Corporate Event Planning 101- Making Your Trade Show A Huge Success

The key to the success of any corporate event includes effective planning and organization and setting an appropriate budget. In addition, you must include personalized promotional items, effective banners, and unique giveaways while effectively marketing to prospective customers and clients.

Keywords:

event planning, corporate events, corporate event planning

Article Body:

The key to the success of any corporate event - such as a trade show, a retirement party, a sports outing, or any hospitality event, a sales meeting, or the annual holiday party - is Corporate Event Planning 101. Corporate events vary in size and purpose. Some corporations host corporate events that consist of thousands of invitees, while some organize events for all employees, and some for only select employees. Whatever the occasion, you require proper corporate event planning to make event memorable and a roaring success.

With a variety of people attending these corporate events, their tastes and preferences are bound to be different. Workplaces have a diversity of people, and this makes corporate event planning stressful and difficult. It takes a lot of quality time for excellent corporate event planning, and still many may be disappointed with the results.

The major part of Corporate Event Planning 101 is the appointment of a professional Corporate Event Planner. He/she can plan and produce a great corporate event for you and save you time and money. In fact, due to poor planning, many corporate events have failed to draw clients. Well, you can definitely avoid this.

Planning Your Trade Show

Planning and organizing corporate events, such as a trade show, requires investing a lot of time and money. To make your corporate event a showcase of your products, you need to plan for personalized promotions items, effective banners and unique giveaways. Corporate event planning for business events involves ways to find new prospective customers and clients, reacquaint yourself with old customers, plan a couple of seminars, and network with your peers and your competition.

You will need to plan well in advance. First and foremost, plan and set a budget. Train your representatives who will work for you at the corporate event. Draw a list of people you would like to talk to at the event.

Your prospective customers are your target market. You need to draw them to your event. Announce your participation in the corporate event; make your sales staff personally invite select prospects you would especially like to be present. A personalized invitation to key prospective customers is a great way to ensure success of your strategy.

Plan to follow up the visit by your prospective client with a thank you note, email, or a phone call. Do this immediately after your corporate event.

Creating A Trade Show Budget

Setting up a display at a trade show is expensive business. You have to rent the space, create a display, promote it, stock it, and staff it. Before you decide to get involved, take a serious look at the costs of all of these components.

Start planning well ahead. You already know this, right? Keep yourself as organized as possible right from the beginning -- even before you book your space. You know how carefully today's brides plan their weddings. Months, even years ahea...

Keywords:

trade show marketing, trade show budget, trade show costs

Article Body:

Setting up a display at a trade show is expensive business. You have to rent the space, create a display, promote it, stock it, and staff it. Before you decide to get involved, take a serious look at the costs of all of these components.

Start planning well ahead. You already know this, right? Keep yourself as organized as possible right from the beginning -- even before you book your space. You know how carefully today's brides plan their weddings. Months, even years ahead, they start thinking about the church, the reception, the dresses, the flowers, the cake. And of course, the cost. Well, you're the bride. Grab your planning book and start writing down everything you must do to get yourself ready for a successful trade show season -- next year's.

Even before you decide to go into a show or two, you should have a hard look at the costs and expected returns. This is why you create a trade show budget. Whether you admit it or not, everything has a cost, and trade shows are no exception. Remember that your objective is to make sales, or at least generate opportunities to make sales. So you have to view your costs in that light. Everything should be done with an eye on its potential return.

**How to Start your Trade Show Budget Planning**

The normal starting point for your campaign is the trade show budget. If you work from a budget, you have an outside chance of keeping your costs under control. Of course there is a certain amount of hocus pocus involved in budgeting for things like trade show marketing -- especially if you've never seriously done it before and have no track record to go on. Still, you should give it your best shot. This is not rocket science, and any research or analysis you do will be better than just "winging it". Try using a "brainstorming" process similar to the following.

First, ask yourself some BIG questions:

Question 1. Do I really believe I can recover my costs within a short enough period of time to make it "profitable" (make more than it costs)?

Answer 1. Like most promotion and advertising, until you've done it, you have little idea how successful it will be. First you will have to summarize all the costs, and then try to figure out how many sales you're likely to get from this sort of exposure.

Question 2. Do I have any idea which trade shows are more likely to be "profitable".

Answer 2. There are trade show directories and reports that can tell you about industry-specific shows. Usually they will tell you the number of attendees, and hopefully something about their buying habits. Find the relevant directories, and figure out some method of choosing between shows.

Question 3. Are there obvious ways to enhance my "Conversion Rate" -- the number of attendees who buy from me?

Answer 3. Yes, of course. Having an attractive, eye-catching display is a good start. Getting a good location on the floor will help. Setting up your booth properly will help you "process" the attendees more efficiently. Having a lead-gathering system will help you do more profitable follow up. Giving out memorable hand-outs will enhance your chances of being recognized later on. Training your booth staff could make an important difference.

