Marshall Yard:

The Healthcare Convention & Exhibitors Association hosted their annual meeting this past week - June 13-16 in Tampa, Florida. This year’s focus was on budgeting, marketing trends, and healthcare industry codes. Catalyst’s exhibit featured new display tables, and our revamped 10×20 custom exhibit.

As the industry deals with the challenges posed by the current recession, we’ve found a niche in a custom rental marketplace that is underserved, and growing in its ranks. We look forward to many exciting opportunities with Healthcare Exhibitors in the years to come.

This year’s show was highlighted by our European and International representative, who helped tie together our capabilities beyond domestic tradeshows - offering exhibitors the confidence that they can not only exhibit in Chicago, Orlando, and Las Vegas; but also Shanghai, and Dubai. Having a partner to help us facilitate those needs has proven essential in the flat world of 2009.

I’ve recently begun work with a trade show coordinator who has a very astute perspective with regards to the design of his company’s trade show booth. It was with very little surprise that he revealed to us (during the design input meeting) that he’s been designing trade show exhibits for much of his career. Only recently had he begun coordinating exhibits for his company.

As a designer, he understands how the trade show exhibit space functions - the balance between aesthetics, function, and marketing message. He advises his team on how to value the various designs that exhibit houses have created for an upcoming show. In this case, it’s for the Worldwide Food Expo, held in October at McCormick Place. The WWFE is largely an equipment and product show for restaurateurs of various stripes. The demands placed on exhibits are similar to other shows where product and equipment demonstration rules, and visibility, marketing message, and architecture must all revolve around the placement of a large machine, or a number of smaller products. In order to get attendees to see your widget, you need to separate yourself from the crowded “skyline” of hanging signs, towers, and video monitors. Something exceptionally pleasing needs to draw the eye of those passing through, and this coordinator understands that. Read the rest of this entry »

As Iran erupts into riots and chaos with their recent election (and by “election” I mean “perfectly executed exemplar of the democratic process in its purest form”), I thought I’d tally up the votes for and against virtual trade shows.

I’ve had a cruel fascination with virtual trade shows for quite some time. In fact, I have between 5-10 aborted blog posts wherein I abysmally attempt to analyze this topic. Too long winded, and a bit too “soap box-ish” when it came time to post, so I thought those subjects were better off in blog-limbo (”draft”).

Here’s how virtual tradeshows have been treated here in cyberspace (there seem to be 3 general arguments):

1. Tradeshows are so expensive that virtual trade shows will continue to gain importance: they’re the wave of the future, and super-duper-green to boot.

2. Virtual tradeshows may never quite overcome tradeshows, because business people need to meet face-to-face, hug, and cuddle over that freshly inked contract.

3. Virtual tradeshows are stuck in the social networking fluff-world - not conducive to replace the serious business that actually takes place at trade shows

Because this tradeshow blogger always thinks he has an exciting new viewpoint, I’m going to offer my own spin: Read the rest of this entry »

NPE is the big buzz at McCormick Place this week of 6/15/09. If you don’t know what NPE is, go here, here, here, or here. I’ll be bringing some highlights from the show, as well as photos and stories of any travails I encounter.

“I don’t know how to put this, but I’m kind of a big deal.”

HCEA is the Healthcare Conventions & Exhibitors Association. Their annual tradeshow for exhibitors is coming up! This offers Healthcare companies to see some of the latest and greatest ideas from exhibit houses, and determine the best direction for their 2010’s exhibit program. That means exhibitors are trying their hardest to sell, sell, sell themselves [and their shiny new display booths] at the ‘09 HCEA show.

“ABC. A -Always, B -Be, C -Closing. Always be closing. Always be closing.” … “Coffee’s for closers, ONLY.”

We’ll also be taking a look at virtual trade shows; an experience I recently encountered with a graphic designer turned trade show coordinator; as well as critical aspects of evaluating exhibit designs. It’s going to be a great week here at the Marshall-Yard: the #1 trade show blog in the United States, and [arguably] the #7 trade show blog in Nepal.

Some advice worth heeding, and some you might find amusing… Your weekly “fix” of the frugal exhibitor:

Get your Exhibit Program out of a Rut!

Desperate sales people may DESTROY the success of your trade show booth: What to do to PROTECT it!

