One of These Things Is Not Like The Other...

 

   

In the past, elegance and structure have not really been associated with portable trade show displays.  Let's think back to many years ago and Sesame Street!  Here is a blast from the past.

One Of These Things Is Not Like The Other - Credit Sesame Street.

I will answer your question, but we need a little history lesson to get there.  Portable exhibits have come in many shapes and sizes.  The most common had fabric panels, you could print graphics and Velcro them to the exhibit. They were revolutionary many years ago.  There have been a lot of product advancements with this system and many people still use them.  Photo mural panels elevated the popup to another level.

There have been many other portable/pop-up displays systems over the years.

One of the most popular is tube stands.  They are an aluminum tube system with a pillowcase graphic that slides over the aluminum frame.  

There have been advancements in this system to adding different frame sizes, accessories and more.  Different frame sizes used together to make modular displays.

Tube stands with pillowcase graphics have been around for a long time.  They are lightweight, they are easy to set up.  The pillowcase allows for 2-sided graphics.  

They have some downsides though too.

• They are beginning to look dated
• Graphics, unless done well can be saggy
• The cheap versions (usually sold by promotional product companies or others that have no business selling trade show exhibits) are not stable.
• Most carry limited warranties (you break it, you replace it)
• They really have become a commodity item
• Everyone seems to have them now

Now, why would I tell you the downsides of a system that we sell a lot?  Total Displays has always provided good quality products.  We do sell a lot of tube systems.  Typically, the people that are buying them are upgrading from an old school pop-up display.  They are often replacing retractable banner stands with simple tube stands.

1. If you are insistent and love the look of a tube stand, please be sure to buy from a reputable trade show exhibit company.  If you want to see the difference in quality, let me know and we can do a Zoom meeting where I can show you one of ours vs. one that was produced by a promotional products company.  Trust me when I say, they should stick to pens and hand sanitizers.  They really know nothing about trade show exhibits.

2.  Next time you walk the show floor, take notice of them.   How many look good, how many do you see?

Another popular portable option has been retractable banner stands.  Again, really a commodity item.  Seriously, everyone has them.  I have seen 10 x 30 and 10 x 40 exhibits filled with retractable banner stands.  They may be easy, but do they really represent your brand in the best light possible?  When used in the right situation and environment, retractables can be a great solution.  But if you really want major impact?  Look for something else.  

Why do you exhibit at a trade show?  What is the purpose of your exhibit materials?

One of the whole points of a trade show exhibit is to make you stand out in a crowd!  

I'm sure you are all on pins and needles wondering what we would recommend?  

We have an amazing line of products, called Symphony.  PORTABLE ELEGANCE.  Portable exhibits have generally looked portable.  The tube systems were a step in the right direction.  But now we have the next step.

Do these look portable to you?   

• Multiple frame shapes/sizes to build customs looks
• Large monitor support.  
• Cell phone charging ports on backwall counters.
• Curves.  
• Sturdy, aluminum extrusion frames.  
• Professional tight fit, silicone edge graphics.

• LOCKING storage in counters.
• COMPLETELY Tool-less assembly

Take a look at some kits to show you some examples of looks you could build with these components.  

Elegant Portable Exhibit Ideas

Or better yet, call or email us at 952-941-4511 or sales@totaldisplays.com to review components and build your own custom look with this amazing new system.  

If you like what you read, please share it!

====================================================
Lori Hanken has been in sales and marketing for over 30 years. She is passionate about service and providing value to her vendors, prospects and clients. Lori is currently co-owner of Total Displays with her husband David. They help people look great at events, trade shows, in retail, museums and develop long partnerships with customers and suppliers. If you would like to learn more, email her at lori@totaldisplays.com. She is an open networker, connect with her on LinkedIn here.

Read other Total Displays Blog posts at http://totaldisplays.blogspot.com/ or check out our website at www.totaldisplays.com    

A Tale Of Two Exhibitors

"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to heaven, we were all going direct the other way – in short, the period was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only."

A Tale of Two Cities - Charles Dickens

In my last blog post I told you about some of the "interesting" things we saw while walking a recent trade show. During that trade show, I had the opportunity to stop and chat with a number of our clients and prospects. Don't worry, I only stopped to say hi if there was no one else at their booth. I would never interrupt an exhibitor talking to clients or prospects.