Ask yourself a few more questions like this to get yourself in the right frame of mind. Then you'll be ready to start preparing your trade show budget.

**Let the Planning Begin - Selecting Appropriate Shows**

Begin by assembling the following information (and anything else that seems relevant as you go along):

Find a trade show directory for your industry (online is the best source), or check out the major trade show venues or exhibition companies. They will put you on the right track very quickly.

Select the 10 most promising looking shows — based on your "gut feeling" about their potential for your campaign.

Make a chart and list the five or six most relevant bits of information for each of your most promising venues:

- Location
- Date
- Number of attendees
- Geographic area served
- Target market (who will be attending)

Calculate Your Costs for Each Show

Now add some columns to your chart where you can list the costs that are specific to each show:

- Booth space cost
- Other space-related costs
- Travel costs to and from the show
- Things to rent or buy at the show (tables, power, etc.)
- Accommodation costs for booth staff
- Shipping costs for booth display(s) and materials
- Vehicle rentals required

**Campaign Costs when Entering a Number of Shows**

Now think about the actual "sales process" and make a list of what you will need in order to have a successful trade show experience. These will usually be things that will be used for several shows, so think of them as "campaign costs" that will be amortized over a number shows:

- Display booth design and production
- Product literature
- Hand outs
- Staff training
- Show promotion (free passes to clients, etc.)

If you estimate that your campaign costs will service 4 shows, then take these costs and add 25% of the total campaign costs to the cost of each show. That should give you a realistic estimate of the total cost of each show:

Cost to to Attend Show = Specific Show Costs + pro-rated Campaign Costs

**Calculating Your Break Even Point**

Now that you have a fairly clear idea of your costs, it should be possible to arrive at an accurate estimate of your Break Even Point for each show -- the number of sales you have to make to cover your costs.

For instance, let's say you calculate that your costs for Show A are $3,000 (including a pro-rated amount for the one-time costs such as the booth). And let's say you can relatively easily calculate your "gross profit" on each sale (gross sale amount minus out-of-pocket). For example, in the case of the wedding photographer let's say his gross profit margin is 50%, and the average sale is $1,000. That would give him a Gross Profit of $500 per sale.

In order to recover his $3,000 he will have to get 6 sales (6 x $500 Gross Profit on each sale)

**Factors Affecting Conversion Rate**

What are his chances of getting 6 sales from a specific show?

Well that depends. If our photographer goes to a wedding show with 1000 warm and willing blushing-brides-to-be battering down the doors of the show, then perhaps 6 is a conservative estimate. However, if the show has only 200 attendees, it might be much more difficult to get 6 sales.

But that also depends. A smaller show may have fewer exhibitors (less competition), will have a more intimate feel about it, will give you more time with each prospective client. And, of course it will cost considerably less than a bigger show -- so his break even sales point may be considerably less.

The same goes for much larger shows: more attendees (prospective sales), but higher costs, and much more (and more intense) competition. So the "conversion rate" (number of sales per 1000 attendees) will be lower. There will be more people, but they may be harder to sell.

Once you have a feeling for the idea of "conversion rate" you can start to see how other factors have an important bearing on it: the price of your service, the attractiveness of your presentation, the quality of your samples and handouts, and so on.

Every show and every product will have its "conversion rates", and the only way you can establish the numbers for your own business is to research, experiment, and constantly "tweak" your presentation.

It certainly wouldn't hurt to talk to friends and acquaintances who have trade show experience. Ask them about their own success rates. Ask them how many actual sales they get from a good show. Ask them which shows have been most successful for them, and how often they have broken even.

**Putting it together...**

The only way you can arrive at hard conclusions is by trying. That will allow you to establish a track record. If you think the numbers for a particular show almost add up, then take a stab. Go to a show or two, and when it is over do a careful analysis of your costs and returns. Then you can establish a reliable "Target Conversion Rate" -- a number you can seriously shoot for and expect to reach -- and then you're in business. Preparing a trade show budget for next year will be a piece of cake.

And of course, once you do commit to a show or two, your focus has to immediately shift to hitting (and smashing through) that Target Conversion Rate. Design a better display, have more impressive samples and portfolio books, fine tune your product, get some memorable handouts, memorize your sales pitch, take voice lessons, get a hair cut...

Exhibition Stands and Trade Show Booths

Buyers do not have much time, they have an agenda and want to see as much of the trade show as possible. It is, therefore, imperative that you make a good first impression. This is where having visually pleasing exhibition stands is a must - they must be eye-catching to instantly capture the buyers attention!

