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.

Not Every Virtual Event is the Same

Sooooo, by what percentage in 2020 did you increase your usage of the words cancelled, rescheduled, and postponed (not to mention VIRTUAL)? We are all pivoting in this brave new world, and our flexibility is being tested. For the trade show industry, which thrives on in-person events and face time with people, this can present a challenge. So, who’s up for a challenge?!

As we move on from 2020 into a brand new year, the excitement of resuming meetings and trade shows cannot be understated! We have new rules and even a new vernacular.  "Social Distancing" is a newly coined term thanks to coronavirus(!) and is now priority one for gatherings of all sizes. We have all become familiar with it thanks to those handy directional arrows and neatly-spaced “X” spots in grocery stores and retail outlets. We all know how to keep our distance. But what about when we all get back together at trade shows and marketing events? How do we stay safely distant but intimately connected to our customers and prospects?

What Has The Highest Marketing Value? or 10 Reasons Face Time Beats Screen Time

With the very limited amount of face time that 2020 has afforded us, those of us in the marketing and exhibiting business have had to get very creative with our outreach and customer service. Now more than ever, we’ve utilized email, social media, “live” videos, and webinars to reach clients.

Exhibiting is largely a visual industry, so it’s interesting that the most visual of all social media outlets, YouTube, is vastly underused in our marketing world.

About In-Person Exhibiting

Most trade show marketers I know can’t wait to get back to business as usual at real live events. Because of the global pandemic, many businesses are facing big losses and a temporary stay in their ability to market face-to-face. As we in the industry know, there’s no replacement for in-person marketing. It’s what we love to do, and here are just a few reasons why we look forward to the return of trade shows as soon as possible!

What is FOMO? It’s the “fear of missing out” and it can help to drive your customers to attend your virtual event. This can be considered a preparation step to getting your customers and prospects into conversation until trade shows return.

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.

The whole world is going through a particularly trying time right now. People are stuck at home, family members feel isolated, physical and mental health problems abound, and economic stability seems fragile. With 56% of people reporting that they struggle to stay positive day to day, and 58% saying they struggle to look to the future, it’s clear that much of life seems gloomy and uncertain.

Ah, Instagram. . . with over a billion active monthly users, there’s no doubt of its belovedness and influence as a social media outlet. What began as a purely personal venture turned into a business opportunity very quickly. Having a strong IG following means a stronger community for your brand, more hits on your blog or website, and more sales for your business.

...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.

Go Beyond Customer Satisfaction

If you’re with a long-standing company, you probably have loads of repeat customers or customers who’ve been with you through thick and thin. You might assume it’s because you’re the best or they are pleased as punch. In reality, these customers might be sticking around out of convenience or habit or because nothing better has come along for them. That’s not the same as loyalty.

Recently, Amazon announced the creation of its “Operations Center of Excellence” right here in my hometown of Nashville. This $230 million investment will focus on improvements and innovation in customer fulfillment, transportation, supply chain, and related functions. Its footprint will be evident as the behemoth covers a million square feet and employs 5,000 people.

Don't Be That Guy At The Show!

Nobody wants to be “that guy.” You know, that guy that talks too loud. That guy that tells dumb jokes. That guy who wears too much Axe body spray. “That guy” is doing all the wrong things, and people are noticing.

Lights! Camera! Action! The new variety of video marketing is shaking things up in the trade show world. Just a few years ago, videos at trade shows consisted of a front-end teaser to attract customers and maybe a longer demo video at the back of the booth. But no more! This ain’t your momma’s trade show video. Social video is to the video world what Sriracha is to the condiment world. Oh, my! Imagine the possibilities! Seriously, though, social video brings flavor and life and endless possibilities to a medium that formerly was static, scripted, and limited. You’ve no doubt seen live videos as you’ve scrolled through social media, but maybe you’ve been hesitant to jump in yourself and actually do one. Whether you’ve never done any kind of marketing video or whether you’re just more comfortable with traditional pre-recorded videos, read the following tips to get savvy with this new, better experiential video format that’s sweeping the trade show world.

