OK, which is it?
I recently posted that the the FMI-Marketechnics show scheduled for Dallas the first week of May 2009 had been cancelled. I was almost immediately corrected (and subsequently posted a correction) by someone that the show was postponed.
This week I read in Trade Show Week that the show has been cancelled.
OK, can someone out there tell me if the show is postponed (coming back at a rescheduled date) or cancelled (won't come around again until next year)?
Anybody?
TTSG
Showing posts with label Dallas. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Dallas. Show all posts
Sunday, May 17, 2009
Saturday, February 28, 2009
The Golf Show
I walked the North Texas Golf Show on Saturday. While this isn't IBS or CES, it is an example of trade show marketing in action. In addition to the few random observations I'll record here, I couldn't resist relating my friend Melinda's question when I mentioned I'd be walking the show:
"What does one do at a Golf Show? Watch the exhibits quietly and then clap politely for the vendors?"
Well, maybe, MG, but it was a lot of people gathered in one place to talk face to face about something they all had in common. The definition of trade show marketing.
At any rate, I was there because my friend from the NDCC, Kimberly Van Buren of Synthetic Grass Pros, was exhibiting.
Kimberly was doing all of the things that exhibitors of whatever size at whatever show, do and doing it right. She was gathering leads in a systematic way, she had and was taking advantage of a prime spot, her exhibit featured her product and services (but not in an overbearing way), and she had a consistent and memorable brand presentation.
Gathering leads. SGP was either collecting business cards or having contacts fill out a small card with their basic contact info. Kim and her staff were making notes as they collected leads (on the backs of cards) and qualifying and segregating leads as the day progressed. At the end of the show Kim and her team will go over all of the leads, add them to the data base and follow up accordingly.
Prime spot. They had a corner booth and engaged clients both in the aisle and in the booth.
Product was shown on the floor of the booth space (it is fake grass, after all) and in a passive video featured in the backwall of the exhibit. Visitors were offered brochures and giveways during or after an engagement conversation.
By clothing the staff in matching logo-bearing shirts and complimentary slacks and featuring the logo and brand colors prominently on the booth, in the video and on the literature, the SGP brand was visible and memorable.
Simple rules followed and the basic goal was met: qualified leads and a reasonable ROI.
TTSG
"What does one do at a Golf Show? Watch the exhibits quietly and then clap politely for the vendors?"
Well, maybe, MG, but it was a lot of people gathered in one place to talk face to face about something they all had in common. The definition of trade show marketing.
At any rate, I was there because my friend from the NDCC, Kimberly Van Buren of Synthetic Grass Pros, was exhibiting.
Kimberly was doing all of the things that exhibitors of whatever size at whatever show, do and doing it right. She was gathering leads in a systematic way, she had and was taking advantage of a prime spot, her exhibit featured her product and services (but not in an overbearing way), and she had a consistent and memorable brand presentation.Gathering leads. SGP was either collecting business cards or having contacts fill out a small card with their basic contact info. Kim and her staff were making notes as they collected leads (on the backs of cards) and qualifying and segregating leads as the day progressed. At the end of the show Kim and her team will go over all of the leads, add them to the data base and follow up accordingly.
Prime spot. They had a corner booth and engaged clients both in the aisle and in the booth.
Product was shown on the floor of the booth space (it is fake grass, after all) and in a passive video featured in the backwall of the exhibit. Visitors were offered brochures and giveways during or after an engagement conversation.
By clothing the staff in matching logo-bearing shirts and complimentary slacks and featuring the logo and brand colors prominently on the booth, in the video and on the literature, the SGP brand was visible and memorable.
Simple rules followed and the basic goal was met: qualified leads and a reasonable ROI.
TTSG
Sunday, February 8, 2009
Finding remote work places
When you are on the road, we all have to find the right place to light and work at times. Do you all have favorites?
