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Five Months into a Great Year: Word on the Street — May 31st thru June 3rd

June 5th, 2011 Mel White COMMENTS
Five Months into a Great Year!

Word on the Street by Kevin Carty

Five Months into a Great Year!

So how have the first  months been for you and your company?

At the Classic Exhibits family of companies, I am delighted to report that 2011 has been different . . . and good . . . and surprising. And not just in terms of sales, but also in terms of product development and overall economic recovery.

In Q1, we posted our second largest quarter in the company’s history. A BIG thanks to our dedicated distributors for your sales efforts. You made it possible.

We had several real standout projects in the first five months that deserve a mention.

  • Comcast/Xfinity demonstrated our ability to design, build, and install a large retail interior project. For photos and a project history, see last week’s WOTS blog.
  • Boston Scientific was a great example of showing an old dog new tricks. 🙂 You would have been amazed to see the final project. We took an Intro Fabric Panel System and dressed it up with accessories normally seen on Visionary Designs Hybrid Systems.
  • Display Supply and Lighting’s EXHIBITOR 2011 exhibit. It’s probably my favorite display of the year to be honest. It really highlighted the use of TSP Profiles from ClassicMODUL, SEG fabric from Optima Graphics, and custom programmed LED lighting from Display Supply and Lighting. Take a look at the video we posted on our website. It is worth seeing (even if you’ve seen it before).
The Easy Button

Staple's Easy Button

And many, many more. In addition to the customized kits, there was a steady stream of standard and non-standard hybrids, an intriguing mix of modified counters and workstations, and then a rather bizarre mix of Aero Overhead and Freestanding projects. And, Aero Table Tops came back with a vengeance (you gotta love those high tech and medical companies).

I would be remiss if I did not acknowledge the amazing growth of Eco-systems Sustainable as well. Kudos to their whole team of course, but I would especially like to acknowledge the great design and marketing  by Michael McCord and Eric Albery. They really have helped to set Eco-systems apart from any of their competitors. Take a look at just one terrific example:  a very custom 10 x 10 for Google.

Exhibits Northwest Portland and Seattle have both seen a tremendous growth in 2011 as well. They started strong with CES in January by working with local companies and Classic distributors on new builds and rentals. But even beyond January, they have embraced new channels within their existing markets. The Comcast order by Tyler Poage and the Malarky order by Laura Magdalen are great examples.

Last but not least, ClassicMODUL. They started the year with the addition of a new Southeast Extrusion Depot (in Birmingham, AL).  Tom Jones, our CM guru, has really pushed hard to increase business in the retail and architectural markets. Not that ClassicMODUL is new to those markets by any means, but corporately we have been pushing to increase aluminum extrusion volume outside trade shows in 2011. Well done Tom!

As we head into June and July, traditionally slower sales months, all of the Classic companies plan to focus on the development of new products, services, and market opportunities. Often, it is the “unique” opportunities you bring us that guide us to develop those new products, service, and markets. So please don’t hesitate to bring new or unique ideas our way.

Thanks again for your support. On behalf of the entire Classic team, I hope you have a safe, enjoyable, and rewarding summer.

Be well!

–Kevin Carty

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

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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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Hiring a Project Manager — The 10 Essentials: Word on the Street — April 25th thru April 29th

May 1st, 2011 Mel White 1 COMMENT
Managing the Hiring of a Project Manager

Word on the Street by Kevin Carty

Hiring a Project Manager  — The 10 Essentials

Distributors often ask me what Classic Exhibits considers the ideal qualities of an exhibit project manager. Here are 10 qualities we consider essential, in no particular order.

1. Someone who enjoys assisting others.

We’ve found that a background in retail customer service is beneficial . . .  even if it was the candidate’s first job. They learn valuable skills (see Mel’s article about retail and customer service). As you may know, Mel and I both come from a retail training background where we were taught to always look for a way to make the customer feel appreciated and feel like they are “right.”

2. Creative problem solver.

Gone are the days where someone just calls and orders a kit. Most inquiries that come across your desk or ours require creativity and “outside the box” thinking. So a PM must be flexible in their thinking.

3. Mechanical mindset

A project manager must be able to view things from a “practical engineering” view. They need to be able to convert your client’s vision into a practical reality. Our project managers must have CAD skills since they are expected to create detail drawings on custom projects for our Production Department.

