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40 Things You Do @ Trade Shows (You Would Never Do Anywhere Else)

February 7th, 2023 Mel White 17 COMMENTS
Trade Show Etiquette

Every group has its own rules and etiquette. Trade shows are no different whether you are an exhibitor, attendee, or an industry insider. While many behaviors might seem normal to you as a member of the trade show community, others are downright bizarre to those who rarely set foot in a trade show hall.

Here are 40 Things You Do @ Trade Shows You Would Never Do Anywhere Else. It was originally much longer, but this is a PG-rated blog.

Drinking doesn’t count. We know you drink. You just don’t always start at lunch. And for the sake of discretion (and possible litigation), we’ve ignored trade shows where other forms of “relaxation” are legal.

Feel free to contribute in the comments. And enjoy!

Wear Matching Unisex Clothing

  1. Throw trash in the aisle and expect others to clean it up
  2. Spend $8.50 for a 12 oz. bottle of Aquafina
  3. Bribe someone to look the other direction. Brag about it later
  4. Have Accounting panic because you just max-out your credit card on one transaction (drayage perhaps?)
  5. Wear matching unisex clothing 
  6. Take anything that appears to have a value of less than $10 (candy, hats, pens, mugs…)
  7. Share “steamy” industry gossip with competitors
  8. Chat with 500 strangers in 72 hours
  9. Gush about the double-padded carpet in booth #1108
  10. Buy a gaudy new belt in the casino shop for $165 (after forgetting to pack one) 
Vacuuming at a Trade Show

Spend $350 to Vacuum Your Carpet

  1. Party until 3 am with Steve in Accounting, Larry in HR, Melissa in Engineering, and Rebecca in Quality Control
  2. Bum breath mints from strangers
  3. Arrive at work at 11 am. Leave at 3:30 pm
  4. Get agitated when someone walks across the corner of your booth space
  5. Take a Lyft to Lowe’s or Best Buy at 9 am
  6. Pretend you don’t smell that awful face-melting smell
  7. Debate the existential meaning of portable, modular, and custom
  8. Act interested in (insert topic)
  9. Complain about how much it costs to vacuum 400 sq. ft. of carpet. Vow to do something about it
  10. Allow strangers to take your stuff without a receipt for three days and not know where it is, how it’s getting stored (or if it will be returned undamaged), and that you have zero ability to get it back early. 
Badge Scanning at a Trade Show

Steam Your Clothing in the Shower

  1. Let someone point a scanning device or smartphone camera in the general vicinity of your chest and crotch. Repeatedly.
  2. Be convinced a 15-minute conversation will lead to $500,000 in new business
  3. Assemble a 3D structure that costs somewhere between a new car and a McMansion, only to disassemble it three days later
  4. Spend 20% of your entire annual marketing budget over five days. Never calculate the ROI
  5. Compare the work ethic in Philadelphia, Boston, NYC, Chicago, Orlando, Anaheim, San Francisco, and Las Vegas to the work ethic in your hometown. Vow to do something about it.
  6. Hang your clothing in the bathroom with the shower running for 30 minutes to steam out the wrinkles  
  7. Explain, once again, to your family and friends that it’s a “business trip” and not a vacation
  8. Get visibly excited about the phrase “traffic congestion”
  9. Guard your giveaways like a momma bear (Day #1). Beg show labor to take them in bulk (Day #3)
  10. Sneak off to the bathroom just to find a quiet place to work
Finding a Quiet Spot to Work at a Trade Show

Hide in a Storage Closet

  1. Hide in a storage closet to scarf down a Starbuck’s scone, while dusting your co-workers coats, purses, and briefcases with gooey crumbs
  2. Judge people based solely on their trade show name badge  
  3. Convince your boss that the 300 fishbowl leads are new clients clamoring for your product (and not the iPad giveaway)
  4. Pretend the President’s son is not still drunk. Allow him to talk to potential clients and competitors (I know I said I wouldn’t include drinking but this one was too good to exclude) 
  5. Spend 3 days with 100 of your best friends and not speak or see them again for 362 days
  6. Fly from the Midwest in January to Las Vegas, Orlando, or New Orleans and NEVER leave the hotel/convention center complex
  7. Reintroduce yourself to the same person three times. Act embarrassed 
  8. Toss the sales literature you carefully collected over three days so there’s more room for tschotskes. Pretend it’s for your children 
  9. Be REALLY, REALLY EXCITED to leave Las Vegas or Orlando!
  10. Finally… Wonder (after scanning the room and mumbling quietly to yourself) why the Federal Government hasn’t filed RICO charges against certain segments of the trade show industry. Vow to do something about it. 