It was the best of times. We had a new customer directly across from a prospect. The new client had a brand new 10 x 20 lightbox.  You can find it here. They also had 2 custom counters with color coordinating LED lighting. 

The graphic was blue and white, the counters were white with the same color scheme. 

The counters had LED lights under the top and at the bottom. The carpet was white. Yes I said white. It was absolutely stunning. The glow from the blue counter lights on the flooring, the white furniture and table. Everything coordinated, the lightbox immediately drew your attention to their booth.

You can find the counter here on our website.

We can't take credit for it all. The client had a very clear vision in his head of how he wanted things to look, we just helped him execute it. 

The flooring is here on our website.

In talking with client they had the best show they had ever had. They had people waiting 8 deep in the aisles to talk to them. They are considering adding more shows to their trade show schedule and they were very excited about the leads they received.  I've said it before and I'll say it again.   DETAILS MATTER.

Now on to the other exhibitor, it was the worst of times. They had an older popup style 10 x 10, their graphic was very non-descript and had a lot of text on it, a table with a wrinkled table throw in the front, standard black carpet and the two staff members were sitting at the table on their chairs and phones. When we visited with them, they had a terrible show, very few stopped at their booth and they felt they didn't get very many leads. 

So many think that they can skimp on their trade show exhibit. Honestly, this may seem harsh, if you can't afford to look good, don't go.

If you like what you read, please share it!

====================================================
Lori Hanken has been in sales and marketing for over 30 years. She is passionate about service and providing value to her vendors, prospects and clients. Lori is currently co-owner of Total Displays with her husband David. They help people look great at events, trade shows, in retail, museums and develop long partnerships with customers and suppliers. If you would like to learn more, email her at lori@totaldisplays.com. She is an open networker, connect with her on LinkedIn here.

Read other Total Displays Blog posts at http://totaldisplays.blogspot.com/ or check out our website at www.totaldisplays.com    

   

  

Don't Call Me For 5-7 Years

 I had an interesting conversation this week with a prospect.  I have spoken with him many times and he was interested in some products and services that we were offering.

Total Displays is so much more than just trade show exhibits.  We have many clients that have existing exhibit properties but utilize us for combinations of  some of the following:

• Replacement Graphics For Any System
• Flooring
• Furniture Rentals or Purchase
• Storage and Trade Show Logistics
• Installation & Dismantle Services Nationwide
• Custom Retail or Interior fixtures
• Trade Show Accessories
• Trade Show & Office Safety Products

The prospect told me that he had a booth he bought a couple of years ago and that when I asked if I could follow up with him before his next show?  His response was, "really, you don't need to call me for 5-7 years."  

Let's think about that for just a minute.  A couple of questions came to mind for me as a business owner immediately.

1. So, you are telling me your business will not change or evolve at all in 5-7 years?
2. Are you saying that marketing and messaging only needs to be updated once every 7-10 years? (Remember he bought a new booth a couple years ago).
3. You will have no new products or services in the next 5-7 years?
4. You don't think there will be any wear and tear on your trade show exhibit in 7-10 years? 
   
   
   

Could it just have been a brush off from the prospect?  Yes, possibly.  But it made me think a lot about why people update or refresh their trade show exhibit.  Here are some statistics.

• Expected life time of a trade show exhibit is 3-5 years.
• Many of our clients rent exhibits and update their look every year!
• Do you track number of visitors? (You should be).  Most of our clients report that the number of visitors increase when they have updated or made a change to their trade show exhibit
• Do you want to be seen as a static company or a dynamic, growing, evolving company?  If you want to be static, use the same exhibit and graphics for 4+ years.  Trust me it will work.
  
  
  

Trade shows are a very unique opportunity for you to get your brand, products and sales staff in front of literally hundreds or even thousands of prospects in a very finite window of time.  Trade shows are expensive.  There are easy ways to update your look without breaking the bank or you can really wow them with a new look every couple of years.  If you aren't getting the leads you need or are going to the trade show just because you should be there.  Stop.  Don't waste your time or any one else's time.

Let Total Displays help you get the most out of your trade show program with strategic planning and review of your trade show program and your trade show exhibit assets.  We want nothing more than for you to be incredibly successful at your next trade show or event!  Call us at 952-941-4511 or email sales@totaldisplays.com

If you like what you read, please share it!