Keywords:

trade show, exhibition stands, exhibition, marketing, promotion, displays, business

Article Body:

Trade shows have long been established as a favored way to feature and display your companys products in front of buyers from existing, new and potential customers.

Buyers do not have much time, they have an agenda and want to see as much of the trade show as possible. It is, therefore, imperative that you make a good first impression. This is where having visually pleasing exhibition stands is a must - they must be eye-catching to instantly capture the buyers attention.

Exhibition stands come in all shapes, sizes and forms; from leaflet dispensers to pop-up stands and standing at around 2.2m high, a pop up exhibition stand can make an impressive feature in any display area.

Most good suppliers offer an in-house design and print service that will allow you to customize the exhibition stands to your own specifications. As a result your booth should be able to stand out from the other exhibitors and provide you with a professional backdrop proudly, or subtlety, portraying your corporate identity with the use of color, graphics and logos.

To further enhance the look and usability of your trade booth there are a wide range of exhibition stands, display boards and accessories available that combine both traditional and new, innovative materials. Plinths, podiums and workstations, with circular or square work tops, being some of the more popular accessories.

These should all help you engage a buyers attention and draw them into your stand for further investigation, after all that is one of the major goals at trade shows: to gather potential leads so you can follow up at a later date.

You should also not that, when not in use many modern exhibition stands have space-saving features that allow them to condense down and fit into wheeled transit cases that can easily into the boot of a car.

All of which goes to make exhibitions stands a versatile yet powerful marketing and promotional tool that can make your booth stand out from the crowd and pull in the customers!

Getting The Most From Attending A Trade Show

Trade shows can be an excellent opportunity for you and your business, whether you are an entrepreneur or you’re representing the company you work for. Thousands of people set up trade show booths and trade show displays across the country at a huge variety of industry events. However, many people don’t know how to take advantage of the opportunities a trade show offers. Some plan on simply attending, setting up their trade show booth, and then staying there all day hoping to...

Keywords:

trade, show, marketing, tips, displays

Article Body:

Trade shows can be an excellent opportunity for you and your business, whether you are an entrepreneur or you’re representing the company you work for. Thousands of people set up trade show booths and trade show displays across the country at a huge variety of industry events. However, many people don’t know how to take advantage of the opportunities a trade show offers. Some plan on simply attending, setting up their trade show booth, and then staying there all day hoping to attract new business. Manning a trade show display is only part of the reason you should be attending a trade show. The other vendors at a trade show can provide you with a wealth of new information and contacts in your industry; all accessible in the same room on the same day—this is the unparalleled attraction of a trade show for your business.

If you plan to attend a trade show, make sure you are not the only person there representing your company, even if you are a small business owner with few employees or a sole proprietorship. You will need at least one person to staff your trade show booth, and another to walk the floor taking in the other trade show displays. If necessary, get your spouse or a good friend to come with you and give them a crash course on how to handle your trade show booth while you check out the other vendors – and only do so when it is slow so you don’t miss important business opportunities. When you make reservations for the hotel you will stay at during the show, try to find a room as close as possible to the actual location—preferably within walking distance. That way, you won’t have to bring anything with you to the venue other than the materials for your trade show display.

Before you attend a trade show, go over the list of vendors who plan to put up trade show booths. Make lists of the vendors you must see, the vendors you would like to see, and those you can live without seeing. You may even be able to schedule appointments with your top priority vendors. Research the companies and determine ahead of time what you would like to find out from each trade show display and what your goals are regarding each vendor: are they competition, or a potential contact? If they are a potential contact, how would they specifically benefit your company? Have questions ready to ask vendors to save yourself time walking the floor. Another good timesaving strategy is to obtain a map and a directory of the trade show when you arrive on location, before the show begins. Use the map to plan your route, and check your prioritized list of vendors against the directory to find out whether any vendors have been added or dropped out.

During the trade show, be active in your quest for information. Don’t feel bad about passing by trade show booths that don’t interest you. Like you, they are attending the trade show to generate new business, and they don’t want to waste time talking to someone who isn’t a potential customer. Visit your targeted trade show displays, engage in a dialogue with the vendors, and ask questions. If the trade show booth offers handouts, samples or other materials, take only those you actually want to find out more about. It can be difficult to tote a loose stack of glossy brochures, catalogues, and bulky product samples around a busy trade show floor. If possible, arm yourself with an empty briefcase or duffel bag to stow materials. Use your time wisely to gather intelligence on your competition and make new industry contacts that will benefit your company.

When the trade show ends, especially if it is a multiple-day event, take the time to make notes and organize the materials you gathered before you leave the event. If you need to mail reports, brochures or other materials to your colleagues, prepare the mailings right away while “who gets what” is still fresh in your mind. Make sure to store your trade show display safely so nothing is damaged and you can find everything you need the following day. When you return from the trade show, remember to follow up with the contacts you have made—and start preparing for next year’s trade show!