That’s it. Please share your “Trade Show Things” below. And thanks for playing along.

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

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

Classic Exhibits Inc. designs and manufacturers portable, modular, hybrid, and custom exhibit solutions, including SuperNova LED Lightboxes. 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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Posted in Business Tips, Classic Exhibit Systems, Mel White, Trade Show Exhibit Tips, Trade Show Marketing | 17 Comments »

Are We Asking Exhibitors the Wrong Questions?

January 26th, 2023 Mel White COMMENTS
Trade Show Marketing Questions
Goals? Objectives? Or Something Else.

Recently I attended a charity event with a social mixer. Several introductions later, I was conversing with a CEO about trade shows.

He grumbled about drayage, shipping, and labor. I sympathized. Then he shifted to ROI. His company’s trade show ROI was terrible. Not surprisingly, his company didn’t have clear trade show objectives or a pre-show or post-show strategy.

It Got Me Thinking

Are we asking our clients the wrong questions?

Perhaps we shouldn’t be asking exhibitors about their trade show goals or objectives. Instead, we should encourage them to share everything they don’t want to happen. In other words, ask them to describe their trade show hell. We know the list will be LONG and DETAILED, and include topics like terrible booth traffic, the wrong prospects, worthless lead management. Or disengaged staff, ugly graphics, insufficient storage, or simply a boring booth.

Suddenly, your boring 5–10-minute conversation about goals becomes an intense (and entertaining) 30-minute session about their trade show nightmares.  Guess what… They’ve told you what they don’t want. Now guide them toward the solutions they need. I suspect they’ll be more receptive. And the conversation will be a lot more fun!

I challenge you to test this technique. What do you have to lose? You just might turn a disengaged trade show marketer into a dynamic trade show marketing cheerleader. Sans the pom poms.

Classic Exhibits has been designing and building solutions since 1993. We’ve been honored as an Exhibitor Magazine Find-It Top 40 Exhibit Producers and an Event Marketer Fab 50 Exhibit Builders multiple times. Along with numerous Portable Modular Awards. 

With over 200 Distributor Partners throughout North America, there’s a Classic representative close by to assist with any rental project. Contact us today whether you need an inline rental display, a double-deck island exhibit, or a contemporary kiosk rental. At Classic, we’re not just different. We’re better.

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Posted in Classic Exhibits Inc. | No Comments »

What Bigfoot Can Teach Us about Trade Shows

January 18th, 2023 Mel White COMMENTS
Trade Show Tips from Sasquatch
Advice about Trade Shows from the Big Guy

Trade Show Tips from Sasquatch

Sasquatch is no seven-foot dummy. He (she) has a brain to match that brawn. Bigfoot understands marketing, knows PR like a Madison Avenue insider, and can out Kardashian the Kardashians without taking a step outside the Pacific Northwest. Here’s what our ancestral brother from another mother can teach us about trade show marketing.

1. It’s Possible to be BIG and Still Not be Seen.

Bigfoot and Trade Shows
Bigfoot Action Figure — Smart Marketing!

All too often, exhibitors are told that an island exhibit will get them more leads, more traffic, and more attention. But a poorly executed island with bland graphics and a confusing floor plan is much worse than a well-designed inline.

2. Mystery has Its Allure.

Bigfoot knows the benefits of the tease. Revealing teaser information before the show about a new product or service creates anticipation from customers and the press. Apple is the master of this technique. So is Bigfoot. Being coy with a well-crafted marketing campaign before the show has its benefits.