Anything you can do to please the union labor at a show - DO IT.

And who are these people who think tipping doesn’t happen on the convention hall floor? There must be people who actually believe this snippet.

Coping with the stress and strain of exhibiting at a major trade show… Couldn’t all of us use a little of that?

I have a checklist that I go through before I’ll ever bring an exhibitor into a dialogue with one of our trade show exhibit designers. The checklist isn’t without exceptions - sometimes special situations merit special treatment of prospective clients - but the checklist is not intended to preserve the schedules of our designers, but to improve the effectiveness of the booths they create. One of the most important questions I ask is where the booth is located on the tradeshow hall floor.

Booth orientation has serious implications for the success of your trade show. Factors to consider include  the location of entrances, internet stations, concessions, main aisles, competitors, partners, large exhibitors, and pop-up/portable “mazes.” Ceilings heights, the character of a particular hall’s “scale” of exhibits, and the presence of any natural light (versus harsh show-hall lights). All of these factors play a distinct role in how your exhibit should be designed. Is your designer weighting these issues, or are they merely interested in how many widgets they need to fit into your space, versus how many you can afford? If the focus is on the widgets, do you think you exhibit will be a success? Read the rest of this entry »

Online ads aren’t the only thing that marketers expect to increase over the next year. While an overwhelming 68.7% of marketers expect to increase their Online advertising, 37.6% also expect their Event marketing to increase, with 49.9% seeing no change in that figure. While that isn’t an overwhelming increase in Events, it does reflect an opposing trend to many other forms of marketing. Take a look here. Budgets for radio, broadcast, and outdoor marketing are down significantly, whereas Events, Direct Mail, and Telemarketing are modestly increased.

The trends of modest increases are paired with modest increases for marketing budget through the second half of 2009, and through 2010. Budgets were slashed across many different industries for the first half of 2009. This has greatly affected the trade show exhibit business, with exhibit houses lowering prices and responding with additional services. Even tradeshow organizers and convention halls have responded with stimulai of their own - reduced booth space pricing, and some early indications that services for things like I&D and drayage may be reduced from their inflated levels. Our “The Frugal Exhibitor” segment chronicals online sources keeping tabs on the ebb and flow of tradeshow values.

Sorry for the awkward humor, but I’m heading to the second game of the White Sox’ double header today (weather permitting). The main pitch [sorry] of today’s trade show blog post hits at the three distinct business models present in our industry. First, there are design agencies, who design home run exhibits, and must broker out the manufacturing of the exhibit to various other vendors. Next, there are exhibit companies, who also create championship booth designs, but who possess the internal capabilities to create the displays that have been rendered for clients. Lastly, there are companies who are neither of the above: They contract with design firms - who then design exhibits for the exhibit company’s clientelle, later to be built by the exhibit firm. What are the advantages or disadvantages of these three business models?

Let’s consider the cost of designing: The agency will likely bill the exhibitor for design time. The exhibit company with in-house designers will [sometimes] consider design part of the exhibit overhead. Buried in the price of your exhibit is the time spent on your custom design, but based on a very rough estimate of how many hours any project of a certain scope would take to create. Other companies with in-house capabilities will still charge hourly for design time, so this second group is actually varied with how they handle design time. The third group - who contract their designs through a third party vendor - is similarly varied. Some may handle the design cost in the price of the exhibit - likely marked up to account for the risk therein. Others may charge up-front for design. When it comes to how designing is charged to exhibitors, it would be a smart idea to get clarification of this detail up front (like on the FIRST conversation with an exhibitor). In some occasions I would even try to get this information in writing. With a sour trade show economy, there are floundering firms whose behavior leaves something to be desired. What do you think the best business model is for your needs? Up front design charges, overhead treatment of designing, or direct billing, after the fact? More importantly, how do these business models affect execution or implementation of your exhibit design to a working, walking, talking exhibit booth? Read the rest of this entry »

TGIF … With NPE approaching, a mammoth trade show that occurs at McCormick Place in Chicago once every three years, things got a bit hectic this past week at our facility. Thankfully, we have a great group of exhibitors going to the show, who understand our process, and how critical deadlines are to the effort. It makes for a well orchestrated build-up, and not a chaotic one!

