Posted by Jessica Davis on Mon, Aug 02, 2010
If you want a Trade Show exhibit that is memorable and persuasively communicates your brand, keep it focused on one overarching idea. Think Big. Create a “Big Idea”.
When a prospect walks into a Trade Show they are confronted with hundreds – even thousands of different marketing messages. If you are lucky, your company will have 15, maybe even 30-seconds to capture that prospect’s attention.
The less you try to say, the more people remember.
One way to break through the competitive clutter is to have a single-minded message – a simple statement that sums up the most important thing you can say about your company that will convince a prospect to consider buying your product – and then to communicate this message with creative that is attention getting and memorable. This is often referred to as a “Big Idea”.
What if your company doesn’t have a single-minded message?
Sometimes the answer is already part of your company’s marketing program. For most companies, particularly B2B firms, I have found that there is no single-minded message in the advertising and marketing communications. Usually there is a well thought out graphics standard, a nice logo and tagline, and some positioning and benefits copy on collateral and the company’s website.
If your company doesn’t have a single-minded message, develop it. Look for a key insight about your brand. Start with your customers’ buying behavior to discover one significant reason why customers buy – or why they don't buy – from your company.
Then answer this “simple” question, “What is the one thing we want to say to our target customer to convince them to buy from us?”
Ask the people who work with you the question. Sometimes the head of Sales and Marketing can answer the question immediately. But if no one can answer the question, answer these three questions:
- Why do you need a big idea?
- What is the problem you are trying to solve?
- Why does the problem exist?
Then sum up the answers into a one sentence response that answers the question, “What is the one thing we want to say to our target customer to convince them to buy from us?”
How can you come up with a “Big Idea”?
Once you have a single-minded message, you can start to work with your creative team to create a “Big Idea” that powerfully communicates the message. A good place to start is to select an exhibit marketing support firm that has the capability of working with you to craft this “Big Idea” and to align every aspect of your trade show effort to support the “Big Idea”.
Communicate this “Big Idea” in every element of your trade show exhibit – from the graphics and exhibit to the people who are staffing your booth to promotional materials – make sure that everything is building an attention-getting, memorable message.
You can incorporate your “Big Idea” into all the elements of your trade show program:
- Exhibit theme
- Live presentations
- Traffic building attractions
- Booth staff
- Pre-show promotion
- Lead response and follow-up
Does your company have a single-minded message? Has your exhibit marketing support firm delivered a big idea for your company?
Posted by Jessica Davis on Wed, Jul 28, 2010
When you need to have a new trade show exhibit created, plan to discuss your schedule, budget, exhibit space, how frequently the booth will be used, and if there are any special requirements for the exhibit. If you want to create a breakthrough exhibit, also take the time to put together your creative requirements.
Even some of my most organized clients rarely organize and formalize their creative requirements before they start working on a new trade show exhibit. They generally start by providing some basic verbal instructions about the design requirements. Then spend a lot of time gathering information in response to questions from the creative team.
Letting your vendor work solely from verbal input is the best way to waste time and money. Sometimes it results in a flashy but generic exhibit, and communications disconnects. On the other hand, if you work with your design firm to create a formal creative brief, you are well on your way to creating an exhibit that fully represents your brand and engages your target customer, and makes you look like a pro.
Look for a partner who will collaborate with you and create a formal brief – a succinct statement of what you are trying to accomplish and communicate with your new trade show exhibit. Once you have a formal brief, it’s easy to run it by key stakeholders and make sure that you are on the right track. It also serves as a guide for the creative team so that they clearly understand their mission.
Most of what you need to provide is probably readily available. A few phone calls or quick visits with co-workers and you will have most of the answers. The format that you use really doesn’t matter. Just gather the answers to the key questions and work with your exhibit marketing company to create a brief.
Here’s a list of preliminary questions that I have found are a useful starting point:
Brand and Company Mission:
What is your brand position?
What is your corporate mission?
These are usually brief formal statements that are prepared by the Marketing Department.
Background:
What do you want to achieve with the exhibit?
