The proliferation of trade show display websites makes buying a portable display easy. Perhaps too easy. Many exhibitors, especially new ones, know little about display hardware. They see beautiful images of displays with great prices and the convenience of point and click. What arrives, however, may not match the pretty picture or the online description. 6 Mistakes To Avoid When Buying a Portable Display Sadly “putting the cart before the horse” is a common mistake when buying an exhibit, regardless of the size or price. Displays buyers become fixated on size and price instead of asking the ..read more

What to Look for in an LED Lightbox Stroll through any airport, mall, event, or trade show and you’ll see hundreds of colorful LED lightboxes in every shape and size. Over the past few years, most have switched to Backlit Tension Fabric SEG Graphics. The reasons are obvious. Not only is fabric more durable than direct print graphics, but it’s also cheaper to ship and easier to maintain. And depending on the print process, the colors are vibrant and the details nearly photographic. It’s easy to assume that all LED lightboxes and manufacturers are similar, so the only real difference is price. P ..read more

Trade Show Exhibit Appointed Contractor Using an Exhibit Appointed Contractor We are often asked, “Why use a Trade Show Exhibitor Appointed Contractor (EAC)?” Perhaps we should start with some simple definitions. General Contractor (GC) vs Exhibitor Appointed Contractor (EAC) The official show contractor is typically known as the “General Contractor.” Exhibitor Appointed Contractors, on the other hand, are many of the professionals who service the exhibitor community on the show floor prior to, during, and after the show, such as the floral companies, audio-visual providers, rental furniture c ..read more

You’re Nervous. That’s Understandable. Trade shows are like first dates, first meetings, or job interviews. Unless you have an ego like Donald Trump, these “firsts” scare the bejesus out of you. They should. No matter how well you prepare, the unknowns trump the knowns by a ratio of about 10,000 to 1. If you’ve ever been on a blind date, or even a first date with someone you’ve just met, you know that a date is about being the person you strive to be, not the person you are. Of course, not everyone has the gumption, the imagination, or the self-awareness to lift their game to the next level. S ..read more

Buying Effective Premium Incentives Premium incentives can be an effective trade show or event marketing tool when successfully linked to your company or product There are thousands of choices in incentive items, and the choices change all the time Rely on your exhibit consultant for advice about creative opportunities to use incentives as part of your overall trade show exhibit marketing campaign Incentives Whether you use the term incentives, promotional products, or giveaways, the goal is the same. Exhibitors want to capture the interest and attention of attendees at the show AND be remem ..read more

Three Reasons to Exhibit at a Trade Show With each New Year, Marketing Departments create and evaluate their annual budget.  For many companies, trade shows are a significant expense, so it’s not uncommon for the CFO to ask, “Why are we participating in Show XYZ?” It’s a valid question and one that should be asked every year. If you’re dotting all your “i’s” and crossing all your “t’s” regarding expense control, planning, post-show follow-up, and measurement, this is an easy question to answer.  You have the metrics. However, many companies don’t know how to measure trade show ROI. O ..read more

Feedback Surveys at Trade Shows Conducting Customer Feedback Surveys is a great way to obtain valuable feedback Be sure to tailor the questions to the appropriate timeframe: pre-show, show, and post-show Conducting surveys and compiling the information is only half the battle While the trade show is in full swing, you will have some idea about how people are receiving your booth and your company. You will have a rough estimate of traffic through your booth and the quality of your leads. By observing and listen to people, you can gauge their reactions with some degree of accuracy. However, al ..read more

How will Designers Design for Post-COVID Trade Shows? The return of trade shows and exhibitions depends on the development of COVID-19 vaccines, but how exhibits will be designed has already started. At Classic Exhibits, our 3D designers are already working on both virtual and physical exhibits for our distributor’s clients. Those exhibitors have told us that they expect to participate in smaller shows in early Q1 2021 and return to larger shows as early as Q2. No one knows precisely what to expect about booth design guidelines, such as whether show organizers and convention halls wi ..read more

The Importance of Color “Display design is arguably the No. 1 determinant of whether a product-service-experience stands out — or does not,” says business-management guru Tom Peters in his book, Tom Peters Essentials: Design. “Damn few ‘get it,'” he explains. “Most people consider design a surface thing, a ‘prettifying’ thing, an after-the-fact cosmetic makeover thing . . . but design is right at the heart and soul of business.” Peters, along with the Apples, Nikes, and Targets of this world “get it.” They know beyond a shadow of a doubt that design-driven products, experiences, and busin ..read more

Green Flooring at Trade Shows There are many eco-friendly flooring options available for trade shows with more applications than ever before There several types of green flooring, including sustainable flooring and flooring made from natural, recycled, or recyclable materials Your distributor can help you select the right green flooring for your needs from vendors like Brumark Why You Should Consider Green Flooring As interest in green products grows, more and more companies are looking for environmentally friendly solutions for everything from their office supplies to their trade show exhib ..read more