Equipment Ownership 101: Tools Of The Tractor Trade

A growing number of American families are getting back to nature and purchasing rural spreads--their own "little pieces of heaven."

Keywords:

Equipment Ownership 101: Tools Of The Tractor Trade

Article Body:

A growing number of American families are getting back to nature and purchasing rural spreads-their own "little pieces of heaven." And in the beginning, they may feel they can handle all of the related outdoor tasks. But work and school schedules often leave only the evenings and weekends for chores, so it becomes increasingly difficult to keep the property maintained.

To that end, many homeowners with acreage to maintain recognize that compact utility tractors are some of the handiest machines available to efficiently tackle chores ranging from mowing and blading to hauling and cultivating.

"We thought we could handle all of our outdoor tasks by hand, but our place was starting to look ratty," explains Mike Hepworth, who, with his wife Nikki, bought a home and three acres in Prineville, Ore. "It was then that we decided we wanted one piece of equipment that would do what we needed around our home. That's when we started looking at compact utility tractors."

In recent years, the marketplace has exploded with a flood of products from dozens of manufacturers, which can make finding the right tractor a daunting task. However, keeping a few key criteria top of mind when considering your next compact utility tractor can make the buying decision much easier and more enjoyable.

Your Acreage Can Have

The Answers

Before looking at tractors, take a look at your property. What type of work needs to be done? Tougher tasks demand more horsepower and versatility. Other chores, covering more acres, require a larger tractor for greater efficiency. Making a list of current and future chores you want to tackle around your property can help you determine exactly what you need.

Not Just A Purchase

Skimping on quality to save money may be more costly in the long run. Make sure the tractor is capable of the work you demand of it. Otherwise, you may put extra strain on the machine, risking expensive repair and downtime.

"The upgrade from our old tractor to the John Deere 2210 enabled us to have more power to do our chores more efficiently without causing strain on the tractor," explains Mike. "And because the John Deere provided more implement options, we were able to cut down on the amount of equipment we had in our shed and rely more on our tractor as a universal machine for our chores."

See For Yourself

Long hours can seem even longer when you're working with equipment that doesn't work with you. What appears to be your perfect match on paper may not live up to the task, which is why it is important to test-drive any tractor. Pay attention to comfort and ease of operation. If it's not easy to use, chances are you won't use it often.

Go Behind The Scenes

When you purchase equipment, you engage in a partnership. Get to know your dealer and their commitment to you. Find out what services they provide from financing, warranties, maintenance and hands-on advice.

"We rely on our tractor to do almost every heavy-duty outdoor chore, which is why it needed to be durable, dependable and reliable," says Mike. "We found peace of mind in John Deere's long history in the tractor business. In addition, our dealer was awesome to work with, and supported us even after the sale was made."

Fill In the Gaps with International Trade!

The idea of going international may sound only possible for the “big dogs”. It may seem difficult, stressful, or even pricey. Not true. There are people all over the world in need of what you have to sell and reaching out to them is sometimes as easy as a phone call or the push of a few buttons on your lap top. Following are several hints to successfully expanding your business
worldwide.

Keywords:

international trade, wholesale, distributor, industrial supplies, duct tapes, adhesive tapes

Article Body:

Owning your own business is difficult at times. Competition is greater because you have less “man power”, less products, and often times less money going into the business than what is coming out. At times, your product may not be selling well in your area, or may eventually become obsolete all together. If the success of your product depends on things such as say, the weather, then you may be slow for several months out of the year and this could cause financial difficulty.

Think about expanding your business through international trade. The idea of going international may sound only possible for the “big dogs”. It may seem difficult, stressful, or even pricey. Not true. There are people all over the world in need of what you have to sell and reaching out to them is sometimesas easy as a phone call or the push of a few buttons on your lap top. Following are several hints to successfully expanding your business
worldwide.

First, you may want to look at importing and exporting. Though importing, you could provide a greater variety to the product you’re selling with similar products from other countries. The buying or manufacturing of products from other countries may also be cheaper than production where you are. Also, the products that you import would be unique therefore your customers
would be coming to only you for them. The advantage of exporting are many. The use or need for your product could become obsolete in your country after a few years especially if you are selling computer or data products; but it could be a new, hot commodity in another country.
Say your country is experiences a consumer drought, but in other countries their economy is booming! You want your product to be where the money is. As I stated before, if your product is weather or season dependant, exporting could benefit you during those several months out of
the year when your product is not needed.

Consider adding mail order services to your present business. You can increase your selling power by using this method of selling which is favorable to international trade. The internet is a prosperous way that businesses are getting the news of their products worldwide. Use websites, online stores, and affiliate marketing strategies to obtain foreign business. The internet is not going anywhere anytime soon. And more and more people are jumping on to the whole idea of being able to shop at home. Get your product online so that it can be seen by people everywhere there is an outlet and electricity!!!