3. Tap into Your Followers.

You won’t see Sasquatch sending press releases or typing a Twitter message. His followers do all the work. They have websites, Facebook pages, and a television show that keeps our big hairy friend in the news. Occasionally, a rogue “fan” will damage the Bigfoot brand name with a silly stunt, but that’s an acceptable risk with any loosely organized group. Even then, the real followers rally around the brand and repair any damage.

4. Spend Your Marketing Money Wisely.

Technically, Bigfoot doesn’t spend any money, at least that we know. But that doesn’t prevent him from getting maximum exposure. He’s got a TV show (Finding Bigfoot) and a website (www.bfro.net). Your trade show marketing doesn’t have to be expensive. Planning is crucial. You can maximize your marketing by working with those who have a shared interest. For example, team up with other exhibitors on a prize that would be too expensive for one company, but not for five or six. Then create a theme or event that gives everyone more foot-traffic and exposure.

5. Training.

After all these years why hasn’t a Sasquatch been captured? Training. There are no unprepared Bigfoots. They know how to respond to nearly every situation, whether it’s a sudden encounter with Boy Scouts or a deer hunter. Exhibitors who “arrive” at their booth without adequate training and who do not know how to respond to most show floor situations will fail. Unfortunately, it’s the most controllable part of any trade show marketing program . . . and most exhibitors simply “wing it.”

Bigfoot and Tradeshow Marketing
Not All PR is Good

6. Leave Your Mark.

What’s the point of participating in a trade show if you don’t leave your mark? Bigfoot routinely leaves the big three: foot prints, hair, and scat. It shows he’s been there and people take notice. No one is advising you to leave the “big three” at your next show, but making a lasting impression is critical to your company’s success. Is your message clear? Does it show how your company can solve a potential client’s problem? How do you engage the attendees in the booth? And, finally, are you following up on all leads after the show?

7. Smells that Linger.

Bigfoot sightings often include a description of an unpleasant acrid or skunky odor. That’s not good, but no one expects our tall friend to bathe with Irish Spring. You, on the other hand, should do the following:

  • Clean that suit, sport coat, or jacket once in awhile. Just because it doesn’t look dirty doesn’t mean it doesn’t reek of B.O., Subway $5 foot-longs, and Vegas casinos.
  • Coffee Breath. No one’s telling you not to have a latte, cappuccino, or Dunkin’ in the morning. Drink away. But for goodness sake, don’t assume that your breath will smell like rose petals after five cups. Free Tip:  Breath mints are every exhibitor’s best friend. Take several. Rinse and repeat.
  • Perfume and Cologne. We aren’t living in 17th Century France where the aristocracy used fragrances to mask bad hygiene and a fear of bathing. If you insist on smelling like Jennifer (A or L), Antonio, Beyonce, Britney, or Paris, a little goes a long, long way.

8. Family.

How often do you hear of Bigfoot sightings where the dad, mom, and kids are strolling through the woods or frolicking in a stream? Never. Being Bigfoot is serious work and families can be a distraction. No one is telling you not to bring your family to the industry trade show. After all, it’s in Las Vegas or Orlando or San Francisco. If you are serious about maximizing your trade show investment, you already know that trade shows are not a vacation. Not only are you on your feet at the show all day, but there’s also meetings before and after the show with suppliers, clients, and coworkers. There’s the pressure of responding to emails and calls while away from the office. And nearly every show has non-stop educational and social events.

9. The Brand is Important.

You already know this, but occasionally, marketing managers think they can treat branding at a trade show the same as branding in a magazine ad. 3D marketing has a unique set of challenges which only advice or experience can teach you. Rely on your local trade show professional to guide you. You’ll save money, time, and headaches. There’s a reason the Lock Ness Monster is no longer in the news. Poor branding. That’s not a mistake Sasquatch ever plans to make.

Learn from the big guy and you too can maximize your trade show marketing potential.

Please share your comments.

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

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

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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Posted in Classic Exhibits Inc., Trade Show Marketing, Trade Shows | No Comments »

Why is Trade Show Marketing So D@mn Hard?

