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The FirstFamily ofPromotions

ExhibitingDo’s & Don’ts27Designing aTrade ShowDisplay

The FirstFamily ofPromotions

ExhibitingDo’s & Don’ts27Designing aTrade ShowDisplay

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& PRODUCT SAFETY TESTING • SOCIAL RESPONSIBILIY • NITION • PRODUCT INNOV TION • SERVICE EXCELLENCE • ORDER SIMRODUCT SAFETY TESTING • SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY • WORLD-CLASS MPLICITY • SERVICE EXCELLENCE • PRODUCT INNOVATION • BRANDNSIBILITY • QUALITY & PRODUCT SAFETY TESTING • WORLD-CLASS Q

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4 Brilliant Results | January 2007 www.brilliantpublishing.com

27 EXHIBITING DO’S AND DON’TS 16For companies looking to improve their

tradeshow success, this list compiled by The Tradeshow Coach is a must read.

By: Susan A. Friedmann, CSP

COST SAVING TIPS FOR YOUR NEXT SHOW 20

These Seven Tips from one of NorthAmerica’s foremost trade and consumer

show experts could result in significant sav-ings for tradeshow participants.

By: Barry Siskind

DESIGNING A TRADE SHOW DISPLAY 24This article complete with a case

study success story will guide you throughthe maze of tradeshow display design.

By: Marc Mousseau

A BRANDED STORY 30Branding takes place in the minds of.

consumers. Discover how your story can helpsuccessfully build your brand.

By: Martin Lindstrom

NEW YEAR, IMPROVED EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE 34

Learn how to plan and execute a successfulemployee review. Give performance reviewsthe time and attention they deserve, and set

your staff up for success in 2007.By: The Creative Group

Contents

8

2536

columns

COVER STORY 8THE FIRST FAMILY OF PROMOTIONS

This month Brilliant Results had the opportunity to interview a member of the most prominant familyin the promotional products industry. Matthew Cohn, President of The ASI Show®, discussed the

secrets behind ASI’s (Advertising Specialty Institute®) many successful trade shows.

TMbrilliant resultsVol. 4, No. 01

features

departments

IS EXHIBITING AT TRADE SHOWS A WASTE OF TIME? 40

Without a Good ROI, Yes. Learn how to avoid common tradeshow mistakes

and bring home your share of tradeshow ROI.By: Robert W. Bly

IT’S ALL PERSONAL 32Is your personal touch ensuring your

tradeshow goes exceedingly well?By: Dave Ribble

TRADE SHOW IDEAS 36Badges & Bags every tradeshow has

them…here are some of the best ideasfor making them work.

BOOK REVIEWS 38Brilliant Results reviews three books

for your consideration.

PUBLISHER’S LETTER 6

OFF THE CUFF 44Quotes & A Special Sudoku

ADVERTISING INDEX 46Get FREE information from

this month’s advertisers

THE LAST WORD 48Brilliant Results speaks with Lee Knight

founder, owner and CEO of ExhibitorMagazine Group, a leading tradeshowproducer and publisher as well as one

of the industry’s foremost thinkers, wewere pleased to give Lee thistradeshow issue’s Last Word.

Cover PhotoThe Cohn Family – Rear L to R:

Norman Cohn, Matthew Cohn Front: Matthew’s wife Lea with daughters

Sydney and Mackenzie.

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9034 Joyce LaneHummelstown, PA 17036

Ph: 717.608.5869Fax: 717.566.5431

PUBLISHER / ADVERTISINGMaureen Williams-Berman

[email protected]

Account ExecutiveJan Kellogg

EDITORIALEditor in Chief

MaryAnne Morrill

Senior EditorsMichelle Donofry, Pierce Roberts

Style EditorCharity Plata

Asst. EditorMildred Landis

Contributing WritersRobert W. Bly, The Creative Group, Susan A.

