Expo Convention Contractors the largest company of it's kind in the South Florida area is the client of the month and will receive a donation to the charity of their choice. Nerds Support is the leading IT & computer support company in Miami.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PRLog (Press Release) – Dec 14, 2010 – Our December client of the month is a 2nd generation family business started by Richard Curran.
Richard is the founder of Expo Convention Contractors (http://www.expocci.com/) and has been in the trade show business for over 40 years. Since the beginning of when he first got into the industry he has seen major technological changes and has seen how those changes have impacted the way that companies conduct business. Richard Curran has embraced those changes and has managed to move up from being a worker on the trade show floor to finding Expo and growing it into the biggest convention contractor in the South Florida region.
The current Vice-President and general manager of Expo Convention Contractors is Rich Curran Jr the founder’s son. He shared that Expo Convention Contractors currently has 54 employees and has had 20% growth in the past 8 years. Miami is well known for its conventions and trade show gatherings and Expo Convention Contractors is right in the middle of that scene. They have worked for the famous Antique Show in Miami Beach for the past 30 years. Recently they have also acquired The International Boat Show (The largest Miami boat show) as their new client. With all this growth they are now shifting their focus on capturing a bigger market share especially in areas such as Orlando and West Palm Beach.
Although, in times of recession marketing dollars are usually the first cut and thereby trade show spending also drops this hasn’t affected Expo. Expo claims that because much like Nerds Support they have taken a proactive approach in wowing their customers and delivering on their promise they have not only retained their clients but have also grown during their past years.
Rich shared that one of the most important changes that he’s seen is how customers now expect an immediate response. Social media has spoiled us in the sense that we want everyone to be accessible and easy to get a hold of, especially people and companies that we are working with. This back and forth communication has made technology a critical part of the business. Nowadays, it’s hard to imagine a world without cellphone, email and instant messaging. “When my father first started in the industry no one had cellphones and only few had beepers” Said Rich.
“Expo Convention Contractors has had no computer crashes in the past 5 years and because of Nerds Support’s proactive approach and constant maintenance has minimized the system’s downtime especially with the glitches that happen with outside services and vendors.” Rich proudly stated. He then continued and shared that one of the biggest benefits of working with Nerds Support is “I never have to worry about getting on the phone and talking to our ISP or phone vendors. I can rest assured that I ever have issues with them Nerds Support will handled all the technology related issues on our behalf.”
Nerds Support congratulates Expo Convention Contractors on their success and will be donating $50 to the charity of their choice. We are grateful and honored to have Expo as a client and member of the Nerds Support family. http://www.nerdssupport.com To learn more about Expo Convention Contractors and how they can help you and your business contact them by visiting: http://www.expocci.com/
# # #
Nerds Support offers Computer Support that takes your small business to the next level. With Network Services customized to meet your needs, you can enjoy the benefits of advanced IT Consulting without the hassle of challenging maintenance or support.
http://www.prlog.org/11150122-nerds-support-client-of-the-month-expo-convention-contractors-inc.html
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Thursday, June 24, 2010
My Love / Hate Relationship With Trade Shows
I came across this article and I had to post it because it is so true.
My Love / Hate Relationship With Trade Shows
May 22, 2010 | Mike Thimmesch |
Ask people about trade shows and you’ll provoke a strong reaction: they either love them or hate them. Me? It’s complicated. I love trade shows … most of the time. Here are 6 reasons I love trade shows, and 3 reasons I hate them:
1. I love to talk with customers at trade shows
At a trade show you have the opportunity to talk face-to-face to more customers in one day than you could in a month or more in the field. And while talking to hordes of customers is great from a sales standpoint, it’s just as valuable for a marketer like me. You get to listen to so many clients talk about their needs, challenges, pains, and goals. If they love your company and products, they tell you, and tell you why. If they don’t love your company they’ll tell what you need to improve. It’s like a monster focus group, except you are simultaneously generating valuable sales leads.
2. I love learning at trade shows
Today’s constant change requires constant learning. And while I gain lots of new ideas and insights via the web, people I follow on Twitter, magazines and books, I get a more potent infusion of knowledge attending sessions at trade shows. There is something about getting away from the office and its distractions that make these training sessions that much more impactful. I simply absorb more when attending a live presentation. You also learn what is the current state of the industry, as your body is an antennae receiving hundreds of transmissions a day answering the question, “How’s business?”
3. I love the marketing challenge
Trade show marketing is the epitome of integrated marketing. You bring together exhibit design, booth staffing, and promotions to create a memorable event that vividly engages your clients and prospects. Guess what? So do all your competitors. So the thrill is devising and executing a theme that stands out and gets attention, yet is clear and concise enough to be quickly understood. It’s a buzz when your booth is the buzz of the show floor.