Starbucks is a natural. So is Kinko's (or is it FedEx Kinko's or FedEx Office?). Here is a list of my favorite places to stop between tasks at a show and work on my laptop or return calls:
There are probably criteria for why you choose these places:
While it isn't always fun to be on the road, finding a short-term, workable temp offices is a haven for your time away.
TTSG
Starbucks is a natural. So is Kinko's (or is it FedEx Kinko's or FedEx Office?). Here is a list of my favorite places to stop between tasks at a show and work on my laptop or return calls:
- Starbucks, across from Mosconi Center in San Francisco.
- Kinko's on Paradise Road, Las Vegas (has a Starbucks attached)
- The sports bar in the Gaylord Opryland.
- The Kinko's inside the Orange County (Orlando) CC.
- Cadillac Ranch, West End, Dallas.
- Coffee Shop/bar in the Chicago Hyatt-McCormick lobby.
- The food court in the basement of Javits Center, New York City.
There are probably criteria for why you choose these places:
- Proximity to where you are stationed
- Wi-Fi service
- What they serve
- Quiet or atmosphere
- Meeting space
While it isn't always fun to be on the road, finding a short-term, workable temp offices is a haven for your time away.
TTSG
Saturday, January 3, 2009
A big month, show wise
January has always been a big month for trade shows. Going back in my career, we had a number of shows that kicked off the year in a variety of industries. Now that I think about it, several industries anchor their years with January shows.
The National Retail Federation (NRF) is always at Jacob Javits convention center in New York City the first few weeks of January. This show started small (before moving to the big hall, it was held in hotel ballrooms and consisted of tabletops and portables) but has grown as retail has grown and changed. A large number of the anchor exhibitors are technology companies (Fujitsu, IBM, NCR, Motorola-Symbol, Oracle) as retail has become dependent on technology to target and find and define an ever-dwindling customer base.
The National Association of Home Builder's (NAHB) flagship show, the International Builder's Show (known as IBS) takes up 4 days in either late January or February on 2-year turns in select cities (Vegas, Orlando, New Orleans, Atlanta). A very horizontal show, it brings in over 1,000 exhibitors and 60,000-plus visitors to talk about everything from tools to paint to trucks to fixtures of all kinds. Houses are build inside and outside the hall and dancers and talent of all kinds are featured to help tout the wares of the likes of Sears, Kohler, Anderson Windows, Cambria and Whirlpool. This is (or was?) such an influential show that the Dallas Convention Center is nicknamed "the house that IBS built."
The heating and air conditioning world focuses on the AHR Expo (nicknamed ASHRAE for the association that holds it's conference at the same time). AHR is a bit of throwback in that no booth (with a few exceptions) can be over 8 feet in height. Hanging banners aren't allowed and in-line sight lines are also enforced. Johnson Controls and Honeywell used to be the stars of this expo, and live demos of burners, boilers, heating and cooling systems and software control systems were there for the 50,000-plus visitors to see in over 900 exhibits.
Also in the mix are Surfaces, Coverings and CES. These are just a few examples of anchor shows for key industries in our country. As we make our way through economic recovery, let's not forget that sales and progress are made in face-to-face sales and positive interaction.
TTSG
The National Retail Federation (NRF) is always at Jacob Javits convention center in New York City the first few weeks of January. This show started small (before moving to the big hall, it was held in hotel ballrooms and consisted of tabletops and portables) but has grown as retail has grown and changed. A large number of the anchor exhibitors are technology companies (Fujitsu, IBM, NCR, Motorola-Symbol, Oracle) as retail has become dependent on technology to target and find and define an ever-dwindling customer base.
The National Association of Home Builder's (NAHB) flagship show, the International Builder's Show (known as IBS) takes up 4 days in either late January or February on 2-year turns in select cities (Vegas, Orlando, New Orleans, Atlanta). A very horizontal show, it brings in over 1,000 exhibitors and 60,000-plus visitors to talk about everything from tools to paint to trucks to fixtures of all kinds. Houses are build inside and outside the hall and dancers and talent of all kinds are featured to help tout the wares of the likes of Sears, Kohler, Anderson Windows, Cambria and Whirlpool. This is (or was?) such an influential show that the Dallas Convention Center is nicknamed "the house that IBS built."
