Marshall Yard:

Some marketing departments are so wedded to their exhibit house that they rarely seek competitive bids on projects. Maybe twice per decade [MAYBE]. Even then, they have every intention of using their existing vendor NO MATTER WHAT the competition has to offer:

“Well, we really liked your design. We think your offering is innovative, and can take our trade show results to a higher level. Your price was great, too. But we feel really comfortable working with our existing exhibit house. We really appreciate the exorbitant amount of work you’ve done for the past three months. Let’s stay in touch?”

One of our junior Account Executives heard this very line (OK, I’ve embellished a bit) a couple of weeks ago. We had to buy her a new handset for her phone after she broke it in a frenzied hang-up mishap. You probably get the picture?

When it comes to working with vendors, loyalty is highly important. Blind allegiance in spite of your company’s interests is another thing. If your exhibit house is not offering you a drastic increase in value for your marketing dollar, then they’re likely allied with their own best interests at total odds with your own. With marketing budgets getting haircuts, who can afford to ignore this sort of “business as usual” attitude?

Remember: the guy with the gun (customer) is shooting at the home-wrecker (competition). Not at you! Worst case scenario they will have to do some deep discounting to get this year’s business - Is that such a bad thing?

A lot of marketing folks are feeling like they’ll be lucky to post craigslist ads at the current pace of marketing budget reductions. Pretty soon your company will be relying solely on “word of mouth” to sell their product or service, right?

We hear you. And, believe it or not, we talk with a lot of companies whose trade show budgets are getting the ol’ “knife in the back & chased with a chainsaw” treatment.

You’re not alone!

There’s a reality to it all - by marketing during a recession you’re not likely to see exponential growth (gasp!). In fact, sales might continue to contract, depending on what type of business you’re in, or what kind of product/service you offer. But there’s also a secret that most every successful business guru or entrepreneur knows (which makes it a very poorly kept secret, like that book called The Secret, which I always resented for that reason… but I digress):

Companies that continue to strongly market themselves during recessions come out ahead of their competition after the recession. In effect: Recessionary marketing trends decide who wins after the recession.

I even have a graph and a link to prove my point:

& Link

The good thing, believe it or not, is that this recession has also had an effect on the cost of marketing tools. Exhibits, in particular, are being offered for less than ever before, with innovative technologies available to make a greater impact than has ever been possible.

While a price break for exhibitors may not take the sting out of that knife firmly lodged in your back (the recession), it will at least keep you a few steps ahead of that guy with the chainsaw. Scary lookin’ fella, isn’t he? Sheesh.

A good deal of your effort in pre-show planning might be placed on which trade shows to attend. You might want to give some thought, though, to which market you’re best apt to serve: Vertical or Horizontal.

Vertical trade shows are those in which exhibitors providing a specific product or service cater to attendees interested in a specific product or service. Boating, golf and apparel shows would most likely fit this category.

Horizontal trade shows are those in which exhibitors providing a variety of products and services cater to attendees interested in a variety of products and services. Healthcare, electronics and technology shows would likely fit this category.

While vertical shows can be most advantageous - in that your marketing can be more focused - they can be tricky because, if your marketing isn’t focused enough, you won’t get the desired results.

I enjoy things that are predictable, reliable, and proven. But I CAN recognize when things have outlived their useful life - met their expiration date - SPOILED. I know a foul stench when I smell one.

The “traditionalists” of the trade show world are either victims or perpetrators. Which are you? And what are the most egregious aspects of “traditional” trade show exhibit behaviors?

Back-End costs (stealth profits!):

 - Exhibit providers will sell a booth at what may seem like a reasonable price, and heap on added profits from unexpectedly exorbitant handling, repair, and refurbishment costs. While some of this “smoke and mirror” treatment can be flushed out prior to a contract being executed for purchase, some of it evolves out of the dependency that an exhibitor develops with the contracted exhibit house.

Non-Impact costs (it’s not marketing, but it’s in our budget):

 - As an integral and MASSIVE aspect of your marketing spending, it would be great if you could be spending money on MARKETING. Instead, traditional exhibit houses have tied up your marketing budget in storage, inspections, crates, and the aforementioned handling and repairs. Golly, nothing projects the company image more than a finely built CRATE. I can assure you, as a member of the spendthrift American public, I would buy more of your product if only you spent more money storing your aging, worn-out trade show exhibit.

Spending like you can predict the future:

 - 2009 is proving to be a terrible time to predict what your company’s trade show itinerary might be for the next 24 months. While the next year’s list of shows might appear to be set in stone (booth spaces reserved, etc), we just recently emerged from a moment in economic time when banks were weary of lending to institutions OVERNIGHT. You’re making educated guesses that span years into the future? Nostradamus meets Trade Show Coordinator - I AM IMPRESSED.

Tradition is all well and good, but is the decrepit model for trade show exhibit houses becoming antiquated and primordial? Is your boss looking over your shoulder to determine whether you’re coordinating an absurdly archaic trade show exhibit? Tradition might be fine when you’re deciding where to go out to dinner on that special occasion, but it downright STINKS when it comes to trade shows.