Friedmann,CSP, Martin Lindstrom, Marc Mousseau,Dave Ribble, Barry Siskind

PRODUCTION / DESIGNArt Director

Percy Zamora

Brilliant Results is published monthly by Brilliant PublishingLLC, 9034 Joyce Lane Hummelstown PA 17036 (717) 608-5869;Fax# (717) 566-5431. Postage paid at Mechanicsburg PA andadditional offices. POSTMASTER please send address changesto Brilliant Results, 9034 Joyce Lane, Hummelstown PA 17036.Volume 4. Number 1. Brilliant Results subscription rates: one-year $120; Canadian $160 USD; one-year foreign $225 USD. Allsubscriptions are non-refundable. Copyright © 2007 BrilliantPublishing LLC. All rights reserved. The publisher reserves theright to accept or reject any advertising or editorial material.Advertisers, and/or their agents, assume the responsibility forany claims against the publisher based on the advertisement.Editorial contributors assume responsibility for their publishedworks and assume responsibility for any claims against the pub-lisher based on published work. No part of this publication canbe reproduced in any form or by electronic or mechanical means,including information storage and retrieval systems, withoutwritten permission from the publisher. All items submitted toBrilliant Results become the sole property of Brilliant PublishingLLC. Editorial content does not reflect the views of the publisher.The imprints, logos, trademarks or trade names (Collectively the“Marks”) displayed on the products featured in Brilliant Resultsare for illustrative purposes only and are not available for sale.The marks do not represent the implied or actual endorsementby the owners of the Marks of the product on which they appear.All of the Marks are the property of the respective owners and isnot the property of either the advertisers using the Marks orBrilliant Results.


Publisher’s Letter TM


brilliant resultsbrilliant results

262467

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

It is hard to believe yet another year has come andgone. This year I have many resolutions. The main onebeing to continue to bring to you a magazine that is sim-ply worth your time. In our time starved society, it is mostimportant to give you what you want. You have sent memany ideas and many emails – I appreciate each andevery one of them and am determined to add all that youare looking for…more resources (more top advertisers),more ideas and more of the excellent editorial that youhave become accustomed to each and every month.

I know my editorial staff is truly the Best of the Best! Which brings me tosome exciting news…we have added a new sales representative. Please join mein welcoming, Jan Kellogg. We are very excited to have her join us and are look-ing forward to her contribution of new advertisers/resources for our readers.

In gearing up for a successful 2007, we have dedicated this issue toTradeshows. It is my pleasure to bring to you an interview with MatthewCohn. (I have long admired and respected his family for the many things theyhave done for the promotional products industry!) They are truly the FirstFamily of the promotional products business and have made our industrymuch of what it is today. As a for-profit-company, they have addedtradeshows that are beneficial to all who attend to the myriad other aspectsof the Advertising Specialty Institute®. I hope you enjoy and learn much fromour one-on-one with Matthew Cohn.

In the pages of this issue you will also find information from othertradeshow experts on everything from…27 Exhibiting Do’s and Don’ts,Designing Your Booth, Increasing Your ROI and a Last Word from Lee Knightanother leader in the tradeshow industry. This month we also added a bookreview column, so don’t hesitate to submit your business books for reviewconsideration!

I love this time of year. Everything seems new and possible. We have somevery exciting new features and columns coming your way in 2007! So sit back,grab some coffee and enjoy another fine issue of Brilliant Results Magazine.As always…

Have a Brilliant Day,

Maureen [email protected] 541-788-5022

Brill492

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ASI l 95280 W l www.warwickpublishing.com Contact your local Promotional Products Distributor

make a date with success!

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BECAUSE THE MAJORITY of ourreaders participate in at least onetrade show every year whether asexhibitors or attendees, this monthBrilliant Results’ focus is on how toimprove that experience andincrease your TS ROI. With that inmind we contacted ASI(Advertising Specialty Institute®)the largest media and marketingorganization serving the advertis-ing specialty industry.

