Suitcasing at Trade Shows

Normally the image of suitcases brings up fond memories or dreams of travel to exotic places. Especially for those of us in the Midwest this winter, it has been brutal. But the term "suitcasing" has other meanings in our industry. This subject hit very close to home for us in the last couple of weeks. I'll touch briefly on that at the end.

I spend a fair amount of time talking with clients and prospects about trade shows. They are EXPENSIVE, but for many, they are worth every dime that they pay. It is the only "tool" in sales & marketing that gets your business and your sales reps in front of hundreds or even thousands of potential and current customers under one roof. Trade shows, if executed well (that is another story) can provide you ROI and help grow your business.

Occasionally, too often if you ask me, I talk with a prospect that tells me that they don't exhibit at trade shows anymore. When I ask them why? They tell me they have found it less expensive and better if they just walk the show and hand out cards/flyers.  Or, even worse, they don't even walk the show, they stand in the lobby to meet customers and prospects and engage in conversations with them.

So, imagine this example. You plan an open house at your facility. You spend a lot of money on marketing, cater in food, promote your event and much more.  A local competitor gets wind of it and sends a new sales rep to your event. that sales rep mingles with people, meets them and gathers their business cards. They proceed to call on every one of your clients to try to capture their business. Is it illegal? No. Is it unethical? ABSOLUTELY. 

In the trade show world it is called suitcasing or outboarding. It is actually against show regulations at most shows.  These are people that want your leads and your customers without spending the money to participate at a trade show.  They hang out on the show floor looking for prospects, they set up meetings with people outside the show without attending the show.  Even worse, they linger outside the show altogether to connect with your customers and prospects.  Does that make you angry? It should.

Industry standards say a 10 x 10 exhibit can cost you anywhere from $15,000 to $50,000 depending on various factors. That includes the concrete, the exhibit & graphics, flooring, furniture, travel, shipping, and material handling at a minimum.  A suitcaser might spend $1,000 - $1,500 in travel costs, airfre, hotel, meals etc.

There are a couple of things that need to happen.

1. Show producers need to make it very clear that this practice is NOT allowed at their show. (It hurts the show producers too, they lose revenues because the people are not exhibiting.)

2. Show producers need to actually kick out the people that are participating in this practice.

3. In order for #2 to happen, people need to report it. If you experience someone trying to sell you something, or make a connection to sell you something later and they are not exhibiting?  Take their card and immediately take it to the show services desk to report it.

Is this going to end it?  Absolutely not, but as exhibitors it is important for you to protect your investment by doing what is right.

I won't get into a lot of details on this, but here is where this got very personal for us in the last couple of weeks. What is even more egregious to me, is when another exhibit house, someone in the trade show industry, tries to poach other exhibit house clients on the show floor. Yes, this happened to us recently with a large exhibit house. They approached at least one company (who knows how many they approached) on the show floor. This company happened to be our client and we have a great relationship with them, so they told us about it.  Shame on that display house. They certainly should know better. 

If you didn't know this practice isn't allowed and you have been doing it? I would encourage you to do the right thing, be respectful of those that spend the money and work hard to go to trade shows and live events. If you continue to choose to "suitcase" then I guess, we know a little more about what kind of person you are and your nature.

Why I Won't Respond to Your RFP

A little reality jolt here people.

RFP's ARE A WASTE OF TIME

I can hear you....

What?  I just got an RFP with a $200k budget for a 50 x 50 booth.  I really want that business and if I do a great job, fill out all the questions, spend hours and hours and hours on structure design and answering every little detail they ask.  Even if they ask what color underwear I am going to answer because that is going to earn me that business!  You are crazy to not fill out that RFP!

Sorry.  Won't do them anymore.

Now, I will put one small caveat here.  If the company will meet with us to go over their design request, I will consider submitting a design and responding to the RFP.  Or if they allow us to present our design to them, I may consider.  

If you don't get a meeting with the decision makers, or don't get to present your concepts in person or via virtual conference,  run fast; very fast. 

Here are is reality.

