Access 2011 in Las Vegas
Be sure to enter the discount code “seVIP11.” Please visit us in the EDPA Product Showcase to see examples of SEG aluminum extrusions and iPad counter solutions. Kevin Carty, Jim Shelman, Reid Sherwood, and Mel White will be attending the event.
Meet the Professor
Do you know just enough about Social Media to sound knowledgeable, but not knowledgeable enough to be a wiz bang expert? I’ve discovered that it’s very easy to get started, but getting to the next level can be more challenging unless you have a mentor. I do. His name is Tim Patterson at Interpretive Exhibits. Tim manages and contributes to the, www.tradeshowguy.com blog which tends to focus on social media issues, tips, tricks, and trends for the event and trade show industry.
For example, here are some recent postings on Trade Show Guy (Where Social Media and Event Marketing Collide):
That’s just going back three months (March 2011)! As a fellow blogger, I am consistently impressed by the depth, the variety, and the sheer volume of information about social media and trade show marketing.
In addition to his posts, Tim offers several eBooks, including Social Media Marketing Bundle and 101 Rules of Trade Show Marketing, and a library of podcasts with trade show, event, and technology experts.
Need a Speaker or Trainer for Social Media Marketing for Tradeshows, Events or Conferences?
Tim Patterson
Tim is available. He just recently spoke at the Event Marketing Summit in Chicago and was a featured speaker at the Exhibit Designers and Producers Association (EDPA) in December. In Tim’s own words,
“I truly enjoy getting up in front of your group to talk, teach and discuss a lot of things related to tradeshow marketing: social media, staff training, event marketing, booth design, and other elements of tradeshow marketing. I’m available as a speaker in a breakout session at a conference, or as a panelist, or as a seminar leader/speaker/trainer for private engagements.”
If you are interested in stepping up your game in social media or trade show marketing, I encourage you to visit www.tradeshowguy.com and signup for Tim’s newsletter and/or be a fellow Tweeter.
At the very least, put his website in your Favorites and visit it at least a once a week. Tim’s an information machine . . . miss a week and you miss a lot.
–Mel White
http://www.linkedin.com/in/melmwhite
mel@classicexhibits.com
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Based in Portland, Oregon, Classic Exhibits Inc. designs and manufacturers portable, modular, and custom-hybrid exhibit solutions. 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.
Word on the Street by Kevin Carty
It’s Showtime! EXHIBITOR SHOW 2011.
It is that time of year . . . and if you have been “peeking” at Peek-a-Booth, you probably already know what a creative and exciting display we have in store for the show. It’s a “Home” (of sorts) where you can relax and learn about all the great things happening at Classic Exhibits, Exhibits Northwest, Eco-systems Sustainable, and ClassicMODUL.
The Booth
We are in Booth #1455 this year — a dynamic 20 x 30 space that will showcase all the divisions of Classic Exhibits and its sister company Eco-systems. The theme is “Your Home” for Hybrid, Modular, Portable, Rental, and Green Exhibits. Be sure you stop by so we can take you on a tour on the latest and greatest from your friends at Classic.
Customer Appreciation Reception (Tuesday)
On Tuesday, we are hosting a party from 4-6 pm in the Eye Candy Lounge of Mandalay Bay. During show hours, please come by and get your drink ticket and then join us for some good old fashioned networking and downtime afterwords. The reception is proudly sponsored by Classic Exhibits, Display Supply and Lighting, and Optima Graphics. You can get your drink tickets at any of our partners during show hours. Quantities are limited, so come by our booths early.
The Optima Graphics Reception (Monday)
Make sure you come by Monday evening for this annual event which is always an excellent place to catch up with old friends and network. It is being held in Mandalay Bay, Islander Ballrooms D and E, after the show breaks until 7 pm. Classic Exhibits is a proud sponsor of this event as well.
One-on-One Meetings During the Show
If you would like to schedule time with one of us during the show hours, please email Mel White at mel@classicexhibits.com . He is handling the scheduling for the meetings on the show floor. Take advantage of this one-on-one time!
Wondering what to expect at the show? Take a look at the blog posting Mel wrote last week regarding the recent ExhibiTrends event he attended. It is a great snapshot of what you can expect from the show overall this year.
Multiple Displays on the Show Floor
Classic Exhibits is very proud to have more than just our 20 x 30 island unit on the show floor this year. Please make sure to see our handiwork at our vendor partners booths: Cort Furnishings, Optima Graphics, DS&L, New Leads, EliteXPO and the EXHIBITOR Magazine display. Not only are they great partners of Classic, but we also built all or part of their exhibits for the show this year.
Portable Modular Summit (Wednesday)
EDPA will host the Portable Modular Summit again this year. This session will meet on Wednesday, March 30 from 9:30 am to 10:30 am in Tropics A-B of the Mandalay Bay North Convention Center (look for the NORTH Convention Center sign on the right side of the main entrance hallway, just past the Starbucks). For more information, click here.