I had a pleasant conversation with a prospective client who is considering our 20×20 standard rental exhibit, which is renting for $10,000. After going through most of the details of what the rental includes he asked a very pointed question:

Tim: Ok, I know from experience that sometimes I’ll see a rendering, and it looks really bold and slick, and then the thing gets to the show, and the booth is just - the beams look like 6×6 inch on the renderings, and you get to the expo and they’re 1 1/2 x 1 1/2 - and it looks flimsy and just awful. What are these made out of? How big are they? Read the rest of this entry »

Consumer savings rates are up in 2009 - do you have any doubt that your company has the very same mindset? Here’s to a leaner budget, and a happier boss!

Stephanie is seeing dead people DISCOUNTS

Deals at Print Expo ‘09 for Drayage

Might Union labor give us a break on exhibit booth setup rates during the recession? Could it be true?

Cut costs on Pre-Tradeshow marketing - boost booth attendance for less money!

Tips for the smaller display exhibitors - make the most of your space

In an industry like any other, where every vendor proclaims to be “thinking outside of the box” and other jaded “-isms,” I have a complaint: Why does the procurement process always evolve around which furniture and styles should go into an exhibit display?

Not only do most interactions between exhibit houses and exhibitors start with furniture arrangements-they proceed to price and logistics. This is when my blood pressure rises and I start to mutter incoherently to myself… Why is our industry so fixated on this mode of doing business?

Can we agree that the reason exhibitors spend tens, hundreds, or millions on their exhibit programs is for the purpose of marketing and selling? Can we agree that it is not because they are trying to sell furniture, and it is not because they are overly fascinated by warehousing and commercial freight details? I’m going to go out on a limb that the boardrooms that approve marketing budgets do so on an understanding that it will increase their brand’s, product’s, or service’s exposure, and otherwise increase sales opportunities. Why do we start off the discussion by discussing the widgets we think ought to be crammed together in your booth? Read the rest of this entry »

I mentioned last week, in discussing our lead-up to NPE 2009 in Chicago, how crucial scheduling is to ensuring flawless execution in the exhibit marketing business. In fact, my aim is to help exhibitors understand that exhibit houses will actually incentivize your understanding and cooperation with the schedule of activities. Yes, those are dollars and cents I’m talking about, not just your outlook calendar.

Like the book about procrastination that I’ve been meaning to read, a schedule can often be a looming, semi-important aspect of our daily lives that needs to get done, but for which tomorrow is suitable date for catch-up. Certainly, as the exhibit house, there is a laundry list of actions that need to take place within a scheduled exhibit delivery. Some of these require cooperation with a exhibitor’s trade show coordinator, and so making the coordinator’s job easier is a part of our job. What are the biggest challenges for trade show coordinators in delivering on tasks as scheduled? Read the rest of this entry »

Some would have you believe that saving money is why exhibitors shell out tens, hundreds, or even millions of dollars in order to exhibit at their next big trade show.

Aside from the absurdity of that statement, there’s the lingering fact that many approach their trade show exhibition program with the very premise: Above all else, we need to save money on this year’s show. Is that correct because we’re in a recession? Is it correct because trade shows are so darned expensive? How could that ever be true?

The sole purpose for your trade show booth is to attract attendees on the convention hall floor. That is the only reason an exhibit program exists, and all other reasons flow from that goal. Trying to sell widgets? You need to attract attendees to your booth.  Aiming to increase brand visibility? You need the attention of attendees to get that. Hoping to build relationships with new and existing clients? They need to realize you’re at the show. The attraction of attendees to your exhibit display is the underlying motive that should be exuded throughout your exhibit.

One good nugget that can be wrestled out of our “Frugal Exhibitor” post comes from Candy Adams, “The Booth Mom“:

“2. Never make a budget cut where an attendee will see it. Regardless of how much you have to pare out of your show budget, always keep in perspective that image is everything, and a tacky, outdated exhibit speaks volumes about your company.“ Read the rest of this entry »

If you’ve kept tabs on the evolution of Marshall-Yard over the years, you probably know some of our more prominent “characters” that make us who we are. Originally there was Kevin, the Mississippi Map Turtle. Next, there was the Trade Show Blog Master, a tyranical and predatory ruler who cracks the whip that keeps this blog motivated. Ever the optimist, the blog master’s reputation precedes him at every moment of the day.

