Top 3 Things Exhibit Marketers Wish Their Boss Knew

As an exhibit marketer, there’s a lot you’ve learned about trade shows. But what do you most wish your boss and other senior managers knew about trade shows? Read full article.

Trade Show Booth Flooring – A Key Consideration

Trade show booth flooring is often overlooked as an important trade show accessory. Yet, your exhibit area floor covering can play a vital role in furthering your company brand image, enhancing the overall booth design, and creating a welcoming environment that draws prospects into your booth.

Consider that you have invested a tremendous amount of time and money producing a beautiful, high-impact display. This includes carefully selecting your display layout and graphics, lighting, accessories, and promotional item to help ensure you maximize your effectiveness and achieve your objectives from show participation. More from the Tradeshow Guy Blog.

GOING GREEN

From Exhibitor Magazine: I want to take steps to Green my exhibit program, but with so many eco-conscious options available, I’m a little overwhelmed. So where should I focus my efforts? What eco-friendly changes will offer the most ROI for Mother Nature?

You’re right. There are seemingly countless ways to go Green. While eco-friendly products are certainly becoming more prevalent in the industry, environmentally friendly tactics now include everything from limiting solid-waste production to decreasing volatile-organic-compound (VOC) emissions. Especially when you’re green about going Green, the options can be overwhelming. But just as with any sizeable project, you have to start somewhere. And a logical place to focus your efforts is in the reduction of the carbon-producing elements in your program. Continue reading.

CRM & the Event Industry – Tips from the Trenches

From Face to Face with Freeman:

There was a question in the "Trade Show Executive" LinkedIn group posted a few weeks ago that gave me pause:

What are the most effective CRM (customer relationship management) systems out there to drive exhibit sales growth?

I have been asked this question numerous times throughout my career. Technology has become such an integral part of business that we depend on systems to solve problems and yield bottom line results. However systems don't grow a business. Systems are tools used to achieve objectives. Too often, CRM is defined as a technology solution. While there are a number of technologies that can be employed to support CRM, the practice of deepening and broadening relationships with customers is about much more than technology.

At this point I had a few choices. I could:

• Ignore the question
• Call out the person asking the question
• Reframe the question and provide a meaningful answer

I chose the final option and came up with the following: Continue.

Transparency or Decline – Your Trade Show’s Future Is at Stake

from TSNN:

Have you been paying attention to what’s going on over at the Trade Show Exhibitors Association (TSEA)? In late April, they held their inaugural Red Diamond Congress, bringing together many industry leaders. They discussed several key issues that keep exhibitors up at night and create distrust between organizers, facilities, general service contractors and other key suppliers. Read full article

Tradeshow Training Minute: Goals and Objectives

New Video from Susan Friedman. 1:45 minutes long. Link.

Public Relations Etiquette

When I bring up PR etiquette in a conversation it usually generates a few chuckles. Now why would that be? Maybe I should refer to this as public relations professionalism. Whatever you want to call it the recent Ag Media Summit provided several opportunities to comment on it. During the event’s InfoExpo I had two situations that provide a real good lesson in what “not to do.”

The first one involved me walking to a scheduled appointment with an exhibitor to conduct an interview. While walking past a certain exhibit one of the people in the booth grabbed me by the arm, stopping me and “asking” if I could interview their representative who was at that moment already being interviewed. I explained that I had a scheduled interview and could come back later. My arm was still being held and further pressure was applied verbally to stay. I don’t know about you but even though I like a good welcoming hug, I’m not fond of being grabbed. Needless to say I did not return to this booth. Continue reading.