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Word on the Street — February 14th thru February 18th

February 20th, 2011 Mel White COMMENTS

Word on the Street by Kevin Carty

First Timer’s Experience

This past week had a running theme — First Timers. That is, people who were either attending and/or coordinating their first trade show, or in one case, preparing for their first retail installation. You know what this is like. It’s draining, exhilarating, and frustrating — usually at the same time.

The first “first timer” is a company in California, or more specifically, their marketing agency, which is based in Portland. They are preparing for a show in Chicago in March. Helping them, and the Exhibits Northwest Account Executive, has reminded me of what happens when an exhibit leaves our manufacturing facility. It is also a painful reminder of the crazy hoops exhibitors have to jump through at each and every show.

Let’s start with their questions about electrical. I had to emphasize the need for flat cords when they were coordinating with show labor since they ordered Flex Flooring from Brumark. As we all know, unless they use flat cords, they will have bumps from traditional round cords.

Coordinating the electrical labor left the the marketing agency scratching their heads. I explained that they would need to order electrical services before laying the floor, but there was the possibility in Chicago and in future cities that they would need to order

Electrical Policies for Trade Shows

Are You Kidding Me?

an additional hour once the exhibit was built for someone to plug everything in. The look on their face said it all. I will just leave it at that. But, it also served as a reminder why many exhibitors leave a trade show with a sour taste in their mouth. They are unaware of this industry’s idiosyncrasies (to state it politely). Even if it was stated in their show book, many of those details are neither read nor understood.

The second example came from a friend who was attending and exhibiting at the International Roofing Show for the first time in Las Vegas. He called me late Friday afternoon, and I asked him what he was doing. His response was typical. “We are just sitting here waiting for our crates.” How many times have we all been there?! It’s really no fault of show management or labor. It’s just a reality of the process. Just when you think your long week, especially in a town like Vegas which has been non-stop for 2-5 days, is over, you find yourself wanting nothing more than to pack up and board the next plane out of town. But alas, you wait . . . sometimes for hours.

My friend made another comment which was very Vegas specific. He said,  “I am tired. My days seem to run together in this town.” Any of us who have spent any time in Las Vegas know exactly what he means.

The last example has to do with a local retail project for Exhibits Northwest. We are in the home stretch of the first install. After this one is complete, the program will be implemented at additional locations.

This time, we are the First Timers. We have completed nearly everything and are getting ready for the on-site installation. Having done this very infrequently, we forgot about the bureaucratic hoops to get something installed in a commercial building. For example, learning the city building codes has been an eye opener. I am not complaining, but it is foreign to me and to the team at Classic Exhibits and Exhibits NW. Apparently, in the city of Portland, whatever you build must survive the Apocalypse. 🙂

It really made me empathize with those end-users attending their first show. What’s the most surprising thing your customers experience the first time they exhibit? Please share your story.

Be well!

–Kevin Carty

http://twitter.com/kevin_carty
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Annual Letter from Kevin Carty, VP of Sales

January 19th, 2011 Mel White 1 COMMENT

Kevin Carty, VP of Sales

Happy New Year!

Thank you very much for your continued support of Classic Exhibits, Exhibits Northwest and ClassicMODUL! The Classic Exhibits Inc. team appreciates your orders, suggestions, and support.

As a company, we weathered the economic storm of late 2008, 2009, and early 2010 by introducing new designs, improving our customer service, and making strategic purchases. Our 2010 sales increased 20 percent. All things considered, we’re happy with that increase, and based on conversations with many of you, your sales have improved as well. Excellent!

SEGUE Launch

We ended the year on a high note by launching a new SEGUE system – the Sunrise. All SEGUE hybrid displays feature Silicone Edge Graphics. The new SEGUE Sunrise is an inexpensive exhibit for customers who want a high-class, high-quality display that expands to a 10 x 20 inline. It’s competitively priced (starting at $2575 retail) and engineered for simple, no-tools assembly. It’s the perfect alternative to a pop up.

Sunrise VK-1905

Speaking of portable hybrids, Sacagawea sales have been off the charts. Clearly there is a HUGE market for inexpensive hybrid displays. Go figure . . . introduce a simple, lightweight, hybrid design at a competitive price and it sells like cherry snow cones at the state fair.

Rentals Rentals Rentals!

Kudos to Jim Shelman and his crew at Exhibits Northwest in 2010! Their dedication to providing creative yet affordable rental options meant that a lot of Classic Distributors did very, very well this year. 95 percent of all rental orders were creative hybrids, ranging from 10 x 10’s to Double Deck Islands. Amazing stuff! And while they offer rental kits, nearly half of all orders were new designs or kit modifications.

Eco-sytems Sustainable Exhibits

In June of 2010, we announced our partnership and ownership stake in Eco-systems Sustainable Exhibits — the Leader in Sustainable Exhibits. We are proud to put our name side by side with a display company that shares our core values. Eco-systems’ innovative displays are designed by Michael McCord using ClassicMODUL profiles as its backbone. We encourage you to contact Eric Albery or Tim Morris if you have not worked with them. No one knows sustainability better than Eco.