Becoming a licensing agent has its international trading benefits as well. You can earn royalties if you arrange for foreign corporations to manufacture and sell products from domestic companies. Most business owners have no idea the amount of money that they can make simply finding foreign buyers for domestic companies. On the flip side, you can earn fees from foreign companies for finding domestic corporations who are willing to buy their
products.

As a single source supplier, Electro Tape Specialities ability to furnish a wide ange of pressure sensitive tape products has enhanced the companies value to distributors. In addition to everything Electro Tape Specialties has to offer, the company now introduces a new website that promises a more attractive look and easier navigations. When corporations search for cable ties, duct tapes, packaging tapes, or stucco tapes, viewers will now find descriptions, features, and physical properties; everything a consumer needs to find what is best for their company.

http://www.electrotape.com

Cheap Trade Show Displays

If you want to be cost effective with your trade show exhibitions or if you are preparing for your first trade show, you should choose cheap trade show displays for the best deal. Trade shows are effective sales devices for growing business, and most new enterprises are not financially strong enough to spend a large amount on an elaborate trade show display, so opting for a cheap display is a good idea. Don't try to produce a do-it-yourself display, instead, look for experts who can produce cost effective trade show displays that fit your budget.

Keywords:

Cheap Trade Show Displays, Custom Trade Show Displays, Portable Trade Show Displays, Trade Show Display Booths

Article Body:

If you want to be cost effective with your trade show exhibitions or if you are preparing for your first trade show, you should choose cheap trade show displays for the best deal. Trade shows are effective sales devices for growing business, and most new enterprises are not financially strong enough to spend a large amount on an elaborate trade show display, so opting for a cheap display is a good idea. Don't try to produce a do-it-yourself display, instead, look for experts who can produce cost effective trade show displays that fit your budget.

There are many ways to get cheap trade show displays. First, always consider a rollup or banner display, as they are light, inexpensive, and easy to transport. Banners with graphic headlines can easily attract attention. You can use them anywhere and greatly minimize the cost of your booth. Secondly, if you want to use small space, a tabletop display unit would be the perfect because it is small, light, professional looking, and less expensive than a full booth. Thirdly, if buying would be a problem for you, then you should consider getting a rental display for the tradeshow. You can modify a used display and convert it to fit your needs. You can also form a partnership with someone who is participating in the show in order to share expenses.

The growing trend of tradeshows has given birth to many companies specializing in cheap trade show displays. It is hard for new businesses to spend lots of money on tradeshows, but the company must participate in the shows in order to expand. The best option for these companies is to choose a cheap tradeshow display.

Cost Saving Trade Show Exhibits for the Growing Company

In order to achieve a company’s new image while keeping a handle on its budget, a good interim step for a firm that wants major attention at a key trade show is a custom modular trade show display that has the "look and feel" of a high-end custom build but at a substantial cost saving.

Keywords:

trade show, trade show exhibit, trade show display, custom modular exhibits, trade show booth

Article Body:

As an early stage startup company matures, the image that was right for the times four years ago as an “up & comer” is often no longer appropriate. This emerging business now needs a more mainstream image to convey its strong new corporate identity.

The transition to a mainstream image necessitates not only a change in identity but also a change in trade show exhibit presence. Early on, portable pop up exhibits at trade shows worked. But with a company's mounting success it now needs an image that reflects its solid business stature as a true leader in its field. However, before being tempted to leap into a major investment in a custom build mega trade show exhibit, there is a practical intermediate step.

In order to achieve a company’s new image while keeping a handle on its budget, a good interim step for a firm that wants major attention at a key trade show is a custom modular trade show display that has the "look and feel" of a high-end custom build but at a substantial cost saving.

In terms of projecting awareness, the custom modular exhibit succeeds in reinforcing a company’s new prestigious image while reducing the operating costs associated with a custom build by 75%. The custom modular exhibit saves not only on the design and productions costs of a custom construction but also on such expenses as drayage, shipping, installation and dismantling.

Additionally, the configuration of the exhibit is expandable into a variety of spaces -- including a 10x20, 20x20, 20x30 or larger to scale with a company’s growth, enabling them to service large and small trade shows alike.

As the growing company moves into a stepped up trade show venture, it can benefit from an experienced trade show exhibit design and construction company. The company’s display team should be able to work seamlessly with a professional exhibit design firm to determine and meet key trade show deadlines and assembly demands.

