Marshall Yard:

I understand some are interested in learning where Kevin actually came from - he was a bit reluctant to give out the information but true enough, and it sure is fitting - Kevin came from Southern Mississippi a little town he called Expo ’se - I think he was spinning the story to fit his current run on the trade show circuit, but low and behold, he was telling the truth, just got his grammar a little screwed up, but I told him I would run with it!

Stay tuned for some updates from down south, we are going to try to track some of Kevin’s relatives.

Kevin is at it again, the little Mississippi Map Mascot, while researching Orange Groves last week, stumbled upon the Performance Raching Trade Show.  Kevin recruited our “Only One Man” Patrick - our portable exhibit guy into a road trip! The Performance racing Trade Show will be taking place at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando Florida - December 6th-8th, 2008.  Last year, there were over 1400 companies that exhibited and with over 1,000,000 square feet of exhibit space.   Kevin read that the requests for larger aisles at this trade show did not fall on deaf ears. 

Patrick and Kevin decided to hunt down an old tour bus from the 1970’s for their wheels this past week. They thought it best to do a trial run, so that they are sure the bus will make it to Florida through our blustery northern winter weather.   The tour bus is a MCI Coach Bus, well belive me you, Patrick and Kevin stocked it full of the amenities, they made sure the turtle food was in stock and that there was plenty of cold one’s in the portable fridge!

MCI stands for Motor Coach Industries, which is located in Illinois, and was started in 1933.  I asked Patrick if he had any background information on the wheels he borrowed for a friend, and he said he was not sure, but rumor has it that a famous singer from the 1970’s may have used it to travel across the country before they were well known.   I belive it over $350,000 for a brand new MCI Bus these days, so the economical solution for Patrick and Kevin was to borrow this one. Since Kevin may be maxing out someone’s credit card, I don’t think they would take to kindly to that sort of charge.

Being that Kevin was a turtle, he didn’t think he could handle the excitement of a performance racing car and decided on the bus.  He heard through the grapevine that Patrick may end up in a ditch if the power under his foot was too much!

Yes, a jaw dropping exhibit gets you all tingly and strokes the ego, but tingly doesn’t keep your butt employed.   Don’t simply look for an exhibits provider, look as well for a marketing partner.  Meet with, discuss why you are attending particular shows, analyze your specific objectives and talk budget. 

Make sure your exhibit tells a powerful story and accomplishes your unique goals.  That is what Smart Marketing is all about. 

Going to a trade show should be a successful.
Why am I going to a trade show? (define your marketing strategy)

Introduce new or improved product
Gain new clients
Enhance client relationships
Position within your market or a new market
Tell your story
All of the above!

What will I need in my exhibit space? (address your functional and aesthetic needs)

High identification
Seating
Product display
Video / audio
Conferencing areas
Lighting
Demonstration areas

How much am I willing to spend? (determine your budget)
Exhibit Booth space
Renting or purchasing an exhibit graphics
Services (installing & dismantling, transportation, drayage, etc.)
Is my paperwork completed and communicated? (plan and prepare)
Deadlines (EAC forms, exhibit badges, registration, etc.)
Exhibit/Show Regulations
Employee training
Exhibit staffing

How can I assess my return on investment? (track your leads and sales)
Define goals for value management / tracking
Track lead response
Thank you / acknowledge (existing clients and new prospects)
Advertise and report internally – share your successes!

Below is just an example figure to better give the reader an understanding of the Rental vs. Purchase picture:

Exhibit Purchase

Upfront purchase cost: 75,000.00
10% annual upkeep 22,500.00
Storage (3 years) 7,200.00
Handling (3 years) 4,500.00

Tax 5,000.00
Rental furniture (2 shows) 5,000.00

Cost over 3 years (2 trade shows) $119,200.00

Exhibit Rental

Upfront rental cost $75,000.00
15% discount -11,250.00
2nd show rental 75,000.00
Reusable graphics (2nd show) -11,250.00
15% discount (2nd show) -9,000.00

Cost over 3 years (2 trade shows) $118,500.00

We urge our tradeshow clients to consider the following factors as it relates to rental versus purchase of exhibit booths. Most important are business and financial considerations:

We urge our clients to consider the following factors as it relates to rental versus purchase. Most important are business and financial considerations:

· NPE trade show is every three years – IMTS trade show every two. Why purchase a booth that will represent an unproductive asset over three years?