• If you are not the incumbent exhibit house you have about a 2% chance of earning their business.
• You cannot do an exhibit design (especially an island) justice on paper.  It needs to be presented.
• Marketing people send out RFP's because their boss told them to get 4 competitive bids.
• Generally speaking, they already know from whom they want to buy.
• You will spend hours filling these out.  Oh and don't forget they want to see your financial statements.
• You will take potential billable resources like a structure designer and waste a lot of their time.
• And references?  They will ask for references and never contact any of them.

I may sound a bit jaded here.   Here is the way I look at it.  It is not high probability business.  Period.  I would much rather my reps are focused on higher potential revenue earning activities than losing hours on an RFP.

Is there the rare occasion when you blow them away with your design or have a lower price point than your competitors?  Of course.  But it is not the norm.  

Here at Total Displays we look at our customer relationships as partnerships.  Exhibit design is a process and generally multiple iterations of designs are done, with communication.  Communication.  Remember that?  It is a wonderful thing.

RFP's are 'make-work' all around.  Some marketing manager either spent hours doing it themselves or heaven forbid they paid a high priced consultant to meet with them multiple times and put it together for them.

Back in my software days, you really don't want to know what I did with software RFP's.  Let's just say we could do EVERYTHING that was listed on the RFP.  😁

Carry on.  Sell strong.  Don't waste your time.

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    

Bait and Switch or Seller Beware!

I have been in sales for most of my career.  That is a lot of years.    Over 30 to be exact.   Sales is a very unique career.   Lots of nuances, trends, tricks and hurdles.  A good salesperson never quits learning from experience though.   We have had some tough deals/losses here in the last couple of months.

I want to highlight a recent experience. 

There are a lot of people that really don't understand the value and/or the cost of building a trade show exhibit.  There are so many things to take into consideration. 

1. Build custom?   
2. Use a system
3. Lightweight vs. heavy?

These are very big generalizations but they are important for the message of this story.  We can build any custom exhibit you want out of wood panels, with fabric or vinyl or sintra or laminate.   We have carpenters that can build anything.   We tend to shy away from that, because the custom wood exhibits are heavy and can often require tools to assemble.

At Total Displays we tend to focus on systems where frames are easy to assemble, more lightweight (saving money on drayage - more on that later).   The other thing with systems is they can be reconfigured easily and/or can break down from a larger exhibit down to a smaller exhibit, often saving significant money.

Recently we had a company reach out to us about building an island exhibit.   I have called on this company before (although they didn't remember that).   I remember that they said, they built their own exhibits.   I have seen pictures of their exhibits, and they absolutely built it themselves.   They were not built by a trade show exhibit house.   Generally people that think they can do it better than an exhibit house are not going to be interested in buying.  That is fine, I just don't take the time to call on them.

So, I was very surprised when I received a request to call them because they were building a new island exhibit.

RED FLAG ALERT - RED FLAG ALERT - RED FLAG ALERT - RED FLAG ALERT - RED FLAG ALERT.

                                                                                                                                                They told me they already had an exhibit house design and bid on an exhibit for them.  The exhibit house told them they had to make a decision in 4 days in order to get the exhibit built in time for their show.  (Shame on the exhibit house.   There were 3 months available to build this exhibit.  That should have been plenty of time.  It was not a complicated island.  But, I digress).  They liked the design but didn't like the price tag.  They wanted to know if we could help them.

Now, before you get all excited.  We did not take the other exhibit house's renderings and say, yes we can build that even though the client provided us with those renderings.   That would be unethical.  We designed our own exhibit after meeting with the client and reviewing their needs.

We presented our option and they liked it.  They had us do 7, yes 7, revisions.   Now make the depth 1/2", now it 7", how about 13.5".   The tower heights?   Let's do all 16' towers.   No, let's do a 14' a 12' a 10'.   Oh and then can you price me out an 8' too?   Oh, and I don't like these counters, can you do something different?   Oh, on those different counters, I like the first one better, can you change them back?   The chairs at the table need to be bar height.  We want the main part of the tower to be a light box.   We want the side part to be a lightbox too.   No, we only want the side part to be a light box and the main part to not be light boxes.   Of course every one of these required detailed pricing.   Can you change the gray carpet to black?