How will you measure the success of your trade show effort?
What's going on in the market? Any opportunities or problems in the market?
Your Target Customer:
Who is your target customer?
What should be avoided in talking to this audience?
What do they believe about your company before we tell them anything?
Is there an important secondary audience?
The Message:
If you could get one sentence through all the clutter, what would that be?
If they asked you to prove it, how would you do that?
Are there any other major points do you want to communicate?
Be critical and honest about the answers to these questions. It is great to focus on your company’s strengths but it is also important to make sure the creative team knows your company’s weaknesses and challenges.
Once you have the answers, work with your exhibit design firm to develop a creative brief that provides a clear statement of expectations and layout a clear framework for the creative team. I have found that the most effective creative briefs result from a collaboration between the client and their design team.
Do you have a collaborative relationship with your trade show exhibit design firm? Do you think it matters?
Posted by Alexis Exhibits on Thu, May 13, 2010
A Positive Attitude Makes a Difference to the Exhibitors
A few weeks ago, I had an opportunity to supervise set up of an exhibit for one of my clients at the National Space Symposium in Colorado Springs. Now this is not a large show, and the exhibits aren't massive, but the show was pretty cool.
The products that were being shown were very interesting in their own right, and the fact that the show was held at the Broadmoor Hotel (a world famous 5-star facility) also contributed to the experience. I don’t think the Broadmoor hosts very many trade shows, but in any case, this one has got to be the largest one they do host. The attendees are predominately military or government employees. The exhibit space is spread across two halls, but naturally, all of the exhibitors all want to crowd into the main exhibit hall.
While the hotel and the view of Pike's Peak is beautiful, in my opinion the most impressive thing about this show was the attitudes of the people working on the showfloor. As set up began, we were all crushed into the main hall. Moving a crate to get to the lid meant moving several crates. The general services contractor (Freeman) struggled to get crates delivered and empties removed. Even in the face of all these difficulties, there was very little stress. I had a problem with the rental carpet that caused a minor delay, which was corrected immediately. The spirit of cooperation and productivity was amazing. Everyone worked hard, was courteous and friendly, and offered to help without being asked no matter which company they were working for.
No one was walking the aisles telling us what we were and weren’t allowed to do. The entire workforce seemed to be thankful for the opportunity to have the work and helped out whenever possible.
I am not sure why attitudes seemed so upbeat, but I can tell you that it makes a big difference to the exhibitors. As cities like Chicago try to find ways to retain trade shows, perhaps they should consider what they can do to change the attitudes of all workers on the show floor.
Posted by Alexis Exhibits on Thu, Apr 22, 2010
Big news in the trade show industry this week as the MPEA, who controls the operations at McCormick Place and other Chicago convention venues, announced that they are considering sweeping changes meant to keep shows in Chicago. (For more information, read the article on exhibitcitynews.com)
The MPEA Recommended Changes to Reduce the Cost of Exhibiting in Chicago
This is quite a step for one of the oldest and largest convention cities. All of the recommended changes are designed to reduce the cost of exhibiting in Chicago. The changes are in response to the news that Chicago recently lost two major trade shows, the National Plastics Exposition (NPE) which has taken place In Chicago for many years and the Health Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) which moves to different cities every year. Undoubtedly, this is a step in the right direction, but will it have the desired effect?
I believe that you need to look at each show individually to come to a conclusion. Chicago is truly a world-class destination. Trade shows like the Radiology Society of North America (RSNA) work very well in Chicago. This is the largest medical trade show in the country and the exhibitors and attendees seem to be able to afford the higher cost of hotel rooms, meals, transportation, parking, etc. There has always been (and likely always will be), complaining about costs, but when you are selling CAT scan machines, it just makes sense to be in Chicago. RSNA has threatened to move several times over the years, but as long as professional attendance continues to grow, the show will likely stay put.
