Trade Show Insights

When I was a kid, I loved going to the Kansas State Fair. But not for the same reason that many of my friends went — while they were riding rides and eating cotton candy and other stereotypical Fair foods, I was hanging out in the exhibit building. (My Mom laughs that it was an early indication of my life in the world of trade shows.) If you’ve never been to a State Fair (or it’s smaller counterpa...

How do you find out about great books? If you’re like me, you often have friends who are raving about them. Once in awhile, it seems like you’re hearing about them everywhere you go. Two of these three titles are like that for me. The first one, Pop!, was first referred by a friend on Facebook, but soon I began seeing it mentioned all over the place. Once I took time to check it out, I discovered...

Earlier this month, my husband came home from work and asked if I’d seen that day’s Dilbert cartoon about trade shows. When I said no, he presented me with a copy of the comic strip. If you haven’t seen it, here’s the link to read it online before we continue with the analysis. Basically, Dilbert’s boss asks how things went at the trade show. The report sounds hauntingly familiar of many companies...

If you’ve ever used Twitter, you’re likely familiar with the image of the “fail whale” which appears when Twitter’s servers are over capacity. Perhaps convention centers need a similar warning for trade show exhibitors & attendees … In recent years, convention centers across the U.S. have been updating and renovating their facilities with new additions and features. But one area that is still...

Guests for this episode are Bev & Mike Gray from Exhibit Edge, sharing tips for exhibiting at government shows and dealing with show labor (Should you use an outside contractor?). The conversation also covers exhibit design trends, the importance of a good strategy, and why trade shows aren’t going away. Duration: 21 min. 58 sec. Size: 31.8 MB

Recently a friend shared with me how a client of hers was frustrated because he wasn’t getting more business. When she asked him to share his 30-second “elevator speech,” he rattled off a bunch of corporate-speak, including multiple uses of the word “fiduciary.” Now if you’re like me, my friend, and most of the population, you’ve heard the word and know it’s a financial term, but not 100 percent s...

Today is Leap Day, which brings to mind the famous quote from astronaut Neil Armstrong: “One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.” While it may be a stretch to say that exhibiting could offer a giant leap for all mankind, it can offer a giant leap for your business. Next week is the annual EXHIBITOR Show in Vegas where the industry’s movers and shakers will be showing off what’s new in...

Because I’ve participated in more trade shows than I can remember (since shortly after college when I was a brand-new entrepreneur), it’s tough to even recall my very first experience. But there are definitely some rookie mistakes that I remember from those early years! 1 – Don’t stand behind a table. Where did you learn how to exhibit? Odds are you learned by watching others, just like I did. Unf...

How friendly is your booth for deaf attendees? It’s likely a question you’ve never considered, but you should. Susan Layton of E Interpreting Services has been interpreting for almost 20 years and has some excellent advice for both exhibitors and show managers on how to better communicate with more than 10 million members of the Deaf community in the U.S. Duration:  18 min. 41 sec. Size:  21.6 MB

If you’ve ever used (or thought about using) promotional products as part of your exhibit marketing plan, you’ll want to hear what Ben Baker, President of CMYK Solutions in British Columbia, has to say. In this episode, he shares tips for exhibitors on what’s hot and what’s not, as well as what’s smart in today’s promotional products. He also addresses how to make sure your promotions are genuinel...

In honor of the 40th anniversary of Earth Day, we’re taking a look at how the trade show industry is going green. Our guest, Scott McKye from KleerTech, offers on easy steps that exhibitors, show managers, and meeting planners can take to create more environmental-friendly events along with the inside scoop on the latest Accepted Practices Exchange (APEX) initiatives. In the interview, Scott also...

Show labor has been a hot topic lately, especially relating to shows at McCormick Place in Chicago. In this episode, guest Frank Vavpotic from CEP Exhibit Productions shares some perspective and insider tips based on his years of experience in the Chicago trade show world. Duration:  18 min. 14 sec. Size:  22.1 MB

This episode marks the relaunch of the Trade Show Insights podcast, now located at www.tradeshowinsights.com. Thanks to those who have been loyal listeners, and welcome to those who are discovering us for the first time! Today our topic is how exhibitors and show managers can work together to achieve greater success. Our guest is Aubin Wilson, former group show manager with George Little Managemen...