Marketing Efforts

Those of you who know Mel White, our VP of Marketing and Business Development, know that his mind never stops. This past year was no different as evidenced by some of the great things he developed and implemented in 2010.

Peek-a-Booth:  It’s not just a catchy name, but an effective webcam tool at the fingertips of every Distributor and End-user alike. With Peek-a-Booth, you can preview booths live as they are constructed, and with the pan and zoom capabilities, you can see and critique the final set-up. Be sure to contact your Classic project manager about how to access the two webcams on your next order.

Exhibit Design Search Changes/Improvements:  This is Mel’s baby! And it shows in the constant tweaks and improvements he makes to this amazing web-based tool. Last year, Mel, with the help of Edie, Anne, Charlie, Wade, Bob, Tim, and Mike, added videos animations, photos galore, and even more graphics dims and set-up instructions. In addition, Exhibit Design Search now includes Eco-systems designs, flooring options from Brumark, and even more products from Optima Graphics. Expect to see another gallery by Q2, featuring products from a well-know industry supplier.

We encourage you to browse through Exhibit Design Search. You will be amazed by the comprehensive nature of this online tool. I wasn’t sure it could get much better . . . boy did it ever! Give Mel a call if you haven’t added Exhibit Design Search to your website.

Webinars:  Last year, we dipped our toe in the water on webinars. This year we’ll dive in head first. In 2010, we conducted sessions on Tips and Tricks of Exhibit Design Search in addition to sessions on Social Media and Blogging (hosted by Tim Patterson). Expect a webinar on Classic Hybrid Displays in Q1, which will present the features and benefits of Visionary Designs, Sacagawea, Magellan, Perfect 10, and SEGUE.

Trade Show Tales Blog

Blog:  We started blogging in late 2009, but in 2010 we took it to the next level. Trade Show Tales was initially centered around my weekly column, “Word on the Street,” but the blog has really grown far beyond my ramblings. It now includes Mel and Reid’s ramblings! Ha! Seriously though, it really has become an effective tool for communicating product and service updates and the pulse at Classic every week. Thanks to those “Twits” and “LinkedIn” folks out there for posting, reposting, and tweeting the blog postings so frequently. Not to mention all the comments we receive. Please keep them coming in 2011

Industry Boards and News

On a personal note, I am delighted to announce my appointment to several industry posts. I was appointed/elected to the EDPA Board, the Exhibitor Show Advisory Committee, and the HCEA Advisory Committee. I am honored by the appointments, and committed to improving our industry.  Thank you for the opportunity.

Speaking of shows . . . EXHIBITOR is our next big event. And I hope you are ready. We have two very exciting things on tap. First of course is our stunning exhibit design for the show. I personally can’t wait to share that with you all as soon as we flesh out all the details. Secondly, is something I will just refer to simply as “THE EVENT.” Stay tuned, we have something really fun in store in partnership with several strategic partners. Be patient. There’s more to come.

On another note, as the Advisory Board Chairman for the TS2 Show, I am deeply saddened by the announcement to cancel the event for 2011. While I understand the decision and support it in many ways, as someone who has been doing this for 16 plus years, I am nevertheless disappointed. As a company, Classic fully supports the plan to “re-tool” TS2 and re-launch it in 2012. TS2 has always been a very successful event for us.

Vendor Partners and ClassicMODUL

Visionary Designs Island

I know this sometimes feels like a bit of a love fest when I talk about our partners, but there is good reason. Like in life, a business is only as good as its people and the companies it surrounds itself with. To that end, I want to extend my gratitude to Brumark, EliteXPO, Display Supply and Lighting, Momentum Management, and most importantly Optima Graphics. Thanks again for helping make Classic and its network of distributors the best. You are all a huge part of our success.

Big news from ClassicMODUL. In early February, ClassicMODUL will officially open its Southeast USA Extrusion Depot! I am very excited about the opportunities this presents for ClassicMODUL, Classic Exhibits, and our customers in the Southeast. More to come when the depot opens in February.

Before signing off, I would be remiss if I did not mention the CMT docu-drama my friend and co-worker Reid Sherwood has endured once again this past year. He and his family experienced a 3rd house fire in the course of approximately 26 months. Unreal! In all honestly, I truly admire the way Reid, Vickie, and the girls have endured over the past several months. It has been truly inspiring to see how they banded together during such difficult circumstances. However, I do have one favor to ask of you all. When you see Reid next, please comment on his new cologne, “Ode de SOOT.” Tell him it smells good. The poor guy is self conscience enough as it is.

Cheers to a great 2011. See you soon.

Kevin Carty
Vice President of Sales
Classic Exhibits Inc.

http://twitter.com/kevin_carty
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Word on the Street — May 10th thru May 14th

May 16th, 2010 Mel White 2 COMMENTS

Word on the Street by Kevin Carty

Distributor Sales or Direct Sales? Why Distributors Matter.