Started in 1950 by Joe Segel, agrad student working his waythrough school selling promotionalproducts, ASI now has a membership of 23,000 dis-tributor firms (sellers) and 3,400 supplier firms (man-ufacturers) of advertising specialty items. At thetime Joe started the company, the industry had nocentral resource for finding products and the suppli-ers who made them. Segel researched and pub-lished his own directory, calling it the AdvertisingSpecialty Register®. (“Ad specialty” is the originalterm for promotional product.) He named his companythe Advertising Specialty Institute.

Segel sold ASI in 1963 to Maurice Cohn, at thetime the owner of the largest advertising specialtysupplier. While Segel went on to found other compa-nies, like the Franklin Mint and QVC, Cohn sold hissupplier interests and dedicated himself to improv-ing and expanding ASI. The Cohn family, now head-ed by Maurice’s son Norman, still owns the compa-ny, which has grown to 500 employees. For over 50years, ASI has continuously led the industry inresearch and marketing tool development.

But, it is their successfultrade show endeavors thatcaught our attention…or wasit “Promo” who made hisdebut in 1998 at The ASIShow® and is, we believe, theonly permanent trade showmascot in any industry. Thatfirst ASI Show was held inLas Vegas, and it was thelargest summer show in thehistory of the industry. Thereare now five main ASI Showlocations each year – Orlando,

Dallas, Las Vegas, Philadelphia,and Chicago in addition to 60 cities served by theAdvantages Roadshow, the traveling show offered bythe ASI Show.

The ASI Show was honored in the WhartonBusiness School’s “Philadelphia 100” fastest grow-ing privately held companies in 2002 and 2003. TheASI Show has also twice been named as one of theTradeshow Week Fastest 50 – one of the fastestgrowing trade shows in North America and recent-ly to the INC 500 as the 153rd fastest growing pri-vate company in America over the last 5 years.

Matthew Cohn, President of The ASI Show is agraduate of University of Pennsylvania’s WhartonSchool of Business and has been a featured speaker atmany national conferences. His major focus today isthe continued growth and success of the trade showhe launched for the promotional products industry in1998. And those are just a few of the reasons whyBrilliant Results was delighted when Matthew agreedto an interview for this trade show issue.

Family of Promotions

Matthew Cohn, President of The ASI Show

FirstThe


Brilliant Results | January 2007 9www.brilliantpublishing.com

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BR: Why and when did ASI enter the tradeshow industry?

MC: ASI had conducted shows in Chicago for yearsand decided to re-enter the trade show businessnationwide in February 1998, because so many ASImembers were not getting the benefits of the limitedshows in the industry. ASI members had beenrequesting shows and education from ASI in growingnumbers and the success of The ASI Show clearlyindicates that there was a large unfilled demand.

In 2006, The ASI Shows attracted over 28,000 dis-tributor salespeople – exposing those industry pro-fessionals to education, suppliers and networkingthat they would never have had without the shows.

I am very proud that The ASI Show connectsmore distributors with more suppliers than anyother industry trade show series and that The ASIShow conducts more education than any otherorganization in the industry. In fact, The ASI Showspends more than $1,000,000 every year to providefree education to ASI members.

BR: In your opinion, what is the most importantadvantage a trade show offers Exhibitors? Attendees?

MC: Trade shows provide the most productiveenvironment to bring together buyers and sellerseffectively and cost-efficiently.

Exhibitors are exposed to thousands of buyers,with less time out of the office and at lower travelexpenses. An exhibitor can see hundreds of distribu-tor salespeople; learn about their needs, test-marketnew products and exchange ideas all in one place.

Distributor attendees benefit greatly from TheASI Shows because of the opportunity to see hun-dreds of suppliers with tens of thousands of prod-ucts in one place – again with just a few days out ofthe office. Plus, distributors have the opportunityto actually touch and feel a product, get to knowpreferred suppliers and work collaboratively tosolve their clients’ biggest challenges.

BR: Based on the numbers, have you seen anincrease in the popularity of promotional merchan-dise trade shows? If so, what are the most importantthings contributing to that popularity?