This year’s EXHIBITOR Show in Las Vegas was a time to come together as an industry to demonstrate that we will not only survive, but can also thrive. Companies debuted new and innovative products and services for exhibitors, and once again showcased some clever exhibit displays and booth attraction ideas. (Be sure to click “Read More” to view the photos & links!) Clever Theme & Design Exam...

The trade show world has been buzzing for weeks about the future of Macworld Expo, now that Apple won’t be exhibiting. So what does that mean for MWE, and what are the lessons for other shows? In this episode, we break it down and predict future moves for MWE. One thing they’ve done already is offer free registration to the 2010 expo (as of this writing). This episode of Trade Show Insights is pro...

Today’s episode is an excerpt from my guest appearance on Suzanne Falter-Barns’ Get Known Now teleseminar series. In this segment, we discuss the importance of exhibiting and having realistic expectations and goals. If you’d like to have a copy of the entire interview on mistakes exhibitors make, just send an e-mail with the subject line “Mistakes interview.” Other topics covered include: generati...

It’s time for our annual review of the Exhibitor Show in Vegas, held in March 2008. We’ll discover some new and innovative products and services for exhibitors, along with some clever exhibit displays and booth attraction ideas. (Be sure to click “Read More” to view the photos & links!) Booth Design Elements Last year, we featured some of the innovative earth-friendly products from Eco-Systems...

Today we conclude our two-part series on Trade Shows 2.0. Last time, we covered Web 2.0 technology tools for both exhibitors and shows. In this episode, we’ll talk about how some groups are reinventing the traditional trade show format, both online and offline. (Be sure to click “Read More” to view more information & links!) Interactive Technology for Trade Shows While virtual trade shows aren...

Today we begin a two-part series on Trade Shows 2.0. This time, we’ll cover Web 2.0 technology tools for both exhibitors and shows. In the next episode, we’ll talk about how some groups are reinventing the traditional trade show format. (This is an enhanced podcast, so if you’re watching in iTunes, you’ll see graphics and Web links included. You’ll also see these if you’re watching on your iPod or...

Today we’re finishing up a review of the Exhibitor Show in Vegas, held in March 2007. This time, we’ll continue the review, showcasing some clever exhibit displays, booth attractions, and giveaway ideas. (This is an enhanced podcast, so if you’re watching in iTunes, you’ll see photos and Web links included. You’ll also see the photos if you’re watching on your iPod or in QuickTime. Or you can clic...

For this episode of the Trade Show Insights podcast, we’re doing part one of a review of the Exhibitor Show in Vegas, held in March 2007. This time, we’ll cover some new and innovative product discoveries. Next time, we’ll continue the review with some clever exhibit displays and booth attraction ideas. (This is an enhanced podcast, so if you’re watching in iTunes, you’ll see photos and Web links...

They say without a timeline and a plan of action, goals are merely wishes. So for this first episode of the new year, it’s only appropriate that we start out talking about setting goals — how to make them achievable and measurable. We’ll also talk about how to know which shows to put into your overall exhibit plan. Industry News: IAEM changes its name to IAEE More shows are using podcasts to marke...

Two recent headlines from EXPO Magazine prompted a further look: VNU Cancels 2007 Incentive Show; Replaces with Virtual Incentive Show Javits Convention Center Expansion Breaks Ground These two headlines seem to be contradiction each other — just as the Javits begins a somewhat controversial $1.7 billion expansion, it loses one of its longstanding major shows, the Incentive Show. But along with th...

For today’s episode, we’re focusing on proper booth staff behavior. We’ll cover some of the basics of what you should … and should not be doing in your booth. For more tips on booth behavior, check out chapter 6 in Build a Better Trade Show Image. This episode of Trade Show Insights contains excerpts from Build a Better Trade Show Image, and is protected by copyright. You may share this recording...

This episode is all about attendees — trends & statistics, what attendees want, attendees to watch out for, and tips for when you’re the one walking the aisles. {UPDATE: As so often happens online, the following links are no longer operational – sorry!} Read about attendance trends (from EXPO Magazine): “Marketwatch: Trade Show Attendee Benchmarks” “Editor’s Column: Attendee Analysis” Learn mo...