· Exhibit Rental frees up cash flow – no ongoing costs that require vendor payments.
· Exhibits do not appreciate, so buying is not always the best idea.
· A purchased solution requires depreciation expense, plus renting is often tax deductible.

Intangible comparisons
· You have no configuration flexibility with a purchased product – you get the same look year-to-year (what’s new?).
· With rental, new booth design, account management and detail blueprints are included in each new design.
· Rental provides a truly custom look and feel, showing corporate strength.
· If anything happens to your rental property, it’s not your problem.

Questions
1. Is carpet and padding included in the purchased display booth? Rental carpet is always replaced when stained, worn, torn or faded.
2. Does the purchase include custom shipping crates? Is there a plan in place for special shipping and handling of exhibit booth properties to and from trade shows?
3. Is the exhibit booth flexible enough to configure into different size exhibit booth configurations as well as accommodate a variety of show rules and regulations? Does it address varying height restrictions, set back rules, etc?
4. How much will it cost to run new exhibit designs and set up prints for each new configuration?
5. Is this trade show booth a new construction or a refurbish/rebuild?
6. What is the quality of materials used in the construction? For example, all of our aluminum structure is made of high grade 6” x 6” aluminum, capable of wire management and can withstand a great amount of weight for attaching additional

7. What is your plan for the next NPE show? By 2009, McCormick place will have its new wing constructed and the layout of the hall will be very different than this year. Your exhibit booth assignment will be far different than what it is for this year’s trade show.

We are in the midst of a trade show and event revolution.  Never before has brand and image become as important as it is today in the trade show exhibition industry.  Companies should strive to constantly reinvent themselves.  If you take pride in doing things the same way you’ve always done, you may soon find yourself left in your competitors dust.

 It is no longer about simply showing your products at trade shows and clsoing a sale on the spot with a slick sales pitch.  Today, the focus has shifted to using your trade show exhibit as a 3D marketing tool to create and define your unique brand - a living personality for your company.  A well-designed trade show exhibit should be: Inviting, Memorable, Refect your company image.

Creativity is not just building an exhibit, it’s the total concept.  Your exhibit should match the personality of your company.  75% of all visitor’s overall first impression is based on what they see, 15% is based on the booth staffer and 10% on the overall products.

IBIE - International Baking Industry Expo Trade Show will be held in Orlando, Florida this year, Kevin - heard about it and immediately sought out a bakers hat, and decided he needed to do a little research.   He booked his ticket through cheap tickets, we are yet to know, who’s credit card he used, so that he can attended the event. 

The IBIE International Baking Expo will take place October 7 th , 2008, he is excited, he is looking forward to visiting the orange groves down there? It made me, wonder, as well are there any left with all the construction? When he google’d Florida Orange Groves, he found a winery.  Well, I think I know where Kevin will be hanging out, he does tip one back from time to time in the wee-hours of the night. Deb caught him and joined in, and boy..the both of them sure had hangovers the next day.  

Back to the IBIE Trade Show - this is one spicy event.  With over 20,000 in attendance, the amount of exhibit space is really impressive at 1,000,000.  With new technology in the forefront of every profession it is a showcase for the latest and greatest in the baking industry, from baking equipment right down to the ingredients that are used in common recipes.

This event has not been held in Florida in the past, this will be the first time.  The Orange County Convention Center is right in the tourism district, and at the moment of this writing, my own son is down there for a National Youth Gathering, which will house some 30,000 kids from the Lutheran Churches across the Nation. 

There is alot of information pertaining to the Orange County Convention Center procedures if you will be attending a trade show there or if you are going to have an trade show exhibit at the show.  It is twelve miles from the airport, and belive it or not there are events book at the OCCC up until 2028, good god, how old will we all be.

