You are going to exhibit at a trade show, now what? If you don’t know where to begin your trade show planning, start with an exhibit house that will help you with an entire 3D Marketing Strategy.

Whether you are a seasoned exhibitor or an exhibitor in their infancy, you need a plan.  You may have done your research and know your target audience and signed up for your booth space, but now comes the trade show planning for success. 

If the trade show will go hand in hand with a new product launch, why not start a teaser marketing campaign?  Drum up some pre-show interest; approach your clients with solutions early on.

Entice your target audience with something that will grab them, ISSA 2008 in Las Vegas, on September 8^th – 11^th, 2008 exhibitors could use a teaser campaigns such as:

Touch what? That statement is no longer a concern….

Tackling the dirtiest job….

Wipe up your competition with….

Sniffing out…

Boosting your productivity and profits is the reason for exhibiting, networking with individuals that are the decision makers, encompassing your products and services with an exhibit booth that will increase your traffic and deliver the maximum benefits.

Henry Ford carried out a vision with the Model T, which changed the face of the twentieth century in American life.  In 1914, Ford was producing nearly 50 percent of all automobiles in the US. 

Fords entire story of growth, is not all about positive achievement, Ford did not embrace the Law of Empowerment.   His stubbornness kept the company from growth.  The Model T that he envisioned and created was kept in its original design, he wanted no one to change, modify, or grow it.  It was for this reason for almost 20 years Ford only offered one design, that of the original Model T.

With innovation & technology at it’s height worldwide, there are many avenues to pursue growth, not only growth within a company but growth within your personal thinking in order to better achieve the goals that are being set either by an employer or by yourself. 

Stagnate—to stop developing, growing, progressing, or advancing this type of  thinking breeds disappointment as well as boredom, when we become bored, you could just as well throw the creativity out with the weekly trash, because that is what begins to happen when you are not allowed to grow.

If Ford would have allowed for “thinking outside the box”, he would not have been quite as appalled when his designers presented him with a prototype of their innovations.  Eventually he agreed to allow the growth and innovation, despite being on top of the game early on; the resistance to change stifled the growth of the company.

Henry Ford was hesitant to take direction from those he put into place.  It was his son Edsel that led the company out of a downward spiral by embracing growth.   When Edsel died suddenly, his son Henry Ford II took over the company, which had not seen a profit in fifteen years.  Similar to his grandfather, young Henry Ford II did not live by the Law of Empowerment.  His father Edsel, had a different line of thinking than Henry Sr. and Henry II, if not for his sudden death, Edsel could have streamlined Ford Motor at a much quicker and efficient pace. 

Secure leaders are able to give the power to others, for the sole purpose of growth and expansion.  The resources available to use in present day are endless, allowing people authority and responsibility and allows them to achieve at greater levels.  Encouragement from a leader that is dedicated to the success and growth will in turn empower an entire team of people. 

Without the ability to release power to people that are put in place, leaders can not be born.  The Ford story is one that could have been written differently in history, and without the leaders that saw an opportunity to grow, Ford very well could have lost its influence in the marketplace, because of the undermining of authority that he originally put in place.  

Empowering your leaders is a great approach for growth within a company, as well as a personal growth.  When we are led by someone that is enthusiastic, creative and innovative, it creates a connection of positive attitudes, which will give you far better results with productivity and commitment.   With productivity and a commitment comes growth. 

Obligations and commitments should go hand in hand, obligations are contracts that we either have with an employer, family or ourselves.  When we commit to being the best we can as a leader, mentor, employee, spouse or friend, we form a bridge between obligation and commitment.  That bridge is the structure that allows us to continue to grow.  If the bridge was not over the rising rivers, we would not be able to cross easily.  Could we cross, sure, at some point and time, why not use that bridge when it is right in front of us, for the continuation of growth.

Growth is commitment, when we are committed to something and can believe in it whole-heartedly, that commitment will grow.   When we commit ourselves to a plan, it may not always see the light of day, but with the proper backing and understanding of the final goal, and the commitment of others around us, that goal becomes a little bit easier to obtain. 

Ideas can grow like fine flowers when they are properly cared for, coming at things from different angles should always be part of the cycle of growth, coming together to meet in the middle.   A ball of clay does not become a masterpiece with out the commitment to create a masterpiece.  

NPE will be hitting McCormick Place in June of 2009, start planning your exhibit design,  it is not to early to focus on your exhibit and marketing strategy. 

NPE 2006 showed an increase in attendance from previous years, with an expected attendance of 75,000 plus for the 2009 show,  exhibiting at NPE 2009 is a fantastic opportunity for your company. 

New Technology Awards and Technology Conferences are being planned, introducing new products and technologies into the marketplace at the International Plastics Showcase Tradeshow, is a great doorway for companies that want to get in front of industry leaders.

Exhibit design and creating an impact on the tradeshow floor should be a well thought out process and teaming up with an exhibit house early on, can help create a unique and succesful trade show experience. Wrapping your new products and services with a customized rental exhibit can help you focus on gaining the traffic into your exhibit booth.  With a stunning variety of graphic solutions and exhibit design, it will help in every aspect of operation when the trade show opens.

Creating a total experience through exhibiting should focus on the message you are wanting to convey.  Your exhibit should be more than just timber and glue.  Presenting a detailed but simple plan includes a time line.  Smart Detail and Smart Design, planning early will give you an edge to focus on the clients and the audience you want to speak to. 

