Changing your display approach

One of the difficult things to do in exhibit management is change course when it comes to presentation. Most times, strategy drives these changes. Lately, cost and a realization of what a real ROI is has helped make the decision.

Our colleagues at Aviall made changes based upon both.

At the Paris Air Show, Aviall showed less hardware and product than they have in previous years. They are using more graphics and using storytelling by staff to portray the products as opposed to actually displaying things. This accomplishes several things:

• Sharpens the focus of Aviall's mission from the product to the process
• Reduces expenses by lowering freight and drayage costs as well as saving time in filing paperwork to import and export displays and products.

This evolution has helped reduce clutter and cost and help tell more of the Aviall story, since it is now not focused just on product, reports Kim Williamson of Aviall.

This is a great example of a company sharpening the focus of their presentation based upon their key messages and understanding their clientele.

TTSG

At the Exhibitor's Show, Day 5: How to Position Your Company Through Trade Shows

Crafting a clear and concise position for your company so that trade shows are effective. That was the key to this session. But I'm not sure it flowed as easily as it should have.

There was a bit of disconnect in the flow from setting up the positioning statement to extracting the messages for use in the exhibit, but I'm sure it will come to me as I re-read my notes. However, Marilyn Kroner's (Kroner Communications, Boulder, CO) did make a great effort in mapping her process.

Again, the key is defining your company's position in the marketplace so you can translate it to the messages (and into the form) you want to deliver at your trade show. She capped her presentation with a discussion on how to train your booth staff effectively and engrain the messaging into their presentation and work on the floor.

Marilyn also took to her soapbox (and justifiably so) about trade shows needing to be auditable as other media are (advertising). Thanks, Marilyn, for reinforcing this important cause.

Lesson learned: Bring the right message or messages to your audience by understanding your position in your marketplace.

TTSG