Guest Post by Jamie Edwards, Director of Marketing, Momentum Management
As your National Trade Show Labor Service Partner, Momentum Management wants to help you save money during your trade show or event installation and dismantle. When it comes to saving money, it comes down to “time used” or “time wasted.”
Some Tips to Save Money
Items to consider for Labor Service Estimate – It is important to provide the most accurate information possible in order to avoid additional costs that weren’t factored in at the time the estimate such as:
Will there be hanging signs?
Any specific equipment needed?
What are the booth materials?
Who will install your flooring?
Will electric need to be installed?
Is there furniture to be assembled?
Who will provide the supervision the show floor?
After the estimate is complete, place your order early – Many show cities have multiple events going on simultaneously. The sooner you submit your order, the sooner Momentum can identify the best labor.
Shipping Direct to Show or Shipping to the Advanced Warehouse – If timing permits, it is almost always best to ship to the advanced warehouse. Your freight is more likely to be in your booth space by your targeted move-in time. When shipping directly to the show, there can be extensive delays due to the truck driver having to check into the marshaling yard, getting the paperwork, and waiting to be called up to the docks to unload. Always delay your labor start time by at least 4 hours after your target time to allow your freight to make it to the show floor.
Scheduling Dismantle Start Time – When scheduling with your labor and shipping companies, always take into account the entire move out schedule to avoid delays. The return of empty freight can take a long time based on the size of the show, so it is often safest to schedule labor for the next morning and your shipper for that afternoon. Please note: there are many shows that require the floor to be cleared by 12 pm the next day. In this case, you may want to schedule your labor a couple of hours after the show breaks. While this will add some additional over-time vs standard-time, it will save money compared to having your labor waiting on the freight to return.
Momentum Management is happy to help you save money on Labor Services, and we welcome the opportunity to work with you on your next project. Momentum Management has been a national provider of outstanding installation and dismantle labor for over 25 years.
Classic Exhibits Inc. announces the addition of Harold Mintz to the Classic Family. As a Regional Sales Manager, Harold will work alongside Jen LaBruzza, the National Sales Manager, to support the Classic Distributor Partner Network throughout North America.
Harold brings over 20 years of trade show and event experience to Classic with previous leadership positions at custom houses, a portable/modular manufacturer, and a graphic printer. More recently, he worked in the entertainment industry for seven years as the Communications Director for Shady Acres Entertainment.
According to Kevin Carty, VP, “On behalf of the entire Classic Family of companies, we are excited to have Harold join us. Harold brings not just a wealth of industry knowledge, but also a great creative and inquisitive approach to relationships. He will compliment Jen LaBruzza and her efforts in creating, building, and maintaining our partnerships in North America.
On a personal note, I have known Harold for 20 plus years — first as
friendly competitors which then quickly developed into a friendship. When asked internally about Harold, I tell my colleagues, ‘He is one of us’ meaning he fits our culture and how we view the relationship between Classic and our Distributor Partners. I am excited to work with him professionally.”
Harold states, “The trade show industry is chock full of creative, talented people. Classic has all that, plus a supportive, dynamic culture. I believe my background in sales, politics, training, and public speaking combined with Classic’s capabilities are a perfect fit. I couldn’t be more excited to be joining the Classic Family. I look forward to working with the Distribution Network.”
On a separate note, for those who know Harold, you are familiar with his passion for organ donation programs. He states, “I donated my left kidney back in 2000. It was one of the best and most impactful things I’ve ever done. I often speak to groups large and small about the life-saving benefits of organ donation.”
Please take a moment to welcome Harold to the Classic Family. You can reach him at harold@classicexhibits.com. For more information about Harold, see his LinkedIn profile.
Classic Exhibits Inc., based in Portland, OR, designs and manufactures trade show, retail, and corporate environments for over 200 independent distributor partners. For the past two years, Classic Exhibits has been named a Find It Top 40 Exhibit Builder by EXHIBITOR Magazine.
Our thanks to everyone who supported the Annual Women in Exhibitions Breakfast at EXHIBITORLIVE. It was a huge success! Attendance increased from 100 in 2018 to 150 in 2019.
Here’s what our members are saying:
“I attend the Women in Exhibition event each year at EXHIBITORLIVE and bring the women on my team for networking and education. At this event, we are able to connect with other women in our industry who have various roles and challenges within their organizations. The breakfast is professionally facilitated with a keynote speaker to allow for education at all levels.
