Is your exhibit booth approachable?

We are definitely in conference and trade show season, and there are many things to consider when you choose to invest good money into exhibiting at a conference.  Last week we asked when it was time to consider a professional exhibit designer; this week we will go further into not only the design of your exhibit booth, but also whether or not the booth is approachable.  Obviously the number one goal of exhibiting is to reach as many qualified prospects as possible and get your information into their hands. Your exhibit booth plays a major role in this process, so let’s begin by taking a look at the design. 

1.       Does your booth design invite people in or shut them out?  A typical 8 x 10 exhibit booth usually includes one table.  Where do you put it?  If it is at the side of the booth, attendees can walk in and around the space.  If it is out in front of the booth, the message is “you belong on that side of the table, not in the booth”.  That may still work if your table is the focal point, but if you want people to enter the space for a conversation, to view your materials or experience a demonstration, open it up!

2.   Entertain a little.  Remember that conference attendees’ days are long too.  They are in workshops, networking groups, meeting bosses for dinner, etc., and an exhibit hall may just appear as a blur of lights, graphics, and never-ending sales pitches.  You may need to work a little more to get their attention.  Have fun and/or useful promotional items.  If it is appropriate, dress in a costume or play some music to stand out from other vendors.  Have a larger item drawing or an important announcement, and build some buzz ahead of time so attendees will come back for that moment.

3.       The “make or break” component to your exhibit booth is the person or people staffing it.  How many times do you see a person slouched in a chair behind a book, newspaper, a smartphone, or computer, or talking on the phone in an exhibit booth?  The message here is “I don’t want to be here, I don’t want to talk to you, don’t bother me.  Exhibiting is often extremely expensive, especially when factoring in travel costs.  Make sure the person who is the face of your company at a tradeshow is friendly, engaging, knowledgeable, and willing. Otherwise you are throwing money down the drain, and giving a very poor impression of your company.

Next time you exhibit, step out of the booth and see it from the attendee’s standpoint.  And ask yourself “How approachable is my exhibit booth? “

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Kim Luedke is Co-owner of ProfessionalEdge Associates, offering a wide range of marketing and support services to businesses that want to increase their success, but aren't in a position to add to their staff. Visit the ProfessionalEdge website at www.gettheprofessionaledge.com, email info@gettheprofessionaledge.com, follow them on Twitter @profedge, or like their Facebook page.

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My Story: Tim Harris

Taking the leap…to trusting an experienced exhibit company?

So, you've tested the waters in trade show marketing with a do-it-yourself display booth. You have an exciting product/service. You have a good team. You probably have some loyal clients that helped you get on the map, right?  Still, you look across the show floor and can tell the image you project could be well…more impressive.

Regardless of how frugal you are, when do you know it’s the right time to take the leap from designing, building and installing your own trade show display to working with a professional exhibit company to do these things for you?  The answer might be easier than you think. Here are 3 basic factors to consider to help you make the evaluation.

1) Competition – If you’re in an industry where everyone brings a do-it yourself booth, then maybe you shouldn't spend more. It might be that projecting a frugal image is the right image to be successful in your industry. For example, the ASD/AMD show is a show of surplus and discount import merchandise from kitchen to toys to tools, and everything in between. Industry leaders present at that show tend to use large, do-it-yourself trade show displays in an attempt to look both successful and frugal, and it usually works. By contrast, if you’re in an industry  such as the hi-tech industry, a frugal do-it-yourself booth can project the image of being a weak competitor. Overall, it’s not hard to tell if a strong, successful image is the norm on any show floor, and this simple evaluation will help you decide if a do-it-yourself booth is right for you.

2) Synergy – You’re already investing big money to participate in your trade show. There is cost of the booth space, the travel, the hotel, food, entertainment and more. When you develop a complete trade show budget, you realize that your booth is a smaller portion of your investment, but the one which may have the biggest impact on how the rest of your investment delivers. Your exhibit design will have an effect on how confident your staff is on the show floor, and your exhibit design is the first impression your company gives to attendees, letting your clients know how you're evolving in the market. If you’re going to invest in the trade show marketing game, why not play to win?

3) Time – Once you see the bigger picture, you see each trade show as a three month event, one that takes time and effort to cultivate interest, differentiate on the show floor, and finally, convert leads to dollars. From this perspective, you’ll see benefit in focusing your efforts in sales marketing and business development before, during and after the trade show. The day before and the day after the show are great days to schedule meetings, or meals to toast a new relationship.