January 18th, 2023 Mel White COMMENTS
Trade Show Marketing Tips

Most marketing professionals will hint at it. Others will whine and grumble about trade shows. Then there are those who are honest. They don’t understand trade show marketing. That’s not surprising. It’s rarely taught in college on either the undergraduate or graduate level. At best, it’s mentioned in passing in a textbook. I know. After earning an MBA, I went to work for an exhibit builder. On Day 1, I was clueless. Many years later, I’m still learning.

I’d love to say that trade show marketing is marketing but that’s not entirely true. It’s different in the same way that event marketing is different. Face-to-face engagements are less structured, more unpredictable, and frankly, messier than other forms of marketing. And, depending on the company and their goals, it can be difficult to measure the results.

3D Structures vs. 2D Screens

Marketing has traditionally been 2D:  print and television, brochures, websites, etc. It’s also been static and somewhat controllable. Trade show marketing or face-to-face marketing is as much about human interaction as the message or the branding. It’s about creating conversations before, during, and after the show.

Then there’s the booth design. It’s outside most marketers’ comfort zone, especially the first two, three, or four times. The dollars involved make it even scarier. It’s easy to panic when the costs exceed six digits for even a modest island exhibit. Fortunately, great exhibit houses have amazing exhibit designers who have years of experience asking the right questions and guiding marketers to the best possible solution to meet their trade show objectives.

Variable Measurements

Trade Show Marketing

Unlike print, television, or web ads, there are no standards or no reliable sources for subscriptions, ratings, or clicks at trade shows. Counting leads works, but it’s a crude measurement. More experienced exhibitors track pre-show promotions, leads, and sales through the entire sales channel, but they are the exception.

That doesn’t mean there are no quantitative measurements. Lead tracking software has become very sophisticated as a tool during and after the show, which makes gathering data, exporting it, and tracking leads much easier. But like all measurements, it’s easy to set goals. The hard part is being disciplined about entering the data and then reviewing it during and after the show. For example, here’s a typical conversation one week after a trade show.

Sales Manager: “I see from the show leads that you chatted with Bill Burrows from XYZ company. That’s GREAT! We’ve been trying to get their business for years. What did you discuss?”

Salesperson: “Does the lead indicate the day and time I spoke to Bill? XYZ? Do they make sprockets? I think we talked about supply chain challenges for them and opportunities for vendors but I don’t recall the details.”

Competitors

SoYoung

Trade shows are truly a competitive sport when it comes to marketing. It’s the one time you and your competitors are all in the same room, all vying for the attention of the same audience. You see what they’re doing… and vice versa.

It pays to be alert throughout the show. What products or services are your competitors promoting? What’s the traffic like in their booth? Do you have any shared customers? If so, what can they tell you about your competitors. And it’s not just during show hours. You would be surprised how “relaxed” some competitors become during social events and mixers. The best information at a trade show often comes from conversations off the show floor.

Uncontrollable Variables

No one likes unpredictability when it comes to their marketing campaign and implementation. Yet, despite one’s best efforts, trade shows can be chaotic. Freight doesn’t arrive on time. Items are broken. Flights are cancelled. An exhibitor on the far side of the exhibit hall is giving away beer and sandwiches. The exhibitor nearest you has their music so loud you can’t talk to potential clients without shouting.

It should go without saying that you can minimize surprises with advanced planning. Staging the booth to check for damage or missing parts. Leaving a day early or staggering flights. Shipping the booth to the advanced warehouse. But most importantly, communicating with potential clients at the show WELL in ADVANCE.

Unfamiliarity/Knowledge

Most medium-sized companies participate in two to five trade shows per year. Some as few as one. That makes it challenging to become an expert quickly. Plus, each show may not only have a different audience, but also different rules, layout, and resources. Too often, when the internal “expert” understands how to maximize the company’s trade show efforts, that person is assigned to other responsibilities. Then someone new has to start fresh.

Sales and Marketing

PhiladelphiaCommercial

Before, during, and after a trade show, sales and marketing must be dance partners. You’re a team. Face-to-face marketing requires sales skills and marketing expertise perfectly choreographed.

