Marshall Yard:

I don’t know about the rest of you, but it’s friday, and I’ve been talking non-stop about trade shows, exhibit booths, display marketing in a recession, and everything else you could get engrossed in on a trade show blog of whatever stripe. Just to show that we’re different from all of those other exhibit company bozo’s, we’re going to abandon our regularly scheduled programming and cover something completely different:

Eyeglasses from the future!

Everyone remembers “that guy” who used to work at your place of business - he wore a lot of cologne, he hit on anyone who wore tight jeans (guys can wear tight jeans, too), he complimented the new girl’s “fake ones,” and he wore eyeglasses from the future. We’ll always remember “that guy,” and this post is for you!

We’ll return to our regularly scheduled programming on Monday. My apologies for the severe detour.

All too often folks in the trade show business- and our customers alike - lose sight of what really goes into an exceptional trade show booth. Let’s take a look at the requisite constituents for a great show:

• Exhibitor who knows what they want, and what their limitations are
• Exhibit company salesperson/consultant who can thoroughly bring forth those details from the exhibitor, and effectively involve the exhibitor and designer
• Trade Show Exhibit designer/design team who is a creative artist and problem solver, and who has experience with how his/her renderings will be enacted into a real-life display
• Exhibit Company Account Manager who ensures that what was designed and sold is effectively built, peripheral services are accurately ordered (lead retrieval, catering, clean-up, etc.), all with minimal stress on the exhibitor’s company behalf
• Tradespeople who have the skills and experience to take designs and a set of physical components, and translate them into reality
• Exhibitor that coordinates a comprehensive trade show strategy with advertizing, sponsorship, and sales efforts

Do you know what the glue is amidst these different factors? An exhibitor who knows what they want, knows their limitations, and brings one marketing component (the exhibit) into the fold of a company-wide marketing blitz. Ultimately, exhibit houses need to be better at one thing: bringing out the best from exhibitors, within the simple framework of an effective/perceptive salesperson, creative design team, and highly-professional account management staff.

I had a peculiar phone call with a prospective client today. The client, which was a marketing company in Chicago, working for a European company in this case, was charged with organizing a Canadian tradeshow exhibit booth for this company. They got their obligatory three bids - one company in Ohio, one in Boston, and us. The first bid already came in, from the Ohio outfit. They like the design a lot. The second bid was expected yesterday, and when my contact called the company, curious as to why the design hadn’t been delivered yet, she was shocked as to why.

The kind folks in Boston decided they were not going to bid on the project.

Put yourself in my client’s shoes. Here you are - your major European account, one of your most coveted clients - and you have to go to them, with your tail between your legs, and explain how you only got two bids. It’s not as though exhibiting is an inexpensive endeavor. It’s not as though you have less-than-normal competition for a direct mail campaign. We’re talking about tens of thousands for a two day event, and you’re going to skimp out on competition. Oh, brother.

In much the same way that the marketing rep is going to need to manage the expectations of her European client, it is any responsible exhibit house’s responsibility to manage the expectations of our own clients. There are reprocussions for stiffing a prospect on the design you promised you’d deliver.

Was it a short time frame to come up with a creative and innovative 10×20? Yes. Is it a tight budget to create a show-stopping design, as requested? Yes. But this is 2009, when only the strong will survive, and letting prospects hang out to dry seems like a risky business plan.

Of course, my prospective client did share the name of the exhibit company. I made a mental note, and a written one too. I suggested that this might have happened because of “internal issues.”

Yeah, we’re seeing a lot of that. 2009 is the year when only the strong exhibit houses - the ones with talent, honest ethics, and a strong balance sheet - will be “passing go.”

Dear Exhibit House-

I am the Marketing Manager for a successful, progressive company and have a hearty amount of experience organizing our trade shows (for which I am the sole decision maker). I’m preparing now for my next big one and would like to prioritize my exhibit needs as follows (just to be sure my most pressing needs are met with innovation and efficiency):

20-30 stem lights. White, not silver. Ick. You never know what kind of an impression these make 16 feet in the air. I realize they cost a lot more than, say, Par-can lights but I’m really looking for a solid “flashlight” effect here, so mount up.

Docking station for our mixed berry smoothies. Give-a-ways like these have spunk. No embossed erasers here! These help bring qualified customers in (so we can sell them our sheet metal shears), so make sure there’s enough room in the booth to make at least 500.  