And yes we did it.  Because that is our job.   That is what we do.   We gave them everything and exactly what they wanted.   We went to wrap up the order because our contact told us that the business was ours and that he just needed to get the final approval from his boss.

GUESS WHAT?   SURPRISE (not really).  We got the email that they decided to send it out to another exhibit house to bid.  Honestly, it does not surprise me in the least.   The red flags went up when they came to us after the first exhibit company.   I need to learn to listen to that little nagging voice in my head.   

I wanted to walk away from the business.   My gut told me, this was not a good cultural fit for our company.   But, as a small business it is difficult to walk away from any business.   I should have listened to myself.

We are about honesty and partnerships.   I never should have engaged with a prospect that was willing to let a company put that many hours and effort into a deal (which they most likely assumed was theirs and they were possibly told by the prospect that the deal was theirs, like we were) and then turn it over to someone else.

You may say, that I failed at my job of providing them a solution and selling the value.   Maybe that is true.  But honestly, I don't want to do business with a company that works that way.   I would much rather find the prospects that become long time customers that appreciate what we do for them.  We are much more likely to keep them happy!

Lesson learned.   The end of 2017 and the beginning of 2018 have had some tough lessons.   I will continue to grow and get better so that I can better service the clients and prospects that come my way.

Have you ever walked away from a deal or a customer?

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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/

Happy Anniversary!

13 years ago today, we sat in a conference room signing papers and checks!  Total Displays had been in business in the Twin Cities Metro area since 1984 and we were now the proud owners!

First and foremost, thank you to our many clients.  Many of you have been with us for all 13 years and we continue to add more and more great clients every month.  Without you, we wouldn't be who we are today.

Thank you also to current and former employees that have helped us continue to grow!

I feel like I am accepting an academy award.  13 years is a big deal.  10 years is a big deal.  In this economy and surviving the bottom falling  out back in 08/09 is a HUGE deal.    Last but not least thanks to our amazing manufacturing partners.  I would name them, but I know I would forget someone important.  Because they are ALL important.

Before Total Displays, David had been the general manager for a local retail store fixtures and decoratives provider.  That company serviced, Marshall Fields, Bath & Body Works, Bombay Company, Nieman Marcus, Macy's, Dillard's and many others.

We had been looking for a long time for a company to purchase.  We looked at a little bit of everything through our business broker.  An asphalt company, a placement company in healthcare, a wine and coffee bar to name a few.  One day our broker called and said, "I have the perfect company for you".

We met with the current owner, and it was a match made in heaven.  There was a lot of crossover in vendors for graphics, structures and many other things.

David ran the business, while I was part owner of an enterprise software company.  I helped out with sales, marketing, crm and process on the side. Since the beginning one of our manufacturing partners kept asking, when is Lori going to join the business?  Every time we saw him he would ask.   I joined David full time in 2010.

We are blessed to be able to work together and provide great product and services to our clients for these past 13 years.  As a boutique trade show exhibit company we offer many different and unique product lines.  Products to fit every customer and every budget.  We have custom exhibit clients and we have pop-up exhibit clients.  

The beauty of a company like ours is we have all the same custom exhibit capabilities that the custom houses do without all the overhead and without all the extra account management fees etc that go with many of those companies.

Some changes that we have made since purchasing the company:

Small Dark Showroom =======>  Large, Light Showroom

Tiny Warehouse ============> Large Warehouse Storing Multiple Island Exhibits for Clients

Limited Services ========> Transportation, Installation & Dismantle, Show Management Services

Very Limited Rentals============> Significant Rental Properties, Inlines, Islands

No Furniture or Flooring  ======>  A Wide Variety of Furniture & Flooring for Purchase or Rental

No Technology =========>  Touch Screens, Content Management, LED Screen Purchase & Rental

No Training Services =========>  A Full Line of Training Classes for Client's Staff

No Consulting Services ===========>  Unique Consulting Services Options*

Total Displays is a full service company with something for everyone.  As a boutique exhibit house that is family owned and operated, your service levels are unsurpassed.  Even if you are working with any of our reps, we touch every client and have a stake in every relationship.  Relationships are what make us a great company.

