Wednesday, March 31, 2010

Exhibit Industry Council Releases First Best Practice on Exhibitor Costs

LAS VEGAS, March 29 /PRNewswire/ -- The Exhibit Industry Council (EIC) released its first Best Practice today - titled "Full Disclosure and Control of Exhibitor Costs." The purpose of this Best Practice, as stated in the recommendation, is to increase exhibitor value and improve the effectiveness of event marketing, to advocate for the full disclosure over trade show and event marketing costs, and to guide the industry in making adjustments that will support its financial future and continued presence in the corporate marketing mix. More.

Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Tradeshow Marketing. Establishing A Game Plan

Raise your hand if you have been visited by the tradeshow gypsies. People who go from show to show, grabbing hand fulls of the free logoed promos you have on your table, and have absolutely no intention of doing business with you.

In reality, there might be 3 to 10 prospects at a show that have real potential. Here is what to do to defend against the promo swipers and at the same time treat the top prospects with the respect they deserve. More.

Sunday, March 28, 2010

Seven Ways To Put Show Biz Into Your Tradeshow


The best way to attract and mobilize more customers to attend your trade show is to bring a “show biz” mentality to all your marketing and at-show strategies. After all, you are in show business. In today’s marketplace, consumers are drawn by glitter and excitement but turned off by humdrum events. If you put on a dull show you will generate little interest. Following are seven ways to put more show biz into your exposition.

Think like Disney.

There was never a greater promoter than Walt Disney. Everything he touched turned exciting, colorful, and was bursting with energy. The Disney legacy continues as the Disney Corporation dazzles and entertains millions with its products, parks, and superb customer service.

What does Disney do that every trade show organizer should emulate? Disney injects a show business mentality into everything it does by creating an image that makes people smile and lets them know they’re in for a first-class experience. Disney employees undergo rigorous customer service training and are famous for their courtesy, cheerfulness, and problem-solving skills. More.

Saturday, March 27, 2010

IAEE raises Construct Data alarm

Thursday, 25 March 2010

Members and exhibitors at a major US event have been warned about a company the event organisers say is actively and improperly soliciting exhibitors to participate in its fair guide “free listing”.

The International Association of Exhibitions and Events (IAEE) and The International Center for Exhibitor and Event Marketing (The Center) say the advertising solicitation of attendees at Expo! Expo! – IAEE’s Annual Meeting & Exhibition - is “very cleverly composed and misleading”.

It claims the offer - by Construct Data Publishers a.s. from Slovakia - is not a free listing at all, but is an advertising order that if completed and signed, imposes a three-year-long advertising obligation costing the exhibitor several thousands of dollars.

IAEE is now attempting to secure an order requiring that Construct Data Publishers a.s. cease all Fair Guide advertising solicitations in the United States.

Additionally, IAEE has issued a formal commercial protest of improper activities in the US by the Slovakian company with the Commercial Attaché of the Embassy of Slovakia and will ask that authorities in Bratislava intervene to prevent the firm from engaging in “further commercial deception." Link.

Friday, March 26, 2010

Marketing 101: Why Videotaping Your Trade Show Exhibit Matters

This article explains the benefit of videotaping your trade show exhibit. While trade shows only come around every so often, the video footage lasts forever. It is something prospective clients can view to get a first hand account of your products and/or services at work. Link.

Thursday, March 25, 2010

Potholes and Pitfalls to Avoid for Tradeshow Booth Success

1) Get specs upfront. Work hand-in-hand with your booth vendor to gather all of the correct dimensions and information about the substrates on which your panels will be printed. Certain substrates may have requirements affecting color and graphic usage.

2) Keep your perspective. Be sure to consider the relationship of scale with respect to the viewer’s eye to ensure that key information will be easily read by the viewer. Hint to designers: we find it helpful to create a scaled, proportional figure wireframe to use within our design files to maintain a true perspective of what a viewer’s sight perspective will be.

3) Account for object placements + lighting. Ask if there will be any other objects used at the booth display and what their placement may be to avoid any unintended obstructions to important graphics. Use your vendor’s expertise to ensure maximum lighting effects for your display. More.

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

What to Consider When Determining the Best Staff for your Trade Show Booth

It may not always be the best idea to have your top salespeople staff your tradeshow display. There are several reasons to consider others to staff your booth.
  1. Most salespeople are born and bred to “close sales” and very few sales can actually be closed at a trade show.
  2. Salespeople will most likely have a number of current customers at the show. Tradeshow marketing objectives are, for the most part, based on gathering leads. It may be better to allow your sales staff the freedom to spend time with their customers and use others to staff your booth.
  3. Salespeople are typically very hard to manage. A well trained, disciplined approach to booth staffing may produce better results.
  4. More

Monday, March 22, 2010

Study Reveals How Attendees Would Redesign the Convention Experience

Here are the top five trends identified, including some quotes from responding participants:

1. The commercial exhibit hall can be an overwhelming, inefficient learning experience for attendees.

Time constraints, crowds, lack of directional signage, shotgun use of multimedia and video and space constraints. All of these are factors that result in inefficient message absorption, learning, and use of time for physicians.