====================================================
Lori Hanken has been in sales and marketing for over 30 years. She is passionate about service and providing value to her vendors, prospects and clients. Lori is currently co-owner of Total Displays with her husband David. They help people look great at events, trade shows, in retail, museums and develop long partnerships with customers and suppliers. If you would like to learn more, email her at lori@totaldisplays.com. She is an open networker, connect with her on LinkedIn here.

Read other Total Displays Blog posts at http://totaldisplays.blogspot.com/ or check out our website at www.totaldisplays.com    

Product Innovators vs. Product Copiers

Every industry, every product ever built (at least the good ones) have been copied.  Does that make it right?  Someone changes something just slightly, small tweak here small tweak there and voila you have a "new" item.

Total Displays is primarily a distributor.  What exactly does that mean in the exhibit industry?

We are not limited to our own product line.  We do not have the overhead of having production staff and a shop.  We don't have to keep our production shop staff busy.  So often we have seen prospects come to us that have worked with a custom exhibit house and wanted something more modular.  The custom exhibit house proposed something that they would build for them.  Complete overkill.

But...  here is the big secret.

WE CAN BUILD CUSTOM EXHIBITS THAT DON'T REQUIRE NUTS, BOLTS, HAMMERS, OR NAILS.

But I digress.  Watch for a blog post coming soon about the advantages of working with a distributor like Total Displays.

We are very spoiled.  We have spent years culling the industry and selecting the best of the best manufacturers out there.  Everyday we see reasons that validate our decisions to A.  Not be a custom display manufacturer and B. To partner with the companies we selected.  Read more about a custom exhibit house story HERE!

One of the reasons we select a partner?  A product innovator.  What we see, continually is our partner creating a new item for the exhibit and event industry.  Often they win awards for those items.  A year, later many other exhibit houses now have a new product.  Some are blatant in their copying of the idea and some change things up a bit more.

Here are some examples where one of our partner has been an incredible innovator (just a small list)

• Online exhibit design search.  This is an award winning "catalog" of designs and products.   Check out ours at:  Total Displays Design Search
• iPad/Surface Kiosks - check out ours here:  iPad Kiosks
• Cell Phone Charging Stations - check out ours here:  Cell Phone Charging Stations

Those are just three of many.  Each year following the release of a new product the "copiers" come out. 

This year you are going to start seeing competitors roll out cell phone charging stations.  If you want a Coach purse why would you buy a knockoff?  If you want a BMW why would you buy a knockoff?  If you want a diamond, why would you buy a cubic zirconia?  

You may say, the knock offs are cheaper?   Well based on the "new" or should we say "copied" cell phone charging stations I have seen so far?  If they are NOT remotely of the same quality, they are MORE EXPENSIVE.  

Why would you buy a copy when you can get the original?  Just asking?  

Thank you to Classic Exhibits for being an innovator and a great partner.

If you just want a reality or truth check, I am happy to chat with anyone that might have questions about this.  If you don't have a partner to consult with you on these issues we are here to help.


If you like what you read, please share it!

====================================================
Lori Hanken has been in sales and marketing for over 30 years. She is passionate about service and providing value to her vendors, prospects and clients. Lori is currently co-owner of Total Displays with her husband David. They help people look great at events, trade shows, in retail, museums and develop long partnerships with customers and suppliers. If you would like to learn more, email her at lori@totaldisplays.com. She is an open networker, connect with her on LinkedIn here.

Read other Total Displays Blog posts at http://totaldisplays.blogspot.com/

Do You Buy Trade Show Exhibits On Line?

If you have read any of my posts, you know I tend to just, put it out there as they say.  So here you go:

IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR CHEAP DISPLAY PRODUCTS ON LINE I CAN'T HELP YOU!

Yes I really said that.  I am cleaning up from a sales rep that is no longer here.  Multiple opportunities that she had listed said they could find things cheaper on line.  Yes I am sure you can.  If price is your primary motivation then we are not the right company for you.

You may find this arrogant.  There is a difference between arrogant and confident.  I have confidence in our products and in our service.  I am confident that if you buy from us you will get a good quality product that is designed to last.

I can't tell you how many times people think our products are too expensive and buy something cheap ultimately come back to buy from us.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW OR ASK

Here are some questions you should consider if you are buying online:

• Are you comparing apples to apples?

There are so many different substrates and print methods out there.  This is your BRAND.  If it is cheap online, there is a reason for it.   

• How is the graphic finished? 

Velcro?  Silicone Edge?   The look of your finished product can vary greatly.  So can the sewing and finishing.  Sloppy seams, loose or frayed edges?  Is that how you want to represent your company and your brand?