MC: Absolutely! Trade shows are more impor-tant for both suppliers and distributors todaythan ever before. The ASI Shows attracted over28,000 distributor salespeople in 2006 alone. Thisis up dramatically from the total of just a fewyears ago. There are many reasons that The ASIShows are attracting more distributors than ever– ultimately it is because they are effective forsuppliers and distributors in giving them a greatreturn on their time and investment. We havespent a lot of time and effort making sure theshows are in the right locations and at the righttimes of year to best meet the needs of the indus-try. We are constantly getting feedback throughformal surveys, our active advisory board andmeetings with ASI members.

Other important factors in the growth of The ASIShows include the fact that they deliver an audi-ence that doesn’t attend any other shows. Morethan 4,000 distributor companies have joined ASI inthe last two years and these companies already rep-resent more than one billion dollars in industrysales. The majority of these companies exclusivelyattend an ASI Show.

For distributors, The ASI Shows deliver hundredsof new and unique suppliers that they can only findat our trade shows. Distributors are always lookingfor new products and cutting-edge ideas, so theopportunity to find that next hot seller before theircompetition does makes The ASI Shows the bestuse of their time and provides them with a compet-itive advantage.

Education is also very important to suppliers anddistributors alike. Attending The ASI Shows givesASI members the opportunity to take free seminarsfrom some of the world’s best sales, marketing,management and other business professionals. Weoffer exclusive education on family business andhave developed innovative programs, like “10Billion Dollar Markets and How to Sell Them,”“Supplier Secrets” (where exhibitors present their

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top-selling products and tips on how to sell them),advanced sales and sales management courses,and of course the popular classes on using ESP, anelectronic database from ASI of over 750,000 ad spe-cialty products and the best sales, marketing andbusiness management tool in the industry.

In addition, suppliers and distributors alike ben-efit from the internationally renowned keynotespeakers and entertainers that are offered at TheASI Shows. Many ASI members wouldn’t have theopportunity to learn from top international leaders –but at our shows they can hear from these leadersand also have the opportunity to ask them ques-tions. Past speakers include Rudy Giuliani, DonaldTrump, Steve Wynn, Ken Blanchard, Stephen Coveyand Tom Peters. Entertainment has included exclu-sive shows and special access to Cirque du Soleil,Jay Leno, Bill Cosby, Jim Belushi and the SacredHarts, Celine Dion, Elton John, Blue Man Group,Wicked and Pat Green. In 2007, The ASI Show hasannounced The Honorable Colin Powell, Rich Riley(general manager from Yahoo!), Jay Leno, a partywith private access to rides and attractions atUniversal Studios in Orlando – and more and biggerannouncements are yet to come.

BR: Can end buyers attend ASI and other promo-tional merchandise trade shows?

MC: No. The ASI Shows are wholesale-levelshows, bringing industry suppliers (the manufac-turers) together with industry distributors (thesalespeople and companies that order and developprograms for end buyers).

BR: How large is the promotional products indus-try and what is your view of its future?

MC: According to the State of the Industry reportfrom ASI, total ad specialty industry sales were$17.8 billion in 2005, a new record and up 5% versusthe year before. And, based on the quarterly trendreports, it looks like 2006 is another good year. I amvery optimistic about the future of the industry.Suppliers and distributors are more professionalthan ever and the industry continues to delivervalue for the end buyer.

In addition, there is a continuous stream of inno-vative new products and name brands being intro-duced each day to the ASI Network. ASI has putour efforts into increasing awareness of the effec-tiveness of our industry and we have been able toget coverage from major media outlets, including

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Advertising Age, Newsday, The PhiladelphiaInquirer, The Wall Street Journal and dozens of tel-evision spots. This publicity helps increase thecredibility of our industry and will help continue togrow the market into the future.

BR: How do you see the global ‘direct selling mar-ket’ and the ability to buy promotional products overthe Internet impacting the industry and its tradeshows?