We had a competitor call us a "pieces and parts" company a few years ago.  He dismissed us as someone he really didn't have to worry about.  We won that deal for 2 10 x 20's.  We had a local custom house stop by one of our large clients last week during a show to try to solicit their business.  They called us immediately to tell us.  We were up against a large local competitor on a 20 x 30 island.  They dismissed us.  We won that business.    We store a lot of exhibits from other local exhibit houses in our facility.  Why?  Our service.

We are proud to have been servicing the US market for 13 years.   Look for more great things from us moving forward.

If you want to learn more about Total Displays you can call David or Lori at 952-941-4511 or email us at sales@totaldisplays.com

*Watch for a new blog post soon on our consulting services.

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/

#Did You Know - Corporate Interiors/Retail/Museums

We were visiting last week with a long time customer.  It was a courtesy visit just to say hello.  I truly believe those visits are really important.  We care for our customers and plan on having a relationship with them and their company for many years.  Customer care visits are to make sure we are providing quality service and product to our client.


As the conversation progressed, we spoke about some of the trends that we are seeing.

We also discussed some of the newer products and services that we offer.

Guess what?  Our customers do not have ESP.  If we don't tell them what else we can do for them, they will get it somewhere else.

She spoke of a number of fairly recent projects where she really struggled to find a partner to assist her.  We could have helped her.

So here is this weeks, #DIDYOUKNOW

There is a very fine line between custom trade show exhibits and retail fixtures.  With our partners we can build any kind of fixture that you may need.



Along those same lines are corporate interiors.  This is a very wide range of potential projects.  As much as I hate bullet lists, here you go.

• Wall graphics/wall paper
• Framed wall lightboxes
• Reception Counters
• Information Kiosks
• Lobby Signage
• Donor Walls
• Museum Kiosks/Exhibits
• Job/Application kiosks
• Comment Card Boxes
• Prize Wheels
• Acrylic Display Cases

That is just a few items that we have done for clients in the past.  We love a challenge.  The creative side of this business is what gets us up in the morning and makes the industry exciting.  I tell people all the time, we are not an exhibit house that has a stock of kits.  Almost everything we do is custom in some way.  You want your office, exhibit, or your kiosk to be unique to you and your brand, not something that looks like what everyone else has.  That is one of our strengths.  

Your brand should permeate everything you do, from your office lobby to your trade show exhibit.  Having one partner that understands the importance of that, will help you achieve that continuity.

The bottom line, if you have a special project, call us.  If we can't help you, we will try to point you to the right resource.


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/

#Did You Know? - Exhibit And Materials Storage

As a full service trade show exhibit house we offer everything and anything that relates to trade shows, exhibits and events.  That can be overwhelming for a prospect.  I can send an email out to a prospect with a bullet list of things we can do for them.  That is pretty ineffectual.   First, they are not going to read the list.  Second, even if they read it they won't remember anything beyond the one or two things they might be considering at that time.

Island Exhibit Ready to Head to Advance Warehouse

So, we are going to be starting a once a week, DID YOU KNOW post.

So often when a prospect or even a customer comes into our showroom we often hear, "I didn't know you did that!"

Shame on us.  So stay tuned, and follow our blog to learn all the things Total Displays can do for you.  Our goal is to make you look great and take some of the pressure out of exhibiting!

STORAGE

We have a large warehouse and offer storage of exhibits, booths, materials etc here in our location.  We have customers from all over the country and world that use this service.

Storage can be so much more than just physically keeping your properties here.

How often have you gotten to a trade show and found that you were missing things, or that the last person to use the display didn't pack it correctly or that the table throw is covered with mold because it was packed up wet.  Or, the worst... your exhibit is broken.

Let's talk about getting ready for a trade show.  You have booked a space.  Now is when the fun starts.  Here is an example of the steps someone may have for a trade show.

