Marshall Yard:

By: Susie Kleiner 

I recently pulled up Make your Business Stand Out  and I found some profound statements written.  Brand Awareness continues to be at the fore-front of many marketers minds as it should be in the competative arena for any business.  Award winning trade booth design has always been the approach that has worked in our industry.

Being Different as stated in the article written by Nikole Gibbs in the marketing section caught my attention, because if you leave an impression and give your potential clients, something different, they will not only become repeat clients, but they will become loyal clients. 

When you give your clients solutions they will remember the product and service that you have provided.  3D marketing can speak to an turn your company into a trade show superhero.    

One of our clients was questioned, in a pre-show survey, and stated they thought that just 26 percent of attendees considered the company a market leader. But after the CEO was in the booth at the exhibition talking about the industry, and the research and development staffers were talking about new products during the show, 96 percent of those surveyed post-event perceived the company as a market leader.

Rule number one in any marketing plan should be questioning your clients and gathering feedback from potential and current clients.  People in general love to hear themselves speak, and they also love to hear that their opinion is wanted.  Without information, and in the information age, if you don’t..shame on you. 

If for a moment you forget that on the other end of the phone, email, conference call or contract is a human being, you could have lost a potential project.   27 Exhibiting Do’s and Dont’s by Susan Friedmann has some very valid points, and I enjoyed #10-Don’t” “throw up” on attendee’s, it made me laugh, but it validates my point, ask them questions, let them talk.  They are going to be the one’s using your product or services.  Do not tell them constantly what you can do for them, let them tell you what they need done, and collectively come up with a solutions.

Designing exhibits for upcoming trade shows, can be a challenging task, listening to our clients, and understanding what they are trying to convey in their industry can only be learned by hearing what the client has to say.  

I would like to engage anyone in conversation that has exhibited at trade shows in the past year or two.  I would like to know your disappointments with your custom exhibit, rental exhibit and anything that you found frustrating on the trade show floor.  Is there a certain element missing from your exhibiting experience? Was there something you needed while on the show floor that you couldn’t find? Was there a lack of traffic during any specific time period?

I would love to hear from you.

Have success at trade shows and beat the challenges. When trade show marketing is approaced early, you develop a formula for success, but the race does not stop there for winning that potential client.  Turning your leads into clients, is one of the largest goals and challenges of trade show marketing. 

Don’t let that lead fall into the post trade show marketing cracks.  Be active, and be smart.  Continuous follow up will put your name and your brand in front of a potential buyer. 

Keep careful notes on the trade show floor, often times, when a conversation ensues on the trade show floor, you can pick up pieces of personal information on your prospects, and that can help lead into a successful conversation post show.  

Trade show attendees will often see hundreds of exhibitors at large trade shows, make sure you give them something to remember you by, whether it is in a post show follow up call or even a short hand written note thanking them for their time.

I read a great article by Adrian Miller at The Blatant Truth! No matter what it is you are purchasing, either a service or a product, the dedication of the sales staff, support staff and anyone involved in your project should exceed expectations.  That is the true meaning of customer service, the story she told about getting her tire changed, shows that there are companies out there that are willing to go above and beyond the scope of what most people think is good customer service.

When it comes to the decision of exhibiting at Trade Shows, it is very helpful to find an exhibit house that is full service and has the capability to assist from the inception of your project to the return of the exhibit properties, along with post trade show follow up assistance.   An exhibit house that can offer you an assortment of exhibiting and trade show display solutions.  With rental exhibits, the option of exhibit customization is much easier and can give you a slightly different look and feel, if you are attending multiple trade shows. 

Finding the correct team that can convey your trade show message should consist of experienced and dedicated, exhibit designers, graphic designers, project and account manager and a team of coordinators to help you every step of the way. 

By choosing an experienced exhibit house team, you will portray your service and/or  product in an astounding 3D exhibit display, with the use of a variety of structural materials and fabric, you will watch as your trade show display booth comes to life. 

Whether you are exhibiting at a trade show in Las Vegas, Chicago or New Orleans an established well versed in the market place exhibit house can deliver no matter the location, and deliver flawless results. 

K/BIS - KBIS - Kitchen & Bath will hit Chicago on April 11th, 2008, have you started the water boiling for your exhibit yet? Preparation is the key and a well thought out recipe for your exhibiting success!  With over 900 exhibitors expected for the 2008 trade show, plan early and plan smart.

With a custom trade show display rentals, you can change the frosting for each trade show event.  Why stick with the plain old vanilla frosting for every trade show, when the trends say go chocolate,   custom rental exhibit displays give you the option to change and create a fresh look.

With three clients at K/BIS 2007 and over 8000 square feet of exhibit space consisting of exhibit booths of 60 x 80, 40 x 50 and 40 x 40, we are prepared to assist with a complete marketing strategy for the upcoming 2008 season.

Exhibit Displays & Tradeshows!

Why are people doing it? Why should I spend the money?  I have six valid reasons that your appearance at trade shows can benefit and build your global business marketing plan and strategy.

Build Brand Awareness

Increase Leads

High Customer Visibility

Increased Market Competition

Launching a new identity

Launching a new product

No matter what market you are in, medical, automotive, gift market, landscaping,  electronics, multi-media, gaming, photography, there is a trade show out there for you.  There is also a whole bunch of competition.  There are enormous opportunities waiting for those who get it right.  Opportunities not only for your company, but for you within the company.  Opportunities to capture leadership within your business, or business position. 

Ask yourself a few questions?

Why Exhibit?

How do I do it successfully?

When should I exhibit?

Where should I exhibit?

Know your market place and know your competition!  Success in a trade show program is about focus and targeting resources and energy.  If you are unsure of some of the above questions, we can direct you to the best strategy fit for your given situation.

Custom Trade Show Exhibit Rental

Whether it is called an exhibition, fair, expo or just good old fashioned trade show.  These events  can bring you extraordinary results when it comes to forming relationships with prospective clients.  With the never ending coast to coast conference calls, webinars, emails and the growing use of internet based meetings, tradeshows can be a place where you get back in the ring of personal contact and customer service.

The necessity of exhibiting at trade shows and actually reaching out to shake the hand of clients can add high credibility to your companies products and services.  Giving the prospective client a comfort zone of who they will be dealing with on the other end of the phone, will help them form their opinions early and get them one step closer to their decision making process.

If you are launching a new product or service, consider exhibiting at a trade show.  Research and planning will be a key to making the trade show a success.  When decision makers are able to touch and feel your products, they will remember it better than if they saw it online or via a web conference.

What was that funny word I heard to describe a trade show giveaway? I heard it, I know how to pronounce it, but where did it come from and how do you spell it?  

Chachka - Tchotchke - Giveaways - Trinkets

Definition - A cheap shiny trinket, slang name for trade show giveaways.  I ran across this word several years ago when I went down to Florida with someone attending the Lotus Notes program in Orlando. 

What do you call a trade show giveaway? This question has been ask a few times, and then I realized what it was the people were asking.  This is stated as being a Yiddish word and can also mean an attractive unconventional woman.  Would this be a booth babe? Not likely, but the two do fit well in the world of trade show booths and trade show exhibits. 

So for all of you out there wondering, what is the word for trade show promotional items?  Giveaways, Trinkets - you have come across the world of Chachka - Tchotchke, pronounced CHA-CH-KEY