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Posts Tagged ‘Exhibit Design Search’

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Your Exhibit Design Search Updates

October 11th, 2016 Mel White COMMENTS

EDSUpdateBlog

Exhibit Design Search is a work in progress where new features are added without fanfare. They just appear. So what’s new in the past three months?

EDS Home Page

captureAbout three weeks ago, we flipped the switch on a new visual feature on all Exhibit Design Search sites. It’s subtle but significant. The gallery images on the EDS home page now rotate. Visualize a slot machine. Each time you click the refresh button on your browser or simply return to the home page, the images change/rotate.

This makes each EDS site more distinctive. To see this at work, simply go to your EDS site or click here for the unbranded EDS website and refresh your browser. If you are easily amused, like me, do it repeatedly.

Photo Galleries

capture1Recently, distributors asked us how they could tap into our Custom, Rental, and Retail photo galleries without redirecting their clients to the Classic website. About 16 months ago, we added those galleries to the main Classic website to highlight the non-system projects flowing through our facility. On any given month, about 40 percent of our business falls into those categories. And it’s growing.

We listened. Now all branded EDS sites have a Photo Libraries button with a drop-down menu. The menu includes not only Past Five Days, but also galleries showing Custom, Rental, and Retail projects. Expect them to evolve as we add (and remove) projects.

Gravitee Modular Wall System

gravitee-cycleYou’ll be hearing LOTS and LOTS about Gravitee in the coming months. However, unlike other Classic systems, we’ve chosen not to create a defined product gallery in EDS. Why? Gravitee is a chameleon. It’s ideal as an island or an inline. It’s perfect for purchase or rental. Use it for an event, a corporate environment, a trade show, or retail space. It’s versatile, practical, and affordable. In short, it works in almost any 3D environment.

For now, the Gravitee kits will be in the Island, Visionary Designs, and SEGUE galleries. You can find them by searching “Gravitee.” Or, by going to the Exhibits menu on the main Classic website and clicking on Gravitee One-Step Modular System.

Interested in adding Gravitee to your rental inventory? Click to download the Starter Kit Special, available only to Classic Exhibits Distributors.

LED Lightboxes

vk-1966-view-3Lightboxes are the boy bands of the exhibit, event, and retail world. Even if you want to hate them… you can’t. They are just too damn cute and adorable. We decided to take a two-prong approach to lightboxes. Our proprietary SuperNova lightboxes can be purchased in any size, nearly any shape, and come in one or two-sided frames. The frames, unlike most on the market, are designed to withstand abuse. We dare you to compare them to the “little sisters of the poor” varieties, not only in their durability but also their light sealing features. They are better and brawnier.

Secondly, lightboxes need to be functional for trade show exhibitors. That means that attaching counters, headers, literature holders, iPad stands, shelves, monitors, etc. should be easy. We’ve designed kits that do more than look pretty. They are also practical. See VK-1966, VK-1963, VK-1961, and VK-1118 for examples.

Rental Furniture Galleries

rental-furnitureThis is important. Last summer, we added Rental Furniture Galleries #1 and #2 in EDS. These galleries are a partnership with CORT, the leader in trade show rental furniture. Rental furniture is no longer the exception in inline and island booths. It’s the rule.

Historically, it’s been challenging to assist your customers with rental furniture. Not anymore. These two retail galleries make it easy to show your clients rental furniture at retail prices. Once your client has selected the furniture, simply call CORT, tell them you’re a Classic Exhibits distributor, and they will provide you with a wholesale quote. They can even direct you to other rental furniture options in their online catalog, all with a special Classic Exhibits wholesale prices. My personal advice… don’t be a duffus! Show rental furniture. Sell rental furniture. With or without your assistance, your clients are going to have rental furniture in their booth.

As always, please let us know if you have any questions about Exhibit Design Search or about anything Classic Exhibits related.

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

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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 or www.classicexhibits.com.