• What kind of warranty is there on the product?

So many products now that you buy online are almost a consumable.  I can't tell you how many times people didn't want to pay our price and bought cheap on line and then came back to buy a quality product.  This is legit people.  The cheaper the product, the lower the quality.  Are there companies out there that inflate prices on cheap products?  Of course.  Those people give sales people a bad reputation.  We are not all like that.  Total Displays is not like that.  Find a provider you trust.

• Will the supplier give you feedback on your graphics? 

Let me tell you, if you are buying cheap product these companies make money on volume.  They most likely will not provide you with phenomenal customer service.  You upload your art and they print it.  They don't care if the resolution of your picture is grainy or your colors don't match.  On the cheap products they can't afford to take the time to really service you.

• Will your supplier give you tips and tricks on how to care for your product?

Total Displays is committed to being a partner.  I don't want to just ship you a display.  I want to be sure you got exactly what you want and that it is working for you.  We can give you recommendations on graphics or even do the design for you.  An online order?  Here is your link to upload the graphics, we'll print it and ship it to you.  You get what you get.

• What does the office space/location/showroom look like for the company selling you product?  Can you visit their office (regardless of where they are in the country)?

Why does this matter?  If they are a home office or a company without a showroom, there is a possibility that they may not be here in a week or in a year. If their office looks like crap, why would they care what your display looks like?

Please consider carefully before trusting your brand and your messaging to a company with low price points and very little customer service.

If you decide to go cheap and go online?  Call us when you need to replace it with quality.

If you like what you read, please share it!

====================================================
Lori Hanken has been in sales and marketing for over 30 years. She is passionate about service and providing value to her vendors, prospects and clients. Lori is currently co-owner of Total Displays with her husband David. They help people look great at events, trade shows, in retail, museums and develop long partnerships with customers and suppliers. If you would like to learn more, email her at lori@totaldisplays.com. She is an open networker, connect with her on LinkedIn here.

Read other Total Displays Blog posts at http://totaldisplays.blogspot.com/

I Call 'BS' - Epic Telemarketing Fail

I received an interesting telemarketing call today.  The young man on the phone (I assume he was young and inexperienced, you'll learn why later) proceeded to tell me that a client of ours suggested that he call me.  Here was the conversation;

Young Man:  "Could I speak to someone in marketing?"

Me:  "I guess that would be me."

Young Man:  "A mutual client suggested that I call you.  They purchased an outdoor flag from you and said the flag was great but that your website was a little 'rough'."


Me:  "Hmm, I guess I need to know which client said our website was 'rough'."

Young Man:  "I am not here to share any names."

Me:  "Oh, I see."

Young Man:  "We do website work, would you be interested in exploring an update to your website?  I did take a look at your website and honestly, no offense intended, it is a little dated. Do you do any selling of product online?"

Me:  "Well, thank you for your opinion.  We do not sell online, that is not our business model.  We are not interested in making any changes.  We have a partner that provides the content, keeps prices and product information updated and it works quite well for us thank you."

Young Man:  "What is the name of the company that does your website?"

Me: What I should have said, "I am not here to share any names."   I simply said, "It is not a local company".


The long and the short of it?  I call B.S.  There was no customer that gave him our name.   If they had, he would have known someone's name here.  We are on LinkedIn.  I have an open profile.  It would have taken him all of 10 seconds to look up a contact name.  My title on LinkedIn is VP of Sales & Marketing.    We don't sell very many outdoor flags.  Yes we have them, it is just not a market we have seriously pursued.



Also not a great idea to lie to a prospect, or to totally trash some portion of their business.

I hope he finds a new cold calling tactic, because I don't think this one will work well for him.   Remember people buy from people they like and people they TRUST.


P.S.  Do you want to buy any outdoor flags?  We have great flags and I promise I will do a great job selling it to you.



If you like what you read, please share it!

=========================================================
Lori Hanken has been in sales and marketing for over 30 years. She is passionate about service and providing value to her vendors, prospects and clients. Lori is currently co-owner of Total Displays with her husband David. They help people look great at events, trade shows, in retail, museums and develop long partnerships with customers and suppliers. If you would like to learn more, email her at lori@totaldisplays.com. She is an open networker, connect with her on LinkedIn here.

Read other Total Displays Blog posts at http://totaldisplays.blogspot.com/