Trade Show Insights

One of the primary reasons that people continue to attend trade shows in the digital age is because as humans, we crave the feeling of community and connection. We enjoy sharing experiences and solutions with other like-minded individuals. Whether you’re an exhibitor or show organizer, if you can faciliate a way for attendees to connect and share ideas, your value and expertise will increase in th...

If you’ve been in the trade show world for very long, you’ve likely seen examples of giveaways gone horribly wrong. On today’s podcast with guest expert Rama Beerfas, we share stories of low-tech items that went straight to the nearest trash can (or to the hotel maid) and high-tech items that created big safety hazards. You’ll discover how to avoid disasters like these with questions you never kne...

Exhibitors often believe it’s the trade show organizer’s job to generate traffic, but that’s not true. The show organizer’s focus is on bringing attendees to the event, but it’s up to you to draw them into your own booth space. One great way to do that is by designing an engaging booth attraction. Today’s attendees are on sensory overload, with colorful banners and LED walls at every turn. But all...

There’s no doubt we live in a noisy world with thousands of messages constantly flying at us from all directions, both online and off. That assault of information definitely holds true for a trade show floor as well – perhaps even more so because of the concentration of messages in a limited space and timeframe. So what hope does any exhibitor have of standing out in this ocean of messages? The ke...

If you’ve ever been in charge of a booth staff team, you may have discovered that not everyone is cut out for booth duty. Granted, there may be times when you’re told who will be working the booth and you don’t have any say in the decision. But whenever you do have the opportunity to influence or select who’s going to represent your company on the show floor, here are some guidelines for you. Firs...

For this final post of 2018, I want to share some behind-the-scenes insights with you. But first, a huge thank-you for being a reader/listener/fan of Trade Show Insights! You are the reason I do what I do, and I don’t ever want to take you for granted. If you’ve followed me for a while, you know that each year at this time I take a Strategic Retreat and take time to reflect and review the previous...

I love helping exhibitors discover the amazing power of trade show marketing! It’s fun to be a part of the brainstorming and strategizing for all aspects of their exhibits. It’s even more fun when I hear reports back from them about how they smashed all goals they had going into the show, and how response to their booth was beyond expectations. That’s exactly the report I received from Jeanne Bear...

I grew up on a farm outside a small-ish town (less than 20,000), and I can remember thinking my dad knew everyone. But that’s how it is in small towns – people take the time to get to know their neighbors and pay attention to what happens in their community and how they can support each other. And so it should be in the trade show community. No matter how small or large the show, you’re all there...

It’s an ongoing problem among exhibitors: too many carefully-gathered leads end up leading nowhere! But it doesn’t have to be that way. There are simple steps you can implement to set your leads on the path to a long-term relationship with your company – and several of them can take place earlier than you may expect. It may sound crazy, but the first step actually happens before they’re officially...

If you pay attention to the news, you can't miss what should be warning signs: hurricanes, wildfires, mass shootings such as the one in Las Vegas, and other tragedies like the recent Branson Duck Boat incident. But when was the last time you paid attention to the news to discern what lessons you can learn and apply at your events? Today's guest expert is Joan Eisenstodt, who guides us through the...

Gamification. It’s a word you’ve probably been hearing a lot in the business world lately. But have you taken steps to implement it into your exhibit marketing? Today’s guest expert is Samuel J. Smith from Interactive Meeting Technology, LLC. Scroll down to listen as he not only explains what gamification is, but also gives you insights on: How adding a game element in your booth can motivate atte...

Successful exhibit marketing isn’t the result of one “magic wand” thing you do. It happens because you take the time to think through the entire process and make adjustments as needed. So along those lines, here are six tweaks you can make that probably won’t cost all that much (some are entirely free), but will pay off by giving you more leads who are better qualified. Prefer to listen to this ar...

Chances are you’re still recovering from all the mad rush to comply with the GDPR deadline last month. But just because that date has passed doesn’t mean you can relax just yet. Today’s guest expert is Jay Tokosch, CEO of Core-apps. Scroll down to listen as he offers some post-GDPR tips and a bit of perspective, including: Why these new regulations matter for all shows (even if you think you don’t...