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Classic Exhibits | Our New Home Page

August 28th, 2016 Mel White 2 COMMENTS

Classic Exhibits Home Page

Launching a new website/webpage should be anti-climactic. It’s 2016. Around the world, thousands of new websites are created every day. And yet… When we launched our new home page last week, I was giddy. That’s a rare sight. Just ask Jen or Reid.

The new home page is beautiful, practical, and efficient. Our previous home page was focused on products and resources. The new site adds secondary layers showing our story, capabilities, and values. Anyone who visits Classic, whether for a tour, product preview, or Shared Knowledge University, realizes that the Classic Story is so much deeper than just our 1400 products. It’s special in a way that is hard to translate without being here. Which doesn’t mean it can’t be done on a website. But we knew it would be challenging.

Our Approach

We adopted the current website design of “banding” — i.e., horizontal layers stacked in a vertical scroll. There are seven bands, excluding the header and footer.

  1. Company Video w/ a Short and Long Version (click on the speaker)
  2. The Shared Success Formula (Values Statement)
  3. Key Menu Blocks
  4. Classic Rental Solutions
  5. Recent Work — Past Five Days (Scroll)
  6. Products Updates and News
  7. CE Website Links

Classic Exhibits Home Page

This layered approach attempts to show website visitors “What We Do” and “Who We Are.”  As a Classic Distributor, you may not delve into the “Who We Are” sections more than once or twice. However, our website traffic has increased significantly over the years. Search engines see us as a content-rich destination for anyone interested in trade show marketing, industry news, and designs. It’s those visitors who will see, hear, and feel the big picture message on the home page.

Additional Changes

Printable, Downloadable Trade Show Literature
In addition, we’ve added a literature image link. Clicking on it will take you to a webpage where product sheets can be reviewed and downloaded. Second, we’ve reorganized the drop-down menu items so they’re easier to navigate.

More changes are coming, particularly in Exhibit Design Search (both Classic and the branded versions). You’ll see those in the next month or two.

As always, a huge thanks to Tony and Glenna, who did the real work, and to everyone at Classic who reviewed the beta site and offered their advice and suggestions. Shared Success… it’s how we continue to thrive.

We’d love to hear from you about the home page modifications. Your suggestions are always welcome and encouraged.

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

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

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 or www.classicexhibits.com.

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A Better Way to Rent Trade Show Furniture

May 25th, 2016 Mel White COMMENTS

Trade Show Rental FurnitureTwo New Rental Furniture Galleries

While attending a trade show earlier this month, I conducted an informal poll with Exhibit Appointed Contractors (EAC). EAC’s are the folks who provide the labor for most trade show installs and dismantles. I asked, “What percentage of exhibitors rent furniture? Tables, chairs, casual lounge furniture?” Their answer surprised me, ranging from 75-95%. And that furniture rental has increased in recent years.

If you have ever rented furniture from the show book, you know it’s not always user-friendly. And too often, it’s a task that’s completed right before the show, adding stress and expense to your trade show experience.

We have a better solution. Exhibit Design Search, the one-stop shop for exhibits, has two new furniture rental galleries. These galleries include chairs, soft furniture, tables, bar stools, even stanchions for crowd control. You’ll see photos, dimensions, and prices that include delivery and drayage.

So easy. Simply contact your Classic Exhibits Distributor to order what you need. They’ll make all the arrangements and your furniture will arrive on time… and get picked up at the end of the show. No hassle. And should there be any problems, you’ll have access to a 24-hour support line.

Trade Show Rental Furniture on Exhibit Design Search

Don’t see what you need? Let us know. There are more options available than in the EDS Galleries.

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

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

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 or www.classicexhibits.com.

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Price Changes in Exhibit Design Search

May 6th, 2016 Mel White COMMENTS

PriceUpdateHeader

It’s May… and there doesn’t appear to be any slowdown in designs, quotes, and orders. So thanks as always.