It is without any further ado, that I introduce our latest friend here at the blog:

The Trade Show Blog Sherpa.

He does all of the heavy lifting for us here at the blog. Got a question about how many amps that 42″ LCD screen will require? Sherpa has the answer. Need to know how many labor hours that hanging canopy will add to the booth? 2 hours, says he. Need to send a graphic panel to McCormick Place because the installer scratched the original? No problem, he’ll be down there in less than an hour - thanks Sherpa. Read the rest of this entry »

To be a tradeshow exhibit designer would likely be an interesting and challenging job, I often think (I’m not a designer, but a mere trade show blog writer, and sales guy extraordinaire). I muse that this is true because of their chief responsibility within our organization: they solve problems.

Of course, many fancy themselves as problem solvers. My wife and I live in a 100 year old home, so we’re both often charged with the “problem solver” moniker on a weekly daily basis of homeownership glee! There’s a difference between being an every day problem solver, and being a designer - and no, it’s not just because they’re solutions have to look good - it comes down to constraints.

When our clients give us a problem (e.g. - we’re going to RSNA 2009 with a 30×50 booth, and we need to improve upon last year’s abysmal failure with our previous exhibitor…), they don’t just want a great exhibit that will increase attendee traffic: they have serious limitations. How do you meet your convention goals without blowtorching your budget? Read the rest of this entry »

Economic news has been anything but settling this week: Recession is going deeper; no it’s recovering; err… now it’s inflation; actually we were out of the recession as of ‘08Q4; no we’re going to have major deflation; no everything’s going to be fine… In the meantime all we can do is work hard, and save money where we can:

10 Tips to ensure you get a smart booth with a neat budget

Murphy’s Constant: Matter will be damaged in direct proportion to its value

Can I do that?

Emergency Kit ideas…

What to give away, and to whom, and how!

This blog post didn’t make it past the “draft” stage when I wrote it a month and a half ago. Let’s just say I may have jumped the gun! Though it may seem mildly unrelated to a trade show blog’s purpose, I find the threat of inflation to be especially thorny for the rental or purchase of expo booth displays. In fact, the prospect of rising prices should concern us all when it comes to the subject of exhibiting at upcoming shows. I’m not omniscient, however likely that may have seemed prior to this admission, so you tell me - Are we to beware of inflation, or should we concern ourselves more with those deflating marketing budgets instead?

As our nation, and indeed the entire world, continues to borrow its way out of the current recession, we’re presently faced with rising bond yields. For those of you who based your marketing strategy on buying bonds, this is awful. But then again, you’re not bond traders, you’re marketeers! Bond prices are falling, so it’s a good thing your marketing plan was actually based on more sound methods-like internet SEO, social networking, e-marketing, trade shows, and event marketing. But will these things start costing much, much more? Read the rest of this entry »

As any casual observer to this trade show blog can tell, I am a bit obsessed about the notion of adding value to your unique business proposition in times of economic downturn. I know, I’ve already blogged about it here, here, here, and probably elsewhere as well… please forgive me as I continue on with my ranting, but I believe this is important. If a company does not respond to economic conditions, they perish. As we’ve felt the effects of the contraction, however, we’ve seen exhibitors that are pleased with what we offer - a custom designed rental exhibit that provides them the greatest marketing impact at a reasonable price. In fact, others are starting to see the exhibit model shifting more persuasively towards custom-rented exhibit marketing programs.

My query today incorporates this business model, and how an exhibitor perceives the services offered by an exhibit house. What is it that exhibitors really yearn for from an exhibit company? Read the rest of this entry »

If you’re suffering from those dreaded early-summer allergies, we understand what you’re going through! As we’ve talked more and more about the best ways to save money at trade shows, the elephant in the room is how you can get a better price for your exhibit booth. Let me illustrate how your summer allergies are related to getting a price break on your custom exhibit rental or purchase:

NPE - the National Plastic’s Expo - is a trade show extraordinaire held in Chicago’s McCormick Place once every three years. With the economy what it is, and with the trade show exhibit industry meeting difficult times, we’re thrilled to have approximately TWENTY clients exhibiting at this year’s show. With NPE less than a month away, this is a hectic time here at Catalyst, but we’ve prepared for the ebb and flow of demands on our production capacity. But what are some obstacles to a smooth delivery for each of our clients’ display booths?