The heating and air conditioning world focuses on the AHR Expo (nicknamed ASHRAE for the association that holds it's conference at the same time). AHR is a bit of throwback in that no booth (with a few exceptions) can be over 8 feet in height. Hanging banners aren't allowed and in-line sight lines are also enforced. Johnson Controls and Honeywell used to be the stars of this expo, and live demos of burners, boilers, heating and cooling systems and software control systems were there for the 50,000-plus visitors to see in over 900 exhibits.
Also in the mix are Surfaces, Coverings and CES. These are just a few examples of anchor shows for key industries in our country. As we make our way through economic recovery, let's not forget that sales and progress are made in face-to-face sales and positive interaction.
TTSG
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Shoe shines and trade shows
I made my regular visit to Mr. B, the man who shines my shoes, and came away with yet another life lesson.
No, I'm not going to talk about hiring one of those shoe-shine girls for your trade show booth to build traffic. We're going to talk about customer contact and service.
Whenever I stop to see Mr. B instead of reading the paper while he works, we talk about things--politics, Dallas history, people. He's always careful about what he says as he is a gentleman. However, just by listening, I've learned about the history of the neighborhood, Catholic schools and churches in Dallas, the city council. Truthfully, I do the listening and he does the talking.
Which is my point here: be aware that your customer is going to talk and you need to listen. And your customer is listening when you talk. So be careful what you say. Stay on message. And always tell the truth.
As for quality: Mr. B never misses a beat, even while he's talking. The shoe care and shine are always the same and always excellent. The routine seldom varies and the product is very, very consistent. But in addition to the shine, he's engaged and entertained me, informed me and made me relax a bit before the day starts. And I look better for the rest of the day.
Nothing like a good shine to make a person feel good.
Lesson learned: listen, speak carefully and don't vary the quality of your product.
TTSG
No, I'm not going to talk about hiring one of those shoe-shine girls for your trade show booth to build traffic. We're going to talk about customer contact and service.
Whenever I stop to see Mr. B instead of reading the paper while he works, we talk about things--politics, Dallas history, people. He's always careful about what he says as he is a gentleman. However, just by listening, I've learned about the history of the neighborhood, Catholic schools and churches in Dallas, the city council. Truthfully, I do the listening and he does the talking.
Which is my point here: be aware that your customer is going to talk and you need to listen. And your customer is listening when you talk. So be careful what you say. Stay on message. And always tell the truth.
As for quality: Mr. B never misses a beat, even while he's talking. The shoe care and shine are always the same and always excellent. The routine seldom varies and the product is very, very consistent. But in addition to the shine, he's engaged and entertained me, informed me and made me relax a bit before the day starts. And I look better for the rest of the day.
Nothing like a good shine to make a person feel good.
Lesson learned: listen, speak carefully and don't vary the quality of your product.
TTSG
Friday, March 28, 2008
Getting to the point
I was at a presentation today that was about communicating with your audience. Within the presentation was a discussion of how to reach the Y Gen'ers in the workforce. Thinking in threes (I like that, you know), the speaker emphasized that communication to this audience should:
1. Summarize
2. Be concise
3. Be written for scanning
These three thoughts fit trade show graphics and the trade show space precisely.
Graphics should always be a summary of the benefits of your product or offering or message, not a wholesale posting of the latest thick PowerPoint slide from some internal company briefing.
They need to be concise and most likely bullet points and a single photo that get to the point quickly as you only have seconds to capture the showgoer's attention as they walk by your booth.
Created so they can be scanned. Again, this is about getting someone's attention and starting a conversation.
Graphics are only a part of the equation along with the booth structure and the booth staff. Each plays a clear role (along with pre- and post-show promotion) in reaching the audience you want at your shows.
