Blog

by Jennifer Barham

Summer’s here and the living is, well, not really easy (as the song goes), but there’s lots to look forward to. And after last year’s “Cruel, Cruel Summer,” we can all look forward to a little more lightness and a little more celebration and a little more fun in the sun.

That’s right, folks! You heard it here: real life trade shows coming soon. Not cancelled. Not postponed. Not rescheduled. Not online. IN PERSON! {And the crowd goes WIIIIILLLLLD!}

“They’re baaaaaack!” Live events are returning, and we are here for it. With all the trade shows cancelled in 2020 and the lack of personal interaction, it’s about time. However, don’t expect the trade show season of 2019. No, sir. There will be new procedures and protocols as organizers consider the health and safety of exhibitors and attendees and staff.

2020 Proved That Relationships Should Be Your Business's 2021 Priority

We have made it through the first quarter of 2021 already! Even so, we are still reeling from the past year...a year for the history books. No one could’ve predicted the happenings or the fallout or the hidden blessings from 2020. The global pandemic’s impact on the event industry was no small thing, and though we didn’t cause it and we can’t control it, we can learn a lot as we move on toward a healthier, more productive year.

We are all anxiously awaiting the return of trade shows and events to make us feel like we are back to business as usual. And continue to wait we will. Events keep getting postponed, trade shows are being pushed later and later, and hosts and attendees alike are wondering what the future of exhibiting is going to look like.

What a year so far! As look forward to heading back (hopefully and thankfully!) to face-to-face meetings in 2021, we have a few new considerations to add to our to-do lists:

12 Items to Check Before Trade Shows Return

With all of the canceled shows and rescheduled events this year, it can seem as though trade shows are a thing of the past. Exhibitors have taken a hit as their prime opportunities have been put on hold. Discouraging as all of this might have been and as uncertain as it continues to be, anticipation is high concerning when trade shows will return. One major trend shows that many larger events have opened up for the 2nd half of 2021. This is positive because they could have easily switched to a virtual format. Instead, they are recognizing the value of in-person events.

Travel Industry Safety Measures to Keep Exhibitors and Attendees Safe

After months of cancelled events, rescheduled shows, and general uncertainty concerning work and travel and exhibiting, everyone is growing eager to get back to face-to-face meetings. As the world begins opening up and returning to normal, everyone is wondering if it’s going to be business as usual or a completely new normal. Fortunately, the travel industry knows that people needMe to feel safe and comfortable and have taken great measures to ensure customer safety and trust with airlines, hotels, and convention centers. Read ahead for the latest updates in these industries to be inspired and reassured about the great strides made to get us all back to a booming trade show season safely.

...but often not considered

In the flurry of activity that goes into preparing for a trade show – from the best technology to the flashiest graphics to the prime booth location at the event – don’t make the critical mistake of overlooking a crucial element of your brand and your marketing: DESIGN. Good design creates more space, improves the functionality of space, enhances space through lighting, color, texture, scale. Design is meant to be both very visible and magnetic, but yet subtle enough as to be almost invisible. Since many marketers are worrying about how to get noticed, design is the answer. It’s the visual image that will make people notice you. Through the use of balance, focus, and repetition, you can inspire your prospects and elevate your presence at any event.

Maintain Marketing Momentum

Canceled! Postponed! Rescheduled! TBA! What’s a marketing department to do when trade shows and events can’t be put on the calendar in ink?! All this penciling in and erasing is likely to drive even the most hardcore marketing folks crazy. But never fear. You don’t have to wait until trade shows resume to pick up with your marketing goals. Making lemonade out of lemons is part of a marketer’s job, and here are several ways you can make the sweetest lemonade during this stagnant summer season.

Boost Your Experiential Value

How do you make the visitors to your trade show booth remember you and your company and value their experience there? That’s what you want, right? For them to REMEMBER you and think of you as VALUABLE to their company’s goals. The simplest, easiest way to be memorable and add value is to create a showstopping booth using theme. Read ahead and THINK to pick the right promotion to grow your leads, increase sales, or improve your overall marketing results.

Sometimes, between prepping for a big trade show and coordinating all the various moving parts of people and materials and technology, we make rookie mistakes that can cost us dearly. Check out this list of common, easily fixable mistakes that exhibitors make and do your best to avoid them.