4. I love to see our worldwide network
At our main industry show I get to connect with our far-flung team members who have also traveled to the show. I love to see friends from London to Los Angeles, Toronto to Texas, Memphis to Montreal, Canada to Costa Rica, and Frankfurt to Florida. I enjoy hearing how they’ve experimented with new marketing ideas. They are intelligent, passionate, caring, and just the people you want on your team and at your dinner table. The only downside: during show hours I am focused on taking leads for them and can’t chat so much then.
5. I love to talk to competitors at trade shows
In your normal day-to-day routine you never see your competitors. But at a trade show there are so many you are surrounded. That’s a good thing: They are not your enemy, they are your community. Your competitors share common goals, challenges, and interests. They can also be funny with a capital FUN. And networking with your competitors gives you deeper industry insights than you’ll get from talking only with your fellow employees.
6. I love the travel
Miami seen from Key Biscane, the day after a trade show.
When I fly to a trade show I always get a window seat because the view still astonishes me (such as Lake Mead on the way into Las Vegas). And when I get there? I try to tack a vacation day onto each trip, especially when good friends live there. Memorable days include biking on Angel Island in San Francisco, strolling the beach at Key Biscayne in Miami, touring the art museum in Philadelphia (no, Traci, I did NOT run up the steps), and rollerblading the Lake Michigan waterfront in Chicago. Each location has its own delicious flavor, and as a worldwide destination there is the blend of languages I also love to hear.
That’s a lot to love, but it’s unfortunately not the whole story. There are things I hate about trade shows:
1. I hate time away from my family
While I am having fun at trade shows, that’s tinged with missing my family. I miss the giggles, the growth, and the closeness. Whether it’s getting the kids off to school in the morning or homework patrol in the evening, I hate leaving my wife to carry a heavier load while I am gone. This year I will spend the 4th of July in Shanghai instead of with them, and other years I’ve missed soccer games, school performances, and spent my own birthday over a thousand miles away from the ones I love. And while milestone days are harder, every day away can suck.
2. I hate the weight gain
Okay, this doesn’t happen at every show because I’ve learned to watch out for it. But 8 years ago on a trip to Europe, where even bread and cheese is a culinary delight, I was astounded to find I was the Biggest Winner, putting on 11 pounds in 2 just weeks. People often tell me I have a hollow leg and can eat whatever I want. Not anymore, and especially at the tempting tables at trade show meals. (So sorry, no more seafood buffet at the Rio in Las Vegas.) Vigilence doesn’t taste as good, but it makes for less stress after the show.
3. I hate the growing pile back at the office
Sure, we’re more connected now with smart phones and wireless internet in our laptops, but when you truly engage with the entire trade show experience (booth staffing, show floor walking, networking, classes), there’s little time to keep up with the regular workload. And when you get back to the office after the show with that stack of leads, the pile on the desk competes with the quick follow up necessary to bring that trade show mojo to fruition. (Which is why you must have an excellent follow-up plan in place.)
With twice as many reasons to love trade shows as to hate them, I’ll be doing trade shows for years to come. What do you love about trade shows? Hate about them? Share your passions and pains in the comments box below. I’d love to hear from you!
My Love / Hate Relationship With Trade Shows
May 22, 2010 | Mike Thimmesch |
Ask people about trade shows and you’ll provoke a strong reaction: they either love them or hate them. Me? It’s complicated. I love trade shows … most of the time. Here are 6 reasons I love trade shows, and 3 reasons I hate them:
1. I love to talk with customers at trade shows
At a trade show you have the opportunity to talk face-to-face to more customers in one day than you could in a month or more in the field. And while talking to hordes of customers is great from a sales standpoint, it’s just as valuable for a marketer like me. You get to listen to so many clients talk about their needs, challenges, pains, and goals. If they love your company and products, they tell you, and tell you why. If they don’t love your company they’ll tell what you need to improve. It’s like a monster focus group, except you are simultaneously generating valuable sales leads.
2. I love learning at trade shows
Today’s constant change requires constant learning. And while I gain lots of new ideas and insights via the web, people I follow on Twitter, magazines and books, I get a more potent infusion of knowledge attending sessions at trade shows. There is something about getting away from the office and its distractions that make these training sessions that much more impactful. I simply absorb more when attending a live presentation. You also learn what is the current state of the industry, as your body is an antennae receiving hundreds of transmissions a day answering the question, “How’s business?”
3. I love the marketing challenge
Trade show marketing is the epitome of integrated marketing. You bring together exhibit design, booth staffing, and promotions to create a memorable event that vividly engages your clients and prospects. Guess what? So do all your competitors. So the thrill is devising and executing a theme that stands out and gets attention, yet is clear and concise enough to be quickly understood. It’s a buzz when your booth is the buzz of the show floor.
