Tradeshow etiquette: The dos and don’ts of exhibiting

Just as there is a right and wrong way of conducting oneself in almost all walks of life, there is proper etiquette that should be followed at tradeshows to make the right impression on attendees and prospective clients. After all, first impressions are often lasting ones. Everything from event attire to proper acknowledgement of those who’ve been of particular assistance is susceptible to scrutiny and it is always paramount to remember that you are not only representing yourself but rather your company at large. Full article from Exhibit City News

TSEA Announces New Board of Directors

8/4/2011 - The Trade Show Exhibitors Association (TSEA) is pleased to announce the new additions to its 2011-2012 Board of Directors. Ann Pennino, CME, Praxair, Inc. took over as Chairman of TSEA's Board along with four new Directors-at-Large.

"The TSEA Board has played a critical role in the expansion of association activities, including Face to Face Connections™, TSEA's hosted buyer programs; the new Certified Manager of Exhibits™ program; and advocacy and education programs at Red Diamond Congress webinars," commented Margit Weisgal, "I am excited to continue this momentum with the caliber and experience of our 2011-2012 Board." More

Why YouTube is Essential to Your Tradeshow Marketing Success

Let’s put a box around this: YouTube doesn’t make or break your tradeshow marketing success. Certainly you can find exhibitors that have never been on YouTube that have packed up after a show, ecstatic at the results they got at the show.

With YouTube, though, you’re moving into a whole new realm. If you haven’t added videos to the YouTube mix, here are a number of reasons why you should seriously consider using the platform as part of your tradeshow marketing efforts. Full Article from Tradeshowguy Blog.

Trade Show Tax Tips

Trade shows are great for bringing together the industry’s most important players and prospects. But all that product-seeking and hand-shaking comes at a cost. Airfares, hotels and restaurant meals represent a hit to your bottom line.

Uncle Sam does offer some respite for the trade-show traveler, however. Prudent and thorough deductions of travel expenses on your income-tax returns can help soften the financial blow.

Link to full article

How to Use Social Media to Maximize Your Trade Show Presence

Trade shows are places to meet and greet, schmooze, and hopefully, gather leads by the bucketful. But they are also one of the most competitive battlefields in business. After all, where else are all the competitors in any one sector lined up row after row, one after the other, competing for customers? Read more

Judge Halts McCormick Place Convention Reforms in Chicago

See article at Successful Meetings.

You Want Me to Pay What? Part I

Upon speaking with show services providers, the exhibitor was floored to learn that she would have to pay $500+ for a simple pedestal and $200+ for a simple high boy table. No way! During the show, she couldn’t quite comprehend the $1,000+ charges for Internet service—especially since her laptop picked up a full wireless signal from the onsite Internet cafe the whole time, at no charge. Really? After the show, the exhibitor was flabbergasted to learn that her boss had received an invoice for almost $500 in additional labor charges… on top of the several hundred dollars’ worth of charges for services that had already been paid onsite. After all, no one in show services had mentioned those additional charges.

Some industry professionals might read this recount with outrage over the additional expenses associated with exhibiting. Others might view these charges as par for the course and might still be waiting for the punch line.

Here, in the first installment of a three-part series, PlannerWire heard from exhibitors and trade show professionals about how exhibiting expenses are impacting some companies today. Full article from PlannerWire