• Figure out the advance warehouse dates and determine when you need to ship it to get it there on time.
• Fill out all the paperwork
• Order electrical
• Order furniture
• Order lead retrieval
• Order flooring
• Pull out the exhibit, make sure you have all the pieces and parts you need.  You don't want any surprises during setup!
• Check the graphics, iron the table throws, steam out any wrinkles.
• Do I need to order anything new?
• Pull together your supplies box
• What are the giveaways and do you have enough
• What literature are you bringing
• What product are you bringing
• Pack everything up
• Put it on a pallet an shrink wrap it all
• Set up the shipping

Of course these steps vary slightly for everyone depending on your exhibit size and the type of shows you do.

Here comes the DID YOU KNOW?

We handle all that for many of our customers.  Storage is not just about physically having your exhibit here, it is about so much more.  We once had a prospect with a heavy show schedule get very excited when they learned, we could manage all those smaller inline shows for them for an hourly rate.  

Our services are a la carte so you pick and choose what you want us to for you!  

Be aware.  There are companies out there that are giving away storage.  TRUST ME - THEY ARE GETTING THEIR MONEY FROM YOU SOMEWHERE!

In quoting exhibit storage for one of our new storage clients there was a HUGE variation in storage quotes they received.  They received 3 quotes.  

1. 2,000/year
2. 5,000/year
3. 11,000/year

Why the variation?  Some people offer this as a service, some as a revenue center.  Others almost give it away and make it up by over inflating prices somewhere else.  Watch for hidden charges like account manager fees and other fees that pad charges in other areas.  

With Total Displays you always get 100% transparency.  We will explain any charges or line items on any invoice.  We will show you when and where you can save money.  We provide you with white glove service so that your exhibit experience is as painless as it can possibly be.

Call Total Displays to ask for your free storage quote and analysis.  We will also review bills with you from current providers to be sure you are getting the best value.

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/

Lies, Lies, Lies, Lies

More and more we are hearing exhibitors being misled by the general contractor for trade shows.  For new exhibitors or people new to an exhibit manager position it can be very confusing.    Here are a couple of misconceptions.

1.  You have to use the general contractor to install your booth.

You should always check each show's regulations carefully because rules are kind of wacky these days for installations.  This is specifically true with things like lightboxes lately.  Rules are also different for inlines vs. islands.

But one thing is certain, YOU ABSOLUTELY DO NOT HAVE TO USE THE GENERAL CONTRACTOR.  Any exhibitor can appoint what is called an Exhibit Appointed Contractor (EAC).  I would recommend you choose that person/team carefully and have them become familiar with your exhibits to save money and be sure your exhibit is in 'tip-top' shape when you arrive to the event.

2.  Exhibitors must rent from the general contractor. 

ABSOLUTELY NOT TRUE.  You can rent from anyone that offers a rental program.  Most rentals from show services that I have seen are beat up and often not in the best of shape.  They are used many times with little refurbishment to the structure in between uses.  That is how they make their money and why they can often be less expensive than other rentals.  

This is your brand.  If your booth is banged up and graphics don't look great your company doesn't look great.  Here are three things that drive me absolutely crazy when I see them on the show floor.

• Loose or poor fitting graphics
• Visible cords 
• Banged up or damaged hardware

DETAILS MATTER PEOPLE!

3.  You must get flooring and furniture from show services.

Guess what?  ABSOLUTELY NOT TRUE.   Many companies, like Total Displays, have furniture and flooring available for purchase or rental.  Flooring can pay for itself in 3-4 shows (depending on selection) and furniture can pay for itself in as little as 1-2 shows.  I don't mean this as a shameless plus (ok maybe I do), but look into this.  You can get what you want instead of the limited options available from show services and you can save money.  Who wants to pay $30 for a cardboard garbage can?

International Exhibitors Tips

International Exhibitors especially can benefit from renting a for US shows.  You can save money on things like customs etc.

Are you doing give away items?  Work with a US partner to get those items and have them shipped directly to the show to save on shipping and customs.

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/

Oh Crap! Our First Trade Show is When?

It is August.  Marketing and event managers all over the country are saying,

"Oh crap, I have so much to do for our first show!  I am NOT  ready for our fall shows!"

Or are you different?  Do you use the summer months to prepare yourself for the busy fall show season?  Are you completely prepared?  Are your plans all done?    

It is not too late to make sure you are prepared and avoiding any last minute emergencies when it gets crazy busy.

