Trade Show TalesBlog

Word on the Street — September 21st thru September 25th

September 25th, 2009 Mel White COMMENTS
Word on the Street by Kevin Carty

Word on the Street by Kevin Carty

It’s almost “Randy” time!

This week I am using this forum for a totally different purpose,  but something I feel very passionate about and want to share with you.

15th Annual Randy Smith Memorial Golf Classic
October 12, 2009
at Berkeley Hills in Duluth, GA

Every October since 1995, our industry quietly holds what many of you have heard me refer to as “our industy’s most important and impactful” event of the year. That event is called The Randy Smith Memorial Golf Classic. It is held each fall in Atlanta. The Mission Statement below explains the objectives of the event:

“The objective of the Randy Smith Memorial Golf Classic is to help families in the exhibition industry who have suffered severe tragedies or face insurmountable medical expenses. Our commitment is to provide financial and emotional support to all past and present recipients and their families.”

For nine years now, I have attended this event. I remember, and never will forget, the first time I attended and how much it impacted my life. Each year when I attend the Randy, my sense of pride in the trade show industry increases.

It’s a unique time where we can come together, not just as customers, vendors or competitors . . . but as a unified industry that really cares about its own.

If you have ever been, you know exactly what I am talking about!

So, I thought I would throw out a challenge to you all — Join me and all the others at this year’s event. You don’t have to golf if you are not a golfer. They also have a tennis event. And if you are not a golfer or a tennis player, then you can join us for the banquet. The banquet is where you will really see what this industry stands for!

For those who have attended in the past, please share your Randy thoughts and past experiences by commenting below.

And to those of you who have often considered it, but never attended, please come this year and help make it another amazing event. I, along with many others, can guarantee that it will be one trip that you will never regret!

Have a safe and 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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What You Should Know as a First-Time Exhibit Buyer

September 20th, 2009 Mel White COMMENTS
Visionary Design VK-1073 Hybrid Exhibit

Visionary Design VK-1073 Hybrid Exhibit

  • Don’t let the trade show exhibit buying experience intimidate you
  • Your marketing objectives and strategy should dictate your exhibit marketing needs
  • Be prepared for sticker shock. Exhibits can be expensive
  • Where to buy depends on your goals. Do you need a large custom exhibit? Or do you need a portable, modular, or hybrid exhibit?
  • Plan ahead. You’ll save money and make smarter decisions

How to Get Started

For the sake of simplicity, let’s assume that exhibit marketing is a new experience. Exhibit marketing is certainly not rocket science. You don’t need a marketing degree to be successful at exhibit marketing. However, it helps to get advice so you make the right decisions.

Buying your first exhibit can, at first, raise more questions than answers. There are different types of exhibits and different types of exhibiting. The best fit will depend on how you plan to use the exhibit, the image you want to project, and the budget you have to work with.

Chances are you’ll purchase your exhibit from a local exhibit company. Exhibit companies have been around for decades and understand exhibits and trade shows. Originally, exhibits were custom-crafted. Then exhibit systems evolved as an alternative to the high cost of custom craftsmanship. Now, there are multiple exhibit categories. Exhibit systems, which includes portable, modular, and hybrid exhibits, are evolving towards custom-crafted exhibits, and custom-crafted exhibits are evolving towards exhibit systems. Both have distinct advantages and exhibit companies work hard to carve out distinct niches along the custom to portable spectrum. The exhibit (or exhibits) that best fits your company’s exhibit marketing strategy will slot in somewhere along this spectrum. This is where an exhibit consultant can be very useful. Ultimately, an exhibit consultant wants to help you maximize your exhibit marketing potential.
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Word on the Street — September 14th thru September 18th

September 19th, 2009 Mel White COMMENTS
Word on the Street by Kevin Carty

Word on the Street by Kevin Carty

Where Have All the Turnaround Times Gone?

Of course, I say this partially in jest, but boy isn’t it true right now?!?

And please don’t get me wrong. Like you, we are delighted to have the business. As many of you have shared with me this week, everyone is ordering much later this year.

Every morning at Classic, we hold a 15 minute Lead Meeting. It is designed to give the Production Leads and the Purchasing, Sales, Marketing, and Customer Service Managers a quick review of the day’s business as well as an opportunity to look ahead at upcoming orders, quotes, and purchasing requests.

We use our Shipping Report as our guide in these 15 minute morning meetings. So naturally, I review it before the meeting begins. It looks much different these days than it did this time last year.

As many of you know, Classic Exhibits already has the fastest lead times in the industry, so we are used to being nimble when it comes to your client’s “unrealistic” requests. One of the ideals we adhere to in Production is:  “Do enough of tomorrow’s work today, so that when tomorrow goes to hell or someone has a rush need, we are prepared to handle it.”

Sometimes even I forget these basic ideals. But I am always amazed by how our Production and Customer Service teams live by them. Looking at the Shipping Report this week, I have seen everything from 10 x 10 Visionary Designs Custom Hybrids with 4 day turnaround times to a Euro LT 20 x 30 Island that has to deliver in 8 days. It’s crazy! And yet . . .

We make it happen!

Now, to be fair to our Project Management and Production team, this is not a invitation to hammer our lead times.  We do everything we can to meet your requests, which you already know, but when we say, “Sorry” which is very, very rare, or when we add rush charges, you know those are real and not arbitrary.

That said, we are very happy to have the business and even happier to see Classic Distributors busy. 

Have a safe and 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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If Trade Show Exhibits Were Celebrities, They Would Be . . . .

September 14th, 2009 Mel White 8 COMMENTS
If Exhibits Were Celebrities

If exhibits were celebrities, Carrot Top would be a . . .

Some of these are “spot on”:   Tom Arnold, Carrot Top, Lindsay Lohan as trade show exhibits? Just use your imagination my friend.

Banner Stands (cheap, attractive, but not always reliable): Tara Reid, Andy Dick, Paris Hilton, Lindsay Lohan

Custom Exhibits (talented, larger than life, but occasionally temperamental):  Meryl Streep, Orson Welles, Dame Judi Dench, Aretha Franklin 

Overhead Tension Fabric Signs (highly visible and stretched tight): Joan Rivers

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Word on the Street — September 7th thru September 11th

September 11th, 2009 Mel White 1 COMMENT
Word on the Street by Kevin Carty

Word on the Street by Kevin Carty

Ever Wonder What a Classic Project Manager Does?

I’m traveling for business this week. During several of my meetings, I discovered that not everyone knows what a Classic Project Manager does. That surprised me because our Project Managers are critical to how your quotes, your orders, and even your basic product questions are handled. They are your “eyes” and “ears” at Classic Exhibits. They are your advocate, not only in Customer Service but also when your order goes to our Production Manager and our Production team.  

So . . . what does a PM do? In short – a lot! There’s a reason why PM’s at Classic seem to know the details of every display system and the nuances of your quote or order.

A Classic PM is the voice of Classic everyday. They are the ones you rely on for quotes, answers to questions, and guidance on prospective projects.

But their talents, and work, really kick in once you place an order. Read the rest of this entry »

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