4. I love to see our worldwide network
At our main industry show I get to connect with our far-flung team members who have also traveled to the show. I love to see friends from London to Los Angeles, Toronto to Texas, Memphis to Montreal, Canada to Costa Rica, and Frankfurt to Florida. I enjoy hearing how they’ve experimented with new marketing ideas. They are intelligent, passionate, caring, and just the people you want on your team and at your dinner table. The only downside: during show hours I am focused on taking leads for them and can’t chat so much then.
5. I love to talk to competitors at trade shows
In your normal day-to-day routine you never see your competitors. But at a trade show there are so many you are surrounded. That’s a good thing: They are not your enemy, they are your community. Your competitors share common goals, challenges, and interests. They can also be funny with a capital FUN. And networking with your competitors gives you deeper industry insights than you’ll get from talking only with your fellow employees.
6. I love the travel
Miami seen from Key Biscane, the day after a trade show.
When I fly to a trade show I always get a window seat because the view still astonishes me (such as Lake Mead on the way into Las Vegas). And when I get there? I try to tack a vacation day onto each trip, especially when good friends live there. Memorable days include biking on Angel Island in San Francisco, strolling the beach at Key Biscayne in Miami, touring the art museum in Philadelphia (no, Traci, I did NOT run up the steps), and rollerblading the Lake Michigan waterfront in Chicago. Each location has its own delicious flavor, and as a worldwide destination there is the blend of languages I also love to hear.
That’s a lot to love, but it’s unfortunately not the whole story. There are things I hate about trade shows:
1. I hate time away from my family
While I am having fun at trade shows, that’s tinged with missing my family. I miss the giggles, the growth, and the closeness. Whether it’s getting the kids off to school in the morning or homework patrol in the evening, I hate leaving my wife to carry a heavier load while I am gone. This year I will spend the 4th of July in Shanghai instead of with them, and other years I’ve missed soccer games, school performances, and spent my own birthday over a thousand miles away from the ones I love. And while milestone days are harder, every day away can suck.
2. I hate the weight gain
Okay, this doesn’t happen at every show because I’ve learned to watch out for it. But 8 years ago on a trip to Europe, where even bread and cheese is a culinary delight, I was astounded to find I was the Biggest Winner, putting on 11 pounds in 2 just weeks. People often tell me I have a hollow leg and can eat whatever I want. Not anymore, and especially at the tempting tables at trade show meals. (So sorry, no more seafood buffet at the Rio in Las Vegas.) Vigilence doesn’t taste as good, but it makes for less stress after the show.
3. I hate the growing pile back at the office
Sure, we’re more connected now with smart phones and wireless internet in our laptops, but when you truly engage with the entire trade show experience (booth staffing, show floor walking, networking, classes), there’s little time to keep up with the regular workload. And when you get back to the office after the show with that stack of leads, the pile on the desk competes with the quick follow up necessary to bring that trade show mojo to fruition. (Which is why you must have an excellent follow-up plan in place.)
With twice as many reasons to love trade shows as to hate them, I’ll be doing trade shows for years to come. What do you love about trade shows? Hate about them? Share your passions and pains in the comments box below. I’d love to hear from you!
Friday, June 11, 2010
Thank you~ 3rd Annual Madison's Wish Golf Tournament
Hello All, I wanted to pass along a letter from Madison’s mother and father:
On behalf of our family, I would like to thank you from my heart to yours as I think of how blessed our family is to have such wonderful people in our lives. Your commitment to helping us is sincerely appreciated. Your generosity will make an immediate difference in the lives of Madison and her SMA friends.
For one thing, we are going to use your donations raised at the 3rd Annual Madison’s Wish Golf Tournament to fund a water therapy program over the summer so our SMA friends can receive 1 free day per week of water therapy in Madison’s new pool. Your generosity is going to help Madison buy her formula, supplements, respiratory services, all the therapies insurance does not cover, create a learning space for home schooling since she is to medically fragile to attend preschool and make an accessible bathroom for her.
A portion of the proceeds also went to Chris Odgen’s funeral expenses. Chris recently lost his battle with SMA Type I on May 10, 2010 at the young age of 9.
Our goal, is to continue to make a difference in the SMA world and in Madison’s battle. With the help of donations from supporters such as you, we will continue to see improvements in both. The amount of money raised at the 3rd Annual Madison’s Wish Golf Tournament will also let us focus on doing fundraisers for raising money for research for a treatment for SMA and one day a cure.
Frankly, we could not do what we do without supporters such as you. We deeply appreciate your generosity. We look forward to seeing you all next year.
Thanks again for your kindness,
Jennifer and Aaron
www.madisonswish.com
See the pics of the event here!
http://share.shutterfly.com/share/received/welcome.sfly?fid=d700b09fbdd29376&sid=8AcsXLJi1Yt3lQ
Here is what we raised!
