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.

In a study entitled “The Impact of Color on Marketing,” researchers found that consumers made about 90% of their quick decisions about a brand based on color alone, including whether a color was appropriate for the brand or not. With this knowledge, color becomes central to discussions about brand, including how to display the brand at a trade show booth, and we can use color therapy to determine our best choices.

Stories are powerful. They are the reason we love movies, books, and even ads. Commercials are the sole reason some people watch the SuperBowl. Why? Because they tell a story that is winsome or funny or otherwise emotionally satisfying. Stories are compelling and they hook us.

Did you know that there are apps specifically designed for the exhibiting industry? And did you know that if you aren’t using at least some of them you are missing the boat? BIG TIME.

While pandemic safety restrictions seem to be easing up, we’re all familiar with the ever-present gallons of hand sanitizer, the social distancing floor stickers, limitations on crowd size, and constant sanitizing of surfaces everywhere we go. These are measures to keep us safe, help us feel comfortable, and enable us to return to (somewhat) complete normalcy as quickly as possible.

Although the buzzword of the millennium is “minimizing,” let’s talk about MAXIMIZING! Floor space in your exhibit, that is. There are loads of good reasons to increase your booth’s floor space. First, it’s more important and mindful than ever to have an open, spacious floor plan to keep people comfortable and safe and to remind them that you are being intentional about their comfort. Second, a little extra space makes everyone more physically comfortable and makes your booth easier to navigate. Third, intentional space creates allure – it is inviting and appealing. Just think: when is the last time YOU wanted to step into a cluttered space full of people?

Trade shows are a serious marketing medium in which we invest billions of dollars. In our quest to achieve business results, we often talk about getting the highest ROI (Return on Investment) or ROO (Return on Objectives).  But what about the greatest ROF (Return on Fun)… more specifically, how do we make the shows fun for ourselves?

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. 

Join us for our upcoming trade show marketing showcase & seminar on Thursday, March 2nd, 2017 at the INCubator at the Hamilton County Business Development Center in Chattanooga!  We are planning an educational and fun event with lunch, refreshments, prizes, and most importantly, valuable information to equip you and your team with the most innovative tools for trade show marketing success.

When it comes to designing your trade show displays, there are so many elements to consider. You want to make sure the architectural design, graphics, and setup combine to create a display that captures attention and draws consumers.

Do you sometimes feel like your trade show displays are failing to get your company the attention you thought they would? Do you wish your exhibits had more consumer traffic than they do? The answer may be as simple as becoming intentional about some key elements that are often overlooked. Listed below are three mistakes to avoid with your Trade Show Displays:

At Exhibitor Source, we know that first impressions are everything. That is why it is so important for business owners to present a display that grabs attention from the get-go! Consumers will often decide whether or not they will purchase a company’s product within the first 30 seconds of coming in contact with that company. It can be difficult to stand out among the slew of business owners at a live event marketing campaign, but having trade show exhibits that really capture attention can make all the difference. A few simple tips can enhance the consumer’s initial experience with a company, and ensure a great first impression that will keep the client coming back for more:

Exhibitor Source has received a letter of congratulations from Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam commending our winning of the American Business Ethics Award.  We are honored to receive this recognition by our state leader!

Exhibitor Source has been recognized nationally for the company's excellence in business ethics. The Foundation for Financial Service Professionals has awarded the Nashville trade show exhibit design and installation company The American Business Ethics Award (ABEA) in the "small company" category for 2014. Only one other company besides Exhibitor Source was awarded the honor this year, The Marvin Companies, in the "large company" category.

You are invited to join us on Tuesday, August 26th for our FREE educational and social event geared around trends in the trade show industry.

Ahh… your booth. It is a work of art isn’t it? You’ve worked hard making it look EXACTLY how you want it. Every angle, every detail, the lighting…it’s all perfect for that 10x20 space you exhibit in. Occasionally, you’ll hit the smaller shows in your 10x10 version of your trade show display, but that 10x20 is your sweet spot.