Trade Show Insights

I’m not a big sports fan, but I do know that it’s a lot more fun to watch a team who works together toward winning than one where just a couple of players seem to dominate everything. In reality, the most cohesive teams are those who check their individual egos at the locker room door. But what about in the trade show world? Too often exhibitors and show managers each take an “us vs. them” approac...

Over the past few years, several U.S. venues have received or are pursuing LEED Certification as well as APEX/ASTM Certification in Standards for Environmentally Sustainable Meetings, Events, Trade Shows and Conferences. Some convention centers even have Sustainability Managers on staff to supervise their efforts and communicate with meeting planners and exhibitors. Here are some specific examples...

There’s a disorder that nearly every exhibitor suffers from at one point or another. It begins slowly, but can grow to a dangerous level. It’s called “Center of the Universe Syndrome,” (COTUS) and it can develop due to event planning stress, lack of education, or just plain laziness. It manifests as either arrogance or indifference, with exhibitors relying too much on outside circumstances (show m...

I have to confess … I enjoy watching remodeling shows on HGTV. One of those shows, Property Brothers, features families who purchase a fixer-upper with help from the realtor brother, then the handyman brother comes in and remodels it into the home of their dreams. On a recent episode, a newlywed couple had budgeted $85,000 for renovating the entire first floor of their new place. They had a plan a...

Technology options today can seem overwhelming, but fortunately we have Michelle Bruno to help sort it all out. In the second half of this two-part interview, she offers perspective on: “Second-screen” apps for interaction within live events Networking or matchmaking apps so attendees can connect Streamlining & bundling app functions to gain more users Michelle is a writer, blogger and content...

There are lots of technology terms being tossed around these days, and sometimes it’s hard to sort them all out. So we’ve invited Michelle Bruno to give us the scoop on what’s hot now, what’s coming, and how to go beyond the “cool factor” to find the right fit for your event’s needs. In the first part of this two-part interview, she discusses: RFID, NFC, QR Codes & Beacons Augmented Reality (i...

Think just because people are clamoring in your booth for your giveaway that you’ve made a big impression? Think again! Too many times exhibitors hand out trendy or cliché tchotchkes, assuming that it’s all about driving traffic. But just because they want it doesn’t mean it’s going to make a long-term impression or influence them to purchase. It’s not likely that attendees will even keep an item...

It may sound too simple to be true, but prompt and thorough follow-up may be one of the best ways to stand out from the crowd. Unfortunately, many exhibitors haven’t yet learned that important lesson. Here are some scary examples of what NOT to do (names have been omitted to protect the guilty): After visiting a travel booth at a local show, I received their information in a timely manner, but wha...

When it comes time to choose which employees will staff the booth at your next trade show, do you automatically call the sales department? If so, maybe you’d better think again. Just because someone is good at sales doesn’t mean they’ll be a natural in the trade show environment. Often, sales people forget that they don’t have time to do a complete sales pitch on every prospect that enters the boo...

A few years ago at the EXHIBITOR Show in Las Vegas, I coordinated a field trip called “TSI: Trade Show Investigation.” I led two teams of exhibitors (investigators) along the Strip, stopping at New York New York, the Venetian, and other locations to “gather evidence” of things they could use in their future exhibit displays. The idea was to cause participants to stop and examine the elements aroun...

No, we’re not talking about turning your exhibit into a theme park … at least not literally. But there’s no doubt that when it comes to memorable experiences, theme parks are king. Everything and everyone at the park is focused on the guest’s experience and how to exceed expectations. So is it magic, or how do they do it? Here are some of their strategies: Pay attention to details. At a theme park...

Before we delve into some of the most common mistakes exhibitors make when it comes to promotions, perhaps the biggest one of all is the fact that so many neglect to do anything at all to promote! They somehow think that attendees will just magically show up at their booth, or perhaps that attendees are already aware of — and eager to meet — them. Unfortunately, these exhibitors are only fooling t...

Do you speak a second language? If so, how did you learn, and how well do you communicate in that language? Personally, I took one year of French in high school, and although I sounded fairly good at the time, now pretty much all I can do is say hello (Bonjour!) and count to 10 … plus maybe a few other random words. My husband and I have also had a desire to learn Mandarin for several years and so...