“I started my business 26 years ago after the President of the company I worked for told me I would be great at what I did, if I were a man. This simple statement fueled years of passion in starting and growing my own business where women play a key role. Women supporting women is the right thing to do.” – Donna Shultz, President & CEO of Mirror Show Management
“Optima was proud to sponsor the WIE breakfast at ExhibitorLive 2019! Looking around the venue that morning, I was proud to be sitting amongst the best and brightest women in the industry. I think we all felt a sense of camaraderie.
“I walked away being reminded of the importance of mentoring and being mentored. Each of us can mentor and share our knowledge and experience with someone less tenured. Being mentored doesn’t stop, no matter what age or level we are in our career, we can always learn something from someone else, especially in this industry.” – Gina Porcaro, Account Executive at Optima Graphics, Inc.
Connecting and learning from each other is the basis for Women
in Exhibitions, founded in 2002. The incredible women in our group have proven
to be a valuable resource to each other. It has become critical to optimize our
meeting time and location at EXHIBITORLIVE to bring more of us together.
And how better to keep the connections growing and vital throughout the year
than through a mentorship program?
This year’s speaker Sandy Jones-Kaminski pointed out: “Mentorship is what you make of it. Set expectations, set goals. Each of us can learn from each other.” Sandy shared so much with us, not only about mentorships, but about networking and building a personal brand. Here is a link to her presentation if you missed it or just want to review: http://www.belladomain.com/exhibitorlive/
Both our financial and in-kind sponsors deserve so much
credit: Exhibitor Media Group, Classic Exhibits, Optima Graphics, Exhibit
Concepts, Access TCA, Live Marketing, Highmark Tech, Pinnacle Exhibits,
ProExhibits, AFR Furniture Rental, Brumark, Skyline-Holt, Condit, Steelhead
Productions, and Exhibit Expressions. An extra special thanks to Freeman
who added their support to our cause as well!
Have questions? Want to get involved? Have a great idea to
name of our mentorship program? E-mail us at WomenInExhibitions@gmail.com. We
can’t wait to hear from you!
How many of you out there have been in your industry for longer than 5 years? 10 years? 20? Look, I’m a Millennial (but really, truly an Xennial) and part of what defines us is the sort of “bounce” from industry to industry, job to job — essentially, career building with fast jumps from one thing to the next. I’ve officially been with Exhibits Northwest in Seattle for three years, and in the Trade Show industry for… you guessed it… three years! And last week, I went to my first EXHIBITORLIVE in Las Vegas. Are you ready to hear what this “newbie” thought?
It’s a bit trite, but honestly, MAGICAL is the best word to describe it. Literal magic and figurative magic! So, for all of you seasoned pros out there, do me a favor: remember your first real dive into your industry’s deep roots (Trade Show or otherwise) and join me as I tell you about mine.
The Magic of Sneakers
2.5 years ago, my very first 20×20 island client exhibited in Vegas, and I was on the show floor supervising the install. I knew I needed comfortable shoes, so I did some research and decided Tieks would be cute AND comfy, based on tons of excellent reviews. Here’s what some of you may not know about me: a large part of my identity is SHOES. I’ve worked in the high-end shoe world, and I’m a bit of an admitted shoe snob. And at the time, I did not really own a pair of sneakers that didn’t look like I had them for 10+ years (because they were literally that old and I wore them to do house projects involving paint). Nor did I want to buy or wear sneakers in a professional public place!
Well, after walking 20 miles in 2 days in the Mandalay Bay Convention Center, wearing little flats and walking on concrete floors, my entire body felt like I was 85 years old with bad hips. Oh, man. Lesson learned! I still love my Teiks, but my eyes were opened — I needed supportive sneakers. So, while I still want to look cute (sneakers are not my favorite shoe genre), I have learned the MAGIC of sneakers on the trade show floor! This time, I walked and walked all over EXHIBITORLIVE between Mandalay Bay Convention Center and Luxor, and I wasn’t waddling through the airport upon my departure. WIN! When your feet are happy, you can focus on making connections, saying yes to that walk back across the show floor or to drinks with a vendor. But I’m still on the hunt for shoes that are fab and feel like pillows… hmmm.
The Magic of “Behind the Curtain”
“Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain!” ~ The Wizard
Events are full of behind the curtain magic. Trade Shows are no different. Walk behind a booth or look in the closet, and you’ll find electrical outlets and cords, laptop bags, extra swag and maybe even a person sneaking in a phone call or work! But what’s really cool is seeing what makes the display work: What’s behind the graphic? What’s behind that pipe and drape? What’s under the flooring? Admittedly, Exhibits Northwest does not (yet!) specialize in large format video tech — think, Giant LED Media Wall.