Other shows have a much different demographic. The Housewares show used to be in Chicago twice a year. It is still in Chicago but only once a year. I am not sure that it needs to stay in Chicago and maybe exhibitors and attendees would prefer to go to Orlando or Las Vegas in March. The Hardware Show was in Chicago for many years (think Howard Cunningham from Happy Days) and is now in Las Vegas. The recession has made it much more difficult for shows to sell booth spaces, and exhibiting companies are pinching marketing pennies across the board.
In my opinion, the proposed changes in Chicago will help, but the city should be prepared to host fewer shows in the future than they have in the past. What do you think? Will lower trade show costs keep Chicago the premier destination for trade shows? Leave your comments below.
Posted by Alexis Exhibits on Wed, Mar 31, 2010
RFP is an Acronym for Request for Proposal
This is one of the few tradeshow exhibit industry terms that is also pretty common in other areas of business. In a nutshell, it means that your company has a need to buy products or services and you'd like to invite prospective vendors to submit proposals. RFPs can be sent out for something as simple as a rental backwall display or as elaborate as complete multi-year management of a hundred shows per year tradeshow program.
Once received, evaluation of submitted proposals can be difficult and time consuming. As such, the number of companies that you invite should be limited to 3 – 5.
The basic RFP format is to provide:
- An overview of your company.
- A summary of your needs.
- An outline of how and when proposals should be submitted.
In order to make the process as efficient as possible, it is best to provide information that is concise. The key to dealing with responses in a timely fashion is to direct submissions so they are as similar in format as possible.
If you intend to request custom exhibit designs from bidders, keep in mind that designs are presented in a variety of formats from renderings mounted on boards to web-based video productions. You should clearly communicate the presentation format you prefer. When requesting designs, providing a budget number will make the final evaluation process much more productive.
You should also provide a format for the cost portion of the proposals. This can be in the form of a spreadsheet included in your RFP to be filled out and returned, or even as simple as an itemized list. Including this information helps to clearly describe what cost elements are to be included in the proposal. Things like carpet, electrical service, vacuuming, floral or technical support are not always part of the RFP process.
The bottom line? Give prospective vendors enough information to put together a proposal that is complete and in a format that makes it easy to compare. Time spent editing and refining your RFP documents can result not only in significant time savings when the time comes to review submissions, but also more quality in responses.
Need Exhibit Management for your trade show? We are ready to earn your business. Let's get started!
Posted by Alexis Exhibits on Wed, Mar 24, 2010
Exhibitor Appointed Contractor is a Company or Individual that Works on the Tradeshow Floor
The letters EAC is one of thousands of acronyms that can seem to exist only to confuse people with less than 5 years of experience in the tradeshow business. EAC stands for Exhibitor Appointed Contractor.
An Exhibitor Appointed Contractor is a company or individual that works on the tradeshow floor providing any of a number of services that could also be ordered from the General Services Contractor. (Freeman, GES, etc.) There are a few services for which you may prefer to use someone other than the General Services Contractor (GSC) such as installation and dismantling labor, audio visual rentals and service, floral, etc.
If you choose to use an EAC, you must notify the show well in advance to allow them time to make sure your selected company is properly certified and insured. The form for this notification is in the show manual. Be sure to find the form and get it sent in as soon as you are able since the show generally requires at least 30 days notice.
The most common service provided by an EAC is installation and dismantling labor. A large number of companies of all sizes are anxious to provide you with labor services. These companies claim to provide better quality labor and service than the GSC at a competitive price. They will also help you with filing the EAC form. Be sure to get their information in writing and check references just like you would with any of your vendors.
Installation and Dismantling of Your Tradeshow Exhibit Should be done by an EAC or GSC
There are some services that are provided only by the convention center or GSC such as material handling, electrical service and labor, rigging, vacuuming, plumbing, etc. Many exhibitors feel that this exclusivity allows the GSC to charge inflated rates or provide inferior labor, but for most of these services there are good reasons for the rules. In the case of material handling or drayage, there must be only one exhibit management company organizing everything, both to keep order and for safety reasons. Electrical labor and service must be done according to the contract with the convention center and local building codes for public safety.
