As I’ve grown professionally and have seen my role change in the trade show industry, my opinion of EXHIBITOR has evolved as well. This is THE trade show for trade show professionals. It’s a show that we here at 3D Exhibits really target as a great jumping off point for many different initiatives. This is the launch for our message to our clients and the industry.

In no other area will you see this more than in our marketing. It’s a venue to marketing your products, services, people, and most importantly, your company as a whole.

But to me, the best part about EXHIBITOR is that it never gets old. Being the premier event in our industry there is always a new, or renewed, level of excitement for the show. You want to go out and innovate and shine. You want others to take notice. Fortunately for us here at 3D, we’ve been able to do that. We hope to continue doing this for years to come.

Why does EXHIBITOR mean so much to you?

As I sit back and think about this year, the success that our organization has seen is a true combined effort of our experienced employees and our amazing clients.

Here are my 2010 Top 10:

1.       Over 40 new clients joining 3D, while retaining our current incredible clients

2.       Our company coming together to stay healthy with our Fitness Challenge

3.       Sizzle Award at Exhibitor Show, showcasing our integrated marketing skill-set

4.       Establishing East Coast production facility

5.       Twitter: Our integration of social media as an engagement strategy to build our community

6.       Talent Acquisition: Good people joining us to help take us to the next level

7.       Charitable Giving initiatives

8.       Team 3D participation in Chicago Triathlon

9.       Eddie Award at EDPA

10.   Growth and continued financial stability in a turbulent economy

I want to wish each of you and your families a very healthy and happy holiday season.  Take this time to be with your families and enjoy the season. We wish you much happiness in the New Year.  See you all in 2011!

Trade show events help small company owners have a chance to learn from larger companies, provide opportunities for networking and a chance to meet with potential partners.

You do not have to have a 20×40 exhibit or larger to have a successful trade show. Smaller exhibits, when done well, still have a successful impact with your clients/customers, but you need to be a bit more strategic with your planning.

Here are my tips for smaller companies to execute a successful trade show program:

Do Your Research: There are thousands of trade shows to attend and the cost can start to add up between exhibit fees, travel expenses, execution of strategies, and additional trade show cost. Take your time and find out which show is right for your business. The best place to start is online at the show site; it will give you detailed information about attendance, cost, exhibitors and other key details of the event. Talk to others in the industry because there is a good chance they have or know someone who has attended one of the shows you’re thinking of exhibiting at.

Be Prepared: The first thing you need to do is develop a solid event strategy. I know this sounds like elementary advice, but you would be surprised at how many companies exhibit without one. The majority of the work you do for a trade show occurs before you even begin to set up your exhibit.  The overall planning is key to the excellent execution.

That means developing a communication strategy to target prospective and current customers, branding for the show, activation plan, and scheduling time to attend seminars or meet with exhibitors and attendees.

Building a solid schedule that covers activities from load in, to installation, tear down as well as encompasses appointments, exhibit hours, and other key show details will help you maximize your time at the show.

In Exhibit: As I stated before, you do not need a big flashy exhibit to have a successful event. A larger exhibit gives you more opportunity to implement eye-catching elements, but the same can be implemented in a smaller environment.

A/V and well-designed imagery are vital as a part of the strategy to catch the attention of exhibit attendees. In addition, giveaways or something unique that people will want to keep after the show, will help attract customers to your exhibit.  But do not forget, while all of these elements are great you still need to provide the education at each event to keep the customer wanting more.

A small company can learn a lot from attending trade shows. It is an excellent learning experience to develop more industry knowledge and keep you up-to-date on the latest technology trends.

What other strategies have you learned about how small businesses can make a large impact within the trade show space? What has been successful for your business?

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?

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?

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 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?

We all know the phrase “The Customer is Always Right.” That adage today still holds true, but the simple execution of these words will not cut it anymore. Because of increased competition in today’s marketplace, you must be proactive with the needs of your customers. Successful customer service starts with knowing your audience and anticipating their evolving needs.

Here are my Top 5 Reasons for going the extra mile:

1. Helps foster deeper relationships.
2. It can turn customers into brand evangelists.
3. Gives you a deeper understanding of your customer’s needs.
4. Adds value beyond core offerings.
5. Creates a point of difference in the marketplace.

In addition, a successful customer service culture starts from the top. Upper level management must be committed to providing the best overall customer experience. Having consistent customer service goals will help your organization’s implementation and success.

Customer service should be viewed as an organizational or agency offering, alongside your products and services. It should not be overlooked because when applied correctly, it can lead to longstanding positive relationships and customer loyalty.

What steps do you take in your approach to customer service? How do you go the extra mile to exceed the needs of your customers? What’s the most extreme example of how you have gone the extra mile for your customers?

Having bundled solution allows our customers to have a seamless integration online and in trade show booth.

Today, everyone is challenged with doing more with less. Based on observations of current industry trends, customers are looking for flexibility, integrated solutions and technology in their tradeshow programs. That is why we have introduced new package solutions into the 3D Exhibits portfolio.

• fuse¹²³
• reach³⁶⁰
• ^3Dcaptivate

These products were developed with the customers in mind: offering cost effective, transcendent, and innovative trade show solutions.

You can read more about new package solutions on our website. Take a look, we would love to know your thoughts.