Trade Show TalesBlog

Posts Tagged ‘Trade Show Marketing’

« Older Entries
Newer Entries »

What You Don’t See at a Trade Show

November 7th, 2014 Mel White 12 COMMENTS

coffeestain_3

It’s Human Nature

We ignore the familiar. After a while, the pile of messy papers doesn’t exist, and the big coffee stain is invisible. Then, someone comments on it, and we can’t not look at it. Until it disappears — again.

Trade show exhibits are no different and maybe even worse. Do you remember your first show with a brand new display? Everything was packed neatly. You took your time to install the graphics perfectly with clean hands. You wiped down every surface and vacuumed the carpet, not once but three times. The brochures were neatly arranged. The promotional products organized. If you had a drink, you hid it from view, either behind the display or tucked away in a counter.

Three days later . . . you’re standing in your booth drinking a latte from a 30 oz cup with a half-eaten crumb cake on the counter. The brochures are dog-eared, the monitor screens are smudged, and the carpet looks like it smells. Now multiple that by fifteen shows and you begin to see what others see.

To be fair, if you are reading this post, you are not that person. You care on Day 1, Day 3, and Show #7.  However, what you see when you walk the show hall probably makes you cringe. So let’s take a stroll and visit a few of our neighbors on the show floor.

Wash MeBooth #1172. Are those fabric graphics or dirty hand towels from the men’s room?
Booth #980. Wow! You really can create an entire backwall graphic with an HP Deskjet printer.
Booth #1067. Who knew they made carpet in a 3.2 oz grade?
Booth #1388. Excuse me. What’s the score of Chicago Bears/Green Bay Packers game?

Booth #712. They must sell used coffee cups and candy wrappers.
Booth#213. Is that pop up display waving at me?
Booth #405. Two possibilities. They crushed a truck, disassembled it, and built an island booth from the scrap metal. Or, the exhibit should have been recycled in 2002.
Booth #1677. Do you think they would share their curry chicken with us?

Booth #214. Pardon me. Over here. Now above my waist. A little higher. Perfect.
Booth #2105. Cool ink pens, stress balls, chip clips, and green calculators. What was the name of that company again?
Booth #113. There must have been a family emergency on Day 3 at 2 pm. Tragic.
Booth #884. Options to consider for the next show: No electricity. No carpet. No display. One big vinyl graphic with grommets. Five folding chairs. Five staffers in a 10 ft. booth. Seated in a circle. Jeans, t-shirts, 8 smartphones, and a bag of Cheetos.

shamwowguyBooth #1862. Hmmm . . . Keeping all your cases and crates in the booth would save time on the dismantle.
Booth #307. NOW I UNDERSTAND why the printer wanted a HIGH RESOLUTION image!
Booth #1436. Isn’t a hanging sign supposed to be hanging?
Booth #853. Four 42″ monitors. I understand the effect can be very impressive . . . when on.

Booth #103. Say again. What? Sorry, I can’t hear you over the music and the Shamwow dude pitching your products.
Booth #1473. Answer:  Sunglasses, wrinkled clothes, large coffee, breath mints, forehead cradled in palm. Question:  How to spot a hangover on the show floor?
Booth #614. I’ve seen more padding in a Victoria’s Secret catalog.
Booth #2007. So it leans a little to the left. And a lot to the right. What’s the big deal?

Booth #777. Can you make the magician disappear? I’d like to learn more about your company.
Booth #666. Remember the old saying, “The devil is in the details”? Obviously not.
Booth #747. Is that a display or the Inflatable Escape Ramp they stole from their flight?
Booth #4077. The only thing missing from this mess is blood, funny doctors, and Klinger.

Finally . . .

Booth: #970. “Did you literally mean ‘Line of Sight’? I thought that was just a suggestion.”

It’s easy to be the casual critic of others. But addressing our own marketing shortcomings takes courage, self-awareness, and most of all, caring. How often do we walk the trade show floor and say to ourselves, “They clearly don’t care or their booth wouldn’t look like that.” Or, “How can they let their exhibit staff act that way?” Someone has to care. It might as well be you.

Share your comments. I would enjoy hearing your thoughts about trade show marketing and perhaps some less than kind (but constructive) comments as you walk the imaginary show floor.

–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.

[subscribe2]

Tags: , ,
Posted in Mel White, Trade Show Exhibit Tips | 12 Comments »

The Mobius Strip Approach to Trade Show Marketing

November 4th, 2014 Mel White 2 COMMENTS
No Beginning and No Ending

No Beginning and No Ending

Your Comfortable Routine

Most of us are creatures of habit. Why change if it’s working? I’ve learned over the years that trade show marketing tends to follow the same, well-traveled road for most companies. Same shows. Similar booths. Little change to the exhibit staffing. Common frustrations year after year.

Recently, I chatted with a West Coast seafood broker who exhibits at two shows a year. They do no pre-show marketing. Post-show marketing consists of a few phone calls and emails. Their graphics changed two years ago, but not much.  Before the show this year, he asked me for advice. I offered tips about his graphics, about contacting his client database, and about including several customer service employees to the booth staff. Basic stuff. He contemplated changing a header graphic. Then ran out of time and did nothing different, except tell a mutual acquaintance that he “upped his trade show marketing program this time.”

