2023 Trade Shows, Planning, Process, Process, PROCESS

What a riveting blog post title right? I must not be feeling very creative right now. We have a number of best practices documents and recommendations we make to our clients regarding trade shows, and I thought I would share a bit of one of them right now.

Since trade shows have made a comeback, we continue to be plagued with shipping issues. Things are better, but we are not out of the woods yet. Two very specific issues include:

• Shipping Delays
• Increased Shipping Costs

FedEx & UPS will just plain deliver whenever they feel like it. They make very few guarantees anymore on deliveries. With FedEx the only service you can even dispute is overnight service and that is expensive.

But this isn't about shipping. Increased shipping costs COULD/SHOULD be a catalyst to your organization to do a better job in planning.

Here are our suggestions.

• Plan your ENTIRE year worth of trade shows NOW. If you are in growth mode that may not be possible, but at least plan a full quarter in advance.
• Work with your trade show exhibit provider to be sure you have a calendar of shows with at least dates and locations set. Many trade show exhibit companies have online portals that you can utilize to manage your trade show schedule. Total Displays offers one to their storage clients.
• Consider using a trade show exhibit company like Total Displays to manage and ship your trade show assets. That frees up your marketing team do work on actual marketing rather than packing and shipping your trade show assets.
• If you handle your own logistics, be sure to have a documented process for the people that are preparing your trade show assets to go to the show. The last thing you want is for something to arrive at your show broken, dirty or not functional.
• If you are going to handle your own logistics (see above) hire someone like Total Displays to help you create documented processes to ensure your success.
• PREPARE. Last minute show orders and requests are EXPENSIVE.   Again, be sure you have a written policy internally or with your exhibit company that indicates what you want to happen when an overnight or expedited show request is received. Don't get surprised with a shipping bill that is more than the cost of the concrete for the show. Last minute orders costs everyone a lot of money.
• Who makes decisions about what assets go to each show?  Is it your sales reps? Is it a marketing rep? Do you sales reps pick the best and most expensive give aways to go to an underperforming show?  Again, I can't stress this enough. PROCESS PROCESS PROCESS. Have documented procedures and make sure your staff or your trade show exhibit company follow them!

These thoughts are a drop in the bucket. Be sure you have good partners to help you navigate the brave new world of trade shows. If you want to chat more about any of these items or need help in creating documented or best practices procedures for your organization and trade show team, contact us at:  sales@totaldisplays.com

Does Your Trade Show Exhibit Represent Your Brand?

Last week I had the opportunity to walk a trade show. There were a number of things I noticed, and I had the opportunity to talk with a number of clients and prospects while at the show.

It is painfully clear to me that many people do not really care what kind of image their trade show exhibit presents. In a future post, I will share the stories of two exhibitors, right across the aisle from each other and their different experiences. I hope that maybe you glean some insight into how important your actual trade show exhibit/display is at a trade show.

Details matter people. The way your exhibit/booth looks represents your company, your brand, your staff and your product. Your brand is so much more than your logo and your color palette.

Here is a random list of what we saw. 

1. A large light box set up upside down. The one side upright had a HUGE hole and the cords ran down the side of the exhibit. If it were an inline, it might not have mattered but this was an island, right on the aisle for the world to see.
2. Dinged up, dirty, bent aluminum frames.
3. Dirty graphics.
4. More wrinkled graphics and table throws than I could even count. Come on people, it matters!
5. Retractable banner stands. Yup, still a ton of them. Mismatched banner stands. 10 x 30's done with retractable banner stands. I know they are easy, I know they are convenient, but not a great look for a company that is supposed to be an innovator.
6. Tube stands with pillow case graphics. These have become the new retractable banner stand. They are inexpensive, they are easy and EVERYONE HAS THEM NOW! One of the major points of a trade show is to stand out from your competitors and neighbors. When an item becomes that popular, they become invisible unless you are very strategic in how you do them.
7.  Internally/rear lit tube stands. This is just one girl's opinion, they don't work. The shadows from the tubes really are not a good look.

8.     This was actually my favorite. A vinyl banner hanging from the pipe & drape with a pop-up frame on the aisle (they were on an endcap) that had boards put on the cross pieces and had product displayed on the boards.  

 

9. Lightboxes. Oh my, lots of light boxes.  We love light boxes and sell or rent a lot of them. We saw very few good quality light boxes. Here are some of the things we saw.

·       Hot spots - light distribution was not even and you see bright spots of lights behind the graphics

·       Shadows of lighting transformers, frames and more

·       Actually seeing the light blanket behind the graphic.  Hundreds of circles of light visible through the graphic. I didn't even see their graphics; all I saw were all the white circles

·       Graphics installed incorrectly

The other thing to notice is booth staff behavior. We have talked about this before, but so so so so many people sitting in their chairs, heads down, on their phone, not even watching the people walk right by their booth.

 When you see a well done exhibit or a stunning booth, you know it and it feels like a breath of fresh air rather than a sinking feeling in the pit of your stomach. 

 I wish I could share photos, but I just didn't feel it was right to do that for those companies' sakes.

 Watch for next weeks post about a tale of two exhibitors right across the aisle from each other.

I'll say it again, details matter people. The way your exhibit/booth looks represents your company, your brand, your staff and your product. Your brand is so much more than your logo and your color palette.

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    

 

Doing Nothing is NOT a Strategy

Ugggh. Seriously. UGGGGHHHHH.  No I am not reverting to cave woman status I am so frustrated with people that are just doing NOTHING for trade shows or events. I talk to multiple people every day. Customers, prospects, suppliers and there is a recent theme with a few of the people.

Lori:  "What are your plans for the remainder of 2021? What shows are you planning on exhibiting at?"