No matter who you choose to provide your needed services on the show floor, as a first step, you need to spend some time reading the show manual to understand each service and to know the rules and your rights. Need help? Let's Get Started.
Posted by Alexis Exhibits on Thu, Mar 18, 2010
Reduce Damage to Your Trade Show Exhibit During Post-Show Dismantling
Most tradeshows are open for 3 or 4 days. If you have ever been on the show floor during the last 2 hours of the show, you will see an amazing transition take place.
One week earlier there was an air of excitement and urgency as the exhibit crates were delivered to the booth spaces. Installation crews worked against the clock to get everything just right prior to the show opening. The night before the show, crews remove all of the empty crates and trash and roll out the aisle carpet. As the show opens, the sales staff arrive at their booths in their crisp business attire, anxious to grab anyone with an attendee badge and make their pitch.
In contrast, by afternoon on the last day of the show, the booth staff is tired, the traffic is light and everyone is ready to rush to the airport. Often, the booth staff will be required to stay after the show closes and take down the booth. It is sufficient to say they most likely will not use the same care in taking the booth down as they did in setting it up. Expensive display components are often pulled, yanked and ripped down and then stuffed, smashed and crushed into shipping containers.
In the end, what seemed like a great way to save money, instead ends up costing you dearly. In my experience, there are a couple of ways to reduce the chances of damage during post-show dismantle. The first would be to pay an installation and dismantling company to dismantle and pack the booth. This is not always feasible, especially if you set the booth up yourself. If you cannot hire someone, then designate one or two members of your staff to stay at least one extra day to take care of dismantling the display. If these people know that they are not going to be flying out the night the show closes, they will be much more likely to take their time when packing the display.
A good double check is to have the display thoroughly inspected upon its return. If it has been improperly packed, you will want to know about it immediately so that you can have it repaired before its next use. Need an on-site tradeshow specialist there from set-up to tear-down?
Let's get started.
Posted by Alexis Exhibits on Tue, Feb 16, 2010
Value Of A Used Trade Show Display
There are a large number of corporations who purchased new tradeshow exhibits of all types a few years ago before the economy took a dive.
Now that tradeshow marketing budgets have been slashed, resulting in participation in fewer shows and smaller booth spaces, these too large, too heavy and too expensive to set up trade show displays are sitting in warehouses collecting dust and costing their owners money in storage fees.
Before considering your disposal options, you must first consider the fact that the tradeshow display probably appears as an asset on the company’s books. So, if disposed of, it will result in a loss on financial statements. Add to this the fact that the display consists of some hazardous materials, so disposal costs will be significant and you can see why disposal is not likely to be a popular move in the eyes of the bean counters.
Also, be realistic about the value of a used tradeshow display. Companies generally want to design a new booth to their own specifications. Even if your display closely matches their needs, the cost of refurbishment, changing finishes and colors and producing new graphics can quickly add dramatically to the cost. It is not unusual for tradeshow booths that originally cost hundreds of thousands of dollars to be nearly worthless in the used market.
Options For Your Old Trade Show Booth
So… what are your options?
- Bite the bullet. Get a quote from your display company, pay the handling and disposal fees, write off the loss, and move on. (This is a major reason many companies choose to only rent their displays).
- Try to sell your old tradeshow booth. Gather as much information about the display as possible. Photos, drawings and inventory lists are critical to success. Post the display on a used exhibit web site (www.exhibitrader.com for example). Ebay and Craigslist might work to sell portable exhibits but larger displays probably won’t get much attention. Be realistic about an asking price.
- Make a deal with your exhibit company. Roll the old booth into the purchase or rental of a new display. Showing a “trade in allowance” on the contract will be much easier on the financial statements and also eliminate your disposal liability.
- Donate your booth. Try to find a charity that might have some use for all or part of the display. Admittedly, this is a long shot, but is worth checking into.
No matter which direction you take, it is always a shame that something so exciting and valuable when it was originally built ends up such a pain to get rid of.
Posted by Alexis Exhibits on Wed, Feb 10, 2010
Your company has invested a great deal of money into a beautiful tradeshow exhibit and you've been selected to work the booth. How do you prepare yourself to make the most of this opportunity?
