Trade Show TalesBlog

Posts Tagged ‘displays’

« Older Entries
Newer Entries »

We’re More Than You Think We Are: Word on the Street — Nov. 5th thru Nov. 9th

November 18th, 2012 Mel White COMMENTS
We're More Than You Think We Are: Word on the Street -- Nov. 5th thru Nov. 9th

Word on the Street by Kevin Carty

Unique Projects

For the past two years, Classic Exhibits has pursued “alternative” markets such as retail, environments, events, etc. with our distributors. Our CNC production capability, skilled workforce, and ClassicMODUL aluminum inventory make these natural fits. This week, I want to share pictures and a video that show some of those projects. It’s our hope, quite selfishly, that your view of Classic will broaden.

Those distributors who have visited us or have attended Shared Knowledge University have a deeper appreciation for our design and production capabilities. We don’t talk about it much . . . but we love the non-trade show projects you send our direction.

Last fall, we worked with a Classic distributor on the East Coast on a studio set for a CBS affiliate. Oddly enough, the show, “My Window w/ Kristi Miller,” broadcasts in Central Oregon. They filmed while we built the space. Here is a cool time-lapse video of that installation

Below is a photo gallery of some recent trade show and non-trade show projects. You’ll see cool pictures from an installation for a sporting goods chain store. We produced the framework for the large format SEG fabric graphics for this permanent installation. It turned out fantastic!

There’s a dynamic island we did with Durham Displays for her client Perfect Equipment. Great blend of custom wood fabricated elements, double deck, and large format custom Aero structure on the  perimeter.

In addition, you’ll see several other projects for a well-know athletic shoe and apparel company.

EDPA Access 2012

As a reminder, EDPA ACCESS is around the corner. For those who are attending this event in Palm Springs, CA, you know that one of the best parts of the event is the “Not-So-Silent Auction.” Please take a few minutes to review the list of auction items currently available.

http://access.edpa.com/silent-auction/

Not to brag, but Classic Exhibits may have the most exciting item on the auction block!?!? Stay tuned . . . and more importantly, bring your checkbook as I am sure our auction item will end up raising BIG BUCKS for this incredible foundation. A little hint — it involves Palms, Parcheesi, and Patron Tequila. 🙂

Have a great weekend and Thanksgiving week ahead.

Classic Exhibits will be closed on Friday.

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

[subscribe2]

 

Tags: , , , , , ,
Posted in Kevin Carty, Word on the Street | No Comments »

So What’s the Deal with Hybrid Displays?

November 15th, 2012 Mel White COMMENTS
Hybrid Display from Classic Exhibits

Visionary Designs VK-1321

Yes, the title is a bit Jerry Seinfeld-ish. But we all know he’d continue with, “Do they run on gas and electricity? Does the higher MPS (miles per show) justify the price? Why do they look like something from an episode of Lost in Space?”

I challenge you to search Google for “Hybrid Displays” or “Hybrid Exhibits.” Five years ago, your search would turn up a handful of links. Now . . . Yikes a Momma! Hybrid Exhibits have gone from curiosity to mainstream for trade show exhibitors. But why? What makes hybrid exhibits/displays so appealing? Actually, it’s not very complicated, but first, humor me while I define what a hybrid display is and isn’t (at least from the perspective of Classic Exhibits).

Hybrid Exhibit \ˈhī-brəd ig-ˈzi-bət\:  An inline or island display constructed primarily from engineered aluminum extrusion and large format tension fabric graphics. Other components, accessories, and graphics are often added, such as laminates, custom construction, and direct print graphics, but the structural backbone is almost always engineered aluminum and fabric. Most require allen tools for assembly, but there are systems that substitute knobs for a tool-less or a mostly tool-less set up.

Let’s explore the logic and appeal of hybrid exhibits.

The 8 Pseudo-Immutable Laws of Hybrid Exhibits

1. Structural: Hybrids are always built with engineered aluminum, such as ClassicMODUL, AGAM, or Octanorm. Engineered aluminum systems are basically grown-up Tinkertoys but with all the benefits of structural strength and modular flexibility. There are hundreds of profiles, each with a particular visual, functional, or design appeal.

2. Lightweight:  It’s aluminum . . . and it disassembles. Which means less weight and fewer cases or crates. Everyone loves lower drayage bills, except the general contractor for a trade show.

3. Malleable. Exhibit designers love it. Aluminum can be bent, cut, connected, welded, anodized, powder-coated, and milled. The design possibilities are endless, whether you want the aluminum to be visible or invisible.

