Trade Show TalesBlog

Posts Tagged ‘Sacagawea Hybrid’

And the Sacagawea Winner is . . .

March 17th, 2010 COMMENTS
Classic Exhibits in Las Vegas

Classic Exhibits in Las Vegas

Our thanks to everyone who attended the Classic Exhibits Hospitality Suite last night at Mandalay Bay. A special thanks to Gina Porcaro and Tim Bonesteel from Optima Graphics for serving as bartenders. The conspicuous tip jar may have crossed the line, but otherwise your skill at keeping everyone lubricated was accomplished with graciousness and finesse. And, in spite of Mel’s best efforts to provoke distributors and vendors alike, there were no fistfights.

Now to the drawing . . . The winner of the Sacagawea Portable Hybrid Showroom Giveaway . . . . (the obligatory drum roll please!)

Steve Gable, Innovation Exhibits Inc.

Congratulations Steve. Contact Kevin Carty at your convenience, and we’ll get your Sacagawea order into Production.

We’ll post photos from the show early next week in Past Five Days. We’d do it today but typing with a hangover is hard. Editing and posting photos would require several Bloody Mary’s and a handful of Advil, both of which are in short supply this morning. And, frankly, we’re a little afraid of what photos would get posted by mistake. Just a warning . . . We have photos of Reid Sherwood impersonating Chris Farley in the Chippendale skit from Saturday Night Live.

Viva Las Vegas!!!

Word on the Street — June 8th thru June 12th

June 12th, 2009 COMMENTS
Word on the Street

Word on the Street by Kevin Carty

If you are like me, you find yourself talking to your exhibit industry peers to see “what’s up” in their world and in our industry. So, at the recommendation of others, I am going to write about what I am hearing each week and post it every Friday by noon. I look forward to your comments and feedback.

Week of June 8th thru June 12th

Budgets Looking Up Heading into 2010! 

That was the title of an article an industry friend sent my direction on Monday, and it really set the tone for the week.

In our business, we have seen a big spike in activity in design and quote requests so I thought i would make some calls and see if this was true for others. I spoke to some traditional Portable/Modular/Hybrid Distributors, Custom Houses, and a few suppliers of carpeting, lighting, and transportation services.

Their response confirmed our trend. With the exception of two companies, which said they are still hearing crickets rather than phones ringing, everyone else said that business has begun to pickup over the past two weeks. In addition, the projects seem real and have some meat. Not just “pie in the sky” speculative projects.

Everyone, myself included, is careful to mention that there has NOT been a comparable spike in sales, just in design and quoting. Which tells me that some money is being freed up for later summer and fall shows. The sales they are seeing right now are for refreshed graphics for existing exhibits and/or alternative “value” based exhibit options. At Classic, for example, we just introduced the Sacagawea Hybrid Series which has seen a lot of activity.

The other really consistent fact that all companies I spoke to confirmed was that their rental business is up anywhere from 25-50% over last year. Stands to reason right?!?!

They all agreed that May, June, and July will be spent getting back to basics. Making calls to as many people as possible. Keeping your company’s name out in the forefront is paramount during uncertain economic times like these. And for those who survive . . . the last thing you want to struggle with down the road is name recognition.

As I muddle and learn my way through this weekly blog thing, I encourage you to send me topics or questions that you would like feedback on. I would be happy to ask around as I make my calls each day and/or as I visit customers.

Talk to you all soon

Be Well

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