TTSG
(Thanks to Scott Cytron, Pierpont Communications; this was borrowed from his 3/28/08 presentation to the NIRI Dallas Chapter)
1. Summarize
2. Be concise
3. Be written for scanning
These three thoughts fit trade show graphics and the trade show space precisely.
Graphics should always be a summary of the benefits of your product or offering or message, not a wholesale posting of the latest thick PowerPoint slide from some internal company briefing.
They need to be concise and most likely bullet points and a single photo that get to the point quickly as you only have seconds to capture the showgoer's attention as they walk by your booth.
Created so they can be scanned. Again, this is about getting someone's attention and starting a conversation.
Graphics are only a part of the equation along with the booth structure and the booth staff. Each plays a clear role (along with pre- and post-show promotion) in reaching the audience you want at your shows.
TTSG
(Thanks to Scott Cytron, Pierpont Communications; this was borrowed from his 3/28/08 presentation to the NIRI Dallas Chapter)
Monday, February 25, 2008
Walking a show in one day--HAI
It's a proven formula: targeting and evaluating/prospecting a show in one long day. The latest example is the Heli-Expo Show in Houston.
This annual show moves between cities (including Dallas, Houston and several others). It takes up most of a multi-hall convention center, so Houston's George Brown and the Dallas Convention Center fill up nicely. The hall is laid out clearly and fairly with the major anchor exhibitors (Bell Helicopter, Eurocopter and Sikorsky) evenly spaced at the right, left and center of the hall, with smaller exhibitors evenly patched in between them all. In other words, just because you bought a 10x10 in-line booth doesn't mean you are relegated to the back and far corners of the hall.
So, the strategy was to see the show in one day: catch a flight first thing in the morning from Love Field to Hobby, take a cab to the hall, get a badge, walk the floor, and do the reverse at the end of the day. It took from 7am to 9pm, gave us an understanding of our client's place in and use of the show and of the show itself (exhibit designs, locations, tone and character) and all cost less than $200. Hey, one could even pick up a few new business leads along the way for a reasonable cost-per-lead.
The highlight of the show was Sikorsky's exhibit: large scrims above the booth showed projected video, the carpet held all of the partners and subdivisions of the parent company, and a stage showed repeated dramatic videos hosted by professional talent. Eurocopter served champagne at the introduction of a new model. Promotions in booths included a maintenance company with a campaign centered around the theme of "think of it as Sky-agra." Some have no shame--but are memorable.
Further evaluation to follow tomorrow.
TTSG
This annual show moves between cities (including Dallas, Houston and several others). It takes up most of a multi-hall convention center, so Houston's George Brown and the Dallas Convention Center fill up nicely. The hall is laid out clearly and fairly with the major anchor exhibitors (Bell Helicopter, Eurocopter and Sikorsky) evenly spaced at the right, left and center of the hall, with smaller exhibitors evenly patched in between them all. In other words, just because you bought a 10x10 in-line booth doesn't mean you are relegated to the back and far corners of the hall.
So, the strategy was to see the show in one day: catch a flight first thing in the morning from Love Field to Hobby, take a cab to the hall, get a badge, walk the floor, and do the reverse at the end of the day. It took from 7am to 9pm, gave us an understanding of our client's place in and use of the show and of the show itself (exhibit designs, locations, tone and character) and all cost less than $200. Hey, one could even pick up a few new business leads along the way for a reasonable cost-per-lead.
The highlight of the show was Sikorsky's exhibit: large scrims above the booth showed projected video, the carpet held all of the partners and subdivisions of the parent company, and a stage showed repeated dramatic videos hosted by professional talent. Eurocopter served champagne at the introduction of a new model. Promotions in booths included a maintenance company with a campaign centered around the theme of "think of it as Sky-agra." Some have no shame--but are memorable.
Further evaluation to follow tomorrow.
TTSG
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