Hybrid Exhbibit4. Graphics:  Bring it on — fabric, direct prints, sintra, plex, custom acrylics, laminates, vinyl. From small graphics to towering fabric images, hybrid exhibits do not discriminate. Hybrids welcome it all.

5. Aesthetics: There’s something for everyone, where it’s a rectilinear design with all right angles or more curves than a Lifetime or Bravo special.  Hybrids can be basic or breath-taking, depending on the budget, the designer, and your imagination.

6. Accessories: Don’t even try to count the possibilities. You don’t have enough fingers or toes. Hybrids are accessory magnets:  counters, workstations, monitors, shelves, literature racks, iPad options, lights, slatwall, pegboards, etc. Hybrids never say never.

7. Cost: Varies, depending on your budget, goals, marketing requirements, and display size. There are hybrid table tops and there are 50 x 50 hybrid islands. There are kits, priced as kits, and customized hybrid designs priced as custom. And then there are rental designs. Hybrids are ideal as rentals. The price is right, and their modular construction makes them uniquely customizable.

8. Assembly and Packaging: It depends on the design and the manufacturer. It can be easy. It can be PAINFUL. Or it can be somewhere in the middle. Let’s not kid ourselves . . . if the price is too good to be true, there’s a reason. No reusable packaging, no detailed instructions, no numbered parts, and the parts and pieces are made from substandard materials and graphics. Don’t let a pretty picture fool you. Ask questions and expect answers and examples. Does it require tools, some tools, or no tools. It may not matter for an island, but it probably matters for a smaller inline booth.

What follows is a not so subtle commercial for Classic Exhibits and Classic Distributors.  😉

So, where should you start? Why not Exhibit Design Search? Look in the Sacagawea and Magellan Galleries for attractive, inexpensive hybrid 10 ft and 20 ft. inlines. For more upscale inlines, search the Perfect 10 and SEGUE Galleries. For a truly customizable hybrid with unmistakeable design, go to the Visionary Designs Galleries. Finally, don’t overlook the Rental Gallery. Most are hybrids.

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

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

Based in Portland, Oregon, Classic Exhibits Inc. designs and manufacturers portable, modular, and custom-hybrid exhibit solutions and engineered aluminum extrusions (ClassicMODUL). 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.

[subscribe2]

Tags: , , , , , , ,
Posted in Classic Exhibit Systems, Mel White, Trade Show Exhibit Tips | No Comments »

Our Holiday Season Gift to You . . . SAVINGS!

November 14th, 2012 Mel White COMMENTS

SAVE 10% on all Rentals from Classic Exhibits through February 2013.

Need another reason . . . Offset your shipping costs by saving $100 on every $1000.

Review the complete line of rental solutions below or contact Jim Shelman (jshelman@exhibitsnw.com) for a rental solution designed to your specifications.

Classic Exhibits Rental Display Special

Jim Shelman
General Manger, Exhibits Northwest/Classic Rentals
jshelman@exhibitsnw.com

[subscribe2]

Tags: , , , , , , ,
Posted in Classic Rentals, Jim Shelman | No Comments »

10 Things Zombies Can Teach Us About Tradeshow Marketing

October 30th, 2012 Mel White COMMENTS

10 Things Zombies Can Teach Us about Tradeshow MarketingSeveral weeks ago, Tim Patterson at Tradeshow Guy Blog wrote the blog post, 4 Ways to Avoid Tradeshow Exhibiting Zombies. His excellent article inspired me to write a companion post.

Who would have thought that zombies could be a role model for your sales and marketing team?

10 Things Zombies Can Teach Us About Trade Show Marketing

1. Single-minded Focus. You may not appreciate their all-consuming desire to eat your flesh, but they are committed to the task. They let nothing get in their way, except an ax to the brain. Your next trade show will be wildly successful, if you make it a priority, not an afterthought.

2. Teamwork. Zombies travel in packs. That teamwork ensures them a much higher percentage of kills. There’s a reason “We killed it” signifies success. By working together, those poor doe-eyed attendees don’t stand a chance.

3. Appearance Matters. You never forget your first encounter with a zombie: filthy clothing, greasy/unkempt hair, vacuous stare, and rancid halitosis (that alone is enough to make you hurl). It’s sad but true. We judge people by their appearance. Your company spent considerable money to participate so shine your shoes, press your shirt, and dry clean that blazer.

4. Lights, Motion, and Noise. The undead and the living are both attracted to lights, motion, and noise. As much as we try . . . we can’t resist it. When planning your booth, ask yourself this, “Will my exhibit attract 200% more zombies than my competitors?” If the answer is “No!” then you need to get creative (or consider a ceremonious human sacrifice ever day).