Total Raised $38,281.00
Total Expenses $17,125.35
Total funds to go toward Madison’s care and other children with SMA $21,155.65
Thank you to our Sponsors:
Metropolitan Exposition Services PLATINUM SPONSOR
IUPAT Local 1175 GOLD SPONSOR
Agile Trade Show & Event Furnishing SILVER SPONSOR
Edlen Electrical Exhibition Services SILVER SPONSOR
Gardens America SILVER SPONSOR
Nerds Support SILVER SPONSOR
1-800-411-PAIN HOLE SPONSOR
Dr. Barry Raxenberg & Dr. Bruce Ossler Chiropractic HOLE SPONSOR
Peter Doran HOLE SPONSOR
Smiley Carrasco HOLE SPONSOR
SMT Solutions HOLE SPONSOR
Stephens Distribution for sponsoring the BEER!
Creative Manufacturing Group, LLC for sponsoring the SHIRTS!
Rick Case Automotive Group for sponsoring the Hole-In-One!
Thursday, May 20, 2010
100 Trade Show Lead Generation Ideas
May 01, 2010 | Mike Thimmesch
For most exhibitors, lead generation is their #1 reason for exhibiting at trade shows. Exhibit marketers want leads to replenish their sales pipeline, bring in new and repeat customers, and generate sales revenue.
So to help stoke the lead generation fires, here are 100 ideas to get you more leads at your upcoming trade shows, divvied up among 5 main areas:
Get more trade show leads by how you select shows
Go to more trade shows outside your local region
Go to more trade shows, in your best vertical markets
Go to more trade shows, in foreign countries
Go to fewer trade shows, but put more effort into booth staff preparation and promotions for each remaining show
Exhibit at trade shows where your buyers are
Track leads to determine and expand in the shows with the best ROI
Evolve show selection to match changes in company’s best vertical markets
Get more trade show leads with your exhibit design
Get a bigger booth
Get a booth space closer to the hub of traffic, or by a bigger competitor
Get a corner booth space
Backlight your trade show display graphics
Design your exhibit to more boldly and clearly say why attendees will benefit from working with you
Put fewer elements on your exhibit, but make the remaining images and messages bigger and more concise
Use graphics with images and benefits that appeal more directly to attendees at your vertical market shows
Put benefit statements on your trade show exhibit graphics
Replace your tired old display with a new trade show exhibit
Make your exhibit architecture more inviting to enter
Pick more exciting colors on your exhibit
Bring fewer products, such as only your most popular products, to minimize clutter
Get a taller exhibit
Add more lighting
Put messages on your flooring
Avoid an exhibit that looks like everyone else
Keep your booth neat and clean throughout the show
Move interesting equipment and technology to the outside of the booth
Use a theme that gets attention and memorably ties into your competitive advantage or offering
Match your exhibit message to your other marketing materials
Get more trade show leads with pre-show promotions
Send an inexpensive postcard offering a free gift in your trade show booth
Run a banner ad on the show website
Send a pre-show email blast to your clients and top prospects located close to the show location
Put stickers with booth location and show info on all outgoing mail
Email invitation to a pre-show microsite with targeted messages and offers
Have your sales people invite their prospects to visit your booth and set up meetings in advance
Send an email invitation to the show’s pre-registered attendee list for this year, and the registered attendee list from last year
Use social media to reach more attendees
Send half of something of value to attendees before the show, and promise to give the other half in your booth
Contact your industry press and tell them about the innovative new product you will be introducing at the show
Put your booth number on all your pre-show promotions: email, mail, ads, website
Design more creative and compelling pre-show promotions to cut through the mailbox clutter
Invite top prospects to lunch or dinner at the show
Send a pre-show promotion offering a more valuable gift in the booth, but not to the entire list, but only to the subset of show attendees that match your target audience
Send free tickets to the trade show to clients and best prospects
Post your trade show schedule on your website with a link to sign up for appointments
Ask the show for additional promotional opportunities
Get more trade show leads with at-show promotions and activities
Introduce a new product at the trade show
Add motion to your exhibit
Offer food, especially if it smells good, like baking cookies
Offer drinks to your booth visitors
Give your attendees something entertaining and fun to do
Do an engaging demo in your booth
Get your client to hold your product
Go beyond sight to appeal to attendees’ sense of smell, sound, taste, and touch
Add interactivity
Run presentations or video loops on large video monitors
Offer healthy food, not just candy
Put out a candy or chocolate dish to slow down attendees long enough to engage them
Offer in-booth massages
Give a free sample of your product
Give a free sample of a product made with your product
Hire a celebrity for your booth, where the celebrity is popular with your target audience at the show
Hire a celebrity lookalike for your booth, where the celebrity is popular with your target audience at the show
Giveaway something useful to your target audience
Hire a performer, such as a magician, to attract attention to your booth
Have a raffle, sweepstakes, money machine or a game
Hold a press conference if you have newsworthy news
Sponsor something highly visible at the show
Have a contest for attendees in your booth
Get signage in the show hall promoting your booth presence
Offer a show special or discount
Get someone from your company to be a speaker at the show