Effective today, you will see modest price changes in EDS. Yes, the dreaded price increase. No one likes them, but they are a reality. I have taken a deep dive the past two months reviewing our pricing and costing. Basically, evaluating material increases, general labor, and overhead costs over the past four years (since our last selective price adjustment). In doing so, we have bumped prices on most kits.

Most are very modest. In the 5 percent range. Which is not bad considering it’s been anywhere from four to eight years since we’ve raised prices, depending on the product. Others are higher such as Quadro, counters, and workstations. Several product lines remain the same — On the Move Furniture, Intro kits, and the new Gravitee One-Step Modular System.

We will honor any existing quotes for 60 days from the quote date. In addition, we will be flexible on any quotes you’ve given your clients via EDS. Quotes going forward will reflect the new prices.

If there are questions, please do not hesitate to contact your Classic Project Manager, Mel, or me.

In the meantime, stay tuned. I know Mel will be making a big EDS announcement. I’m positive you’ll love the new additions. Look for a summer promotion beginning in about two weeks on all inlines.

Hope you have a great weekend with you families. Thanks again for the great start to May and a terrific 2016.

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

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Classic Exhibits… By the Numbers

March 15th, 2016 Mel White 4 COMMENTS

P5D_EDS_TTB_BlogHeader

Milestones

In business, as in life, we celebrate milestones. This morning after adding an article to Trade Show Tips, I decide to count them — 74 articles. It’s more than I thought, but 74 isn’t 740 or 7400 so the number didn’t freak me out.

Having started down this path, I decided to look at other numbers. For example, how many blog posts have we published in Trade Show Tales? WordPress makes finding that number easy — 704 posts (counting this one). Now I have to be honest with you — that did freak me out a bit. We publish 6-8 posts per month with the first one in 2009. So by the numbers, that’s about right. However, that doesn’t make 704 seem any less daunting. That’s a lot of words and images over the years. I’m not sure whether we should pat ourselves on the back or apologize to you (“Way to go team!” or “Sorry everyone”).

What Is This Anyway?

The First P5D Photo. What Is This Anyway?

So, you may be wondering how many photos are in Past 5 Days. P5D was launched on September 9, 2006 with this image. It’s an odd image for the first P5D, but we didn’t know what we were doing back then. According to Tony, our resident web guru, we’ve published 5840 photos. Most are linked to kits in Exhibit Design Search.

I’d be impressed, but I’m actually more exhausted thinking about how each photo had to be resized, saved for the web, and described. The upside is that P5D is the third most visited section of the Classic website, after the Classic and the EDS home pages (according to Google Analytics).

Which leads us to EDS. It’s a big number so let’s filter it a bit. Some kits are shown in multiple galleries. I’d estimate around 140. Our count won’t include inactive designs (we’ve killed probably 400+ kits over the years). We won’t count the Cases, Lighting, and Flooring (149 entries).

031116 MOD1430_aTotal = 1554. Let’s put that number in perspective. Some galleries have grown substantially the past two years, such as the Rental, eSmart, and Island Galleries (because of double-digit growth). During that same time, charging stations, tablet stands, and lightbox kits were added. Plus, the Quadro Floating Graphic System is new.

Twice a year, we delete slow selling kits, or give them a second chance by redesigning them. And then there’s Design Monday, which serves as constant design funnel for Exhibit Design Search.

I’ll spare you all the numbers for Design Monday except to say that back in December we hit the 560th week. DM, more than anything else in this list, makes my head hurt.

You are probably wondering if there’s a point to this blog post, other than reaching blog post 704? Whatever you think about Classic Exhibits, you have to give us credit for persistence, communication, and creativity. That alone should tell you who we are as a company and how much we value you as a Classic Distributor. Give us a break. We have a lot to share!

Is it really time to post another P5D? Sigh.

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

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

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 or www.classicexhibits.com.

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