On a personal note, for the first time in 16 years I will not attend the show this year. A combination of being busy with several large projects, being very busy at Classic overall, and managing some staffing changes requires that someone stay behind and manage the ship. So I will be doing that. I will miss seeing those who are attending and want to personally thank you as always for your continued support of Classic Exhibits.
Be well and have a restful weekend. I am sure you will need all the rest you can for your week in Las Vegas.
–Kevin Carty
http://twitter.com/kevin_carty
http://www.linkedin.com/pub/kevin-carty/3/800/32a
The EDPA Portable Modular Summit will return to EXHIBITOR 2011 after a 2010 hiatus.
This session will meet on Wednesday, March 30 from 9:30 am to 10:30 am in Tropics A-B of the Mandalay Bay North Convention Center (look for the NORTH Convention Center sign on the right side of the main entrance hallway, just past the Starbucks).
Fresh results from EDPA’s recent 2010 Portable Modular Survey will be summarized with top insights and data from the survey shared among the group. The full EDPA survey will also be available for purchase onsite.
A panel discussion moderated by Jay Burkette of ExpoDisplays will feature Bjorn Sao of Expand International, Lynn Reves of Nomadic Display and Mel White of Classic Exhibits Inc., and be followed-up by a Q & A discussion with everyone assembled.
Coffee, tea and soft drinks will be available. The EDPA Portable Modular Summit is sponsored by EXPODISPLAYS.
The meeting is FREE OF CHARGE to all current 2011 EDPA member companies. Non-member fee is $95.00. To reserve your spot, please contact Kimberly Wilson by March 24th @ kwilson@edpa.com or (203) 852-5698.
Shooting from the Hip by Reid Sherwood
The Exhibit Designers and Producers Association (EDPA) held its annual meeting a few weeks ago – ACCESS 2010. The meetings are always held at a warm weather resort the week after Thanksgiving. It starts on Wednesday with a golf tournament or a fishing trip for the non-golfers (I always play golf since I can fish in ice in Michigan but can’t golf in it). Mel and I attended as the representatives of Classic Exhibits and ClassicMODUL.
The Marriott Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, FL was the resort this year. Yes it was chilly, but it was Sawgrass, so who cares. Our scramble group finished 2-under on the valley course. The team consisted of Ken Karns (Elevation Exhibits), Ray Montague (Avalon), Gina Porcaro (Optima Graphics), and me. I think Gina and Ken got tired of carrying us. Ray had a bit of a breakthrough moment on a 100 yard chip shot. He yanked it left by 25 yards and said, “I must just have to aim to the right. I have been pulling that shot left for 45 years.” We all had a good laugh. Well, not Ray, but the three of us and our caddy did.
Our caddy, Donald, was part golf coach, part psychiatrist, and part travel agent. He knew the distance from the edge of every rough to the center of the green on each hole. I was approaching the green on a short par 5, and Donald tells me I am about 75 away. I said, “Ah, a sand wedge. My favorite club.” So I take dead aim and proceed to scuff the ball about halfway to the green. Donald, who is clear across the fairway (up in some rough looking for Ray’s golf ball), hollers loud enough for the entire course to hear, “YARDS REID! YARDS!”
EDPA
As most of you know, unlike TS2 or EXHIBITOR, this event is specifically for builders, suppliers, and distributors of the trade show industry. There are no end-users. This makes the event more casual and generally more cooperative. There’s more time to chat with distributors, strategic partners, suppliers, and competitors.
I want to commend Jeff Provost and the staff of EDPA. For the first time since I have been involved (about 7 years), I felt like our involvement in the Supplier Showcase was appreciated. I had Jeff and several staff members thank us for participating in the Showcase. I don’t recall that happening in the past, and it was very refreshing. Traffic in the Supplier Showcase was solid on both days because the EDPA made sure to place the sugar, caffeine, and carbohydrates in the show hall. Very smart.
Sessions focused on design as well as other relevant topics. We know design sells. We were reminded of it again. Thanks to those who presented.
Congratulations to Optima (Dave Brown and Gina Porcaro) for taking 1st Place in the Golden Ham Awards, sponsored by Exhibit City News. To see a video of their skit, click here. No offense Gina, but it will never compare to the Golden Pharaoh commercial Dave and I did in Tucson. Although we took second because a Brit pronounced “ALUMINIUM” as only a Brit can, it was the best skit (and everyone knows it).
A special thanks to Dave Mihalik and Lara Davie from ELITeXPO for all their hard work on the silent auction. The pheasant hunt I won will be a blast.
In the end, it was a great few days. My thanks to all who made it possible.
Merry Christmas!
–Reid Sherwood
reid@classicmodul.com