Keeping costs on target should be a top priority for the expanding company. Before venturing into a top-end custom build spectacular, there’s good logic in taking an appropriate next stage exhibit step. For comparison, here are seven cost savings benefits of a custom modular vs. custom exhibit:

1. Less shipping and drayage expense:
The 75% lighter weight custom modular exhibit keeps shipping and drayage costs in line with a trade show exhibit designed with less weight and compact packing.
2. Reduction of trade show storage costs:
75% fewer crates reduces storage costs substantially.
3. Lower labor costs due to ease of setup:
A smaller crew is needed so less time is required to install and dismantle exhibit.
4. Less Refurbishing required:
Panels can be removed from the crate by hand reducing the amount of potential damage to the display. A forklift never touches a panel keeping trade show related repair costs at a minimum.
5. Flexibility:
The versatile custom modular unit facilitates expanding or reducing trade show exhibit space without adding a variety of expensive components.
6. Quality of Trade Show Exhibit Consistency:
Interchangeable panels and components built the same way every time to strict quality standards save costs and time.
7. Potential 10% reduction in cost of production and reduced design time:

The majority of trade show design elements could be pre-engineered which reduces the time to build and money spent in production.

Custom modular exhibits are increasing in popularity as the next stage exhibit option in the trade show industry because they offer designs that create tremendous impact, ease of use and cost savings. Smart companies are looking to succeed in trade show exposure while properly managing the balance between dramatic exposure and disciplined cost constraints.

Dick Wheeler is President of Professional Exhibits & Graphics, headquartered in Sunnyvale, California. The firm is a full-service premiere trade show exhibit, graphics and management services company. For additional information, go to www.proexhibits.com.
© Copyright 1996-2006, Professional Exhibits & Graphics. All Rights Reserved

Buying vs. Renting Your Next Trade Show Exhibit

Are you thinking about purchasing a display, but not sure about the investment? Renting may be the best option. Good justifications can be made for both renting and purchasing a trade show exhibit. This sometimes stressful decision depends on the nature of your trade show program, marketing goals, and budget.

Keywords:

trade show exhibits, rental displays, portable displays, exhibit rental

Article Body:

Are you thinking about purchasing a display, but not sure about the investment? Renting may be the best option. Good justifications can be made for both renting and purchasing a trade show exhibit. This sometimes stressful decision depends on the nature of your trade show program, marketing goals, and budget.

Renting can be a wise decision when your company has decided to start exhibiting at trade shows, your company is new and wants to make an initial big splash with a smaller budget, or your trade show schedule has overlapping shows and you need a second display. When first developing a trade show program to drive, supplement, or diversify your marketing mix, it can be difficult to determine the best exhibit for your needs. Making a large financial commitment on an exhibit under these circumstances can be a daunting task. Analyzing your company's needs and choosing the right booth is integral to a successful trade show. It can be a good idea to rent rather than purchase a display even after you have done your research and decided on the best exhibit to fit your needs. This offers you an opportunity to "test drive" your exhibit. This renting strategy can also be used anytime you need to purchase a new exhibit, even if you have a trade show program already established.

Trade shows are huge undertakings, and when launching a start-up company with new products, trade shows are almost always in the marketing mix. Yet an exhibit, as integral as it is to a trade show, is one of the last things a marketing manager is thinking about when trying to launch a new company's concept, service, or product at an industry trade show. All the tasks that go into a show exhibit - transportation, drayage, installation and dismantling - can be major headaches when you have leads and clients to cater to, not to mention promotional materials and product samples. Renting often relieves this burden since most display rental companies handle the installation and dismantling, shipping and drayage of the rental display, which frees up your time to handle more important things.

Renting a booth may be a great idea when purchasing an exhibit is not an option. This greatly reduces the initial expenditure and allows you to maintain the visual presence necessary to generate leads at a show.

If you only attend one show per year, it may be more beneficial to rent a display and purchase graphics, however if your organization has a more rigorous convention schedule, it will be more economical to purchase an exhibit. Typically, after about four shows the rental booth costs would have covered the purchase of a new exhibit.

The best of both rental and purchase worlds is when the rental display company offers a rebate plan similar to OneSource Exhibits' Rental Rebate Program, which allows 100 percent of the rental fee to be applied toward the purchase price of a similar display if purchased within 90 days of the rental. This gives your company the flexibility to determine which type of display will work best for your trade show program prior to buying the exhibit. Call a OneSource Exhibits Consultant today at 800-767-8225 to learn more about our wide variety of rental displays.

Hands On Trade Show Exhibits Lure Attendees

When trade show exhibit goers walk the vast exhibit hall floors and come upon highly creative, interactive trade show displays, they get to stop and join in some fun. The trade show attendee becomes part of the exhibit. By using experiential activity, the trade show exhibitor not only entertains but also educates their key customer prospects with entertaining “hands on” experiences.

