The Importance of Assembling the Right Staff for a Show’s Success

What do the New York Yankees, the New Orleans Saints, or the Los Angeles Lakers all have in common? They are all champions in their respective sports but arguably they were the best teams. The definition of a team is a group of people with a full set of complementary skills required to complete a project. This same team concept can be applied when assembling your trade show team for an event.

I have been asked, “How do you choose the right team for each trade show?” This is an excellent question that has many variables.

One school of thought is work with people you have in the past. This helps to solve chemistry issues and you will know what each team member brings to the table. This concept works great, especially when you are executing show after show for a client whose needs are consistent each and every time.  But I would caution you not to assemble a team of clones. What makes a team work is its diversity and how everyone complements each others skills.
Here are my tips for assembling the right team:

• Review the scope of service and which skills are required for the program
• Develop an activation, timeline and design plan
• Use the plan as a roadmap, knowing the execution of the program can help you determine how many individuals are needed for your team
• Specify skill sets, if you know the program is going to be very technology-heavy make sure you have the right tech not only on-site but in all the planning meeting
• Determine roles and responsibilities. This will help everyone understand their role on the team and the project
• Remember to choose your team based on the criteria of the project and your goals

Remember even though you find the right people with the right skills doesn’t always mean you will find team success. A good team starts with a good leader. This person will be instrumental in leading the team to successfully achieve project goals.

What steps do you take assemble a team? Where do you start when looking to build your team?

The Importance of Choosing the Most Qualified Sales Force for Your Company

Your sales team can be the lifeblood for your company. They are the face and voice of your company each and everyday.  In today’s economy, a good sales team is now more important than ever. The days of selling-in a program, handing off the project to a team member, and moving on to the next sale are gone. Today, a sales team must take the time to know and understand what each customer’s needs are; to build a long standing relationship. This is extremely important in the trade show industry. Here at 3D Exhibits, we have stated before that no two clients or programs are the same.

A good sales team goes beyond the traditional traits, such as motivated, good leads or connections and past experience. These are all important traits,  however a great sales person must posses more. Otherwise you will be hearing the same-old sales pitch, and the sales person will not grow as the company evolves to meet the ever changing indsutry needs.

Here are some of the key traits I look for in a sales team.

• Bridging the Gap: A good sales person will provide other internal departments with the information and resources required to develop a successful program.
• Client Retention: Turning every client into a lifetime client is the goal for any business. Remember it is far easier to keep and nurture current clients than to gain new clients.
• Personality: This seems like a given but it is key to establishing relationships. I am not saying all salesmen have to be the “Life of the Party,” but the sales life cycle can drag out for an extended period. I have seen successful sales people with the following personality traits:
  • Dedication
  • Integrity
  • Passion
  • Creativity
• Understands the market: This is key in the trade show industry. Our clients’ needs are ever-changing, whether it be incorporating new technology, exhibiting internationally, or developing custom programming. Creatively thinking how clients fit into the market can be the key to landing a new account.
• Think like the client: This is important because you need to know and understand a client’s problems or needs in order to provide them with the right solution.

A good sales staff focuses on the same common goal and with a company strategy to guide them. The key is setting clear expectations, providing support and dedicated commitment from management.

What are your key traits for a good sales team? What do you look for in a sales person for your team?

Technology Spotlight – Microsoft Tag

The trade show industry is constantly evolving with the emergence of new technology. Here at 3D Exhibits, we are always searching for new and innovative ways to incorporate new technologies into our trade show environments.

One of the newer technology applications that caught my attention is Microsoft Tag. Tags allow anyone to connect digital content into an informative, entertaining or interactive experience right on your mobile handset. This initiative is becoming more and more popular as it is transitioning our world into connecting digital media with physical objects, something that will be a large part of our future.

The unique concept of Tags is they allow brands to attach digital media directly onto the code, for viewers to be directed to each time they scan the Tag. When the Tags are scanned, it automatically opens the content attached, such as a YouTube video, article on a blog, photo or any Website URL that is attached.

The possibilities are endless! Each Tag is unique and it allows brands to strategize how they want the consumer to receive their message and interact with their brand.

Some examples of how you can utilize Tags for your trade shows are attaching a unique Tag to pre-show mailers, within your environment, attached to staff clothing or directly on your business cards.

Tags can be created by anyone directly on the Microsoft Tag website. One key advantage of using Tags for your business are they are fully customizable. You can personally design your Tag to fit the look and feel of your company brand and/or trade show environment.

Connect with 3D Exhibits to be a part of the evolution in 2010 by scanning the attached Tag.

On top of having the opportunity to attach unique content to specific Tags, you’re also able to track exactly how many people are scanning your information. Microsoft Tag gives you a platform that allows you to track how many individuals scanned your Tag each day, providing real time data to use for your trade show’s analytics.

The best part about Microsoft Tag it is a free application and is usable across all major phone platforms, ensuring your information will not be limited to certain smartphone users. All you need is a camera-enabled mobile device to read your company’s Tags.

Has your company jumped onto the Tag Reader concept? How are you currently using it? What ways would you like to start using Microsoft Tag for your business?

The Formula For Trade Show Success

The basic trade show formula for success is relatively the same, regardless of whether you are an experienced exhibitor or new to the industry.

The environments may change, but going in with a strategic plan and goals will provide you with a road map for show success.

Here are my top tips for a successful client trade show.

• Clearly understand your overall goals: Your approach to launch a new product or service will have a different feel than an informational show. This will help establish overall show goals and objectives, as well as the theme while providing a benchmark for success. Additionally, this will help you plan how to plan your staff appropriately for the show.
• Who are you talking to: The audience for a consumer trade show is very different than a Business-to-Business show; you must educate your staff accordingly. It is key to prepare your staff on how to engage the audience. Your conversation with a CMO is going to be different from a discussion with a dealer or a customer.
• Attract the right people: It seems so obvious, but this can be a bit tricky. The key to attracting the right audience to your booth starts with a strategic pre-show dialogue. Knowing who is attending your events will help determine whether you should use traditional means or incorporate newer technologies. The attraction can be carried over to the event by having a unique experience in your trade show environment. We have found great success using different A/V technology and we have leveraged social media to offer new ways to interact with the show environment.
• What is the post-show plan: You have done all the work and have had a successful show. Now what? There are too many good leads generated at shows that are not followed up. It is important to establish an information system that assigns roles for your team. This way everyone is aware of what they need to accomplish post-show, and within a specific timeline.

Trade show success requires a cohesive plan throughout the event. Utilizing these tips can help increase your trade show success.

What are some of your tips for success? What would you add to this formula?

Going The Extra 5,280 Feet

If you do the math, 5,280 feet equals a mile. In customer service, going the extra mile can take shape in a variety of different ways. It could be as simple as sending a “Happy Birthday” message to a key client or putting in extra hours to make sure customer projects meet deadlines.

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