Read the rest of this entry »

Sorry for the overused Wedding Singer quote… In compensation I offer thee a youtube of “Love Stinks,” a ballod which kept me going through most of my high school and undergrad years.

Love Stinks - Totally unrelated to this tradeshow exhibit blog

Seriously, though, who knew that “Trade Show Etiquette” was available as a succinct online mini-tutorial? This hyper is golden for newbie’s to the exhibition world. I’m hopeful it will help any newcomers out there avoid some of the more substantial faux pas!

Happy Friday and enjoy the wonderful weekend, everyone!

We all know layoffs are running rampant. And in the trade show industry…when clients readily pull the marketing plug to “save money”…more and more engineers, designers, carpenters, account managers and salespeople find themselves bellying up to the unemployment line.

…so waddya do now?

Whether spurred from boredom, distraction or a lack of challenges, we all become complacent (however fleetingly) at some point in our careers. And who sticks out like a sore, expensive thumb when the economy takes a nose dive? Complacent employees.

So shake off the dust and go back to your roots. How’d you get this far? If you’re in sales, you likely made a lot of cold calls…and those cold calls turned into clients. If you’re a designer, you probably impressed those clients with fresh, innovative concepts. And if you’re the guy (or gal) that manages these clients, your knowledge, work ethic and attention to detail made you an invaluable resource.

Your clients need more help than ever before. Some are debating not only HOW to go to a trade show but WHY. They (your bread & butter) need you to be extraordinarily cognizant of their unique marketing objectives and financial needs. Most importantly, your clients need you to help them return on their investment.

Make the cold calls, pay attention to logistics and hone the creativity that landed you this job in the first place. Your clients will come back.

Trust but Verify - Save money on travel to the show, but justify your bottom line!

Is your trade show entourage saving money on travel?

Quantify your tradeshow booth’s success

Travel savings from a small business person’s book of tricks

Planes, Trains, and Hotels!

MEASURE your exhibit’s impact! Without stats, there won’t be one next year!

No trade show blog would be complete if we ignored a reality of our lives: Anything and everything we do is subject to the approval of those on high. Yes, show management, the fire marshall, and anyone else deemed “convention hall authorities” are essentially the deciders of our fate. As unfair as it may seem, that’s the industry we’re in, so we, exhibitors and exhibit providers alike, need to take great care whenever addressing concerns they may have.

Anyone have a story of how they gleaned a scornful eye from show management? Perhaps you didn’t get that variance that you expected? Or perhaps business as usual was put “on hold?” We’d love to hear your story, as we can all learn from one anothers’ mistakes. Some helpful wisdom from our more experienced account managers, however, may yield improved results for beginners-

Read the rest of this entry »

Thanks to Emma McDonald at frugalmarketing.com for that quote. Ours is a marketing medium that is construed as having a very short window of opportunity for sales. To earn an worthwhile ROI on tradeshow dollars can be a daunting task for marketing coordinators charged with organizing an exhibit booth. Ms. McDonald’s point, however, clarifies why that challenge seems so insurmountable: many view expo’s as a short-term project, with a show open and close occurring within a couple of days.

In reality, a trade show exhibit program spans, arguably by definition, over a course of multiple shows. In fact, the shows that you do not exhibit at play a role in the perceived success of your overall program. Are attendees ever wondering why you weren’t at the XYZ Show? The results from any individual exhibit booth are cumulative, in so much as you are building a presence over the course of many shows - not one. Read the rest of this entry »

It often surprises me the exhaustive list of add-on expenses that exhibitors pile onto their custom rental exhibit designs. It can be somewhat frustrating for trade show coordinators to sift through three or four bids to figure out how the TOTAL costs match up. More importantly, an account manager is more valuable when you can stop living in fear of up-charges. Regardless, I always know how my competition is pricing their design when I get a phone call like the following:

———

Jane: So tell me, I have your price, and you’ve broken down what the reusable graphics portion costs, and we’ve talked about the service estimates - I think I understand how your not-to-exceed estimates hash out.

What are my additional costs - project management fees, graphic layout charges, whatever other fees you have that I should expect - how much are those additional costs likely to run?

Read the rest of this entry »