Give presentations or educational sessions in your booth
Do door drops that target only show attendees at their hotel rooms
Pay to include an invite or a gift in the official show bag each attendee gets
Put an ad in the show book
Brand your staffers with outfits or similar attire
Offer one really big prize (worth thousands of dollars) to get more attention
Get more trade show leads with better booth staffing
Bring more booth staffers
Bring booth staffers who actually want to be there
Hold a contest to reward the staffers who take the highest quantity of qualified leads
Leave your wallflowers at home
Train your booth staff how to work a trade show booth
Communicate to your staff the company’s goals and your expectations of them in the booth
Don’t use booth staffing as a training ground for brand-new employees
Ask visitors open-ended questions and listen to their answers
Get faster at recording each lead by not writing down every visitor’s name and address, but instead using a badge scanner
Have enough badge scanners to avoid lines with your booth staffers in busy times
Bring crowd gatherers (not booth babes)
Smile
Keep your booth staffers fresh by giving them regular breaks
Learn to more quickly disengage with unqualified attendees
Thoroughly train your booth staffers on the new products you are introducing at the show or just introduced recently
Make friends with your neighboring exhibitors, and refer attendees back and forth
Bring your top management to booth staff, and tell attendees they will be there
Get staffers out of the bowels of your booth and out to the edge of the aisle
Don’t sit down in your booth, unless you are talking with visitors
Don’t hide behind tables
Instead of giving away literature, offer to mail it to attendees, and get their contact info
Prepare your booth staffers with several good engaging questions
Arm your booth staffers with answers to common objections
Train your booth staffers to know your products and how they solve your clients’ problems
Which of these 100 ideas will you choose? Perhaps you are already doing several yourselves. Some can be combined to be used simultaneously. It’s a long list, and there’s no way anyone can do all 100. Some of them even contradict each other.
Yet as Bob Milam advises, while knowing a lot of tactics is useful, knowing which tactics to use and when to use them is even more useful. Determine your strategy first, then choose among these trade show tactics the most appropriate ones to support your strategy and generate more leads.
Also, while I’ve listed many tactics to get more leads, of course you need to also strive for getting higher quality leads. And if you can do both, go to the head of the class.
While 100 is a big list, it’s certainly not everything. Please share your own tips for generating more leads at trade shows in the comment box below.
May 01, 2010 | Mike Thimmesch
For most exhibitors, lead generation is their #1 reason for exhibiting at trade shows. Exhibit marketers want leads to replenish their sales pipeline, bring in new and repeat customers, and generate sales revenue.
So to help stoke the lead generation fires, here are 100 ideas to get you more leads at your upcoming trade shows, divvied up among 5 main areas:
Get more trade show leads by how you select shows
Go to more trade shows outside your local region
Go to more trade shows, in your best vertical markets
Go to more trade shows, in foreign countries
Go to fewer trade shows, but put more effort into booth staff preparation and promotions for each remaining show
Exhibit at trade shows where your buyers are
Track leads to determine and expand in the shows with the best ROI
Evolve show selection to match changes in company’s best vertical markets
Get more trade show leads with your exhibit design
Get a bigger booth
Get a booth space closer to the hub of traffic, or by a bigger competitor
Get a corner booth space
Backlight your trade show display graphics
Design your exhibit to more boldly and clearly say why attendees will benefit from working with you
Put fewer elements on your exhibit, but make the remaining images and messages bigger and more concise
Use graphics with images and benefits that appeal more directly to attendees at your vertical market shows
Put benefit statements on your trade show exhibit graphics
Replace your tired old display with a new trade show exhibit
Make your exhibit architecture more inviting to enter
Pick more exciting colors on your exhibit
Bring fewer products, such as only your most popular products, to minimize clutter
Get a taller exhibit
Add more lighting
Put messages on your flooring
Avoid an exhibit that looks like everyone else
Keep your booth neat and clean throughout the show
Move interesting equipment and technology to the outside of the booth
Use a theme that gets attention and memorably ties into your competitive advantage or offering
Match your exhibit message to your other marketing materials
Get more trade show leads with pre-show promotions
Send an inexpensive postcard offering a free gift in your trade show booth
Run a banner ad on the show website
Send a pre-show email blast to your clients and top prospects located close to the show location
Put stickers with booth location and show info on all outgoing mail
Email invitation to a pre-show microsite with targeted messages and offers
Have your sales people invite their prospects to visit your booth and set up meetings in advance
Send an email invitation to the show’s pre-registered attendee list for this year, and the registered attendee list from last year
Use social media to reach more attendees
Send half of something of value to attendees before the show, and promise to give the other half in your booth
Contact your industry press and tell them about the innovative new product you will be introducing at the show