“It’s the most wonderful time of the year!” No, silly, not the holidays – trade show season! That’s right – trade show season is in full swing and all of the brands, media, and industry pros are in high gear to ensure a winning season. The months leading up to show are busy, busy, busy as everyone coordinates schedules, makes appointments, prepares materials, and collaborates creatively. Finally, the trade show arrives, and the rubber meets the road as the months of preparation are put to the test. Now, the REAL fun (and work!) begins! Take a look at these best tips for pulling off a winning showroom experience.

6 Tips for Overcoming Short Attention Spans

Human attention span is at its lowest ever (thanks to technology!).

According to a study by Microsoft, the average human being now has an attention span of eight seconds, down from 12 seconds in the year 2000. More shocking, perhaps, is the fact that recent research shows that the human attention span decreases by a staggering  88 percent each year. {GASP}

You Are Invited to Our Next Webinar!

You Are Invited to Our Next Webinar!

You Are Invited to Our Next Webinar!

You Are Invited to Our Next Webinar!

You Are Invited to Our Next Webinar!

You Are Invited to Our Next Webinar!

You Are Invited to Our Next Webinar!

You Are Invited to Our Next Webinar!

You Are Invited to Our Next Webinar!

Exploring the past, present, and future trends of trade show exhibit design....

Ask seasoned trade show professionals… some may say that exhibit design is not new, it is simply a new application based on historical designs. In the ever-changing industry of trade shows and events, one thing is consistently desired: intriguing design. We wanted to explore the history of design and felt there was no better place to start than with 30-year veteran, Greg Mathieson, a Senior Exhibit Designer at Skyline Exhibits and Scooter Hendon, Skyline Sector 5 Exhibit Designer with multiple industry awards under his belt.

Anyone who has ever been part of the creative process knows firsthand that designing trade show exhibits can prove a challenge in all the best and worst ways. Creatively, business executives love getting the chance to flex their marketing muscles and design trade show exhibits that effectively capture the very essence of their brand. However, achieving that goal can prove a daunting challenge.

You will find out shortly that my title is a play on words. The intention isn’t to mislead you about sustainability, but instead to apply the term in another fashion. When you’ve approached the process of designing an exhibit, how much thought do you put into how the style and tone of the space will effect people’s perception of your brand?

Can you recall walking into a cathedral and find that you’ve automatically started to whisper? How about the last time you met with a senior executive for another company; were you able to draw any ideas on how to act from their office? You would automatically adjust your behavior in a five star restaurant differently than you would at the local arcade and pizza place with your kids, right? There is a natural effect that environment has on the way most of us behave (the “most of us” part is because I have some of “those” relatives too).

We are excited to announce that our clients, Dominion Dealer Solutions, was selected Best of Show for the National Auto Dealer Association Conference (#NADA2018) held this past weekend in Las Vegas.  Congratulations to team #Dominion!

A shorthand formula to help with exhibit design goes like this: "Exhibit design should compel a particular audience into a specific conversation to achieve a measurable outcome." It doesn't cover every situation, but it does help set a pace for most design scenarios. Let's go phrase by phrase:

Obviously, we advocate exhibit design. Intentional, evocative and relevant design is important to any good face-to-face marketing endeavor. Commodity exhibits are available, and you can buy nearly anything off the internet. 

A shorthand formula to help with exhibit design goes like this: "Exhibit design should compel a particular audience into a specific conversation to achieve a measurable outcome." It doesn't cover every situation, but it does help set a pace for most design scenarios. Let's go phrase by phrase:

Obviously, we advocate exhibit design. Intentional, evocative and relevant design is important to any good face to face marketing endeavor. Commodity exhibits are available, and you can buy nearly anything off the internet. Surely, budgets and limiting factors come into play and can't be ignored. But the reality is if you want successful show marketing strategies, you need intentional design - even in pop-ups and banner stands.

That design is necessary to compel, not just any audience, but a particular audience. Some shows you go to may be made up 100% of the audience your marketing efforts work with, and everyone is a qualified lead. But more often than not, you need to weed out many of the attendees in order to meet the ones who will really do business with you. Those qualified leads are a particular group of people. You have a profile of them already: your current customers. You know what that audience looks like. So how do you compel them? How do you catch the attention of more people just like that, and draw them in? How do you compel that particular group? That's the foot you want to put forward on the show floor.