Go Beyond Selling Products or Services  

Facing the trade show season can be daunting for the experienced and first-timers alike, because the whole of trade shows are just such a large undertaking and incredibly detailed. Not only do you have to pick the best events that are the best fit for your product or service, but you also have to attend to the myriad details involved in actually pulling it all off. One thing to keep in mind to keep from getting overwhelmed is to remember that trade shows are not really about your product, your service, your booth, your giveaways. Sure, that matters.  A LOT.  Still, what’s MOST important in the trade show world is {drumroll, please}. . . the PEOPLE. You already knew that, but it bears saying.  The connection between your company’s booth staff and your booth’s visitors is primary in every interaction. As you begin to think about how to connect with your attendees, remember the 5 Es of the trade show world. The 5 Es are based on research found in “It’s Not Your Father’s or Mother’s Trade Show Anymore – Engage with Caution,” an article hosted by CEIR Industry Insights Series.

 10 IDEAS TO GET YOUR EXHIBIT NOTICED  

Some things take a larger amount of time and money to implement.  Here is a list of 10 fast and simple to implement ideas to get noticed.  Look to these quick, easy ideas to spruce up your booth environment to get the attention of attendees and set up for the best trade show yet.

Which App is Right For Your Company?  

Well, we knew it was just a matter of time before even more technology began to grace the world of events and trade shows. Fortunately, when it comes to lead-capturing, the news is all good. More and more exhibitors are switching from the old rented badge scanners to mobile apps for gathering leads on the trade show floor. Unlike the badge scanners, which could take days to route information to you, these new mobile apps instantly provide you with customer data and much, much more. The ability to reply to leads efficiently and to automatically integrate the information with your CRM makes these apps invaluable for bustling trade show managers.

Trade Show Marketing Wars: Twitter vs LinkedIn  

With over 575 million users, LinkedIn is every business’s go-to social network. For connecting with like-minded business owners and people locally, nationally and globally, it seems to be the obvious choice. Since it burst onto the professional scene in 2003, it has seemingly made networking faster and more powerful in the business world. However, a closer look at LinkedIn, its user trends, and its current growth reveals even more that affects your marketing dollars and clientele.

We all rely on our trade show partners/suppliers, and the approach to this critical relationship needs to be part of your strategy. Most every company - regardless of if your company is product-centric or service-oriented - can’t function without solid partners/suppliers. Some organizations seem to get this relationship a bit backwards. The misconception is this… because they sign off on a project, they're in the dominant position and can leverage the relationship with unreasonable demands of all shape and form.

If you tend to think that living in a technological era isn’t really that big of a deal outside of cell phones, heated car seats, and Netflix, read the following statistics:

* Over 3.8 billion people use the internet daily; that’s about half of the world’s population.

* More than 570 new websites are created every minute.

* 340,000 tweets are sent a minute.

* 90% of the world’s data has been created in the last 2 years.

* Digital marketing and AI marketing are among the fastest growing new careers.

And THIS is why you need to get yourself to a trade show. If you don’t display your products at a trade show, you are out of the running for potential buyers who make their buying decisions primarily at those venues.

If you sell a physical B2B product and you are not displaying it at trade shows, you are really blowing it. Exhibitor Magazine estimates that 80% of their exhibiting subscribers manufacture physical products. From a selling standpoint, that’s an obvious reason to exhibit at a trade show -- businesses want to roll out new products and feature existing ones to potential buyers. However, look at it from the buyers’ standpoint. Think about why they are even AT trade shows. They are there because they want to see the latest and greatest, they want to touch and see and try the products for themselves, they want to compare different companies’ products all together. And THIS is why you need to get yourself to a trade show. If you don’t display your products at a trade show, you are out of the running for potential buyers who make their buying decisions primarily at those venues.

Supporting The Value of Trade Shows

Maybe you’re hesitant about showcasing your company’s products and services at a trade show. Or maybe you’re even leery of just attending one. Well, don’t be. As they say, “The proof of the pudding is in the rising.” And this year, a LOT of rising happened at trade shows nationwide. If you need proof that trade shows are an excellent marketing medium, we’ve got it for you. If you need cold, hard, factual motivation to get you to the next event, you’ve come to the right place.

