Trade Shows Work!

ESP Exhibits — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 22:25:38 +0100

Trade shows and events still represent the best and most meaningful way to connect with key customers.

According to Exhibit Surveys, Inc., "Exhibitions and events accelerate the sales process faster than any other media or form of direct marketing." A bold claim that is measurable and provable. While costs keep rising, trade shows continue to attract quRead More...

Budgeting - Cutting Warehousing Costs

Jan Koren — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 15:43:16 +0100

Sell your old exhibit – it’s as simple as that. Pack rats are obvious critters. Heaps of old record albums crowd the cd’s off their shelves; worn work shirts and bell bottoms spill out of their closets. They are graduates from the school of "you never know - I might need/want/wear that again someday." Pack-rat-edness among exhibit display owners is especially hazardous, since exhibit storage space comes at a premium far higher than a closet shelf or a dresser drawer. In manyRead More...

Trade Shows and Augmented Reality

Brian Patterson — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 12:58:42 +0100

As I mentioned in my 'Hello Trade Show World' post, I'm an avid follower of new technology and love to keep up to date with the latest things going on in the consumer and mobile tech world. One of the most interesting trends I've noticed lately is the use of Augmented Reality in our every day world.

If you haven't experienced augmented reality, and you have a smart phone, the easiest way is by downloading an app called Layar. Once you fire that up, you'll see that if yRead More...

Hello Trade Show World

Brian Patterson — Sat, 24 Jul 2010 12:47:43 +0100

Hi everyone, this is my obligatory 'hello world' post for my first blog. I wanted to give some background on myself and some insight into the types of things I'm looking forward to writing about.

I work in the Washington, D.C. metro area for a trade show exhibit design, fabrication, and consulting company. While we work with companies small and large, being in the D.C. area means that many of our clients are massive government and defense contractors. Their needs exceRead More...

Capturing the Right Trade Show Visitor

ESP Exhibits — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 14:42:36 +0100

Stop Spending Time with Every Trade Show Visitor!

Some exhibitors have a hard time understanding that every trade show visitor is not a good lead. Recognizing the three types of prospects and treating each correctly can save you and them time.

Type A: Ready-to-buy or order now.
This is why you are exhibiting at the show, spend quality time with these customers.
Type B: Has an interest, but needs more information.
Your goal is to convert Type B to Type A. Try to Read More...

Demo Magic

Jan Koren — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 18:54:07 +0100

No matter how small the booth or trade show is, do a canned demo every 20 to 30 minutes no matter whether anyone is at your exhibit space or not. The demo reiterates the one or two key messages your leadership has decided is most important for the show. Imagine everything you are showing will be seen by every one of your competitors, so this is not the location for showing the “secret new release.” Do that in a private hotel suite or offsite meeting room for important prospects.

Boring Exhibitors Need Not Apply

Jan Koren — Mon, 17 May 2010 14:47:42 +0100

The worst thing you can do at a trade show is to be boring. At most any trade show there are some booths that are easy to overlook. Renting space at any trade show is not inexpensive. It is important to find a way to be attention-grabbing.

Companies do all kinds of things to draw attention to their booths, with varying results. Use your sense of humor. Use preshow mailings and email and start a humorous campaign that motivates people to join you at your exhibit. The more self-depreRead More...

Different Cultures – climbing the ladder

Jan Koren — Mon, 03 May 2010 18:49:25 +0100

I have told this story so many times – but just told it to someone that said I must share this again. A couple of years ago we did an I&D for a Chinese company at CES. It was a beautiful exhibit however, it failed the translation for electrical applications and it had to be stripped of all electrical and rewired on the show floor to the tune of $28,000 from the show contractors. Needless to Read More...

Working with Partnering Exhibit Houses

Jan Koren — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 16:57:23 +0100

In the past 3-5 years exhibit houses have been seeking out partnerships with exhibit houses in distant venue cities to keep the costs of their clients rental exhibits low. Although we see an upturn in the exhibit industry – everyone is still concerned with their budget and we all must work together to keep costs down.

If you own your exhibit, and many still do, then your exhibit Read More...

Pre-Show Marketing – making it work

Jan Koren — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 15:38:41 +0100

We have a client, Hall Research, that attends amongst a number of shows in the calendar year, the Digital Signage Show (DES 2010) in Las Vegas. Using a very professional email invitation – this was sent days before the show first with this solicitation:

Please join us at the annual Digital Signage Expo in Las Vegas Booth 1115 February 24 & 25 to see a number of newly released and soon to be introduced AV products specificallRead More...