"Often times there are so many people, so many noises and so much activity that I have to try to close these potential distractions out in order to focus and prioritize," said a participant.

"I am always overwhelmed by the exhibit hall. It is so confusing where to start, how to figure out if you have missed anything and where to go next with your limited time," noted a participant.

2. Attendees want to be in control of their booth experience.

Most attendees have only a few minutes to spend at each booth, so it is crucial to allow them to control their experience while you control the environment.

As one participant surveyed put it, "I prefer to be by myself, and if I have any questions, I would approach someone. I want to get an idea first for me then explore deeper if necessary." More.

Friday, March 19, 2010

Are Trade Show Dynamics Changing?

Are trade shows dying or not? CSI’s Product Representation Practice Group took up this question in a recent meeting. Their answer seemed to be, “maybe.” Trade shows will fail if they don’t adjust to today’s audience and leverage the thing they do best: face-to-face contact with a rep and a product.

Reasons for going to a trade show, even in this economy, include:
  • Checking out the competition: Where else will you get a guided tour of the other guy’s product?
  • It’d be noticeable if we weren’t there: Part of maintaining a reputation in the industry is being seen in a well-appointed booth.
  • A trade show is a big trip that replaces a lot of small trips: You can see contacts in one visit instead of booking a series of trips to an area, which makes it a greener, cheaper choice.
  • Leads, leads, leads: Any opportunity to shake a hand and meet a potential client is valuable.
But the big reason to attend a construction industry trade show, whether it’s a national event or a local table-top display, is touch. The web may provide reams of data about a product, but construction people prefer to touch a material and understand it with their fingers as well as their minds. Continue reading

Thursday, March 18, 2010

How Virtual Can Bolster a Live Event

Virtual events are one of SC Magazine’s fastest growing revenue streams and Torren expects them to generate about $650,000 this year in 2010. “That’s a quarter of our overall online revenue,” he said. “It’s a big percentage. This can be very profitable when done right. We all paid the price of putting on these events and learning how to do it. Now we’re seeing the returns.” More.

Tuesday, March 16, 2010

Trade Show Exhibit Themes: Orbit Into Another World

Trade show exhibitors often create magical environments to take you “out of the ordinary”—and sweep you away to another world. They can be filled with music (The House of Blues found at the Exhibitor Show 2006 in Las Vegas), or animals (live African blackfooted penguins at the Magnussen Home Furnishing’s booth at International Home Furnishings Market’s biannual trade show in April 2005), adventure or just plain fun.

Trade show exhibitors often ask why they should create a distinctive theme for their trade show display booth. There are at least three good reasons. Themes set you apart from your competition, stimulate excitement and momentum for your staff, and dramatically increase traffic to your trade show display.

Here’s a good example: continue reading

Sunday, March 14, 2010

Exhibitor Show Hashtag

The Exhibitor Show is now going on in Las Vegas. To follow what is being said on Twitter regarding the show, go to: http://www.twitter.com and type #exhibitor2010 into the big search box in the middle of the page. You do not have to be a tweeter to follow the action.

Tweeters: Any tweet that you send, regarding the Exhibitor Show, if you add the #exhibitor2010 hashtag, everyone following it will see your post, whether they follow you or not.

Security Tips for Trade Show Exhibitors

When thousands of people descend upon a trade show exhibition hall with their co-workers, customers and client prospects, the good news is that there is a lot of sales prospecting and high-powered networking going on. The bad news is that the conference site may become a Mecca for theft. Not only are the Hershey Kisses left on the trade show booth counters at risk, but also your company’s sensitive top-secret information may also be in danger of being stolen if left unattended or unsecured.

The big issue, then, is how can you safeguard against theft of company equipment and knowledge during a trade show exhibit?

According to Karla Krause-Miller, Director, Cappa and Graham, Inc., the event planning company in San Francisco and Silicon Valley, it starts with the security guards who are hired to check trade show attendance. They are busy making sure that all visitors are legitimate and have the proper badges. The guards do not have the responsibility of insuring that your equipment is safe. You must be aware that it is up to you to protect against any trade show booth theft. With that in mind, there are certain rules and precautions one must take at the trade show exhibit hall in order to insure your trade show booth is secure. Continue reading.....

Saturday, March 13, 2010

4 Sales Strategies with Your Trade Show Exhibition Booth

Trade show booths can act as an excellent source for generating sales inquiries in the short run. Companies are able to demonstrate their products or services and get instant inquiries at the booth which on timely follow up can result in sales. Some of the tips on how to maximize the benefits of a trade show booth as a sales tool are mentioned below:

1. On-Spot promotion schemes: This is an age old trick which works well at trade shows. Firstly it makes the visitor stop at your booth for more than a few seconds. Secondly, a structured promotion method quickly puts the visitor through the benefits of the products (obviously in an attractive fashion) and then a decision making opportunity is thrown at the visitor introducing them to on the spot interesting offers. Offers can range from products sold on the spot at attractive pricing, free gifts with purchases, extended time period of services, lifetime warranty and the like. The more innovative the offer, more the likelihood of success.