Kevin was insulted when one of his on-lookers suggested he practice up on his cooking, since he looked so adorable in his chef’s hat, they suggested Turtle Soup. Turtle Soup is a delicacy in Louisiana, and it does seem to be somewhat of a process to prepare, and not forgetting it could contain one of Kev’s Cousin’s from neighboring Mississippi  Oh the nerve, I would imagine it came from the design group, if I had to guess.

Kevin Perry is one of our many outstanding exhibit designers and felt his thunder was stolen, because our Mascot Kevin is outshining him here! So here is an introduction to our design department and the inner thoughts of Kevin Perry:

Let’s start at the beginning. He was born the 20th day of August in 1978 and the world has never been the same. His childhood was filled with Big Wheels, Match box cars and other shenanigans young boys get into.

Fast forward to 1999 when Kevin started taking classes at the Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design, working toward his degree in Industrial Design. While attending MIAD, he started dating a beautiful girl named April. Kevin married April after graduating from MIAD.

He was a happy and energetic lad looking to make his mark, but the exhibit house he started working for wasn’t what he thought it would be. He needed to get out of there and work for a better company.

Then came the day when he received a voice mail from a man with an Irish accent, Mark Lynch. Mark informed Kevin that Catalyst was looking to hire another designer. He started at Catalyst March 12, 2007.  Why Catalyst you ask?

Fabtech International is coming November 11th - 14th to our back yard in Chicago. Being that Fabtech is going to be in Chicago, Kevin decided he was going to find out just what this welding industry was all about.  He visited McCormick place, but was more enthralled with the new Soldiers Field, news is he didn’t have a field pass, and was out there trying to kick a field goal. 

He went out on the streets, and the little fella forgot his googles, boy, you can lead a turtle to water, but you can’t make him swim! Anyhow, he went to interview some of the welders, and they did tell him safety first!  Being as loveable as a turtle can be though, they opted to talk with him. 

Fabtech has an attendance of over 25,000 and over 900 exhibitors already signed up.  The industry professionals look forward to the array of products that are displayed in varies size exhibit booths.   Kevin thought the most interesting sounding event of the entire trade show would be the Job Fair, he is currently not real sure he likes just hanging out in the sales department, because its to quiet, since Nancy has been on the trade show circuit for some time now,  Deb has behaved herself. 

Therefore he opted to go downtown, the train ride was a bit rough, but he parked his ride at the Barrington Train Station where there was a kind public works gentleman waiting to help him with the fairboxes.  He couldn’t stretch his legs far enough to insert the dollar bill.

He found himself talking with some of the professionals in the industry, metal forming, fabricating, and welders.  He most liked the metal forming, he was interested in the possiblilities of bending and shaping such material in almost any way you can think.  If he could walk on metal with more ease, he would be heading home to design a new structure for his tank for when he grows, FROM THE MASSIVE AMOUNTS OF FOOD he is consuming.  Which brings him to his lunch, he suggests if you get a chance to check out some of the local restaurants downtown, one in particular, he loved was Ron of Japan’s, he sat around a large table and ate ton’s and ton’s of egg sauce. 

Kevin suggested if you can afford it to stay at the Loews Blue’s Hotel, its an electic place, and spins I Dream of Jeannie with the Morrocan theme. If you don’t have the money at least stop in the bar and visit the little room that truly reminded him of I Dream of Jeannie.

 Smiley World attends the International Licensing Show at Javits Center - New York City, this intersting booth design was a collaboration of several individuals with in the halls of Catalyst Exhibits.

 The Licensing Show is an annual trade show with over 23,000 industry professionals in attendance.  It is very impressive to see the size and extensive licensing businesses in the confines of the Javits Convention Center.

Javits Convention center is located at 655 West 34th Street, New York, NY.  10001 and houses many trade show’s throughout the year.

Kevin is growing, and growing, it’s a wonder why, the little mascot eats all day.  Recently we switched over his food, we purchased one with more protien.   If you are interested in Turtle Food you can find a variety.