MC: There will be some inevitable shifts in thebuying patterns, but overall, good distributors andgood suppliers are more than simply resellers.Suppliers are expert sourcers and inventors of prod-ucts. Distributors are the creative advisors to theirclients and help ensure the client achieves theiradvertising or marketing objectives. Global compe-tition means that the industry needs to do an evenbetter job meeting the needs of the end buyers.This requires more education, more product choicesand better collaboration – all of which leads to theincreasing importance of face-to-face contact in realtime at trade shows.

BR: What is the primary secret of ASI’s businesssuccess in managing and promoting its trade shows?

MC: For managing the shows, there are two spe-cific elements we have found that are keys to oursuccess:

1) Listening to ASI members – many ASI Showinnovations have come from member suggestionsand member input. We are constantly looking forways to improve The ASI Show experience andinput from members is the best source of newideas. 2) We have a never-ending focus on cus-tomer service and doing everything we can to

ensure that The ASI Shows are the best possibleexperience for our members. We invest heavily tomake sure we have extra staff at the shows, inorder to provide the most personal experience pos-sible for each attendee and exhibitor. We ensurethat our team is highly visible with their red ASIShow hats, so that any time a member has a ques-tion or needs assistance, they can quickly find help.And we make the shows enjoyable with extra serv-ices, like free ASI member breakfasts, free eveningreceptions, free shipping between shows forexhibitors, free shipping of catalogs or free parkingwith the Passport promotion. We even have a livepiano player in the registration area to ensure thatthe first and last experience each person has leavesa quality impression. Our focus is on delivering apremium quality experience so that we exceed ourmembers’ expectations.

In addition, we are fully committed to investingheavily to grow the shows. We spend more toensure quality distributor traffic than other tradeshows. Plus, we know that suppliers want to reachthe salespeople who are actually selling the prod-ucts, and while that is an expensive market toreach, we have developed a database of over100,000 unique distributors and salespeople toensure that we deliver the audience that exhibitorswant to reach. Each year, a salesperson will receiveover 10 exposures to ASI Show marketing materialthat has special promotions and we also offer manyincentives to attendees to help make The ASIShows even more attractive. These incentivesinclude everything from innovative speakers andfree parking to free hotel rooms and celebrity enter-tainment. Even the new ASI Advantages Roadshow(ASI’s official traveling show) gets extensive mar-keting support. And that marketing effort hasresulted in unmatched success for the ASIAdvantages Roadshow. In just the first year, theASI Advantages Roadshow has delivered over11,000 attendees – 50% more than projected anddouble the other industry traveling shows. Foreach show, distributor salespeople receive faxes,emails, post cards and even a personal phone call toensure they don’t miss the benefits of the ASIAdvantages Roadshow when it comes to their area.While these promotions are very expensive, it isworth it because suppliers are thrilled with theirresults and the ASI Advantages Roadshow hasbecome the number one local event for suppliersand distributors alike in just the first year.

As previously mentioned, international leadersand celebrity entertainment are features of eachASI Show that attendees look forward to. Webelieve in delivering an experience that makes itworthwhile for a supplier or a distributor to invest

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their time and money to come to the event, andoffering world-class, thought-provoking keynotes isan important part of what we offer. These speakershelp attendees go home inspired, refreshed andmotivated to reach new levels of success. Plus, inan industry that is as creative as this one, it can’t allbe about work.

BR: Do you have any suggestions for our readers onhow to use promotional merchandise to increase theirtrade show booth traffic and/or sales successes? Whatis the best one you have seen used at a trade show?

MC: The topic of pre-show promoting is near anddear to me. It is amazing to me how manyexhibitors invest thousands of dollars to come to ashow, but never send out pre-show promotions ormarketing materials to drive traffic to their booth.Suppliers who do pre-show promotions, even justan email or a post card, get much more traffic thanthose who don’t. Plus, those suppliers end up withbetter-qualified sales leads and more productiveconversations at the booth and at ASI Show events.I recommend doing