Keywords:

trade show, trade show exhibit, trade show display, custom modular exhibits, trade show booth

Article Body:

When trade show exhibit goers walk the vast exhibit hall floors and come upon highly creative, interactive trade show displays, they get to stop and join in some fun. The trade show attendee becomes part of the exhibit. By using experiential activity, the trade show exhibitor not only entertains but also educates their key customer prospects with entertaining “hands on” experiences.

Why are such participatory activities important at trade shows? Quite simply: they boost traffic to the trade show exhibit site, leading to product interest and often substantial sales from experiencing first hand a dynamic new product.
When Event Marketer covered the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas in early January 2006, they found exceptional trade show exhibits that offered interactive experiences. Here are a few exhibitors whose “hands on” trade show displays showcased new product trials on the trade show floor:

Canon -- Canon’s goal was to get attendees’ hands on its products. They had three hands-on display islands staffed by representatives. One of the islands featured PowerShot and EOS cameras and camcorders, another showcased printers, and the third island featured smaller digital cameras and camcorders. Canon also had a theater that mimicked a working film set with camera booms and professional stage lighting. Visitors demonstrated Canon’s new products and took photos and videos of a working model-train village choo-chooing away in their center island.

Dolby -- A TrueHD Theater was Dolby’s centerpiece to run demos of its high-definition audio technology. Separate semi-enclosed zones showed off Dolby’s audio technology for HDTV home theaters, surround-sound video gaming, and PC home audio. The gaming zone offered visitors a chance to try Burnout, the new Xbox 360 racing game. The Xbox’s Dolby Digital sound technology seduced game enthusiasts to come try their new products.

Garmin -- Several interactive demonstration stations helped Garmin get its portable navigation systems into people’s hands. Two circular islands each featured eight handheld navigation units for visitors to try, while plasma screens atop the stations ran videos about the products.

Nokia – The company divided sections of the trade show exhibit—which featured everything from its mobile office products to its latest Bluetooth-capable phones—to create individual environments for products and presentations. Visitors checked out the products on tables on the main floor. Nokia created interactivity with touch-screen computer kiosk booths, where trade show attendees could learn more about key product features.

Remember that people want to try before they buy. At trade shows, they want to see for themselves and be part of the action. That is why the use of interactivity works especially well at trade show displays that introduce new products and services.

Dick Wheeler is President of Professional Exhibits & Graphics, headquartered in Sunnyvale, California. The firm is a full-service premiere trade show exhibit, graphics and management services company. For addtional information, go to www.proexhibits.com.
© Copyright 1996-2006, Professional Exhibits & Graphics. All Rights Reserved

Generating Leads And Making Sales: Advice For Trade Show Exhibitors

Trade shows are one of the best ways to market your products or services and advertise your business to interested buyers

Keywords:

trade shows, marketing, business shows,

Article Body:

If you are getting ready to set up a trade show booth for a show, then you are already being business-savvy and doing the smart thing. Trade shows are one of the best ways to market your products or services and advertise your business to interested buyers. Even for successful companies, trade shows can increase sales and public exposure dramatically. Trade show booths allow businesses to directly connect with the people that purchase their products or services.

Though the reasons for exhibiting at a trade show are obvious, simply setting up a trade show booth is not enough if you really want to make the most of your expense and time. Generating leads and making sales are your priorities and your trade show booth – both the physical space and the display – can help you do this. When you are displaying a trade show booth, you want to project just the right image for your company; one that makes potential clients want to learn more after their first glance. Although people’s eyes should be drawn to your trade show booth, it shouldn’t be because it is simply flashier or louder than the others. Flashy or loud may be good for sales if your business is video games or music, but if your business is selling gourmet foods to restaurants you probably don’t want to advertise your booth with a flashing neon light or loud ear-splitting rap music. Your trade show booth should reflect your company’s brand and market, while still offering just that little extra effect that makes it stand out. This may sound difficult, but it really isn’t. It just takes a little pre-trade show planning.

For the sake of keeping it simple, let’s say that your business is selling candles wholesale to retail outlets. You want your trade show booth to let people know immediately what your business is all about and understand immediately why your business is unique and worth looking into. Remember, depending on the trade show there may be other businesses that sell the same thing you do, so just simply stating your business name and what you do will not be enough. You don’t want to be obnoxious, though, so having a hundred lit candles placed all over your booth would be too much. Don’t overwhelm potential clients – it will turn people away. A better idea would be to display your best candles around the booth, unlit, and then have professional brochures placed next to each type of candle that you are advertising. Offer coupons for large discounts or money-back guarantees on a first bulk-purchase – this shows that you have complete confidence in your product. And consider a giveaway like a tealight or other small candle so attendees can take your product with them. This encourages them to use your product and to contact you if they are interested.