How successful was your last exhibit? Did you meet your goal? Did you even have a goal? If not, how do you define success? The sad fact is that less than 25 percent of exhibitors bother to set goals, yet it’s fairly easy to do. There’s no one right answer — you must figure it out for yourself based on a number of factors. Yes, you have to do your homework! It’s highly likely that your exhibit budg...

Trade shows unfortunately have a reputation of producing massive amounts of waste, but it doesn’t have to be that way. Guest expert Dr. Sue Tinnish, Dean of the Kendall College School of Hospitality Management, shares simple steps exhibitors can take to be more sustainable while also inspiring their vendors and partners to follow suit. Some topics covered include: What is APEX and what are the APE...

Back in 1936, when Dale Carnegie published his famous How to Win Friends and Influence People, he shared a list of six ways to make people like you: Be genuinely interested in them. Smile. Remember the importance of a person’s name. Be a good listener. Talk about the other person’s interests. Make the other person feel important. It’s no surprise that the same points hold true nearly 100 years lat...

So you met a lot of interesting people and potential clients at a conference or trade show — Now what? In the second half of our interview with Cathy Jennings from No Pressure Networking, she shares tips for staying connected after the event, including how to: Set up a system that guides them through “next steps” Go beyond the e-mail inbox with “retro marketing” Follow social media etiquette guide...

Anyone can feel a bit uncomfortable at times when it comes to networking at events, no matter whether you’re an exhibitor or an attendee — and no doubt that feeling gets exponentially stronger if you’re an introvert. So how do you overcome the fear and make networking fun? In this first half of a two-part interview, Cathy Jennings from No Pressure Networking shares tips for what to do at an event,...

Green initiatives in the meetings and trade show industry have expanded in recent years and are now becoming mainstream. Hotels and convention centers are focusing on saving water, energy and waste. Some are even becoming LEED-certified buildings and using that as a selling advantage. Venues are also offering more robust recycling options so that there won’t be massive quantities of trash left beh...

No matter how great your product, if no one is attracted to your booth, you won’t have much success at a show. You’re just one of dozens (or in some cases, hundreds) of exhibits in that show hall. How can you possibly stand out? Actually, there are numerous ways to gain attention, and many of them are not expensive or complicated. As an added bonus, be sure to promote your attraction ahead of time...

Budgets. It’s one of those things that ranks right up there with a root canal when it comes to sending shivers up your spine, right? The truth is that it doesn’t have to be painful. In fact, with a few simple steps taken and time spent at the beginning of the year, you’ll be on the path to truly maximizing your exhibit investments. While smart budgeting doesn’t mean you simply throw numbers togeth...

No matter whether you’re brand new to exhibit marketing or have been exhibiting at trade shows for years, there’s one area where your mistakes are costing you – big time! Connecting with leads/prospects are the reason for exhibiting at any show, so if you’re not doing that part right, you might as well stay home. Costly Mistake #1: Failing to define what makes a qualified lead. When you exhibit, d...

Ever feel like attendees at a trade show are like kids out trick-or-treating in the neighborhood? Do you wonder if the giveaways in your booth are making a difference, or are people just out for the freebies? How much thought have you put into the selection of those items? Unfortunately, many exhibitors don’t appear to have thought very hard and a lot of them are just feeding the “gimme-gimme” men...

“Brand awareness.” “Generating buzz.” “Experiential marketing.” Everybody’s talking about these popular business topics today, but how many trade show exhibitors are really putting them into practice? Although trade shows have existed since the days of the Medieval fairs in Europe or the traveling caravans in Arabia, it’s easy to see that today’s shows are far more complex. It’s no longer about si...

Earlier this month, the Center for Exhibition Industry Research (CEIR) released their report, “How the Exhibit Dollar is Spent.” This in-depth analysis of more than 200 exhibit budgets indicates that of the $24 billion spent on trade show marketing, the largest expense is space rental (36 percent), followed by show services (including electrical, furnishings, union labor, etc. – 17 percent). Combi...