Monroe Brothers on Green Acres. Or if it’s a professionally designed exhibit, it’s long in the tooth, damaged, and the exhibit equivalent of Archie’s jalopy sitting on cinder blocks. Now that may be acceptable at the local hobby fair, but wearing the trade show equivalent of a lime green leisure suit at the Governor’s Ball is tacky (funny but still tacky). It screams, “I just don’t care.” Now you may be comfortable on your first date with a piece of kale stuck to your front teeth, but even if your date has matching green dental jewelry, chances are there will not be a second date. Trade shows are expensive, but the actual display is usually the least expensive investment over 2-3 years. So invest wisely.

Behaving Badly

Now the booth staff. This is almost too easy. So rather than riff on the stereotypical cell phone chatting, Motrin popping from a hangover, couldn’t give a rat’s @$$ booth staffers, let’s take the high road. The reason too many exhibits are staffed with the wrong people is simple. They are the wrong people. They don’t have a vested interest in the company’s success, they aren’t knowledgeable, and they aren’t “people” people. Trade shows are not magazine ads or television spots. They are face-to-face sales opportunities. How often have you been to a Chamber of Commerce mixer and the local bank’s display is staffed by a teller? The teller is pleasant and pleasant-looking, but he/she doesn’t know anything about the bank’s loan programs, CD rates, or charitable programs. The teller shouldn’t be there. The local branch manager should be. Pamphlets, key chains, and a big smile are not replacements for one-on-one knowledge.

Ideally, your trade show staffing should have senior management participation. They have the knowledge and the vested interest. Too often, however, they wander the show floor like a band middles-school bullies whispering snide comments about competitors, eating candy, and planning the evening’s activities. Never underestimate the power of a title. And unless your senior management is poison, meeting the CEO or President of a company in their booth can turn “interest” into an “order” almost immediately.

Want to succeed at your next trade show? Treat it like a first date. Look your best and mind your manners. Remember that first impressions are lasting impressions. And no matter how tempting that kale omelet looks for breakfast, it’s probably a good idea to select the oatmeal instead.

Related Posts:

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

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A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words: Word on the Street — May 2nd thru May 6th

May 6th, 2011 Mel White COMMENTS
A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words

Word on the Street by Kevin Carty

A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words

This week, I was on the road visiting new and potential distributors for Classic and ClassicMODUL. Meeting with these folks reminded me of the power of photos in our business. Frankly, I take photos for granted since we take multiple shots of every display we build. I assume other manufacturers do the same thing. It makes sense. Photos document the order and serve as a convenient point of reference if there are questions once the exhibit arrives or several years later when the client wants to modify the design or reorder parts.

Photos are such a day-to-day occurrence for us that I’m always a little surprised by a distributor’s reaction during a presentation. During the meeting, we invariably head to Classic’s website, or if they have Exhibit Design Search, to their website. We review the product lines and/or changes and at some point, we click on the photos button either on the home page or on a Design Detail page. That’s when the magic happens.

Potential distributors are always stunned that there are photos of kits; in fact, that there are multiple photos of actual orders. Then, once we dive a little deeper, they are delighted “slash” shocked that there are literally thousands of photos dating back to September 2006 . . . and that they can search, filter, and sort these photos. The next shock comes when they realize that these photos are not hidden behind a password protected site and that the photos can be emailed from their address using the “Email Image” tool.

Some of you may know the history of Past Five Days (P5D), our photo database, but for those who don’t I’ll share it.

P5D History

Past Five Days Photos

Past Five Days Photos

On 09/23/06, we started an experiment when we launched Past Five Days (P5D). We decided to publish photos of exhibits, components, and accessories on Classic Exhibits. Mostly, we used the photos taken in our QC Setup Area, but occasionally we used photos from the Rental Setup area. We couldn’t publish every exhibit, which would be unrealistic, but we did want to show representative designs in as close to real time as possible. At the time, it seemed risky for two reasons.

  1. We would be showing exhibits, not as perfect renderings or as show photos, polished to perfection just minutes before the trade show opens, but as exhibits often without the final graphics and the client’s product accessories and collateral.
  2. We would be sharing new designs and innovations with anyone who happened to click on Past Five Days. Including our competitors. However, we quickly realized that the benefit of sharing far out weighed the risk of espionage.

Five years later, P5D seems obvious. Distributors and clients get to see photos in addition to renderings, even if those photos are of displays still in production. Renderings are the lifeblood of the exhibit design process. They allow us to illustrate concepts relatively quickly, in both the purchase and design phase.  But renderings are renderings. Photos are photos. We need to see both in order to make intelligent decisions about which display to purchase and which exhibit manufacturer to purchase from.

