Marshall Yard:

To those of you who think my recent posts about McCormick Place’s recent woes (losing NPE and HIMSS exhibitions) have been immature, glib, and even counterproductive, I have a refreshing piece of media for you to sample (and if you expect us to avoid such rhetorical tactics, please find a different blog about tradeshows).

Channel 11, being the ever-objective public news medium that it is (sarc.), has a brief expose featuring the challenges faced by McPier (MPEA) and Chicago’s convention industry.

Watch the Carol Marin interview… Is this Truth or Fiction?

Exhibitor Report published this week (care of Flagg Management) an article about economizing on exhibiting. Interesting - and sad, really - but unfavorable for us.

What’s bothersome is that while they suggest getting the same size space (smart, as something smaller would indicate financial disrupt), they also suggest modular/portable exhibits. These ARE more cost-effective and they DO require less maintenance…but they have very little impact on the show floor. That said, I think going from a custom (or rental) exhibit to a portable would foster the same financial perceptions as would a smaller space. So, perhaps the alternative (lesser of two evils, even) would be to reduce your space and retain your exhibit.

As a mansion with no furniture would be lackluster, so would a huge exhibit space without quality materials to fill it.

Marketing is the first to be sacrificed in a flailing economy. I wonder, though, will making that move perpetuate brand loyalty and advance sales when the economy rights itself? Once upon a time, a certain department store (rhymes with “tears”) stopped marketing and, instead, relied on brand loyalty to maintain sales. The once Largest Retailer in the Nation carried more than 350 brands but most folks didn’t know it…because they stopped marketing.

Now they’re walking on economic eggshells. They were acquired by another retailer and have, quite unfortunately, been struggling to re-establish themselves ever since. Fancy logos and hip new slogans won’t mean squat if you don’t have the sales to pay for them. And how do you make sales? By being a certainty in a time of uncertainty.

You are going to exhibit at a trade show, now what? If you don’t know where to begin your trade show planning, start with an exhibit house that will help you with an entire 3D Marketing Strategy.

Whether you are a seasoned exhibitor or an exhibitor in their infancy, you need a plan.  You may have done your research and know your target audience and signed up for your booth space, but now comes the trade show planning for success. 

If the trade show will go hand in hand with a new product launch, why not start a teaser marketing campaign?  Drum up some pre-show interest; approach your clients with solutions early on.

Entice your target audience with something that will grab them, ISSA 2008 in Las Vegas, on September 8^th – 11^th, 2008 exhibitors could use a teaser campaigns such as:

Touch what? That statement is no longer a concern….

Tackling the dirtiest job….

Wipe up your competition with….

Sniffing out…

Boosting your productivity and profits is the reason for exhibiting, networking with individuals that are the decision makers, encompassing your products and services with an exhibit booth that will increase your traffic and deliver the maximum benefits.

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.

By: Susie Kleiner 

Global Marketing Strategy is colossal in the planning and execution of upcoming trade shows.  Starting out on the right foot and getting yourself properly organized should be a basic practice whether you are exhibiting or attending an upcoming trade show event.

Al Simon at TAG-Technology Association of Georgia wrote 10 tips in January, one of my favorites is number four - arrive early and stay late, I agree that with this strategy you can get more of a foot hold on your competition as well as make contact with others that are arriving early and arriving with more of a clean slated mind.  

I worked for several years in the Manufacturer Represtative business as an office manager, this is when I attended the ISSA Show when it came to Chicago,  planning the strategy way in advance for what exhibit booths where going to manned and the time frames for each sales rep was thought out and executed seemlessly.  Having a sales force of 3 at the time, and figuring out whose personality worked best with what manufacturer turned out to be quite successful.   If your business has an array of representatives find those award winning personalities a spot in your exhibit booth.

Setting up meetings with current customers as well as prospective customers and keeping the information simple and focused with your exhibit booth number, appointment times and perhaps a topic of interest to be covered can help keep not only yourself organized but your clients and prospects as well. 

Often times when you are exhibiting at trade shows your marketing goals can change from year to year, planning your marketing strategy  and maximizing your marketing messages for each show and each audience will help you accomplish the goals you have set.   Minimizing your trade show workload. 

Plan early, two simple words.  If you have never exhibited at a specific show, make sure you map out the best place for your booth.   Two things to keep in the back of your mind, everyone has to eat, and everyone has to use the washroom.   A great location for your exhibit booth is near either of those facilities.  Drawing in a lot of traffic, accomplished trade show exhibitors are well aware of this fact.  Research the shows and the show maps to best lay-out your strategy for exhibit location.

Focusing on follow up can show considerable results as well, make sure any prospect that you talk with during your trade show get either a follow up call or a personal note from you.  This is the “human touch” factor.  I think Rick Springfield said it best in the opening lyrics of his song Human Touch - “Everybody talking to computers, they’re all dancing to drum machines.” 

I can attribute the last three jobs that I have held to follow up,  the act of following up can be even more important than your initial meeting.  Trade Show Chaos could have taken over your potential client by the time they hit your exhibit booth, taking the time to personally follow up and ask questions can create many business opportunities.