Trade Show TalesBlog

I Heart Knobs — Magellan and Sacagawea Displays

November 23rd, 2009 COMMENTS

knobLet me begin by saying, this is probably more information than you need to know about knobs. But . . . .

Effective immediately, Sacagawea and Magellan Hybrid Displays are “knobbier.” Don’t shake your finger at me, “knobbier” is the correct term. I should know . . . I coined it.

What’s the difference between a tool-less knob system, such as the Perfect 10 trade show display, and “knobbier” systems like Sacagawea and Magellan? Depending on the configuration, about 2 to 10 knobs.

Confused? The Perfect 10 and Perfect 20 Displays require no tools to engage the MODUL locks. The T-knobs replace the hex key tool for all the 90 degree and straight connections. Replacing the hex key tool for knobs on the Sacagawea and Magellan has proven to be more problematic since these systems use a larger MODUL lock for the 90 degree connections. A larger lock requires a larger knob, which has its own complications. For nearly a year, we searched for the ideal knob — it had to be relatively small but with enough surface area to maximize torque. We sampled knobs from Europe, Canada, USA, and China. Lots and lots of failures. But, eventually, we discovered one clear winner (after tweaking the mold to meet our specifications).

Now back to the “knobbier” issue. The Sacagawea and the Magellan are now ALL knobs, except for:

  • Attaching the base plates (Sacagawea)
  • Attaching the support legs (Magellan Miracle)
  • Attaching the workstation and counter top
  • Assembling the pedestals

In a nutshell, the backwall has gotten simplier and faster to assemble, because it’s even knobbier than before. Ideally, this would be the perfect spot to link to a “How To” video showing the Magellan Miracle assembly, but we don’t have an updated version yet. So, for now, here’s a link to a PDF showing the VK-1062 set-up instructions for the Miracle. The Sacagawea kits are very similar.

Let us know if you have any questions.

–Mel White
http://www.linkedin.com/in/melmwhite
mel@classicexhibits.com
Classic Exhibits Network (LinkedIn)

Word on the Street — November 16th thru November 20th

November 21st, 2009 COMMENTS
Word on the Street by Kevin Carty

Word on the Street by Kevin Carty

Get LinkedIn with the Classic Exhibits Network

I’m sure many of you are already in LinkedIn, but do you use it consistently? And what does that mean?

I am on LinkedIn everyday, including weekends. Not because I am some obsessive compulsive personality or anything. Rather, it has proven to be a great source of information. It’s a place where I can keep up with the pulse of the industry in “snapshot” style.

There are several industry groups that you may want to consider joining and following. Some of my favorites are Exhibitor, TS2, EDPA and TSEA.

On Friday, we added a group for Classic Exhibits, called the Classic Exhibits Network. It’s for Classic Exhibits distributors, strategic partners, vendors, and employees. I encourage you to join our group, as well as the others mentioned. And follow them for a couple months and see if you agree with me that they keep you up to date with industry news and discussions.

If you are already active in LinkedIn, let me know what you think of it. Is it useful?

You comments are appreciated.

Have a safe and restful weekend!

–Kevin Carty

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

Classic Exhibits Receives Patents on Perfect 10 Hybrid Display System

November 20th, 2009 COMMENTS

Perfect 20 Portable Hybrid Display

PORTLAND, OR – Classic Exhibits Inc., a designer and builder of portable, modular, and custom hybrid displays, has received two patents on the Perfect 10 Hybrid Display System. The Perfect 10 and Perfect 20 systems were introduced at EXHIBITOR 2008. Classic was awarded both a design patent and a utility patent from the United States Patent and Trademark Office. These patents cover, among other design and construction details, the Perfect 10’s unique reverse “S” shape and its modular, no-tools assembly. Additional patent applications are currently in process in the European Community.

According to Kevin Carty, VP of Sales, “From the moment we began designing the Perfect 10, we knew we had a system that would stun the industry and set new standards for portable hybrid displays. The Perfect 10’s curves, portability, tension fabric graphics, and easy assembly made it uniquely different. There’s nothing like the Perfect 10 anywhere in the world. But we wanted to be smart and ensure that the shape and function were protected. We’ve all seen designs quickly spread through the industry without any patent protection.”