I call this the Mobius Strip Approach to Trade Show Marketing. If you played with a mobius strip as a child, you know it’s the illusion of progress because you start and end at the same point. Not surprisingly, it’s the Mobius exhibitors who grumble the most about their meager ROI, while telling everyone about the costly changes they made. I’ve lost my diplomacy with those folks. They are idiots. For everyone else, you can change. I have faith. Here’s my advice to a brighter trade show future by taking a few baby steps.

Baby Steps

Photo_41. The Line:  You’ll never know if you’ve crossed the line . . . unless you cross the line once in a while. It could be a bold display structure, a new marketing campaign, or a social media message. I’ve found that whenever I cross the line, my team will guide me back to it, but just barely. That way we always make progress.

2. The Expert: Ask for advice. Too many sales and marketing professionals think they understand trade show marketing. They don’t. That’s not to say they don’t understand marketing. They do. They just don’t realize that not all marketing is the same. These are the same people who would consult with half a dozen banner ad experts before placing their first online ad, but would go it alone with a $300,000 trade show spend.

3. The People:  Two types of staffers should be in your booth:  Decision-makers and anyone who was a superstar at their first fast food, retail, or call center job. Anyone else won’t give you their best and will probably derailed those who want the show to be successful. If you had a time-elapse camera during the show, you would see them show up late, not approach attendees, and take a one-hour lunch during a four-hour show.

4. The Show: Get to know the show organizers. They want you to succeed because they want the show to succeed. They may have pre-show marketing tips, advice for connecting at the show, post-show analytics, or even some general suggestions about what works and what doesn’t work. They know the best spots on the show floor, which sometimes may not seem like winners, but work because they’re next to the lounge or a busy show floor intersection.

5. The Exhibitors:  Get to the show early and walk the floor. Better yet, walk with someone and compare notes. Talk to other exhibitors. The ones who arrive early are serious about trade show marketing. They are cleaning, organizing, and (like you) looking for opportunities to learn about their industry and trade shows.

6. The Labor: It never ceases to surprise me when exhibitors don’t ask the labor crew for advice. Labor spends their days wrestling with the decisions that exhibitors make. They, more than anyone else, know how to get from point A to point Z by skipping half the alphabet in the show hall. They still have rules to follow, but they know which ones can be bent a little. If nothing else, ask them to share with you what the really good exhibitors do. In addition, they can tell you the exhibit builders that shine and the ones that make their lives miserable. They’ll even share with you trends they’re seeing. They assemble displays every day and hear from the successful and not-so successful exhibitors.

Please share your thoughts about trade show marketing in the 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.

[subscribe2]

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in Mel White, Trade Show Exhibit Tips | 2 Comments »

Trade Show Marketing Success Video (Very Practical Advice!)

April 30th, 2014 Mel White COMMENTS

NOT The Real Housewives of Atlanta

Earlier this week, Classic Exhibits hosted the Countdown to Trade Show Success webinar with trade show marketing expert Marlys Arnold. I wish EVERY EXHIBITOR would take 45 minutes and watch it. She presented practical advice about exhibit marketing, graphics, and booth etiquette. If nothing else, start watching at the 29 minute mark, “The 10 Commandments of Booth Staffing.” Excellent advice and spot-on photos of bad and good behavior.

Take my advice (please!):  Bookmark this video and send it to anyone new to trade shows and exhibit marketing.

In the time it takes to watch an episode of The Real Housewives of Atlanta, an exhibitor could save thousands of dollars in future trade show expenses and increase their show leads and sales (and isn’t that what it’s all about?).

Should you have any questions, contact marnold@imagespecialist.com.

–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.

[subscribe2]

 

Tags: , , , , ,
Posted in Mel White, Trade Show Exhibit Tips | No Comments »

What is Your Most Powerful Trade Show Tip? (Excellent Discussion in Linkedin)

October 15th, 2013 Mel White 3 COMMENTS

I’m a Linkedin fan. Mostly I read the discussions, but occasionally a topic or a discussion prompts me to contribute. Oddly enough, I often find the most interesting discussions about trade show marketing are in marketing groups, not trade show groups.

Recently, in the Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) Network, Vicki Judge of Judge Advertising, posed the question — “What is Your Most Powerful Trade Show Tip.” I’ll share a few of the 63 responses, but I would encourage you to read the entire discussion thread. Excellent stuff.

Sharon Gee
CEO & CMO, Circle Dot Marketing, LLC

A big part of the success of a tradeshow is to make sure you have abundant communication regarding your presence at the show in the form of media relations, social media, and internal and external partnership communication. Pre-show blogs, press releases, social media posts, email campaigns, internal motivation communication pieces, and more help spread the word that you’ll be in attendance at the tradeshow.