Hopefully this helps you identify if the time is right for you to make the leap to a high-impact trade show display, designed and executed by a professional exhibit company. Once you decide, you need only find a good, like-minded exhibit house to serve as your partner. The exhibit industry is largely an owner-operator business, as there is little advantage to being a huge company. It’s a custom business, and buying-power doesn't get much better with size. In fact, overhead is the leading downfall of bigger trade show companies. So, look for companies with skill, creativity, and experience, especially in the upper ranks. It's also a good idea to try to find a company where you feel comfortable developing a personal relationship with the owner.

Most exhibit houses grow by word of mouth, so don’t let the top results in Google be your only measure. Talk with friends to see if they've found a exhibit company they love. Browse portfolios and look for genuine testimonials. Most exhibit houses will develop a photo-realistic design with a quote, free of charge, in hopes of winning your business. This is your opportunity to shop a few companies to evaluate their skill and commitment to quality and service. Don’t hesitate to discuss materials, fabrication processes, or to ask for some show floor pictures. Once you've decided on an exhibit house, if it’s a good choice, your experience and your booth display will only get better, show after show!

Trade shows are the incubator of the free market and innovation. Trade show marketing is, in part, gut-feel marketing. Though the actual sales you receive directly from the show may not justify the investment, your participation may spark interest that leads to eventual business. Evaluate your needs objectively, keep egos at bay, and take only calculated investment risks. You want to show a steady pattern of growth and improvement on the show floor, so avoid risks that may lead to downsizing. 

Trade shows are always exciting experiences, and now with this knowledge, you’re armed and dangerous! Always strive to improve and grow your company and your trade show presence, and remember that everyone starts somewhere; Bill Gates launched Microsoft in a 10 x 10 booth.

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Matt LaBruzza is the owner of Exhibit People, a Las Vegas based Exhibit Company specializing in trade show display rentals. Exhibit People offers exhibit design, exhibit construction and trade show services so you need only show up and sell.  Visit Exhibit People’s website at www.exhibitpeople.com, email Matt at matt@exhibitpeople.com and follow them on Twitter @exhibitpeople or like their Facebook page.

Holiday Shopping? Take a Made in America Challenge!

Originally published in Solutions 11/30/2012.

 

The holiday shopping season is in full swing! By now we know, or at least we should, the benefits of buying American-made products:

• Return jobs to America.
• Buying American-made items requires less transportation, and therefore, less fuel. It is simply better for the environment.
• American-made products are typically higher quality and will last you longer, saving you money in the long run.
• Items made in the USA have more stringent safety requirements.

Get in the habit of checking tags when you are shopping, and make sure you are supporting your local economy, rather than those of other countries. There are also many web sites out there that have joined the movement, making your shopping easier. Here are a bunch of them:
 

American Station
Ohsay USA
USAB2C
Buy Direct USA
Made in USA Challenge
USA Love List
American Made Everything
Vermont Country Store Made in the USA Favorites
Madeinusa.org
America’s Virtual General Store
Bert’s All American Market
The Buy American Project
All USA Clothing
All American Clothing
Made in America Buy American
Made in America Store
Americansworking.com
Made in USA Report
Stillmadeinusa.com
Made in USA Forever
Proud American Trading Post

You can also visit our web site for past America Proud articles and follow us on Twitter for our weekly favorite Made in America products.

Take your own Made in America challenge, and purchase as many USA-made gifts as you can this year. The job you help create could be your neighbor’s, or your own.

Does your front door need a renovation?

Small businesses can have many different types of front doors these days. Retail shops have a real front door, a threshold for customers to physically walk through. Some service businesses are the same. But many other businesses are virtual now and their front door may be their phone system, their website, their Twitter profile, or their Facebook page.

If you have a physical front door you walk through it and see it every day. It is in your face and you paint it or repair it as necessary.

But when was the last time you checked your virtual front door?

Your online gateway is just as important as your physical front door-and it’s critical if your company is virtual. It is vital for you to keep your website, Facebook page, Twitter profile, or whatever virtual platforms you use, current and informative.

Here are some things to consider: 

1.       Is your virtual look and feel current? Does it match your current corporate goals and objectives? Is it time to refresh?

2.       Do you update content regularly? This means often – daily or weekly. If not, start now!

3.       Do you walk through your sites regularly from the viewpoint of a customer to be sure they are user friendly and answering the right questions?

4.       Do you tell people how to get in touch with you in every way possible?

 

Your virtual front door is an important entry point into your business. Stop and think about whether yours needs a renovation today!

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Kerry Brooks is Co-owner of ProfessionalEdge Associates, offering a wide range of marketing and support services to businesses that want to increase their success, but aren't in a position to add to their staff. Visit the ProfessionalEdge website at www.gettheprofessionaledge.com, email info@gettheprofessionaledge.com, follow them on Twitter @profedge, or like their Facebook page.