5. Intelligence. Zombies love brains and so should you. Being smart about your trade show marketing means you understand that trade shows are not the same as print ads, videos, brochures, or traditional sales calls. Trade shows are opportunities to attract new customers and strengthen existing relationships. 

6. Fresh Meat. Ever notice that zombies won’t eat other zombies. They like their meals fresh. Fresh ideas and innovation, particularly during a weak economy, propel one company forward while leaving another one struggling to survive. Trade show attendees go for two reasons:  to find solutions to existing problems and/or discover innovations that will strengthen their operations or bottom line.

7. Know Your Customer. In zombie-speak, we are customers. Good customers freak-out and get eaten. Bad customers ram a metal rod through a zombie’s skull. You want good customers, just without the “getting eaten” part. Good customers become good customers because we understand them and tailor our product or service to meet their needs.

8. Preparation Matters. Zombies don’t need a trade show toolkit or an exhibitors handbook or an exhibit designer. They are 100% prepared the moment they go from living to undead. You’re not so lucky. You won’t succeed without thorough pre-show, show, and post-show preparation.

9. Without Customers, What’s the Point? Wandering aimlessly is pointless, even to a mindless zombie. Zombies crave excitement. When a living, breathing human enters its proximity, a zombie switches from listless to high alert. Serious exhibitors react similarly, albeit without the growling and moaning. We’ve all seen exhibitors who appear annoyed or resentful when an attendee enters their booth, interrupting their game of Angry Birds. What’s the point if it’s not about customers?

10. There’s No Cure. Once a zombie always a zombie. If you love trade shows and are serious about trade show marketing, there’s no antidote. It’s in your blood. No matter how hard you fight it, once bitten, it’s incurable.

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

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

Based in Portland, Oregon, Classic Exhibits Inc. designs and manufacturers portable, modular, and custom-hybrid exhibit solutions and engineered aluminum extrusions (ClassicMODUL). 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.

[subscribe2]

 

Tags: , , , , , ,
Posted in Mel White, Trade Show Exhibit Tips | No Comments »

Why Blog? What Bloggers Say.

October 23rd, 2012 Mel White COMMENTS

Why Blog?

We’re often asked by Classic Exhibits Distributors about the benefits of blogging:  “Isn’t it time consuming? How do you decide on topics? How often should I submit posts?” I have a hard time answering those questions because the answer is, “It depends.” I ask them if they enjoy writing about our trade shows and events, or if they feel they have something to share about sales, marketing, or small business. They do, even if they don’t realize it. That’s the first reason to blog. Everything else is frosting on the cake.

Blogging may seem a little old fashion compared to Facebook and Twitter, but it’s not. Good content (and the catharsis that comes from writing) is important. So why should you do it? I did a search on “Why Blog?” You might enjoy the answers, along with links to the original posts. Enjoy.

Build Trust

People are skeptical. They are skeptical about strangers on the street and they are even more skeptical about strangers on the internet. A blog with consistent, truthful and helpful content will allow you to bridge that gap between distrust to trust.

Growing Stream of Organic Search Traffic

It’s hard to think that anybody would doubt the benefits of blogging to improving your organic search engine efforts, which in turns drives more traffic to your site, but in case there are any unbelievers out there…here’s the evidence:  people who’ve blogged five times in the last 7 days will get 6.9 times more search traffic.

http://www.searchenginejournal.com/7-reasons-why-blogging-is-still-important-in-2012/39225/

But influence may be the grandest reason to blog. Garnering influence means building an online voice and thought leadership with every word you write, and every piece of content that you would share online.

http://wpengine.com/2012/08/why-blog/

Writing Leads to Understanding

Blogging forces you to write down your arguments and assumptions.  This is the single biggest reason to do it, and I think it alone makes it worth it.

When you move from your head to “paper,” a lot of the hand-waveyness goes away and you are left to really defend your position to yourself.

http://www.gabrielweinberg.com/blog/2011/08/why-i-blog.html

A business blog is an informal, easily maintained method for regularly communicating with your customers. A business blog offers a more approachable, informal information-providing approach in which customers find enjoyment, get to know your company, and learn about your products, achievements, and innovations.

A business blog is an informal, easily maintained method for regularly communicating with your employees. Whether you host your internal employee blog on a commercial site, on your webpage in a password protected location or on your Intranet, you have created a strong communication tool.

http://humanresources.about.com/od/businessblogs/a/business_blogs.htm

(more…)

Tags: , , , , , , ,
Posted in Business Tips, Mel White | No Comments »

« Older Entries
Newer Entries »