The Perfect 10 is available in 14 designs, starting with the “Ava” and progressing to “Nina.” There are also four Perfect 20 designs and five Banner Station configurations. For more information, view Perfect 10 details and download literature at http://www.classicexhibits.com/perfect-10-portable-hybrid-displays.

Word on the Street — November 9th thru November 13th

November 14th, 2009 3 COMMENTS
Word on the Street by Kevin Carty

Word on the Street by Kevin Carty

Love thy Neighbor (Unless They Own a ’79 Chevette on Cinder Blocks) 

Most neighborhood developments in America since the early ’90’s have covenants. These covenants specify what you can and can not do to your house, your lawn, and even whether you can park your land yacht in your  driveway or paint your house bright pink. Why do neighborhoods impose these covenants? Basically, so you do not end up living next to neighbor with 4 ft. tall grass, plastic pink flamingos, and a ’79 Chevette on cinder blocks.

I propose that we consider similar guidelines for the trade show floor.

This past week, I walked the Greenbuild Show in Phoenix. Let me start off by saying that the show was gorgeous — It was seriously one of the most beautiful and well-managed events I have attended in years. Kudos to Champion Exposition Services for putting on such a great event. Kudos to most of the exhibitors for their creative and stunning exhibits.

However, like all shows, there were still some black eyes. On Wednesday, Tim Morris,  the President of Eco-systems Sustainable Displays, and I walked the floor for most of the day. And we both had a few moments where we shuddered a bit. I’m not including photos to protect the exhibitors in question, but man-o-man were there some doozies!

We were walking down an aisle filled with beautiful 10 x 10 and 10 x 20 inlines, mainly hybrid display systems, when we came upon Mr. Blue Fabric Pop Up planted between two of the most spectacular 10 x 20 inline exhibits on the aisle. Well, this pop-up looked like a dress shirt that had been balled up in the closet for about 24 months! Panels were wrinkled to the point that I am pretty sure they were folded and not rolled. Detachable graphics were nothing more than printed pieces of paper that had been stapled into place . . . CROOKED! And the topper (pun intended) was the header graphic . . . or lack thereof. It was the black and white sign provided by show services, hung haphazardly and off-center.

Now, I realize that we are in a rough economy and that people are pinching pennies — but REALLY!?!?

As Tim and I walked past, we couldn’t help but comment to the other exhibitors. They were not amused by Mr. Blue Fabric Pop Up. Their exhibits were beautiful and their neighbor was a ’79 Chevette on cinder blocks.  It really did detract from their professional exhibits, and, it seriously made people walking past not want to engage the exhibitors surrounding Mr. Blue Fabric Pop Up. We watched it happen.

I know it’s a slippery slope, but I really think there should be some basic “aesthetic” guidelines that exhibitors must adhere to.

What do you think? And please share your examples of Mr. Blue Pop Up. Photos are optional.

Have a safe and restful weekend!

–Kevin Carty

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

What Does a Distributor Want from a Manufacturer?

November 11th, 2009 2 COMMENTS
Reid Sherwood, National Sales Manager

Reid Sherwood, National Sales Manager

I have been involved in the distributor/manufacturer relationship all my business life, except for a two-year stint in retail auto parts during college. In those two years, I learned that I don’t ever want to be in retail again. First of all, I love spending Saturday afternoons watching college football and basketball. Second, retail hours are insane, especially from Thanksgiving to Christmas.

For the last 24 years, I have been employed by manufacturers selling primarily to distributors. Currently, I serve as the National Sales Manager for Classic Exhibits and ClassicMODUL Aluminum Extrusions. My job takes me on the road . . . a lot. Typically, I travel anywhere from 30-50 percent of the time, often leaving on a Sunday afternoon and not returning until Friday evening. Over those years, working primarily in the trade show industry, I have literally spent years with distributors. I would hope that sitting in front of distributors and listening to them critique, complain, admonish, and praise manufacturers has given me a unique perspective. I may not build the exhibit or manage their projects, but I’m the guy who often takes the heat if something goes awry. It’s then that you learn, during those critical moments, what the distributor expects from the manufacturer — day after day, month after month, and (hopefully) year after year.