Many of you visit P5D at least once a week to review new projects. For those who don’t, we encourage you to take a peek once in a while. You’ll be surprised at the variety of orders flowing through our shop. Yes, there are the standards, such as Sacagawea, Magellan, and Perfect 10 kits, but you’ll also see islands, custom workstations and counters, unique Aero Hanging Sign orders, and recently, Eco-systems Sustainable projects. Plus, if you enjoy graphic design, you’ll see how others present their message . . . both successfully and occasionally, not so successfully.

Hope you all have a restful weekend.

Be well.

–Kevin Carty

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

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Who is Optima Graphics (and Why are We so Darn Shy)?

May 5th, 2011 Mel White COMMENTS
Gary Camarato, Optima Graphics

Gary Camarato, Guest Post

We Work Hard at Not Getting in the Way

Who is Optima Graphics? It’s simple, we are the wholesale graphics supplier to the trade show industry that helps you retain customers and grow your business. It sounds so mundane, but we listen to you, stay out-of-your-way, break the rules, provide you more time to sell, bring experience to your project and much more. Our behind-the-scenes business philosophy keeps your brand upfront with trade show consumers and keeps our brand out-of-sight. Think of Optima as an extension of your business, your own private factory. You sell exhibits, and we make sure you get those repeat sales from your client. Call us shy? I don’t know, some may refer to this approach as smart.  After all, you’re better at what you do, leaving us to focus on one thing — custom graphics.

What You Really Need to Do is . . .

Sure, we hear a lot of practical advice about why or how we need to conduct our business:

What’s wrong with you?, Do you realize what a terrible SEO your website has? How do I purchase from this VisProducts site? Why can’t I buy from you? Pricing in inches? This is madness . . . we have heard it all at Optima.

Madness — What are You Talking About?

I hear this all the time, mainly because I figure if you talk enough you’re bound to say something. Oh, wait, Optima madness… indeed.

Maybe it’s not madness, shyness, shymadness — Maybe, just maybe, it’s a manifestation of counterculture business practices that over time just ended up working for all of us.  A little luck perhaps, hardly the traditional approach. Yes, counterculture — No, we’re not talking about making our fortune from the buying and selling of canned corn at a Phish concert. We’re talking about going our own way while staying out-of-the way of our customers. A customer-centric culture spawned in the afterglow of the product-centric 80’s.  Kind of like that little dog that pulls the sleigh in the original animated Dr. Seuss Grinch cartoon. Yeah, like that dog. Stay out-of-the way and in the end it all works out.

Fearless Selling

Fearless Selling

Show Some Backbone! Buy the Shirt!!!

Go out there and sell that trade show display. Do it without fear of loosing your customer because as the saying goes, sell that display fearlessly: Fearless Selling. It’s the aggressive version of peace-of-mind. You can do it, sell it, put graphics on it, and walk away with that peace-of-mind that your graphics supplier isn’t going to pirate your client. Well, at least it’s the case if you choose Optima. We stay-out-of-your-way. There it is again. I keep typing that.

Here’s the thing — by staying off the beaten path, your customers buy from you, a one-stop source for their display. Consulting, designing, hardware, software, graphics, lighting, show management. You get the point. We help make the graphics portion a lot easier on you.

We Know Our Stuff

We’ve been doing this stuff for a long time . . .custom graphics of all kinds for over 20 years! All our graphics are handcrafted by a crack team of artisans. I know that sounds crazy, but we can prove it. Visit us and see for yourself — if you can find us.

Seriously, we know our stuff — Fantastic products such as dye sublimation, direct-to-substrate UV/Solvent printing, Lambda laser photographic, vinyl and more. Turnaround and shipping discounts that make our bottom line the real value. In fact, our turnaround is per your request. Our customers invented that idea! How do we do it? Three shifts a day, five days a week, our artisans, listen to you, stay out of-your-way and provide you more time to sell. Ever feel you’re spending too much time babysitting an order with your vendor? With Optima you won’t. Our staff understands the value of your time.

True Value

There’s a little more — Stuff like our No-Hassle Lifetime Warranty on all portable hardware items, custom graphics for absolutely any structure, a dizzying array of fabric and substrates to choose from, and our best value to you:  Optima Customer Service. Our Customer Service team is the best in the industry. Maybe any industry. I have no reservations about this claim, not one.

Contact Optima Graphics for more information at 800-844-8877 or visit www.optimagfx.com.

Let’s work together to grow your business. Call us on your project and start spending more time selling exhibits and less time babysitting your graphics. If we get really big some day, we might even start giving away those Selling Fearless t-shirts — but you’ll have to know someone to get one.

–Gary Camarato, Creative Director
gcamarato@optimagfx.com

Optima Graphics operates exclusively on a “Wholesale to The Trade” basis. We only sell to trade show manufacturers. This is our only business. Our goal is to make you look good to your customer without them knowing we exist.

Optima Corporate Headquarters

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