Using Trade Show Promotions

Trade show promotions are a no-brainer. The basic 3 categories you can break this down into are pre-show promotions, at-show promotions, and post show follow up.  Overlaying all promotions are the goals you have for the attendee experience and what we want accomplish as a company.   There’s no better way to DRIVE people to your booth and draw attention to your company and products.  What’s more, there’s an endless variety of ways to do it!

50 Things a Booth Staffer May Do...

When I was in college, I worked summers at our city’s publishing house. I had the lofty title of “Office Staff.” I always hated that title because it conjured up images of a slothful slacker who was hard on the rolling chair they were plopped in all day. Anyway, another reason I felt disdain for the title was that I was so much MORE than “office staff.” I had so many jobs in that office – errand boy, social planner, events coordinator, warm body to guard the phones and the office, and more – that I sometimes wondered how on earth they operated when I was away at college! I figured I was the hardest working person in the building. I’m not sure what I wanted my title to be, but whatever it was, it needed to cover a LOT of areas!

As we are settling in to 2019, it is always good to look back at what worked in a “2018 Year in Review.” I always love the year-in-review posts that flood the online world this time of year. Some are fun, but they offer a real look at what actually happened in the year that just flew by.  Here is a year-end recap of the marketing world’s best tips and trends.  Read on to discover (or remember!) the year’s best trends and takeaways.

It's time for a bit of lighter side humor in trade show booth staffing. On occasion we will go to trade shows and see some of the following personalities. Some of them are easy to recognize because they act just like their animal kingdom counterpart. Here’s the good, the bad, and the ugly of the beastly world of booth staffers. See if you recognize anyone you have observed on the show floor?

Trade shows are pivotal events for your business. They create a steady stream of customers perusing and passing your booth. A captive audience, almost. You get to encounter massive amounts of people who are interested in your exact product line. Consequently, you’ve dedicated money and talent and manpower hours to preparing and manning the booth. However, you might inadvertently be making some key errors as you go along. Are you planning well? Do you and your staff have staying power? Are you following through? You’ve got a tremendous investment, not only in money, but also in time, training, and team-building in marketing your business at trade shows. Pay attention to these classic mistakes exhibitors make to ensure you don’t get in the way of your own success!

With the advent of electronic communication, the business world experienced a radical boom. Businesses that previously relied on phone calls and mailers for marketing and customer service switched to mass emails, flashy websites, trendy blogs, social media, and instant communication via mobile devices. Covering so much ground with so little effort enables companies to expediently serve a wide base of customers and clients with less work output.  And, of course, it increases speed and productivity. Win-win!

Rules, rules, rules.  What about the rules that no one tells you about?  Rules are necessary to keep trade shows and events running smoothly, and they help businesses and clients manage their expectations. However, as important as it is to know the show hours, the drayage costs, the convention hall requirement particulars, and more, it’s equally important to know the “hidden” rules (that no one tells you about) that inevitably accompany every show.

Wouldn’t it be nice if we could just pick which trade shows we wanted to exhibit at, make the decision final, and keep it that way forever and ever amen?! Yes, it would. But no, we can’t. Choosing the trade shows that are a good fit for your business is important, and equally important is the decision to return to a trade show or to ditch it. So much time and effort and energy (and resources!) are dedicated to exhibiting at trade shows that they must be worth the effort. And unfortunately, sometimes they aren’t.

So, how do you know if the shows you’re frequenting aren’t worth your marketing investment? Read on:

The number one thing an attendee remembers about their interaction with your company at a trade show is based on your staff (according to the Center for Exhibition and Industry Research).  Your company’s trade show exhibit may be the focal point for any conference or event you’re attending, but it won’t be the only thing representing your business.  You and the rest of the booth staffers will also get plenty of attention.  Impacting show attendees is paramount and by understanding the dress code for any event, you can ensure you’ll be putting your best foot forward.