4. Detail-oriented (to a point).

This goes with #3. They need to be able focus on the details that will make an exhibit functionally sound. But, and this is a huge BUT,  they are expected to relieve you of the non-essential details, allowing you to focus on sales and new business generation. Most distributors don’t know, and don’t want to know, how many locks are required for a VK-1032 display. They want to know the features and the graphic dims. It’s the project manager’s job to convey exactly what you want and need to know to complete the order.

5. Understands the “big picture” and doesn’t let “I’m right and you’re wrong” obscure them from seeing the larger goals.

This is a big one. Sometimes with the “engineering” mindset on, a PM can get caught up in all the “can’t do’s” rather than what “can” be done. You really need someone that focuses on the “can do”!

6. Personable – Enjoys the interaction with distributors.

Basic people skills! If a person does not like dealing with people, then let them go or don’t hire them. Hate to sound blunt, but it’s reality.

7. Team player – someone who’s willing to raise their hand to assist others.

Team Player

Teamwork

We work with others — sometimes a lot of others, sometimes just a few. Regardless, PM’s need input from others and must be willing to lend a hand when necessary. That’s what makes a good PM. It gets back to being a creative problem solver, and one part of being a good “problem solver” is  tapping into the knowledge of others and serving as a resource for colleagues.

8. Courteous – Recognizes that social courtesy is the glue that greases the wheels in any organization.

Simply put . . . we spend much of our lives at work. Therefore who wants to be around others everyday who are not respectful, nice, and courteous of others.

9. Excellent time management skills.

Juggling is a more accurate depiction. Our PM’s can attest to that. They need to be able to handle upwards of 20 projects at any given time. All bringing different levels of detail and often multiple personalities involved at the other end of the phone. So heavy focus on organization and implementation is key.

10. They care. Yes, they wouldn’t be here if they weren’t getting paid, but they still want to do a good job, they want the company to succeed, and they want our customers to be happy.

It’s important to remember that no one is going to be as emotionally invested in the the business as you are, if you are the owner or executive, but PM’s that care do in fact have emotional connections with what they do. Regardless of the economic times. It’s easy for anyone to say they are invested when we are all worried about economic conditions. But it’s a clear differentiating factor when you find those who are as emotionally invested when the times are good. A lot of this comes back to whether or not a PM, or any employee for that matter, believes in the overall vision and focus of the company.

So, those are 10 of the things we look for. How about you? Do you agree? Are there other elements that you would include? Please respond and share your comments.

Have a great week ahead.

–Kevin Carty

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

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Word on the Street — April 4th thru April 8th

April 10th, 2011 Mel White 2 COMMENTS
Quarter 2011

Word on the Street by Kevin Carty

One Quarter Down . . . 3 to Go!

It’s hard to believe how quickly the first quarter flew by. But it did, and what an interesting first quarter it was. January was strong. February a little dicey. March was a monster! I am glad to report that Q1 2011 was one of the best in Classic’s history. We owe it all to your hard work with your customers and to the positive attitude of the Classic team. Thanks so much!

It’s always a little dangerous in our business to predict Q2 sales based on Q1, but, what the heck, let’s put on our Jeanne Dixon psychic hat for a moment and peer into the crystal ball. The second quarter looks to be upbeat from what we are seeing and are hearing. This past week I spoke to quite a few distributors who told me that expect more of the same in the second quarter. They are seeing more activity from both existing and new customers, who are adding to existing structures, changing graphics, and in quite a few cases, purchasing new displays.

It would be easy to see Q1 as an anomaly, but the first quarter was a blend of sales with a healthy mix of larger exhibits, custom inlines, counters and workstations, and standard kits. In 2010, you may recall that we had a lot of kit sales without much customization, especially 10 x 10’s and 10 x 20’s. But so far in 2011, while kit sales have continued to set the pace, we are building more “souped” up kits and a lot more high-budget islands.

Product Mix

We continue to sell quite a few hybrids like Visionary Designs, Sacagawea, Magellan, P10, and SEGUE, but we are also selling Intro Folding Fabric Systems, Quadro Pop Up Displays (both S and EO), and Aero Table Tops. And I can’t even keep track of the Aero Overhead Hanging Sign sales. It seems like every time I walk onto the setup floor there is another Aero Overhead Sign being assembled. Some are part of larger exhibits, but also a lot are add-ons to a client’s existing exhibit.