Put your booth number on all your pre-show promotions: email, mail, ads, website
Design more creative and compelling pre-show promotions to cut through the mailbox clutter
Invite top prospects to lunch or dinner at the show
Send a pre-show promotion offering a more valuable gift in the booth, but not to the entire list, but only to the subset of show attendees that match your target audience
Send free tickets to the trade show to clients and best prospects
Post your trade show schedule on your website with a link to sign up for appointments
Ask the show for additional promotional opportunities
Get more trade show leads with at-show promotions and activities
Introduce a new product at the trade show
Add motion to your exhibit
Offer food, especially if it smells good, like baking cookies
Offer drinks to your booth visitors
Give your attendees something entertaining and fun to do
Do an engaging demo in your booth
Get your client to hold your product
Go beyond sight to appeal to attendees’ sense of smell, sound, taste, and touch
Add interactivity
Run presentations or video loops on large video monitors
Offer healthy food, not just candy
Put out a candy or chocolate dish to slow down attendees long enough to engage them
Offer in-booth massages
Give a free sample of your product
Give a free sample of a product made with your product
Hire a celebrity for your booth, where the celebrity is popular with your target audience at the show
Hire a celebrity lookalike for your booth, where the celebrity is popular with your target audience at the show
Giveaway something useful to your target audience
Hire a performer, such as a magician, to attract attention to your booth
Have a raffle, sweepstakes, money machine or a game
Hold a press conference if you have newsworthy news
Sponsor something highly visible at the show
Have a contest for attendees in your booth
Get signage in the show hall promoting your booth presence
Offer a show special or discount
Get someone from your company to be a speaker at the show
Give presentations or educational sessions in your booth
Do door drops that target only show attendees at their hotel rooms
Pay to include an invite or a gift in the official show bag each attendee gets
Put an ad in the show book
Brand your staffers with outfits or similar attire
Offer one really big prize (worth thousands of dollars) to get more attention
Get more trade show leads with better booth staffing
Bring more booth staffers
Bring booth staffers who actually want to be there
Hold a contest to reward the staffers who take the highest quantity of qualified leads
Leave your wallflowers at home
Train your booth staff how to work a trade show booth
Communicate to your staff the company’s goals and your expectations of them in the booth
Don’t use booth staffing as a training ground for brand-new employees
Ask visitors open-ended questions and listen to their answers
Get faster at recording each lead by not writing down every visitor’s name and address, but instead using a badge scanner
Have enough badge scanners to avoid lines with your booth staffers in busy times
Bring crowd gatherers (not booth babes)
Smile
Keep your booth staffers fresh by giving them regular breaks
Learn to more quickly disengage with unqualified attendees
Thoroughly train your booth staffers on the new products you are introducing at the show or just introduced recently
Make friends with your neighboring exhibitors, and refer attendees back and forth
Bring your top management to booth staff, and tell attendees they will be there
Get staffers out of the bowels of your booth and out to the edge of the aisle
Don’t sit down in your booth, unless you are talking with visitors
Don’t hide behind tables
Instead of giving away literature, offer to mail it to attendees, and get their contact info
Prepare your booth staffers with several good engaging questions
Arm your booth staffers with answers to common objections
Train your booth staffers to know your products and how they solve your clients’ problems
Which of these 100 ideas will you choose? Perhaps you are already doing several yourselves. Some can be combined to be used simultaneously. It’s a long list, and there’s no way anyone can do all 100. Some of them even contradict each other.
Yet as Bob Milam advises, while knowing a lot of tactics is useful, knowing which tactics to use and when to use them is even more useful. Determine your strategy first, then choose among these trade show tactics the most appropriate ones to support your strategy and generate more leads.
Also, while I’ve listed many tactics to get more leads, of course you need to also strive for getting higher quality leads. And if you can do both, go to the head of the class.
While 100 is a big list, it’s certainly not everything. Please share your own tips for generating more leads at trade shows in the comment box below.
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Madison's Wish 3rd Annual Charity Golf Tournament
Hello All,
I am reaching out to invite you to our 3rd Annual Madison’s Wish Charity Golf Tournament. Thank you so much for the support of last year’s golf tournament. We look forward to another outstanding event this year.
The tournament location is Jacaranda Golf Club in Plantation, FL.
Here is the link fo rthe reg form: http://www.madisonswish.com/images/stories/MadisonsWish_golfreg_flyer2010_2.pdf
This is going to be one exciting tournament and we have some great items to win.
All the proceeds will go to help Madison fight heir battle with SMA and FSMA which will help other Families of SMA.
Madison was diagnosed with this life threatening disease just prior to her first birthday. Thanks to all the love and support, Madison is now 3 years old ad making great strides in her development.