Pierre-Antoine Thiebaut
VP Field Marketing at Alcatel-Lucent Enterprise

I think the “WHY question” is the major criteria of the GO/NO GO decision.

My personal experience and most important tip: Don’t waste your time, money and energy if your Sales teams are not fully align with the decision and if you don’t have their total involvement (with their own blood) to make this event a success.

Tim Hill
Marketing Consultant/Owner; Lexington Young Professionals Board Member

Once you’ve found the right trade show for your company, I would advise to be a consistent exhibitor every year and also join whatever association is hosting the show. I’ve gotten more business for my clients from exhibitors and attendees outside of the show than at the show. For small to medium size businesses I would suggest to look bigger than you really are. Have professionally designed displays, handouts, brochures, business cards, and swag and not something that was put together by a secretary with MS Paint. Sometimes it’s the little details that can cause a potential customer to notice you over your competition.

Craig Lindberg
Digital Marketing Executive-Inbound/Social/Integrated

A lot of excellent advice here already so what I would suggest is to put the trade show in the context of a larger prospect/client engagement process. Use it as a reason to engage before and after the event; make a pointed effort to get on the schedules of those you most want to meet with either at the booth or offsite. Make the overarching theme of your presence complimentary to your brand to continue building equity and mindshare, re-purpose event content for incorporation into your inbound program including CTAs to measure response and interest before, during and after the show. Use the actual event as topic for blogging, video and post show topics of interest that are tethered to your lead nurturing.

Scott Yaw
Competitive Business Strategy

Having an established set of objectives (plan A) for what you need to achieve and the flexibility to vary it (plan B) when things don’t go your way.

Steve Reichenstein
CEO, Biomart Global Technology Transfer

Trade shows are about access … access is 2 way. Show them senior management commitment by showing senior management.

Traci Browne
Trade Show/Expo Consultant, Freelance Writer and B2B Storyteller

In my experience the number one place companies screw up the show is in the booth staff selection. I don’t care how much strategic planning you do, how great your booth looks. Your staff is the single most important component to your success. Yet what do companies often do? They send people who don’t want to be there. I will never understand this.

The other thing I will never understand is why companies waste so much time and money on terrible booth staff training. If your training program involves 90 minutes of booth etiquette your wasting everyone’s time. If your training involves 10 minutes of booth etiquette your wasting everyone’s time. Booth etiquette can be covered in a short email. There are so many more important things you should be doing with you booth staff that will ensure they are prepared and motivated.

Enjoy.

–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.

[subscribe2]

 

Tags: , , , , ,
Posted in Business Tips, Mel White | 3 Comments »

“Island I See You in All My Dreams”: Word on the Street — Feb. 4th thru Feb. 8th

February 10th, 2013 Mel White COMMENTS
"Island I See You in All My Dreams": Word on the Street -- Feb. 4th thru Feb. 8th

Word on the Street by Kevin Carty

Take Me to the Islands

For all the Parrotheads out there, you will recognize the blog title as a lyric from the Jimmy Buffett song, Island. But islands are something we have been seeing both awake and in our dreams over the past six weeks.

With each New Year, there comes a rush of business for the upcoming spring shows, and this year has been no different. Except, for the number of Island Exhibits we are quoting and ultimately building. So far this year, we have had several islands ship every single week. About half are total “ground-up design” and half are existing island kits with modifications.

Great news and a lot of fun.

So what does this mean? What is this an indicator of? Well while I am not Carnac or Kreskin or any sort of Chief Economist, but  I do know what it feels like. It feels like another positive economic step in the right direction in this slow turn of the economy.

Your clients are speaking with their pocket books, and they are saying “It’s time to get back to a fully functioning marketing program.” That includes more aggressive and expansive trade show marketing.

Many of the islands are for Fortune 500 and larger companies. Companies that pre-recession were doing much larger island presentations. So this would be a good indicator of the “paced” approach companies are taking. Jumping in with both feet, but jumping in somewhere between the deep and the shallow end while trying to grow responsibly.

Although this can be a frustrating pace for some, I applaud it actually. It’s nice to see companies of all sizes taking the same approach many of us are taking with our businesses. Call it “wait and see”, call it “careful optimism,” call it whatever you want. I view it as responsible.

We all have our thoughts on the “politics” of our nation. But someone said to me back in November something that stuck in my head. “We all need to quit looking to the government, the Dow, the media, or anything else about how we manage our businesses. We need to manage our business based on what happens with our customers and what needs to happen inside the four walls of our buildings. Focus on our our own P&L’s and market our companies in diverse ways regardless of what is happening.

And I really think in large part a lot of businesses are doing just that. Just look at our customers. They are participating in more shows and doing it with new properties. Maybe not as big as before, but still with big impact.

I want to thank you for the positive start to 2013. We had an amazing January, and we have you to thank for that. So thank you for sending your orders our direction.

We look forward to serving you and your clients in 2013. It’s been an EPIC start.

Hope you had a restful and fun weekend with your loved ones. Be well.

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

[subscribe2]

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Kevin Carty, Word on the Street | No Comments »

« Older Entries
Newer Entries »