Location, Location, Location!

Jan Koren — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 14:42:56 +0100

How important is location to your exhibit’s success or failure? More important than you might think: "location, location, location" is not just a real estate phenomenon. Booth space selection is a major factor in your show floor triumph, because it helps to determine how many visitors you'll get.
Here are some of the factors to consider when selecting a booth location:
Entrances and exits - Stay away as an exhibit there is easy tRead More...

Two Part Promotions

Jan Koren — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 17:32:27 +0100

Do you hand out promotional products to everyone that stops at your booth space? Is that really the right way to spend your marketing dollars? Rather than hand out thousands of widgets, banking on "real clients" to keep your giveaway and call you - why not give away something much nicer to just the right clients by premarketing to an exacting list of prequalified buyers?

Here is a classic gimmick to get visitors to your booth - and you can target your pre-selected clienRead More...

Exhibitor Show everyone is offering rentals!

Jan Koren — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 18:42:56 +0100

Good Day – I have just returned from The Exhibitor Show and while the show floor seemed much smaller this year, and there were no resounding must-sees – it was still, a great time to talk with old and new friends and experience the initial upswing most exhibitors seem to be seeing. What did we see? New technologies at reduced pricing. In fact if I walked away with any one great feeling it was that manufacturers have come to our party – we all must lower priRead More...

Cooking Schools – Prime Time Trade Show Event

Jan Koren — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 01:16:38 +0100

Virtually any major trade show venue is within throwing distance (well bussing distance, at least) of a cooking school. This is a great place to have your drinking, eating event for VIP’s while getting everyone to schmooze with everyone else. Working with the cooking school coordinate groups of 8, 10, or 12 of different company exec invitees both current clients and prospects and your staff members. The casual atmosphere of a cooking schooRead More...

Prepare, Qualify … Now Follow-Up

Jan Koren — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 00:01:42 +0100

In the everyday hassle of doing your job and getting ready for a trade show simultaneously – things begin (or don’t begin) to fall apart. Trade show planning cannot wait until the last minute or something will be forgotten. In the preparation stage your marketing department must meet with your sales department and decide why you are attending a particular show – need more customers? A product launch? Have to be seen? ThRead More...

Functionality of your Trade Show Exhibit

Jan Koren — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 19:05:49 +0100

Does your trade show exhibit function as it should?

To determine if your booth is designed with more than just pretty graphics and a ‘wow’ factor to draw in the show attendees, your designer should ask a lot of relevant and applicable questions about the function of your booth.

Typical functions you might need include product display areas, AV equipment, internet access, a serving bar, storage, private and semi-private meeting areas, refrigerated coolers or Read More...

Keeping Clients!

Jan Koren — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 18:44:15 +0100

What causes a client to walk out the door? There is the generic better offer, great pricing elsewhere, promises of terrific service, and guarantees of much better quality. However – these are really not the reason a client goes to the other side. Truth be known, and whether true or not – the salesman is always to blame. Customers rely on their emotional encounter with salespeople more than any anything else whRead More...

Are You in the Dark?

Jan Koren — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 22:54:19 +0100

Use lots of light! Do not get lost in the tradeshow shadows. We know it costs more money for electricity and we know you have to pay union labor to plug you in! Is this the time to scrimp – or shine like a star? Your exhibit should be the bright spot in the neighborhood. Know the difference between halogen lighting and incandescent lighting – incandescent is much less bright. Point your lighting at a bright and powerful graphic or yoRead More...

Forward Thinking – Timely Ordering of Show Services

Jan Koren — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 00:50:44 +0100

We have had a number of shows completed in the past few weeks – and the major complaint we heard time and time again was the dinging of our client’s credit cards by the show contractors. We try to emphasize to any and all exhibitors that you must meet the show deadlines for service purchases to get the discount. And if you do not meet the deadlines, no one can get those discounted prices for you.

How can your exhibitRead More...

Before you Hit the Show Floor ... add "Compromise" to your Vocabulary

Jan Koren — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 23:17:03 +0100

The people that work day-in and day-out in the tradeshow world are really not masochists - most of them love the excitement and thrill of making something out of nothing in 72 hours! You have to work at your tradeshow site for five to seven days and you literally feel as if you are being poured into your plane seat on the last day.

Tradeshow people live in a tremendously taxing environment, first and foremost due to unpreventable deadlines, and sometimes due to non-performancRead More...

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