Blog

by Jennifer Barham

Stressed at work?! Ask any marketing professional how many projects they have on their calendar at any given moment and you’ll be shocked (or maybe not) to learn that statistically that number is 30 or more. Forty percent of all large corporations are facing restructuring, leaving employees feeling insecure about their prospects. Today’s workers experience 7 interruptions an hour, totaling over 2 hours of distraction each day. Yes, all of this chaos equals stress in the workplace.

Exciting PowerPoint Alternatives for Improving In-booth Presentations

By Jennifer Barham

The Ford Model T. Apple pie. Pride and Prejudice. These are classics. Add to these Microsoft PowerPoint and the list is well-rounded.

“Good things come in small packages,” right?! But what about your trade show booth? What if I can’t have the big big big screen or the gigantic feature in the middle of an island booth? Can it still be truly exceptional if it’s a 10x10?

What IS brand awareness? Brand awareness is just what it sounds like...it’s being aware of a particular brand, whether that’s the name or the logo or the messaging. Brand awareness is what you want your customers to have so that they recognize your business, so it goes without saying that the more brand awareness you have, the better.

In a 2019 Deloitte study, 91% of respondents reported that high stress     negatively affects the quality of their work. I instantly thought of the stress of exhibiting at trade shows. While it might be work we choose and are passionate about, it’s definitely fast-paced, intense pressure.

Trade shows can be long days for everyone involved including attendees, but with the addition of one or more interactive elements, your booth transforms into a welcome surprise for visitors, involving them in the experience.

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?

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.

By Sofia Troutman

We are living in some strange days for sure and the landscape is constantly shifting under us.  As event and marketing professionals, we are basically circus performers spinning all the plates – we are accustomed to managing people and schedules and events, keeping all the moving parts moving, and all while managing ourselves. We, too, have social lives, families, personal budgets, and individual goals. Much of the time, these two worlds run nicely parallel. Occasionally, though, the two worlds collide and a personal crisis interferes with work life.

By Shawn Lacagnina

I’ve always loved music, and growing up in the 80s, I was singing along to the best music ever as I cruised our small town in my Oldsmobile Cutlass. I don’t remember a time in my life when I couldn’t belt out “Dream On” at the top of my lungs. Back then, we couldn’t believe we’d make it to 2020. So, for old times’ sake and a little fun, here are the top 10 ways to Aerosmith your way to a great trade show.

By Matt Bohar

Do you love watching those smart, fun videos on social media? Of course you do! Everyone does. They are so creative, and what’s more, they’re effective. A whopping 87% of video marketers say video has increased their website traffic and 83% say video helps them generate leads. And perhaps most importantly, 80% boast increased sales because of video marketing. For this reason, 95% of video marketers plan to increase their video marketing budget next year.

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.

Trick Out Your Company with TECH

Don’t blink - 2018 and beyond is here. We’re now seeing self-driving vehicles, AI assistants, self-order smart tech, holodecks,and Domino’s Pizza experimenting with driverless delivery.  For better or worse, we are experiencing tectonic shifts occurring in digital technologies at such a frenetic pace that it can be almost impossible to keep up if you are not keeping an eye on the current trends. Our goal is to take a closer look at a few emerging trends – augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR) and couple more.  We will break down how this technology is being applied to marketing and brand recognition in the face to face environment of trade shows.

Experiential Marketing At Trade Shows

Some things must be felt, seen, tasted, smelled, attempted, or heard in order to be believed.  Through a campaign, we can tell someone what we think or how great our offering is, however there is no replacement for showing someone face to face and allowing them to experience it for themselves.

Experiential marketing allows your skeptical prospects or most dedicated customers to develop an emotional investment in your products or services, literally helping them shape your brand’s evolution. Another by-product of this is shortening the sales cycle because the prospects and clients are becoming more comfortable with who and what they are purchasing.