— September 7th thru September 11th

Trade Show Blog

Word on the Street by Kevin Carty

Word on the Street by Kevin Carty

Ever Wonder What a Classic Project Manager Does?

I’m traveling for business this week. During several of my meetings, I discovered that not everyone knows what a Classic Project Manager does. That surprised me because our Project Managers are critical to how your quotes, your orders, and even your basic product questions are handled. They are your “eyes” and “ears” at Classic Exhibits. They are your advocate, not only in Customer Service but also when your order goes to our Production Manager and our Production team.  

So . . . what does a PM do? In short – a lot! There’s a reason why PM’s at Classic seem to know the details of every display system and the nuances of your quote or order.

A Classic PM is the voice of Classic everyday. They are the ones you rely on for quotes, answers to questions, and guidance on prospective projects.

But their talents, and work, really kick in once you place an order.

We, as a company, have long believed that the key to making every project successful is to empower PM’s to handle every aspect of an order. We put the order into one person’s capable hands and let them take care of it. But by doing so, it means that a Classic PM has to have a very unique skill set.

  1. They have to be detail-oriented to keep everything moving and accurate
  2. They have to be CAD-savvy, meaning, yes they are, in fact, the ones who draw your booth and do all your detail drawings as well as guide the setup drawings
  3. They have to be pleasant and helpful because they are interacting with you everyday by phone, by email, and on occasion, face-to-face when you visit our facility.

To be truly effective, they have to be an accountant, a salesperson, a detailer, and on many days, a magician.

It’s NOT an easy job or workday. And just when you think their job is done, they have the added responsibility of personally inspecting and signing off on every order in our Production Setup Area. No job gets packed until the PM has approved it.

We are fortunate that Classic Exhibits has an excellent team of Project Managers. Are they perfect? No. But, given the complexity and diversity of orders passing through Classic, our PM’s are remarkable. And, if you’ve spent any time working with our PM’s, you know they care – about your order, about your customer, about Classic, and about one another.

Have a safe and restful weekend.

Be Well!

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

More Posts:
Exhibitors are from Mars . . . Show Services are from Venus
Who is Classic Exhibits?

Filter by Category

Filter by Year

Recent Posts

10 Tips for Designing Large Format Graphics for Trade Shows

Most designers rarely design a layout larger than a corporate booklet or perhaps a 20″ x 30″ poster. Designing for large format, like trade show graphics, is actually quite simple once you know the basic steps. All it takes is a leap of faith… and trust in my advice.

Trade Shows and the Desire to Change

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?

Buying a Trade Show Exhibit? Ten “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. .

Trade Show Rental — Mullets, Trapper Keepers, Pagers, and 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 is 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.