To read her whole story please goes to www.madisonswish.com
Click these links to view photos of last year’s event:
http://share.shutterfly.com/share/received/detail.sfly?sid=8AcsXLJi1Yt3ew&imageIndex=0&fid=255b4af775bf1102
http://www3.snapfish.com/shareereg/p=838221243024809200/l=837471006/g=15668853/otsc=SYE/otsi=SALB/pns/share/p=838221243024809200/l=837471006/g=15668853/otsc=SYE/otsi=SALB
Madison is not only a special little girl but she is also my niece.
Thank you all and I look forward to see you all on June 5th.
Sincerely,
Rich Curran
Monday, May 3, 2010
2009: As Bad as It Gets for Exhibition Industry
Mar 24, 2010 2:23 PM, By Dave Kovaleski
The worst year for the exhibition industry in recent history—2009—ended with an overall decline of 12.5 percent, representing declines in attendance, number of exhibiting companies, net square footage of exhibit space booked, and revenues, according to the CEIR Index, published by the Center for Exhibition Industry Research.
The decline of 12.5 percent is four times greater than the previous worst year ever, 2008, when the industry fell 3 percent.
There was no avoiding the negative effects of the recession as all 11 sectors that CEIR tracks experienced overall declines last year. "The length, depth, and reach of this recession made resistance impossible," said Douglas Ducate, president and chief executive officer at CEIR, in a press release.
In the fourth quarter the industry dropped 9 percent compared to the same period the previous year, marking the seventh straight quarter that the index has shown an overall decline. The decline was not as steep as the third quarter, when the index fell 13.5 percent on a year-over-year basis.
Looking at the four metrics that the CEIR Index tracks, professional attendance performed the best, declining 4 percent in the fourth quarter. The number of exhibiting companies dropped 6 percent, while net square footage of exhibit space declined 12 percent, and revenues fell 13 percent. All four metrics were an improvement over the first three quarters, but were still down 15 to 30 percent from 2007 highs.
CEIR officials say the outlook for 2010 is much better. Anecdotal information from events held in January and February is encouraging, indicating that the recovery is under way. However, since the exhibition industry is a trailing indicator, it will take a robust economy before the industry experiences sustained growth.
The complete 2009 CEIR Indexwill be released at the Society of Independent Show Organizers CEO Conference, April 11-14, in Austin, Texas. For more information on the CEIR Index, go to www.ceir.org.
Related links
Exhibition Industry Declines 3.1 Percent in 2008
CEIR Index Falls in Third Quarter
Exhibition Industry: Bottom Hit?
The worst year for the exhibition industry in recent history—2009—ended with an overall decline of 12.5 percent, representing declines in attendance, number of exhibiting companies, net square footage of exhibit space booked, and revenues, according to the CEIR Index, published by the Center for Exhibition Industry Research.
The decline of 12.5 percent is four times greater than the previous worst year ever, 2008, when the industry fell 3 percent.
There was no avoiding the negative effects of the recession as all 11 sectors that CEIR tracks experienced overall declines last year. "The length, depth, and reach of this recession made resistance impossible," said Douglas Ducate, president and chief executive officer at CEIR, in a press release.
In the fourth quarter the industry dropped 9 percent compared to the same period the previous year, marking the seventh straight quarter that the index has shown an overall decline. The decline was not as steep as the third quarter, when the index fell 13.5 percent on a year-over-year basis.
Looking at the four metrics that the CEIR Index tracks, professional attendance performed the best, declining 4 percent in the fourth quarter. The number of exhibiting companies dropped 6 percent, while net square footage of exhibit space declined 12 percent, and revenues fell 13 percent. All four metrics were an improvement over the first three quarters, but were still down 15 to 30 percent from 2007 highs.
CEIR officials say the outlook for 2010 is much better. Anecdotal information from events held in January and February is encouraging, indicating that the recovery is under way. However, since the exhibition industry is a trailing indicator, it will take a robust economy before the industry experiences sustained growth.
The complete 2009 CEIR Indexwill be released at the Society of Independent Show Organizers CEO Conference, April 11-14, in Austin, Texas. For more information on the CEIR Index, go to www.ceir.org.
Related links
Exhibition Industry Declines 3.1 Percent in 2008
CEIR Index Falls in Third Quarter
Exhibition Industry: Bottom Hit?
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Aids Walk Miami another success!
Expo Convention Contractors, Inc. assists Care Resource with the success of Aids Walk Miami. Expo also assists with the historic White Party Miami which also generates huge donations toward HIV/ Aids care.
Thursday, March 25, 2010
16 Fun Things To Do At A Trade Show
16 Fun Things To Do At A Trade Show
February 12, 2010 | Mike Thimmesch
Trade shows are a serious marketing medium in which we invest billions of dollars. In our quest to achieve business results, we often talk about getting the highest ROI (Return on Investment) or ROO (Return on Objectives). But what about the greatest ROF (Return on Fun)?