Looking forward, it appears the mix of sales is continuing. Most of what we have quoted or have headed for Production in April and May is either customized kits or larger island exhibits.

So what does all this mean? I was watching a video from EXHIBITOR interviewing attendee’s who were asked about the climate of business. Most of the responses were “We’re back!” or “We’re on the way back.” And I have to agree that it certainly feels that way, despite all the news you hear regarding the state of our economy.

What Have We Learned?

History Repeats ItselfHowever . . . I want to ask you a question before we get too comfortable with the “recovery.” What did we/you learn about our industry, about business, and about our customers over the past two plus years?” Did we learn anything that will make the industry stronger, our businesses healthier, and our sales increase?

I suspect the answer is not as transparent we would all like to believe. Not to rely on a cliche, but as we all know, history tends to repeat itself when we don’t analyze and understand the past. We are already getting hints of this it relates to inflated trade show charges, arbitrary rush fees, and inflexible customer service within our industry.

Let me know your thoughts, and next week I’ll share mine as well as your comments, observations, and rants. Give me a call, send me an email, or simply reply in the comments section of the blog.

Thanks again for making the last quarter so great. Have a great week ahead.

–Kevin Carty

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

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Rental Exhibits Aren’t What They Used to Be. THANK GOODNESS!

February 9th, 2011 Mel White 1 COMMENT

We’ve Come a Long Way in Exhibit Rentals

Rental Exhibit

Rental Exhibit

Not so long ago, the choices were limited to pop ups, panel displays, and bent and dirty aluminum extrusion from the show contractor. You could spot a rental booth from clear across the show hall. All that has changed . . . Thank goodness! More often than not, you couldn’t spot a rental if you were staring at it. Rental exhibits are no longer cookie-cutter, off-the-shelf kits. Most manufacturers welcome modifying and customizing existing rental kits or creating new designs. They’re individually designed just like purchased exhibits.

On average, 25% of the overall cost of an island rental exhibit is custom components, not including the graphics. It’s really interesting because a large percentage of exhibitors understand this very clearly and have come to expect it. At Classic Exhibits, we work with new exhibitors all the time who are shocked by the amount of customization available with rental exhibits.

A great example of customization for a rental exhibit is a recent project we did for Griffin Technologies through our distributor–Tradeshow STOP in Nashville. A large portion of the exhibit consisted of our aluminum extrusion profiles, but we added custom cedar beams, interior wood walls, cabinets, and an electric fireplace with a mantle. This design also called for custom globe lighting. Griffin does a great job of adding finishing touches to their booth such as furniture and accessories. Last year they used a customized Volkswagen van that they drove from Nashville to Las Vegas for the Consumer Electronics Show. It was a huge hit.

Rental Exhibit -- Griffin Technologies

Rental Exhibit -- Griffin Technologies

In today’s market, companies are renting for different reasons. In the past, it was all about saving money at the expense of design and functionality. Now they rent because they want a unique design for each show. Marketing managers become heroes because they give their companies a fresh look each and every time within a manageable budget. Quite often it’s as simple as adding accent wing panels, custom shelves, workstations, or curved extrusion that convinces everyone on the show floor that you own your exhibit.

Most rentals also include turnkey services, including the exhibit rental components, graphics, round trip shipping, and I & D services. This allows the marketing manager to focus on what they do best – Marketing.

Another factor to consider includes no more storage issues, which is a huge benefit for most companies. And in many states, there are user or personal property taxes that you have to pay for storing your exhibit in your own facility. Of course you also avoid added insurance costs.

The process of renting an exhibit is virtually the same as purchasing an exhibit, but once all of the decisions are made you can walk away from it. Plus you have a choice to either do the same exhibit for future shows, or head in an entirely different direction.

My favorite part of my job is to preview the exhibits. It’s gratifying to see the results of everyone’s hard work and effort that goes into every project. It’s especially rewarding with rental exhibits because I find myself shaking my head and saying, “Rental exhibits aren’t what they used to be. THANK GOODNESS!”

–Jim Shelman
General Manager, Classic Exhibits Rental Division

Trade Show Rental Exhibit

Trade Show Rental Exhibit

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