Help Us Get to 30, Suggest The Rest!

Tough, fearsome, and strong are the words that come to mind when describing why Chuck Norris is so legendary - there are hundreds of Chuck Norris jokes on the internet about him.

For example:
• Death once had a near-Chuck Norris experience.
• Guns are warned not to play with Chuck Norris.
• When Chuck Norris does push up’s he pushes down the earth.

So let’s look at if Chuck Norris went to trade shows as an exhibitor? What feats of power, speed, and awesomeness could Chuck bring to your show? The mind boggles at what could be:

Unpacking The Basic Rules and Regs

If you’re in the biz, you definitely hear the buzz about the hurry and flurry of trade shows – the fun, the excitement, the contacts and leads. And . . . the WORK. There’s no way around the massive amount of manpower from your company that goes into planning, designing, building, and hauling your exhibit for a show. Here’s the big “but”: it’s worth it. Trade shows pack a lot of punch and cover a lot of areas of business for you. Here’s a list I jotted down in about ten minutes – and no help from Google! – of reasons to lug your exhibit down to the nearest convention center.

Unpacking The Basic Rules and Regs

Everyone in the trade show industry knows that any trade show has a list of rules and regulations a mile long governing everything from the volume of your booth music to the number of prongs on your cables. For specific terms and conditions of your show, be sure to see your trade show’s prospectus or your rental contract. The biggest consideration for your trade show, however, should be the particulars of your exhibit. And because breaking the rules for exhibit size or height could have financial ramifications, you’ll want to know the following dos and don’ts regarding the most common regulations.

...Before Starting Trade Shows

Once you’re thrown into the whirlwind world of trade shows, the learning curve is steep. It’s like being thrown into the deep end of the pool – you either sink or you swim. Either way, there’s a lot of flailing! And although there is nothing like hands-on experience to teach you how to maneuver the trade show life, there are a few things I wish I’d known before I started. Here they are:

The Worst of the Worst...How Your Company Can Avoid Them!

You know them. You’ve met them. Maybe you’ve even BEEN them. Bad Booth Staffers. As long as there have been trade shows, there have been booth staffers behaving badly and ruining the company rep. See how many of these you recognize:

Life Saver Tips for YOUR COMPANY

Have you ever had that sick sinking feeling in your stomach that is telling you that you forgot something?  If so, you are not alone.  When you take a trip, you know the anxiety that can accompany the preparation and last-minute details of leaving the comfort of your office and home. Even experienced travelers can begin to stress out if the minutia of their travel plans isn’t ironed out and solid.

Lead Qualifying Tips for Show Staffers

Generating leads is JOB ONE for most trade show exhibitors, but you want to generate hot qualified leads – the ones that result in business for your sales team. If your booth staff is just collecting business cards and company names, you’ll end up with a lot of dead ends. You will also end up with a sales team that does not want to follow up on the leads.  This is evidenced by the fact that 79% of trade show leads are never followed up on (CEIR) – in large part because the leads that are taken at the show are not qualified enough to “make it worth my time,” as a sales person. Make sure you’re providing your sales team with quality leads by following these helpful tips.

What's the Big Idea?

“When was the last time you had a life-altering bright idea? They don’t come easily, do they? Of course, some people seem to burst with great ideas, their subconscious mind releasing little gems of genius to their conscious mind with little effort. For most of us, however, birthing a great idea takes a little application.

Here it is! The lineup for the not-to-be-missed trade shows of 2019’s first quarter. This lively graphic provides a visual calendar of prominent events in the areas of Healthcare, Manufacturing, Professional Services, Technology, and more.

See From The Attendee Point of View

“You never get a second chance to make a first impression.” This is probably never truer than for a company booth at a trade show, where customers get their first impression at a distance and make a split-second decision to approach your booth or pass on by, never having to even meet you.

8 Things to Do First

According to CEIR’s 2018 Marketing Spend Decision Report, trade show exhibitors intend to increase the size of their booths by as much as 20% this year. If you’ve been considering boosting the size of your display, think about the following crucial factors that can determine whether it’s the right time to grow.