Here are a couple of tips for you.


1.  Check your schedule.  Do you have enough booth properties for all your shows?

2.  If you are exhibiting in an island, do you have a floor plan and configuration that fits the booth materials you have?

3.  Have you checked all your graphics?  Are they in good shape, do they need cleaning, are the logos and messages current and up to date?

4.  Have you checked all your hardware?  Is it in good working order, any repairs needed?


5.  Have you tested any electronics?  Computers?  Monitors?  iPads?

6.  Do you know what furniture you will need for what show?  Have you priced rental from show services vs. owning?

7.  Do you have a full logistics plan mapped out?  Do your booth materials go from one show to the next?

8.  Are your staff trained on set-up, tear-down and/or supervision of the installation of your booth?

9.  Have you trained your staff on appropriate booth etiquette and/or product knowledge?

10.  Literature, promotional items, give away items?  Are they all ordered?

11.  Have you ordered all your booth services and/or accessories?  Flooring, electrical, lead retrieval etc.?


I talk a lot about partnerships in our blog.  We value our customers and don't just provide them product.   We offer booth staff training services and much more.  Total Displays is always willing to sit down and help you plan for your upcoming show season.  Our goal is to help your exhibit schedule be as painless and stress free as possible.

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/

Ho Hum, Am I Boring You?

If you have read any of my posts about customer service you know that I am fairly conservative and some would say old fashioned.  I don't know how that is since I am still only 35.  I spend a lot of time on the phone.  This advice will be very short and sweet.

SMILE BEFORE YOU ANSWER THE PHONE!

You absolutely can hear a smile and more importantly you can hear a frown!  It is very depressing to hear the ho, hum, answer of a receptionist answering the phone.  You may have read my rant about auto-attendants.  You can read it here I Yell At Phones.  If the person answering your phone is going to sound like their dog just died, (I hope that is not the case) don't have anyone answer your phone.  Please get someone with a pleasant voice to record a simple auto-attendant message.  Yup, I said it.  Use an auto-attendant.

The person answering your phone is a first impression of your company. It may seem trivial, but it sets the tone for the interaction.  People buy from people they like.  Read more about that here:  People Buy From People They Like

In case you think I am just a curmudgeon, here is another article on this very subject.  

http://www.forconstructionpros.com/article/10117510/the-importance-of-first-impressions-in-customer-service

Short rant for today.  Aren't you lucky?

If you like what you see, please share it!

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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/

Money Back Guarantee or Buyer's Remorse? You Choose.

Have you ever bought a trade show exhibit and were disappointed after you purchased it?  Maybe it was difficult to set up.  Maybe it didn't fit in your space.   Maybe you purchased it online and it didn't look like the picture when you got it?  Maybe you went for CHEAP, used it once and it was damaged?

Buyers remorse can be quite common in trade show exhibits.  Here is the reality people.

QUALITY MATTERS!

Honestly I have never seen an industry with so much variation in quality.  You can walk into your local print shop and buy a cheap pull up banner stand or pop-up display.  It is really a consumable item, it is not built to last.  Remember the old economic term, planned obsolescence?  It is cheap because you will need to replace it multiple times!

Here are some questions to ask:

1. What kind of warranty is there on the product?
2. Is it manufactured in the United States?
3. Will the company train you on set-up?
4. Do they charge for that set-up?
5. How long has the manufacturer/distributor been in business?
6. Do they have a physical location and actual showroom you can visit?

Here is the reality in this industry.  There are a lot of people trying to sell exhibit products to customers. You need to pick your partner and your product wisely.  Partnerships matter.

Total Displays is proud to represent Classic Exhibits products.  Through Classic Exhibits we are able to offer you A MONEY BACK GUARANTEE!  

Yup.  There it is.  For real.  Believe it.  

100's of configurations with a 100-Day "Love It" Guarantee - How can you go wrong?

Contact:  lori@totaldisplays.com or call 952-941-4511 to find out how to get your "Love It" trade show exhibit.

Contact sales@totaldisplays.com to schedule your appointment to take a look at these great products!

If you like what you see, 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/