Remember that it is your expertise and professional demeanor that people will remember the most, despite all of your display magic. Though the day may prove to be long, remember to sound fresh and excited when talking to each prospective client. Every interaction is a chance to make sales and generate leads. Practice your sales techniques in front of a mirror if you think that will help. Ask friends and colleagues what they think of your sales pitches, and be willing to accept constructive criticism. Most of all, with each potential client, project confidence. If you can show that you really believe and are excited about your product, your enthusiasm will be contagious.

A trade show is a good venue to generate sales leads and establish new business contacts. Making a sales presentation is easy - you know your product and can speak to its features and benefits. You likely have several different presentations depending on the audience, length of time you have to speak and the product you are showcasing. Use these presentations while you are meeting with prospective clients at your trade show booth and you will feel confident that you are providing them with the pertinent information they need about your company and products. Think of a trade show as a place where you can make many sales presentations all day long to a targeted audience of people attending the trade show. This is the best way to exude confidence and make sales.

Create a Trade Show Booth That Generates Buzz

o introduce the latest technologies, the most effective trade show displays combined drama, creativity and design to broadcast their message and pound home their brand awareness. On the other hand, there were trade show exhibits that lacked creativity and pizzazz and went virtually unnoticed by the milling show floor throng.

Keywords:

trade show, trade show exhibit, trade show display, custom modular exhibits, trade show booth

Article Body:

The Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas in early January 2006 was a blow-out four-day trade show attracting some 150,000 guests and 2,500 exhibitors. The trade show floor was 28 football field’s worth of space and exhibits spanned 1.6 billion square feet of convention space. This dynamic trade show gave us a peek into the future of a plug and play lifestyle where we can work, play, and keep in touch when we want, where we want.

“The incredible momentum around these new products and services shows that the digital lifestyle has truly gone mainstream this year,” Microsoft chairman Bill Gates said in his opening keynote address. “Now it’s time to bring together the devices, software, and services in people’s lives and take all these experiences to the next level.”

To introduce the latest technologies, the most effective trade show displays combined drama, creativity and design to broadcast their message and pound home their brand awareness. On the other hand, there were trade show exhibits that lacked creativity and pizzazz and went virtually unnoticed by the milling show floor throng.
Clients who want their trade show appearance to make a dramatic impact often ask about the traits of a trade show booth that hits it big on all cylinders. They want to know what the innovative trade show leaders do differently and how they can also stand out against the competition.

Event Marketer covered the CES show and ranked the trade show booths as to their appeal. Just a few of their favorites were AOL, Dolby and Daewoo. Here are a few pointers that resulted from why they picked these trade show exhibits:

1. Have your trade show booth provide a valuable service to attendees
AOL scored big when they offered their high speed Internet service free to all weary trade show goers. Attendees found a comfortable place to relax, check their email, and surf the web. While this was going on, AOL got to showcase their company’s services such as music on demand, Mobile, AIM, and City Guide. This was a win-win situation that helped trade show attendees check in with their offices in real time while appreciating AOL as their host.

2. Find a location that stands apart from the crowd
AOL was inside the concierge tent and therefore got lots of exposure and foot traffic. They commanded a corner in the concierge tent which was located in the parking lot outside the main hall. Their entry had a 20-screen TV wall showing brand logos and concert videos. There were 20 laptops for guests to use and six were mounted on mechanical arms, which could be reached by attendees relaxing in comfortable chairs.

3. Find creative ways to be “in the moment”. AOL corporate executives off site were able to view the inside of their trade show booth as a web camera filmed the action inside their booth at the show in real time. They could critique booth activity in real time and coach exhibit personnel on traffic flow, visitor reactions and fresh ideas for engaging prospects.

4. Use eye-catching designs, shapes and tension fabrics. Daewoo used a large wall constructed of 17 LCD screens with 36 fabric screens with rear-projected graphics as its focal point. Huge fin-shaped tension fabric structures with custom lighting lined TV display stands at the sides of the exhibit. They used a logo laden two-sided tower perched on top of the info desk at the entrance with 10 LCD screens built into the pillar. Visitors were fascinated by the compelling visual drama.

5. Create a space for attendees to try out your products. Dolby had a gaming zone that allowed guests to try out their new Xbox 360 racing game, Burnout. The Xbox’s Dolby Digital sound was like a beckon that cast a spell on visitors alluring them to the trade show booth.

Remember that by incorporating movement, color, lights and action in your trade show booth you get to showcase new technology while entertaining and mesmerizing your guests. Techniques such as these can make for an unforgettable trade show experience.

Dick Wheeler is President of Professional Exhibits & Graphics, headquartered in Sunnyvale, California. The firm is a full-service premiere trade show exhibit, graphics and management services company. For addtional information, go to www.proexhibits.com.
© Copyright 1996-2006, Professional Exhibits & Graphics. All Rights Reserved