If you think direct mail is an “old-school tool,” you don’t understand the power of today’s technology. Today’s guest expert is Gina Danner, CEO of NextPage in Kansas City. Scroll down to listen as she shares how direct mail has evolved with options such as: Blended online/offline marketing campaigns Personalized mailings that go far beyond “Dear Sue” Highly-targeted communications (both during an...

How focused are you on what happens to the leads you gathered once the trade show is over? Perhaps you answered that “It’s not my problem – I simply hand them off to the sales department (or someone else).” But you know what? Even if that’s the case, you want to take steps to ensure those leads are well taken care of post-show. Because here are the hard facts: paying attention to what happens afte...

It’s a challenge I hear from exhibitors all the time: How can we possibly stand out with only a 10-by-10-foot booth in a sea of (much larger) exhibits? And while that scenario may feel impossible to overcome, it really isn’t. Ultimately, it doesn’t matter how big or small your company is, how well known you are, or how much money you’ve spent to be there. Sometimes the ‘little guys’ can actually d...

No matter whether you’re an exhibitor or a show organizer, there are often times when you may also be walking the show floor as an attendee. Do you know how to make the most of that role? Here are a few strategic tips for before, during, and after the show that will make you more productive as an attendee. Prefer to listen to this article? Just click on the play button at the bottom of this entry!...

Making a huge splash at a trade show isn’t limited to the biggest exhibits or the biggest budgets. International Paper (IP) proved that when they became the talk of the Adobe MAX show by creating a family of Print Guys who came to life with the help of augmented reality. Today’s guest expert is Emilee Christianson from Trekk, the creative services agency who worked with IP to design their exhibit...

If you’re a follower of Trade Show Insights – or you’ve attended any of my workshops – you’ve probably heard me talk about the importance of rewarding your team. Celebrating your wins not only results in happier teammates and reduced stress, but it also helps to build a feeling of community and camaraderie among your team. Now that doesn’t mean you should only reward those who work your trade show...

Admit it … how many times have you attended conference sessions or webinars excited about all the great ideas, but yet you haven’t implemented any of the things you learned? I get it! I’ve got notebooks full of notes – many of which I’ve never looked at since the workshop. Prefer to listen to this article? Just click on the play button at the bottom of this entry! And tools? I’ve got software sitt...

As 2017 winds down, you’ll likely begin focusing on what to do to kick off the new year and set yourself and your team up for success. But too often, that means big things in January that dwindle as the year goes on. Don’t let this happen to you! It is possible to create an atmosphere of ongoing successes and wins. Here are a few key strategies to help you do that. Prefer to listen to this article...

Just because the trade show has ended doesn’t mean your job is done. Actually, that’s when the relationship with all those newly-gathered leads truly begins. Contrary to what many exhibitors assume, it doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive to build that relationship. Guest expert Sandy Martini shares insights on: What lead nurturing is and how it can be a win-win for both you and the lead Wh...

It’s a sad fact of our modern culture that many things with little to no value receive a high percentage of attention, particularly in the popular media. But just because reality TV and do-nothing celebrities take over our national spotlight, that’s no reason to let gimmicks take over your exhibit marketing plan. Here are four areas of caution for exhibitors: Designing a display for shock value al...

It’s a hard truth: most exhibitors aren’t as successful as they could be. Do they realize they’re setting themselves up to fail? Probably not. The irony is that almost every single exhibitor could easily improve their results by ditching one or more of the following bad habits and strategies. Hopefully you don’t see yourself in these examples, but in case you do … now is the time to make a lasting...

It seems last month’s post on Reinventing the Trade Show Floor touched a few nerves. First, there were a handful of unsubscribes from my monthly ezine. Then there were some heated comments in social media. It’s always amazing how pointing out the obvious can get people so fired up. You’ve got to wonder where the root of all that defensive ire is coming from. Sometimes I think it’s because facing c...