Customer/Prospect: "None!" (said rather incredulously) "We may be walk a show but we aren't planning on exhibiting at any shows until 2022."

YIKES!

So let's look at some feedback we are getting from our customers and prospects.

Here are some things I have been told recently.

"I really wish we had exhibited."

"Attendance was down, but decent."

"The time we got to spend and the people that were there were much higher quality than normal."

"We didn't exhibit and our email and phone's were going crazy with people wondering if we were ok, were we still in business. They missed us!"

"We picked up some business from our competitors that did NOT exhibit. It was GREAT!"

Trade Show News Network reports that over 85% of exhibitors and attendees plan on being at live events.  How can you afford to not exhibit?  Live Events Are Back! Read Here.

Let me just tell you, NOT being at a show that you have exhibited at for years sends a message that you may not want.  Here are some suggestions if you really feel you shouldn't go to the show.

1.  GO.  Exhibit.  Period.  End of discussion.

2.  Get a smaller booth space and use a smaller exhibit.

3.  Don't have an exhibit?  Rent one, but EXHIBIT.

You may think this is a very self serving post. I promise you it is not. I don't care if you buy or rent an exhibit from me (well, I would love if you did, but that is really not my point). Don't be short sided and lose market, business and have people wonder about you. 

Trade show venues have been and are ready to host safe events!  Need help?  Email:  sales@totaldisplays.com or call 952-941-4511.

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/

How Do You Talk About Your Competitors?

IF YOU CAN'T SAY ANYTHING NICE, DON'T SAY ANYTHING AT ALL

Did our Mother ever say that to you?  I heard it a lot.  I think it is a generational thing.  I don't seem to hear it as frequently anymore.  Even Thumper was wise enough to understand this.

Often while talking with customers and prospects we are told what our competitors say about us.  Do you realize that when you talk smack about another company it only reflects poorly on you?

Yesterday I was travelling back from a trade show in Las Vegas.   Las Vegas, of course, is a trade show mecca.  There were at least 3 shows going on in the conference center we were at and many others going on around the city at other venues.

As I was on the train to get to our gate, I noticed 3 people from a local company that were at a show.  We had customers at that show so I asked them how the show went?  I really was just curious about the show itself and looking for some feedback.  We started chatting a bit and of course they asked what I did for a living.   I told them we were a local (to them) trade show exhibit house and that we sold trade show booths, flooring and other related items.

The owner asked where our offices were and said, "Ok, give us your pitch, why should we buy from you?"  My first answer to that question is always very simple, "You get me".  Now before you think that is an incredibly conceited answer, I always expound on that to explain.  We are a small business, the owners are engaged in every aspect of the business and that we are a very high service business.  It always gets a laugh and builds some immediate rapport.

Of course, being the die hard sales person, I then had to ask, "What do you have for a trade show exhibit?".  They had just purchased one from a local competitor.  I explained that I knew that competitor well, that they were good people and in good hands with them.  I simply explained the difference between our two organizations and told them I was sure they would be very happy with their product.  They were thankful to hear that the partner they had chosen was a good company.


We chatted a bit further about non business things.  As we walked to our gate the owner started saying that they may need another booth for the times when shows were doubled up and he asked for my card.   We got to the gate, they were going to get a bite to eat and invited me to join them.

Don't forget that if you speak negatively of a competitor, the only reputation and brand that it hurts is your own and your company's.

We will see.  Do you think they will buy from us?  I do.

Be Genuine, Be Kind, Be Honest.

============================================================
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/

Anti Attraction Marketing

Here is an interesting concept.  LinkedIn is a great networking and marketing tool and people share articles, updates and opinions.  There is a small number of people that post personal and/or controversial items on LinkedIn.  I call it Anti Attraction Marketing.

I have seen a lot of completely useless and non-business related posts on LinkedIn.  The interesting thing is that some of those posts are generating a lot of interest.  One woman posted a picture of a naked woman lying in the grass covering herself with her arms.  Her post was about not posting pictures like that but it created quite a stir.

Another example is there is meme floating around LinkedIn about the use of backpacks for business purposes.   It is judgmental and ridiculous and honestly has no business value to much of anyone.  Of course, that is just my opinion.  Why are we wasting our time reading, commenting and writing about the use of backpacks for business commuting and travel?  Yes this is the pot calling the kettle black.



The meme floating around on LinkedIn?  People are COMMENTING and SHARING!

The funny thing is, it creates very volatile reactions in some.  Some positive and some negative.  Actually the last person that I saw share it got such negative backlash that he actually deleted the post.  That is why I called it Anti-Attraction Marketing (this is not an official marketing term).

Some posts create almost visceral reactions.   Do those posts ad value for the person or the business?

Many people are posting things that are controversial and others just for attention.  Things like Target and the whole bathroom fiasco of course are big right now.   Of course political or religious posts are right up there.  Interestingly enough posts about professional vs non professional profile photos are getting big press.   These posts have no business value but get a LOT of comments.  The value of cold calling is another hot topic.  I will be writing a post on that soon.

People are commenting, clicking, looking, sharing.  Thousands of people.  Isn't that what social media marketing is all about?

Of course I am contributing by blogging about it too right?    You can learn a lot about people by the way they post and react on social media?  Do they have unreasonable views?  Are they hot heads?  Are they using unprofessional photos, language or content?

So I am curious about the value of such post.  Does it turn off the reader? Does it scare away a potential prospect?  Or does it build awareness of you and your company?

Personally, I believe in being genuine.  I believe in being honest.  I also believe in servicing the customer so I wouldn't try to promote myself or our brand through something that could create anger or negative emotions or responses.  You?

============================================================
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.  Connect with her on LinkedIn here.

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