M - Manage your time between online campaigns, print campaigns & make sure you have personal
contact with prospects on a weekly basis if not more often.

A - Advertise yourself where ever you can, the online possibilities are endless

R - Reach out to multiple audiences by attending a variety of tradeshows

K - KISS - Your message should be “Keep it Simple & Straightforward”

E - Evaluate the competition and plan your strategy for upcoming trade shows & conventions

T - Target your market by making an exhibit booth that will shout…………………

I - IMPACT - Idea generation with an experienced Exhibit House Team can bring easy 3D Solutions

N - Networking at trade shows and conventions can bring your product and/or service to the front lines

G - Global Marketing can be effective through online tools, advertising networks, social media marketing,
blogging!

The medical profession is an ever growing and innovative marketplace, consider the advancements in medical history.  The first heart & lung machine was introduced into the industry in 1955, to the medical advancements of today’s implanted insulin pumps.   It is utterly amazing to see the growth of these global changes that occur under our noses each and every day.

HIMSS - Healthcare Information & Management Systems Society had over 850 exhibitors and 200 education conferences held in the Orange County Conference Center in Orlando Florida.  Exhibiting in over 10,800 feet of exhibit space, Catalyst clients were among the exhibitors there networking to develop quality and innovation in medical advancements. 

Medical technology is on the rise and with the growing concerns of healthcare, networking at medical tradeshows is key in the industry.  

ACOG -  New Orleans, May 2008
ASCRS - Chicago, April 2008
Audiology Now ,  Charlotte, North Carolina - April 2008
AANS - Chicago,  April 2008
Medtrade Spring - Long Beach, May 2008
AUA - Orlando, May 2008

That is just a sample of medical tradeshows that will be taking place in a short period of time.  Given the growth of technology, keep your exhibit booth & design on the cutting edge of the growing industry.

There are several tradeshows that are upcoming in the spring time, while researching a few of the events that will be taking place at Offshore Technology Conference on May 5th, in Houston, Texas.  I thought the theme “Waves of Change” was a very fitting not only to OTC 2008, but could be equate this to each and every industry we come across.

When you are launching a new business and trying to break into the fast paced growing industry standards, your marketing endevour for first time exhibiting can be quite frustrating, I recently read a post at Domestic Diva that brought to light the struggles of exhibiting for first timers. 

Decisions to exhibit should be weighed carefully and several months in advance, looking for prime trade show floor space with alot of traffic.  If you start early, you are more apt to get a prime location for your exhibit.  National Hardware Show is another tradeshow that will be taking place at the Las Vegas Convention Center - May 6th-8th.  There will be over 18,000 buying attendee’s, planning to exhibit at a tradeshow in your industry could bring in new relationships, transmit your message to a large audience, help with service related issues and stimulate add-on sales.

Looking ahead at trends in booming marketplaces can become a complex process, recent advances in technology can help you capture your prospective clients attention.  If you are not infront of them, someone else will surely jump at the chance.

If you are contemplating exhibiting and marketing your business in the trade show arena, look ahead and start your strategy with an exhibit house that can offer you customized solutions.  Customized Rental Exhibits give you flexibility and can assist in your branding efforts. Offering you a valuable opportunity to introduce your products and services in a 3D Marketing environment.

With the IMTS - International Manufacturing Technology Show just around the corner, September 8th - 13th in Chicago. Is your trade show exhibit ready to hit the floor in cutting edge style for the Emerging Technology Center? With research and development at the forefront, exhibiting at IMTS gives you the opportunity to network and partner with leading industry organizations.

Suggestions from experts at IMTS  in controls, computers and technology will allow you to gather valuable resources, gaining knowledge that can offer ways to help eliviate several of the challenges in productivity.  IMTS 2006 brought in over 1200 exhibitors, don’t miss your chance to gain exposure and line up your booth space.  Registration is open, starting your exhibiting plans and trade show strategy early can help produce more satisfactory results.

With a highly anticipated growth in attendee’s, take advantage and get your trade show booth featuring your products and services lined up to be seen on the exhibit floor at McCormick place Lakeside Center, North, South & West Buildings. 

A stunning 3D exhibit display can set apart your companies products and services and attract the needed attention to launch your business into an ever growing marketplace.  With an array of over 15,000 products being viewed at IMTS, showcase your product and score big on the trade show floor.

Thank you Brad Trnasvsky of Sales Management 2.0 for hosting this weeks carnival

Several of the pieces that were included I have to strongly agree with.   Jim Logan of Accelerate Business Group, LLC   discusses Customer Loyalty.

With the following statement:

 ”I believe the foundation of customer loyalty is trust, predictability, and dependable quality”

Adding to those, I believe with innovation, efficicency, growth & quality, customer loyalty can become the solid foundation of any business plan. 

If you are planning on a business venture there is some smart advice about the marketing scheme of your business name that can be found over at Yes to Me.  I enjoyed this article because of the fact that we are in an “instant” society, with everything right in front of us for quick action. 

This made alot of sense in planning and strategy for marketing.  The best laid out plans seem to have the largest impact when it comes to exhibiting, we feel the time line for a successful exhibit as well should be well thought out so this article struck a cord with me. 

I have to agree with the post from Changeologists as well, being ready and being prepared for change.  That falls into my growth part of a business plan, if you have ever been in a company that is stagnent, you will agree with this article as well.  Change is inevitable, the only constant in life.  Being able to hurdle over several of the obstacles to expand, is a business challenge, and does need to have attention to detail.