Kevin has also been scurrying around the front of the tank since we purchased a new rock, unlike our exhibits, this is a more simple design for his ease of use. Which for the first 5 days, he was adamently not wanting to use, but the previous rock, GOT to small since he has become so large.

Its fun to see everyone stop by and talk with Kevin, as if he was human. His closest cube mate Lauren, often blows him kisses, and disgusts our Account Manager for Siemens, Nancy Galford. At one point, the cleaning of the tank almost made Nancy crawl under her desk. After she found out they used her garbage can to facilitate Kevin for a short spell, she ordered a new can. Come on Nancy, get with the program!

The halls of Catalyst are often times beaming with screams and at the root of most of those screams is one of our Account Managers - Deb.  When I first came to Catalyst I was fore warned and have only gotten traumatized by the prankster one time.  Hiding behind a door, pretty mild. 

I share with you a story of Deb & her family - it is my understanding it is a family of pranksters and goofs, imagine yourself in Deb’s shoes, she has traveled to San Clemente for a very anticipated family reunion, her flight was one of the last to arrive, she was very excited to see her other siblings, she is one of four.

She had not seen her brothers new domicile and had no clue to where he actually lived.  They approached the home and Deb was beaming with excitement and anticipation of a weekend filled with laughter, food, throw in some booze and most of all spending time with family.  Her brother approached the house and told Deb he was going to pull around back, but to take her bags, and go on in, the kids where waiting, so, being Deb, beaming with enthusiasm for life and laughter she ran up the steps, bag in tow and burst through the door. 

Imagine the horror - when she realized her brother dropped her off at a complete strangers!

Stay tuned for What lies in wait as Deb opens a secret santa gift……

Chocolate, Chocolate, Chocolate!  I have recently been reading about trade show give-aways, and just wanted to mouth off, since my back is killing me and I can’t do much more than sit straight up.  I thought I would get on a soap box about my most favorite chachkie,  chocolate. 

I went to the ISSA Trade Show for Janitorial Supplies down at McCormick Place in Chicago, and forgot, I am not 18 anymore and wore heels. BIG mistake on my part, yet, soothing chocolate seemed to get me through the day or was it the envy of the 18 year olds in the really high heels, I dont know, so give me more chocolate.   After trudging through the aisles of toilet paper, vacuums, floor machines, I had to focus - sending my husband back down the aisles of air freshener and window squeegees, he brought me more chocolate coins.

So, my point,  is when you are in doubt, remember people do love to snack, and sometimes, these trade shows can be a bit on the dull side, bring in the chocolate.  Its a winner and its got sugar!

A great blog to read about Chocolate! Some entertaining facts!

Update: By the way, after I moved on from a previous employer, who brought me to the ISSA Trade show, I couldn’t believe the cost of toilet paper, those were some good samples to have around.

There are actually several companies that offer excellent ideas for trade show giveaways and promotional items!

My company has instituted a new plan, providing care packages to our clients to use while their booth is being set up. Do you really think this is an added service?

Signed: Personal Touch

Dear Touchy,

I applaud your company in recognizing that GREAT customer service. Satisfaction is an indispensable part of your daily operation and is more than just a financial transaction. In this age of “e” business, most companies and clients have become accustomed to fulfilling orders and requests that are being closed via electronic means, which eliminates all aspects of the human touch. The “art” of personal touch” is a concept that has gone by the wayside.

After talking with you at length, I am very impressed with Catalyst Exhibits’  implementation of this care package. These kits include all the tools that might be needed by your client in case anything comes up on the show floor. This also shows how you are listening to your clients’ small talk and remembering to include some specialty items and treats that he/she may favor, and may have mentioned in casual conversation. I would encourage you to welcome input from others in your company that may have personal contact with the client as well.

Personalization is all about providing information that reflects what you know about a certain customer, and what you know is changing all the time. Recognizing that the set up of a trade show booth can be a long laborious task, this care package sends a positive message of “we know and we care” and provides a distinct message of exceptional customer service. I don’t think that any client can deny that being thought of, or having their needs responded to, is a welcoming feeling in today’s market. In this environment, personalization is critical to helping customers, keep them, and give them the best service in the trade show exhibit industry.