Trade shows are about meeting people, those unpredictable, emotional beings. To be engaging, you need to be having some fun, because if you are bored or too serious, that puts up an invisible barrier. After a few days per show, and many shows per year, how can you keep yourself entertained (without going overboard at the clubs and the casinos)? Here are a few suggestions:
Look up on the show city’s Visitors and Convention Bureau website all the fun activities you can do outside of show hours (try indoor skydiving in Las Vegas, it’s a blast).
Go to dinner with the funniest sales person who is staffing the booth. Repeat nightly.
Count how many trade show booths you can walk by before a booth staffer tries to engage you.
Visit your competitors at the show and ask them what they don’t do well. Watch ’em squirm.
When you meet attendees in your booth, stop treating them like numbers on the sales chart, and treat them instead as if they are going to be your new best friend.
Drinking game: Walk down the trade show aisle carrying a bottle of water (unless you are at a European show). Whenever a booth staffer says, “Hi! How are you?” you reply, “Fine,” take a swig, and keep walking.
Pick up giveaways from your fellow exhibitors, and then give them back … to different exhibitors.
Go to lunch with the second-funniest sales person who is staffing the booth. Repeat daily.
Look up old friends you haven’t seen in ages that live in the show city, via Facebook, LinkedIn or other social media, and relive the glory days.
Create a fun activity in your booth that helps get your message across to visitors.
Walk into an island trade show exhibit and play with their products. Count how many seconds (minutes?) it takes for a booth staffer to engage you.
Smile at your booth visitors, even if they aren’t. Pretty soon you’ll both be smiling.
Have a contest with fellow staffers to see who can work specific obscure words into conversation when talking with booth visitors, such as “corollary,” “obtuse,” and “Sandra Day O’Connor.”
Walk the show with a colleague. Have a bet on who can count the most: booth staffers sitting down or booth staffers on the phone. A third friend can count booth staffers eating or drinking. (This is like counting states on license plates when on a long drive.) Loser buys lunch.
Have another bet: Before you hit the show floor, bet which trendy new color will be on the trade show displays. Then count the exhibits with that color. Loser buys drinks … that are the color they picked.
Thank everyone who has helped you with the show – your booth staffers, your exhibit house, your manager, the show owner, the show labor, and especially your booth visitors. You’d be surprised how much fun that can be.
February 12, 2010 | Mike Thimmesch
Trade shows are a serious marketing medium in which we invest billions of dollars. In our quest to achieve business results, we often talk about getting the highest ROI (Return on Investment) or ROO (Return on Objectives). But what about the greatest ROF (Return on Fun)?
Trade shows are about meeting people, those unpredictable, emotional beings. To be engaging, you need to be having some fun, because if you are bored or too serious, that puts up an invisible barrier. After a few days per show, and many shows per year, how can you keep yourself entertained (without going overboard at the clubs and the casinos)? Here are a few suggestions:
Look up on the show city’s Visitors and Convention Bureau website all the fun activities you can do outside of show hours (try indoor skydiving in Las Vegas, it’s a blast).
Go to dinner with the funniest sales person who is staffing the booth. Repeat nightly.
Count how many trade show booths you can walk by before a booth staffer tries to engage you.
Visit your competitors at the show and ask them what they don’t do well. Watch ’em squirm.
When you meet attendees in your booth, stop treating them like numbers on the sales chart, and treat them instead as if they are going to be your new best friend.
Drinking game: Walk down the trade show aisle carrying a bottle of water (unless you are at a European show). Whenever a booth staffer says, “Hi! How are you?” you reply, “Fine,” take a swig, and keep walking.
Pick up giveaways from your fellow exhibitors, and then give them back … to different exhibitors.
Go to lunch with the second-funniest sales person who is staffing the booth. Repeat daily.
Look up old friends you haven’t seen in ages that live in the show city, via Facebook, LinkedIn or other social media, and relive the glory days.
Create a fun activity in your booth that helps get your message across to visitors.
Walk into an island trade show exhibit and play with their products. Count how many seconds (minutes?) it takes for a booth staffer to engage you.
Smile at your booth visitors, even if they aren’t. Pretty soon you’ll both be smiling.
Have a contest with fellow staffers to see who can work specific obscure words into conversation when talking with booth visitors, such as “corollary,” “obtuse,” and “Sandra Day O’Connor.”
Walk the show with a colleague. Have a bet on who can count the most: booth staffers sitting down or booth staffers on the phone. A third friend can count booth staffers eating or drinking. (This is like counting states on license plates when on a long drive.) Loser buys lunch.
Have another bet: Before you hit the show floor, bet which trendy new color will be on the trade show displays. Then count the exhibits with that color. Loser buys drinks … that are the color they picked.
Thank everyone who has helped you with the show – your booth staffers, your exhibit house, your manager, the show owner, the show labor, and especially your booth visitors. You’d be surprised how much fun that can be.
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