This has been a hot topic all week.

Not that it’s something Classic has contemplated. Much to the contrary. But for some reason, I was asked about this several times.

“Do you sell direct?” . . . “Hey, can I order directly from you?” . . . “Why don’t you sell direct?”

I thought I’d take a moment to address our philosophy on this matter.

First let me say that this is not to slight any manufacturers that sell direct and work through distributors at the same time. Some of our friendliest competitors do that in specific markets, like their own backyards, and it works well for them. Which is fine. Others have opted to go for Company Branded Locations or Company Stores in key markets, and that works well for them. Classic, for instance, has Exhibits Northwest, which sells exclusively in Washington and Oregon. But, Exhibits Northwest is not exclusive in those markets. We have other distributors in Oregon and Washington as well.

When we first entered the market in 1993, there were many established manufacturers already. We were essentially five guys in a garage . We weren’t, but you know what I mean. As such, we did not have the “reach” of other companies, so we needed to rely on distributor relationships to spread the word about Classic Exhibits’ products.

Then in about 2005, when we decided to re-brand the company and really start marketing the our products and services, we made a conscious decision. We recognized that we were not a “National” brand, nor did we feel that was the right approach for our company. Instead, we opted to focus on branding our marketing materials for distributors in each given market. In other words, we recognized that it was THEIR brand that mattered — not ours. Our products and our marketing materials would serve to strengthen their brand.

That is the essence behind Exhibit Design Search. Provide distributors with a professional search tool at very little cost, brand it for their website, deepen their product offerings, and substantially elevate their web presence in their market. A larger presence means more opportunities to close sales and more opportunities to sell Classic products. In other words, Shared Success.

Classic Exhibits Distributors

Now, fast forward to the present. We have invested a large amount of time and energy to develop what we feel is the best Distribution Network in the Industry. And in most cases, we have created Partners, not just Distributors, and forged relationships with companies that believe in the philosophy of Shared Success. Classic started with a distribution model and has kept it that way since the company was incorporated. Our Distributors are our life’s blood.

Having said all that, to answer the questions from earlier this week, we will never sell direct. We have too many good partnerships and friendships. Why risk a solid partnership and years of sales by selling a Perfect 10 or Visionary Designs direct? That makes no sense. We’re NOT THAT STUPID.

To quote Mel White, our resident curmudgeon, “Working with distributors is a big enough pain in the ass. Why complicate our lives even more by working with end-users.”

Thanks to you all.

Be well and have a safe and restful weekend.

–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 — March 8th thru March 12th

March 14th, 2010 Mel White COMMENTS
Word on the Street by Kevin Carty

Word on the Street by Kevin Carty

(With Kevin in Las Vegas at EXHIBITOR, Jim Shelman, GM of Exhibits NW Portland, has assumed the “Word on the Street” duties this week.)

Now That You’ve Decided to Rent Your Trade Show Exhibit . . .

There are lots of articles about the benefits of renting vs. buying an exhibit, including this one on Classic’s website. But, I don’t recall ever reading an article that discussed the do’s and don’ts once you have decided to rent. After 20 years of managing exhibit rentals for clients, including the past five managing the Rental Program for Classic Exhibits, I’ve learned that deciding to rent is the easy part. The hard part comes after the rental decision has been made. With all humility, please allow me to share these tips from someone who has experienced his fair share of rental bruises over the years.

Think Ahead about Future Shows
You’ve decided to rent your exhibit. Now take it a step further by planning your trade show schedule over the next two to three years. Developing a long-term plan could save you thousands of dollars by committing to a multiple-show rental contract. Most companies offer a substantial discount if you agree to multiple rentals up front, even for various size exhibits and different designs.

Customization
Rental exhibits have come a long way. Work with a company that’s willing to offer customization so you can achieve your specific exhibit marketing goals. Everyone should be wondering, “Is it a rental or not?” There are a number of ways to achieve a custom look. It can be achieved with graphic applications and/or materials such as infill panels for conference rooms and workstations. Sometimes all it takes is a small accent piece with your corporate colors to make a big difference in the overall design. Just because you’re renting doesn’t mean you don’t want to jazz it up a bit and give it your own personal touch. It should have a similar look and feel to an exhibit you would purchase but with the added benefit that you can change things out from show to show.

rental_jimGraphics
Be sure you have all of the specs you need for your graphics. There are many graphic applications. Working with an exhibit professional will ensure that you choose the method that works best for your rental exhibit. And if you choose to sign a multiple show contract, you’ll want to design your graphics with future shows and exhibit designs in mind. There are usually graphic components that can be re-used, so keep that in mind as you work through each design concept.

Monitors
If you’re planning to use monitors, check that the mounts can be incorporated into the design. In other words don’t waste money on monitor stands if you can use the existing structure. A good rental exhibit company will offer a variety of solutions for monitors and wire management.

(more…)

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