pre- and post-show promotions. The best promotion I have seen is an intergrad-

ed pre-show and on-floor campaign, with a clearlydefined theme and message. First, each attendeereceived a teaser email announcing a new product,followed by a post card with more information anda coupon for a free sample kit when they visited thebooth at the show. Then, the supplier sent a three-dimensional mailer in The ASI Show Pre-ShowExpress, with a reminder to come to the booth forthe big announcement and that included animprinted product that tied into their theme. At theshow, the supplier ensured their were reminders ina number of locations – including show sponsor-ship, which gave them exposure to every attendee,plus New Product Spotlight ads in The ASI ShowDaily newspaper. The supplier also offered a draw-ing to help make sure that they were on the “not tobe missed” list of exhibitors. To cap off the greatpromotion effort, the supplier sent emails and postcards immediately after the show to every attendeeso that they were reminded about the new product,and they included a sample of the item in The ASIShow Post-Show Express that is sent automaticallyto every distributor after each show.

BR: Can you give our readers some examples ofsuccessful promotional merchandise and/or directmarketing campaigns ASI has used?

MC: We have done lots of innovative direct mailand promotional campaigns and we have beenlucky to win many awards for our efforts, includingbeing recognized multiple times in the Art of the

Show awards program. Some of my personalfavorites include the “Balloon in the Box” promo-tion, which was sent to 2,000 key distributors in an18” x 18” x 18” box with a large helium balloon(custom imprinted of course). When the distribu-tors opened the box, the balloon floated out, andattached to the end was a letter with a specialincentive to attend The ASI Show. As you canimagine, it was hard to miss that promotion and wereceived a tremendous response. Another promo-tion that I personally liked was our “pizza promo-tion” of The ASI Show Chicago soon after its launch– each distributor received a real pizza box deliv-ered to their office. When they opened the box,instead of pizza, they found a menu that explainedall of the benefits and options of The ASI Show plusan imprinted pizza cutter. Additionally, the insideof the box (top and bottom) was custom-printed infull color with pictures from the shows, as well askey benefits of attending. A similar campaign wasdone to key suppliers.

Lastly, we were lucky enough to have DonaldTrump record a personal greeting for ASI members,inviting them to come to The ASI Show Philadelphia.His message was great (after all, “The Donald” is anincredible marketer), and the response to that cam-paign was overwhelming. Imagine how much excite-ment it created for a distributor to get a message fromDonald Trump on their voice mail.

BR: Of the trade shows you and your team havedeveloped, which one(s) do you feel is the mostnotable/recognizable and what is the key(s) to itssuccess?

MC: This is a hard question to answer. One ofthe things we take pride in for the shows as awhole is the fact that each show serves a differentmarket and attracts a different audience – many

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who attend one of our major shows don’t attendany other major show in the industry and there’slittle overlap.

In some ways, The ASI Show in Las Vegas is themost notable and recognizable. This year we arecelebrating our 10th annual show in Las Vegas andsince our first show over 135,000 distributors andsalespeople have attended an ASI trade show. Atthe time, the Las Vegas show was the largest andfastest new show launch in the history of tradeshows and everyone who was there remembers thetremendous buzz on the show floor when the showopened. The ASI Show Las Vegas is the industry’slongest-running Las Vegas show and it’s the showthat started it all.

ASI Chicago has its own special place. Not onlyis it the largest show in the Midwest and the indus-try’s largest and best-attended summer show, it isalso home to the Counselor Top 40, Person of theYear and Marvin Spike Lifetime Achievementawards event. Among the “movers and shakers,”this Show is not to be missed. Symbolically, this isalso the place where ASI held shows in the 1960’s,so there is something very gratifying about contin-uing to give suppliers and distributors the opportu-nity to get together in the great city of Chicago, ata high-quality show.

The ASI Show Orlando is also special because it isa show that many suppliers and distributors consid-er the best ASI Show of the year. Because it is thelargest show in the East and timed to help suppliersand distributors alike kick off the New Year with abang, this show always has lots of excitement.

The ASI Show in Dallas is unique in that it bringstogether thousands of distributors and suppliers inthe Southwest, but it also has an incredibly loyalfollowing. Even today, years after we launched it,distributors stop me in Dallas to say how muchthey appreciate the show. For many suppliers,Texas is one of their top three markets, so having agreat show there is good for suppliers and distrib-utors alike.