Assuming that the product and the promotion offering are attractive for the users, the on-spot promos can recover all costs of the trade show plus earn the company a healthy profit. Quick checks with the organizers need to be done before the event to ensure that onsite sales are permitted. More.

Friday, March 12, 2010

Trade Show Season Tips from a Marketing Master

Glenda Brungardt has managed trade shows and events for over twenty-three years, and she also serves on the conference advisory board for Exhibitor Show. Brungardt joins Speak Up! to discuss the upcoming Exhibitor 2010 Conference, which will be held March 14th through 18th, 2010 at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center - LVCVA.com">Mandalay Bay Convention Center, Las Vegas, Nevada. Listen to Podcast.

Thursday, March 11, 2010

Trade Show Exhibit Selection Strategy For Tough Economic Times

Exhibit design and construction, training and travel, and event fees are just some of the costs associated with a company attending an exhibition. Creating standout trade show displays can be a costly investment. In today’s business environment, where marketing budgets have been cut, it may be hard to justify becoming an exhibitor.

Not surprisingly, many companies have stopped hosting trade show displays. Which is why, now more than ever, it’s a good time to attract attention and new leads with a trade show exhibit. The prudent business will not skip shows, but will take care to select the right events for involvement. Fortunately, there are proven tactics to identify which programs will reap benefits. More.

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Attack of the Tradeshow Zombies

You may notice an increasing breed of attendees at your next tradeshow, if not already. Tradeshow Zombies. It’s a frightening epidemic that has been fueled by a mutated ‘Tradeshow 2.0′ virus. What’s equally scary is that these zombies have done a fair job of fitting in. They even look like other attendees, with one major appendage: Smartphones. More.

Tuesday, March 9, 2010

Trade Show Videos Need to be Planned

A few months ago, we attended the recent Austech Expo. It was a large trade show that showcased over 500 manufacturers selling machines, equipment and systems.

The good news was that around 40% of the exhibitors had a trade show video running. It was inspiring that many exhibitors understood the power of video to quickly convey how their products work. Made us feel warm and fuzzy inside.

The bad news was that most of the videos were absolutely appalling.

Why so appalling you ask? Some were bad because they had no idea of the power of production values in giving the right impression to their target market. Others had no strategy whatsoever.

You need a trade show video strategy. Continue reading....

Sunday, March 7, 2010

Top 5 Best Trade Show Promotional Items

Trade shows are becoming an ever popular event for marketing promotions. Hundreds of companies are vying for attention, and most are well prepared to showcase their products and services. However, the most magnificent exhibit and well prepared handlers can watch traffic pass it by, if there isn’t something to draw the traffic in. That is where promotional items come in at. Trade show promotional marketing items are proven to be the best method for attracting foot traffic. Furthermore, there just isn’t a more consistent way to get a targeted message to the masses. Promotional items can help with everything from branding to profit boosting. However, there is a catch; you need to have a quality promotional item. It should be attractive, useful, long lasting, and unique.

How many trade show promotions will you see with pens and coffee mugs? So, how is your booth going to stand out? You will stand out if you avoid the trite, but still provide something useful and proven. Here are five of the best trade show custom items, and why they work: Proceed to list.

Trade Show Preparation Timeline

Downloadable PDF file.

Friday, March 5, 2010

COMDEX Re-Launches as a Virtual Trade Show

On November 16-17, COMDEX returns as a fully-interactive, virtual event - dedicated exclusively to the needs and opportunities of the high tech channel.
Full Article.

Thursday, March 4, 2010

TSEA Red Diamond Congress Launched

The Trade Show Exhibitors Association (TSEA) announces the first Red Diamond Congress in Orlando, FL, April 25 - 27, 2010. Its mission is to bring together senior level exhibit and event professionals from leading companies to help define and shape the future of face-to-face marketing. The two-day conference will produce preliminary measures on how to remedy the exhibition industry from an exhibitor perspective so face-to-face events will continue to be an important part of the overall marketing mix.

The purpose of the Red Diamond Congress is to initiate change by voicing the needs of exhibiting companies to other stakeholders of the exhibition industry (i.e., show organizers; destinations; general contractors; Exhibitor Appointed Contractors; housing companies; convention centers; etc.). Exhibitors have been excluded from many of these discussions and this will be the first arena solely for exhibitors to step up and speak. Trade show producers will be invited into the second half of the Congress to begin an honest dialogue between the two primary stakeholders of the industry.

  This first Congress will focus on three key areas:
1. Convention housing practices;
2. Independent third-party audits of trade show attendance; and
3. Labor practices.
Continue reading.

Tuesday, March 2, 2010

Missing Freight? Don't Panic.


Chances are, you’ve been here before: You fight early morning traffic, search aimlessly to find a parking space at the convention center, walk a short marathon to your exhibit space, only to find out that half of your tradeshow components have yet to be delivered, if any at all. Despite honest attempts at scheduling you, your employees and show labor around an agenda, there are ways to prepare for this headache that will keep your crew productive and prevent you from bleeding time and money. Continue reading.