WatchDOGS: Word on the Street - October 27th thru October 31st

Happy November!

Hope you had a safe and fun Halloween with your families. October is past and now it’s November. It seems like time is flying by right now.

This past Friday, October 31 was more than Halloween for me. I volunteered for WatchDOGS, a program through the National Center of Fathering. The concept is multifaceted: it’s meant to get fathers involved in their kid’s classroom and participate in the school as a whole.

After doing a little research on WatchDOGS, I found that this national program is having some an impact on schools, both private and public, and on kids all across the country.

The first thing that comes to mind is, “This is a way to get fathers involved once or twice a year in their kid’s classroom.” But it’s much more than that. During my eight hours on campus, I did more than just hang out in the classroom. There was some of that, but I also assisted the maintenance manager on some projects and worked with campus patrol to walk the hallways and the school grounds. In addition, I helped the lunch staff orchestrate four lunch services and worked in several classrooms in multiple grades to assist teachers with their curriculum.

I enjoyed spending time my kid’s class; however, the biggest takeaway for me was seeing how the whole school worked. There is a concert that happens everyday, not an actual concert, but a concert of processes, much like any other business. It’s something that I just never really thought about. Every one has their responsibilities and tasks, and part of their work relies on their co-workers doing their work in a predictable fashion.

So let me say this to all you dads, grandpas and uncles out there. If you have the opportunity, step away from your work once a year and work in your kid’s schools. It was a great opportunity, and it provides me with a fresh perspective on how another business functions day in and day out. The other perk, at least through this program, is the results they are seeing nationally. Kids are feeling the positive effects of having more male involvement in their school lives. Schools are experiencing additional security benefits from having another set of eyes on campus for a day. Dads all across the country are feeling more involved in their kid’s school life.

It’s a win-win-win.

WatchDOGS is not the only program of its kind. So check with your schools. They may have one through another organization. And they may not have one at all. But I guarantee you they will be more than happy to have you spend a day helping around campus.

Have a great week ahead.

Reflections on Trade Shows and Events

Are trade shows are relevant? Is there a future for industry trade shows? Are companies willing to spend their valuable marketing dollars building a temporary structure just to attract new customers or meet with existing ones?

A Trade Show Exhibitor Walks into a Bar

A Trade Show Exhibitor walks into a bar and says to the bartender, “I’ve never been in a bar before, but a friend suggested I try the 20 x 20 Booth Space.” “That’s a very popular drink,” says the bartender, “especially with my regular customers.

Where’s Waldo at the Trade Show!

Where’s Waldo at the Trade Show? @Pink Unicorn Comics? Nope. @Petting Zoo? Nope. @Zombie Killing Workshop? Perhaps.

Buying a Trade Show Exhibit? 10 “Must Ask” Questions

It’s common to express remorse after a big ticket purchase. Typically when the purchase is infrequent, such as a home, car, or expensive equipment. Buying a trade show exhibit is that type of purchase, especially an inline or island exhibit for a large trade show. .

An Honest Conversation about Trade Show Rentals

Recently, what I thought would be a simple, straight-forward conversation left me scratching my head. I was meeting with exhibit industry colleagues, and the topic turned to rentals. Admittedly, rentals shouldn’t be puzzling. Rentals have exploded at a rate 3 to 4 times faster than exhibit purchases. What surprised me was the perception and the language used to define the exhibit rental landscape.

What’s Your Trade Show Kryptonite?

We shouldn’t but we do. We hope hope hope that the next attendee who walks in our booth is Superman. Not Superman Superman, but the sales equivalent of Superman. Faster to sign a contract than a speeding bullet. More powerful than the VP of Purchasing.

How To Make Your Trade Show Backdrop Stand Out!

Many exhibitors assume a backdrop is a simple two-dimensional graphic along the backwall of an exhibit. But it can be so much more. A backdrop in a 10 x 10 or 10 x 20 booth space doesn’t have to be basic. Modern inline displays come in various shapes, heights, and configurations.

Is Your Trade Show Display an Oreo or a Fig Newton?

As an adult I can rate just about everything on a cookie scale. For brevity, I’ll limit this article to Oreos, Fig Newtons, and Nilla Wafers, but be assured that the “science” behind my methodology includes Frosted Animal Cookies, Pepperidge Farms (as a collective group), Girl Scout Thin Mints, and Chips Ahoy.

Does Your Trade Show Exhibit Have To Be Clever?

That’s not to say your trade show exhibit shouldn’t be attractive. It should, but I would encourage you to focus on more practical matters the next time you design or rebrand your display. What do you need in the booth space to conduct business? Make it less about showmanship and more about conversations and information.

What Cats Can Teach Us About Trade Shows

We are a nation devoted to pets, whether they’re on the farm or in a purse. They learn from us, but we learn from them as well. The other day while watching Animal Planet with a cat in my lap, one on the sofa, and another puking upstairs ( it sounded like the world’s worst ventriloquist), I realized that we could learn a thing or two about trade show marketing from our feline companions.

Gravitee One Step — The World’s Easiest Modular Wall System

Gravitee — The World’s Easiest Modular Wall System. Unlike traditional modular wall systems, Gravitee has no loose connectors. The frames are constructed with durable engineered aluminum extrusion and the system uses time-tested patented technology.

Who is Our Biggest Trade Show Competitor?

Recently, I’ve been on the road, visiting Classic Distributors in the Midwest and South. We chat about industry trends, new products, and challenges in their market. Occasionally, they will ask me about competitors. That’s a topic, to be honest, that makes me uncomfortable.

3 Essential Trade Show Marketing Questions

These are questions every designer should ask their client before designing the ideal trade show display. If the client walks in just thinking about the nuts and bolts of the project, they may miss an informed conversation on why they are exhibiting in the first place and that can fundamentally affect the design of a booth. The Why can greatly impact the How in Exhibit Design.

What You Should Know about Exhibit Marketing

Exhibit marketing is all about marketing your products or services to buyers at expositions, conferences, and trade shows. A successful exhibit marketing program will be rewarded with increased revenues, referrals, and industry networking. The goal is to understand how exhibit marketing differs from the other types of marketing.

Managing Your Trade Show Budget

Trade shows are expensive, and some costs are often puzzling to exhibition newbies, but there are multiple ways to manage those expenses with a little planning and some assistance from an experienced trade show professional. Don’t be afraid to tap into that expertise.

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WatchDOGS: Word on the Street — October 27th thru October 31st

Happy November!