DOUBLE carpet padding. I cannot stress this enough. I wouldn’t want to walk around for three days on broken glass, would you? Double padding = comfort. I know, I know, I know…heaven forbid we have to change our electrical layout. Heaven forbid our lead man has to “slice through a 34-ounce steak with a spoon” again. But it’s VITAL.

Demo stations. Quantity TBD. I still have to meet with the nine people on my team to discuss. Should know within the next month or so.

Reception counter. In a bright orange to match our logo.

3-4 conference rooms. Transparent material would be fantastic, as we don’t want a “stuffy” environment. Please note, though, that it must also be sound-proof and allow for complete privacy.

Storage. We have a lot of salespeople. And they have a lot of stuff.

Regarding our budget: we have a 20×40 peninsula (but are trying really hard for an island) at either ACCM or AMCC 2009…can’t quite remember. It’s in Orlando, though, sometime before Easter. And though our $16,000 budget is all-inclusive (FYI - we’ll need an itemized contract so we can determine where to save costs, if necessary), I’m still waiting to find out whether it includes electrical service, foliage, installation or our travel expenses. Oh, and there’s a good chance it might include promotional items and rental of the exhibit space itself.

Regarding our time frame: we’re really hoping to get a rough quote - and a couple concepts - by Friday. And though we accept electronic information, it’d just be super to get five hard copies of your proposal. I’ll need to share it with, and get approval from, my team. Busy couple months, so it’s been tough trying to get everyone in the room!

Regarding invoicing: If you’re chosen as our preferred vendor, please send our invoices to our headquarters in Xi’an, China (address enclosed). We’ll cut a P.O. for the first 50% and will need to pay the remaining amount at least two weeks after the close of the show. Corporate policy.

I’ll be traveling overseas for the next five days or so but please feel free to contact me at any time with questions. Otherwise, please send your proposal at your earliest convenience.

Thank you!

Due to unexplainable reader demands, nay threats, we will be embarking on a journey of exploration and enlightenment in pertinence to carpet padding. No trade show blog would be complete without it.

Carpet padding has been called by some “the 3rd rail of trade shows.” If you search the blogosphere, you’ll find nary a tradeshow blog post or website dedicated solely to the subject of carpet padding. Why? Or, perhaps more conclusively, one should ask, WHY NOT?

Carpet padding is BY FAR the most integral factor in the design, fabrication, and implementation of an effective trade show exhibit. Some exhibitors have a marred track record of charging clients for unnecessary trade show items like: graphics, lighting, reception counters, demo-stations, the list goes on. We all know that this business has been characterized by this kind of behavior since its INCEPTION. What some don’t recognize, is that this is still commonplace in this industry. A client asked me JUST THIS MORNING whether he could add a table and four chairs to his exhibit booth. Disgusting.

If you are a client looking to custom design your booth, here are a few key questions to ask your trade show exhibit company:

1. What will visitors to my booth be standing on?

2. If a visitor refuses to wear appropriate footwear, how likely are they to stand in MY BOOTH, and not someone else’s?

3. Will the carpeting be obstructed by any unneccessary objects?

That should ensure that your trade show exhibit program gets off to a good start for 2009’s event.

An exhibit house recently debuted the “Designline Modular.” Another brought up the rear by creating  the “XRline” modular solution. Though heralded as innovative (and considering the science fair poster board displays some companies use to tout their wares, these might well be), they’re are all modular. Modular exhibits, by definition alone, are a hybrid of pop-up and panel & frame. They fill the space, sure, but do they make the best use of it?

The XRline is a lightweight aluminum structure equipped with tension fabric (for graphic applications), built-in Halogen lights and a custom laminate canopy. Other enhancement options (ie. shelving) are also available. While this is, indeed, a slight step up from the typical, “who brought the Tinker Toys?” modular solution, it does spur a couple questions. First of all, anyone using this system will have a tough time exhibiting in Nevada, as many venues forbid the use of Halogen lights. Secondly, what good is a canopy if it’s made of laminate? It’s like having drapes made of copper. And what if you reserve a bigger space next year? What if the configuration changes? How can a 10×10 modular exhibit - that you’ve purchased - accommodate your needs? Most importantly, is this exhibit an ideal representation of your organization?

Modular exhibits are functional, yes. They serve a purpose. But if you’re going to spend the money to exhibit, spend it on something that doesn’t look like you assembled it in the back of your brother-in-law’s pickup. Spend it on a custom rental exhibit - even a 10×20 - that will make a far greater impact on the show floor. Spend your money on graphics that will showcase your product, service or solution. Spend your money to make your money.