No matter how much sales and marketing claim to play nice, there’s always a wall at most companies. It’s that wall that dooms most exhibitors from fully benefiting from their trade show program. Successful exhibitors do two things well. They include everyone in the planning and they set clear, specific, and achievable goals. There should be no surprises and no excuses at every stage, especially once the show closes and everyone heads home.

Trade show marketing almost never leads to sales before the show. At the show, it creates opportunities. After the show is when the rubber meets the road and sales are closed.

How to Become a Trade Show Marketing Expert  

  1. Go to trade shows as often as possible as an attendee. Ask questions and listen to what works and what doesn’t. Plus, be willing to take classes at industry events about trade show marketing, even if your goal isn’t to become a trade show certified manager.
  2. Rely on your local trade show professional. If they only know how to sell you a display, but not how to succeed at trade show marketing, then find someone else.
  3. Tap into industry consultants. These folks know how to avoid the potholes and the meandering paths so often taken by trade show exhibitors. You can find them in LinkedIn, Google, or by simply asking your local vendor.
  4. Plan to succeed. Create a comprehensive plan that targets pre-show, show, and post-show marketing and put specific goals in place for each one.

–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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Posted in Classic Exhibits Inc., Trade Show Marketing | No Comments »

The Three Rules of Trade Show Marketing

January 16th, 2023 Mel White 3 COMMENTS
The Three Rules of Trade Show Marketing
The Three Rules of Trade Show Marketing

Trade Show Marketing isn’t complicated. It can be reduced to three simple rules. Everything else is a business decision. Here’s the difference: Buying a 10 ft. portable vs. 20 ft. custom island — that’s a business decision. Staying at the Hilton vs. the Quality Inn — that’s a business decision. Getting a professional presenter for the booth — that’s a marketing decision.

Confused? Here’s ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW about trade show marketing to be successful.

Rule #1. Problem and Solution.

Your message must state a problem and a solution, either explicitly or implicitly. Attendees are there to find solutions. They may not know they have a problem until you provide the solution. When Chrysler introduced the minivan back in the 80’s, their marketing focused on showing families that their vehicle was either too big or too small. In an attempt to be clever or creative, we forget we’re selling something. Selling is all about identifying needs and pains… and then providing the right solution.

Trade Show Marketing Rules

Rule #2. Get Noticed.

It’s called a “show” for a reason. You spent money to be seen at the show. BE SEEN! Does that mean dressing in a clown suit and standing in a booth made of balloons? No, unless that’s your culture (or you are selling balloons). Most companies approach trade show exhibits and graphics like they’re buying a mid-priced sedan: “I’d like a Honda Accord in silver.” Take a chance. You want to be different. That doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be practical and contain everything you need to showcase your product or service. Even Melba Toast doesn’t have to be Melba Toast at a trade show.

Does your product lend itself to a professional presenter? That’s one way to get noticed.

Pre-show marketing. There’s no better way of getting seen than by developing a pre-show campaign that drives attendees to your booth. In today’s Internet-driven, social media-focused market, getting someone’s attention before the show is as important, if not more important, than being seen at the show.

Rule #3. The Right People.

If you bring ten people to the show, at least six are the wrong ones. Why?

  • They don’t know the products and services
  • They don’t have charismatic people skills
  • They are not personally invested in the show results
  • They did not participte in the pre- or post-show planning.

Two out of four doesn’t cut it. A trade show isn’t a vacation. It’s a strategic investment.

Displays

You’ll often hear that 80% of trade show leads are wasted. I don’t know if that’s true, but I do know that bringing the right employees to the show solves that problem. The right employees won’t let a lead sit on someone’s desk or be forgotten on a jump drive. They’re relentless about post-show follow-up because they understand how much time, effort, and money went into planning and participating in the trade show.

Want to be a trades how star? Focus on these three rules. Everything else, while important to your bottom line, your ego, or your HR Department, is just a business decision.



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

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

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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Posted in Mel White, Trade Show Marketing | 3 Comments »

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