Honesty

Honesty seems to be a bit of a cliché’, but it is still the crux of every business relationship. From a distributor’s perspective, there’s one unbreakable rule that the manufacturer is never, ever allowed to break: DON’T sell direct to end users . . . EVER. It’s the kiss of death. As a manufacturer, if you have to stop and concoct a story to justify your actions for selling direct, then the damage is done and probably cannot be repaired. Both of my previous two employers, Classic Exhibits and Optima Graphics, do not sell direct. They respect the services and knowledge that distributors contribute and recognize that they, as a manufacturer, do not have the same skill sets.

Transparency 

Honesty and transparency are slightly different. You expect your manufacturer to be honest, but you are surprised when your manufacturer is transparent. Transparency suggests the manufacturer views the distributor not merely as a customer but also as a partner. It implies their futures are intertwined and that by sharing information and knowledge that they are more likely to be successful together. At Classic, we pride ourselves on our transparency. If you ask us a question (with the exception of sales figures), we will answer it, whether it reveals our beauty marks or our age spots. To distributors, this simple open dialogue goes a long way towards creating a shared bond, a partnership.

InnovationInnovation

Distributors (exhibit sales offices in this case) want to be on the cutting edge. Years ago it was exclusivity. In today’s world, it is service, design, or sometimes price. Distributors expect manufacturers to react to market changes and to create new, exciting products or designs. Every sales person wants a reason to contact their customer. The easiest way, without a doubt, is to be able to say, “Hey, look at this cool new ‘widget’. You are going to LOVE this?” For those of you old enough to remember when a “pop up” was new, think of how people were awestruck with this newfangled “technology.” A distributor is always looking for that kind of WOW response from their clients.

One of the things I personally am grateful for about Classic Exhibits is that since I started with them, the company has added over 150 10 x 10 and 10 x 20 portable/modular hybrid designs starting under $9000. Now that is innovation!

Reaction

All of us are human. Manufacturer, Distributor, End user . . . we all have that one thing in common. We all make mistakes. How we react to those mistakes determines a great deal about your character. Many times the distributor is in the middle of a “situation.”  Regardless of the who, what, why, or where something went wrong, the end user is unhappy and the distributor relies on the manufacturer for help. The very LAST thing a distributor wants to hear from their manufacturer are these few words. “There is no way that can happen.”  I can promise you, that just created a great divide between all parties. That distributor wants to hear:

  1. You have a solution
  2. You are going to implement that solution quickly
  3. We are going to discuss this again after the end user/client is satisfied and make sure that we take the necessary steps to prevent it from happening again.

They do not want the finger pointed, they don’t want to assess blame and make mountains out of mole hills. They want a quick, effective resolution. If you want to maintain them as your distributor, you as a manufacturer, better provide that to your customer!

Sales Leads Marketing/Leads

One of the things that can be both frustrating and rewarding are leads from a manufacturer. In the past, a distributor would get leads passed on from their supplier/manufacturer by the dozens. Most of them were pretty worthless. A person on a flight checks all the advertisements in an in-flight magazine and tons of resources are wasted on something that was filled out by an 11 year old. Worthless leads drive a distributor crazy. There is not a “one size fits all” plan since a market like Birmingham is totally different from Boston or San Francisco.

In today’s world, distributors expect a manufacturer to help them market by giving them the tools necessary to reach their client base and beyond.  They expect leads from trade shows because they ARE quality leads most of the time.

In addition, they expect marketing support – such as custom branded literature or websites. These tools put marketing back in each distributor’s capable hands to modify to their market and their corporate image. They want autonomy and will go to great lengths to get it. Exhibit Design Search is a terrific example. It’s a comprehensive exhibit design search and communication tool customized for each distributor’s website. No one distributor could create and maintain it. But collectively, it allows everyone to benefit with minimum expense and time commitment.

I am positive there are things I haven’t touched on here, but from my experience, if you follow these basics, you are far more likely to have happy and successful long-term customers/distributors.

Till the next time,

–Reid Sherwood
reid@classicmodul.com