Here are some helpful tips:
- Create a preshow plan. Profile the type of prospect you wish to attract to better focus your efforts. Get a preregistration attendee list and contact as many of the suitable prospects as possible before the show. Extend a personal invitation to your tradeshow booth and give the attendee a reason to stop by - something new for them to see works well. You should contact any very important prospects to try to set up an appointment at the tradeshow.
Familiarize yourself with the entire convention agenda. Be aware of keynote speakers, educational sessions and social events. Prioritize them and make sure to attend. Be prepared to discuss these sessions with prospects who come to the booth.- Study the design of your exhibit. Read and understand the graphics. Have a plan for giving the prospects a quick tour of the booth and recording lead information for follow-up.
- Develop a plan to deal with current customers efficiently so that they do not monopolize precious prospecting time.
- Memorize a few greetings. Try not to ask questions that can be answered with a simple yes or no. Your goal should be to encourage the prospect to talk about themselves or their company, so that you can tailor your presentation to their interests.
- Be approachable. Refrain from eating in the tradeshow booth, checking your Blackberry, or holding extended conversations with coworkers. It is human nature not to be rude and interrupt people and it will make your tradeshow exhibit seem uninviting.
- Be sure to have a disengagement line or two. The best one is "thanks for stopping by", but if you are talking to an important prospect it might be better to say "where do we go from here?" or "how would you like me to follow up?"
- Take notes. There are so many people and so little time. Brief notes will help you to be more effective with your follow-up.
- Try to schedule breaks throughout the day to deal with voicemail, email, and just catch your breath. Remember, quality is more important than quantity.
- Follow up in a timely manner, meaning the next day. Don't risk letting your prospect forget you.
Are you interested in exhibit management for your entire tradeshow program? Our exhibit management is based entirely on strategic planning. Contact us today if you are in need of trade show help.
Posted by Alexis Exhibits on Thu, Jan 28, 2010
Apple iPad New Cutting Edge Techology
Apple introduced their latest product the iPad with much fanfare yesterday. As a person who buys new technology the first week that it is available – this was pretty exciting.
Apple products are consistently on the cutting edge of technology. The iPhone and iPod touch have sent millions of people to the iTunes store and given them access to over 100,000 free or low cost applications.
Now those applications will be able to work on a much more versatile platform. Unfamiliar with this new device, check out Apple’s demo on youtube.
How will trade shows benefit from new iPad technology?
- Trade Show Attendees Armed with iPads
At tech-oriented shows, you can expect to see many trade show attendees carrying iPads on the show floor. This presents an opportunity for video demonstrations of products, literature and other sales related info in a digital format – loaded onto the attendee’s iPad right in the trade show booth.
- Video and Photos
Here is an opportunity to include multiple photos and video clip e-versions of pre-tradeshow emails that attendees would bring to the show floor. Once you have set up the connection with attendees, you can easily send updated information or invitations to presentations, hospitality suites or social events.
- Lead Retrieval and Demos
With the iPad, trade show exhibitors have the ability to create electronic lead cards on the same device that’s playing a demo. The entire interaction between booth staff and prospect could be scripted with lead card questions inserted into the presentation. Information gathered can be immediately sent to the marketing or sales department for fulfillment.
- Attendee schedules
Most tradeshow websites provide an attendee schedule function. The iPad will provide a way to enhance this feature and allow promotional messages to be included when attendees add an exhibit to their schedule.
- In the Exhibit
Install an iPad in information kiosks or product information stations to allow prospects to read detailed information or watch promotional videos. Here again, touch screen capability would allow for attendee interaction.
- Promotions
Technical and medical exhibitors can provide electronic journals or white papers as booth giveaways providing additional promotional opportunities.
As the use of the iPad becomes more common, attendees will start expecting the technology in your exhibit to keep up! Find out the Top 10 Trends in booth design and marketing. Download our FREE trend report. What do you think? Will the iPad work for trade shows?