It happens. The trade show supplier you worked with for so long has changed–maybe they have new owners or a new account executive. Perhaps their pricing policies have changed or they don’t understand your new business strategy. Whatever the reason, you’ve chosen to move on. As with any relationship, a business divorce doesn’t have to […]
Saying goodbye–leaving a vendor relationship Read More »
Where do you keep your exhibit when it isn’t being used? Have you budgeted for the cost to store and handle your booth between shows? Most of us overlook this less-than-trivial expense when planning our total cost of program budget. No matter the size of your booth (or booths) you need to consider where it’s
Let’s talk about trade shows live and in person. Remember, this medium is all about face-to-face interaction, so I’m going to practice what I preach. I’m on the program at the AAF (American Advertising Federation) District 10 Summer Leadership Conference this fall. The event runs September 18-20, 2008, in Abilene, Texas. In the two sessions
Live and in person Read More »
Over the past few weeks I’ve been in several situations that all lend themselves to human interaction. And while they are very divergent activities (a wedding, a fishing trip and a meeting with my management), several themes rang true. These same themes lend themselves to face-to-face marketing and trade shows. Patience. Persistence. Passion. A wedding
Patience, Persistence and Passion Read More »
Drayage….even if you haven’t heard the word before, it seems a bit ominous by it’s sound. Drayage, or material handling, is the cost the general contractor of a trade show charges exhibitors to move goods from the dock to the exhibit space on the show floor. Charged by the hundred weight (CWT), it is a
It’s up for discussion: how much should you pay (or be charged) to have someone as an on-site supervisor for a trade show? This might be a specialized situation, but what I’m talking about is those cases where a company or program doesn’t have a dedicated trade show manager or has a show conflict where
The single biggest challenge I have ever encountered with shows (on whatever scale) is how to collect leads and what to do with them after you’ve collected them. The problem seems to start with the simple act of collecting them. There are three steps: 1. Collecting them.2. Processing them.3. Taking action with them. Collecting. Whether
Leads–gathering and otherwise Read More »
The best way to evaluate a potential addition to your show schedule is to actually visit the show. Whether you have to buy an airline ticket and plan a trip or park near your local exhibit hall when the show comes to your town, it will payment immense dividends for you to walk teh floor
Show evaluation: walking a show Read More »
I was reminded of this process and experience recently when a business acquaintance told me he had to make some changes to his program. Whether it’s cost-, geography- or personality-driven, sometimes a change has to be made. Moving your exhibit properties is a big deal–or not Others in the industry have written exhaustively (and well)
Choosing an exhibit house Read More »
It never fails. The client wants to bring all of the brochures and collateral the company has on its shelves to a show. While the printed word in a 2-D form is a great supplement to an effective trade show, it can also be a distraction or a detriment. Three things come to mind when
Using literature effectively at a show Read More »
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