We refer or outsource these needs for our clients, so I’ve
always been a little hands-off about taking ownership of a Media Wall as part
of an exhibit strategy. But, being able to see behind the curtain (literally),
to get a better understanding of how it works and how to explain to and prepare
my clients for the cost (dollah dollah bills, y’all!) really helped me put some
puzzle-pieces together. I slipped behind a curtain to use a hidden restroom,
and low-and-behold, there was the back of a media wall! Such a great example of
the specialized install skill and technology that makes them work.
Seeing a Media Wall is impressive, but the cost, time and technical skill involved in making it happen is taken for granted by the audience. There were also other cool tech innovations (moving image and RGB lightboxes, digital shadow boxes, and cookies with your printed selfie on them), but what struck me the most was really being able to see a giant Media Wall’s backside secrets!
The Magic of Team Bonding
As I said, I’ve been with Exhibits Northwest for three years,
but for reasons I can only attribute to time flying by, I never really spent
quality time with our team in Portland, namely, our Senior Account Executive, Laura
Magdalen. Laura, thank you for being as eager as I was to get to
know each other better! We experienced some MAGIC as we found out we have lots
in common and can learn from each other.
We also got to hang with our newest Portland addition, Bobby
Brown. Having meals and walking the show floor together, with our
Manager, Michael McCord was
beneficial beyond magic. We took our fast 2 days together and made the best of
it, bonding over stories about spiders and food we hate. Everyone making fun of
me for thinking there were two pyramids in Vegas (yeah yeah, true story, I got
confused, ok!?) and laughing together as we watched Laura “schlep” her suitcase
around. Bonding as a team is so crucial, and I am thankful for the magic of
laughter and comradery.
And… Actual, MAGIC!
Our friends at Classic Exhibits had a performing Magician in their booth! He blew my mind several times, making me question the existence of mind-reading! Classic Exhibits is certainly “Knot Your Typical Exhibit Builder,” and they had a magician to prove it. His act was clever and thoroughly connected to the theme and message, creating a fun experience that also helped break the ice to make connections with the Classic Exhibits team. Ask me how that magician knew what I wrote on a pad of paper that he wrapped closed in a rubber band? I have no idea. But ask me how Classic Exhibits builds custom booths that impress my clients… well, that is less of a magic act and slight-of-hand, but more like the magic of teamwork.
I was told during my interview three years ago that once you
get into the “Trade Show Business” you can’t leave. And I’ve heard it multiple times
since then too — “Erica, you’re stuck with us now!”
Las Vegas, NV, February 2019 – The 2nd Annual Women In Exhibitions Breakfast will be held at EXHIBITORLIVE in the Connection Zone, February 26, 2019 from 8-10 am. This once a year opportunity brings women in the Exhibition and Event industry together to discuss challenges and success strategies, network with peers, and make new contacts.
Cost of admission includes a buffet breakfast and a special presentation from international speaker and best-selling author Sandy Jones-Kaminski. As a mentor and coach with 20+ years of marketing and business development experience, Sandy helps professionals, entrepreneurs, and business owners grow their own careers through proactive personal branding, online and offline networking activities. Sandy’s presentation will illuminate strategies for making the most of the Women In Exhibitions mentorship program and more.
Here’s What Last Year’s Attendees are Saying about the Event:
“It was empowering to be sitting in a room full of women who were actively pursuing their careers in the exhibit industry. There’s nothing quite like being with a group of career-oriented women who want to see each other succeed. I am already excited to attend this event next year.” — Jessica Diers, Diers Exhibit
“The breakfast was the highlight of my experience at the show, and I am so glad the Design Factory could be a part of it. I feel the event was a wonderful opportunity for so many women to meet, mingle, and share ideas. I hope to participate in the future.” — Chris Harvey, The Design Factory, Las Vegas
“From the initial meeting of Women in Exhibitions in Tucson in 2002, I have had the opportunity to attend many WIE meetings. The breakfast event at EXHIBITORLIVE 2018 was amazing. There were many bright, enthusiastic, experienced women sharing information and ideas. Having a guest speaker was a bonus, especially since it was interesting. I was able to connect with several women, which will be of benefit to my business. Bottom line is that it was the best meeting we have ever had for WIE.” — Jocelyn Welles, Exhibit Expressions
Register Now:
Early bird tickets are on sale now for $30, and there’s an option to sponsor a student ticket for the same price. Space is limited, purchasing tickets in advance is STRONGLY recommended. Ticket prices go up on the day of the event.
Many thanks to our Sponsors for making the 2nd Annual Women In Exhibitions Breakfast possible:
Diamond Sponsors: EXHIBITOR Media Group, Classic Exhibits Inc.