The ASI Show Philadelphia is notable, not justbecause it was launched in less than six weeks(making it the fastest new show launch in the his-tory of trade shows), but because the show deliv-ered 50% more attendees than projected in the firstyear and grew another 14% in attendance in 2006.While other industry shows have seen decliningattendance for years in a row, this show is meetingan important need in the Northeast – which previ-ously had the lowest trade show attendance of anyregion in the country – and is enabling suppliers toreach the thousands of ASI member distributors

who haven’t previously attended any shows. Inaddition, the Philadelphia show is in ASI’s home-town, so it gives our members an opportunity tomeet the staff at ASI and even visit the ASI head-quarters just outside the city.

Lastly, the ASI Advantages Roadshow has beensuccessful because it introduces an ASI qualityexperience in a traveling show format. Suppliershave been so happy with the ASI AdvantagesRoadshow that we added three weeks to the 2006fall schedule and many of the weeks in 2007 arealready sold out.

BR: In your opinion, aside from your own tradeshows, what is the best trade show you have everattended? Why?

MC: The one show that stands out in my mind isCES – the Consumer Electronics Show. This showwas the first one I ever attended. I remember beingamazed at how effective the trade show was for me.I could get on a plane, spend two days in Chicago –where summer CES was at the time – and see somany new and innovative products. The show waswell organized and had an exciting buzz about it.Even today, CES is one of the very best shows inany industry. While it is a huge show, it is wellorganized, and run by an organization that is dedi-cated to the industry and committed to the indus-try’s success. It is impossible to go to CES and leavewithout having learned new things, met key con-tacts and having felt excited about the innovation inthe consumer electronics industry. And I hopeattendees find that The ASI Shows are designed todeliver a similar experience, enabling suppliers anddistributors to be more successful because of theopportunities there.

BR: Do you have any final thoughts or advice forour readers about maximizing their trade show ROI?

MC: Trade shows are incredibly effective andenable suppliers and distributors to accomplishmore in less time. The key to success is beinginvolved. The first step is to participate. Whilewe are excited about the 28,000 distributorsalespeople who attended an ASI Show in 2006,there are over 130,000 salespeople in thisindustry and half still do not attend any tradeshow. Those distributors are missing so manyopportunities to learn new skills, get new prod-uct ideas and to develop more business andpersonal relationships.

Once a supplier or distributor has decided to par-ticipate, there is so much he or she can do to guar-antee the best possible experience. As an exhibitor,

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it is critical to market their presencebefore the show, to get the audience totheir booth, and to follow-up quicklyafter the show, to close sales and keepcommunication open.

For attendees, it is important to planyour time on the show floor. Know inadvance which projects you need helpwith and come prepared to ask your col-leagues questions. To be honest, I thinkthe biggest mistake suppliers and dis-tributors make when coming to a showis to walk the floor simply to getscanned for a catalog. Alternatively,when suppliers and distributors havewell thought-out goals when attendinga show, and interact to accomplish theirgoals, The ASI Show helps everyonebecome more successful.

BR: What, in your opinion, makes a pro-motional product successful and are theyeffective advertising tools?

MC: Advertising specialties are effec-tive because people keep them, usethem and remember them. As a tool forfine-tuning targeting, advertising spe-cialties can be used very effectively toreach a target audience and deliver abetter ROI and a more lasting impres-sion of your company or brand than anyother promotional vehicle.

BR: Do you remember the last promo-tional product you received and fromwhat company you received it?

MC: Yes and yes! I am lucky to getadvertising specialty products fre-quently from industry colleagues andmarketers – and I make a point to pickup interesting ones at trade shows.Just last week, I was given a smallMP3 player from a vendor that wasimprinted with the company’s logo andwas delivered with a small brochureselling the key points about that com-pany. I have used the MP3 playermany times, and the integrated mes-sage with the brochure made it a veryeffective and lasting promotion. I eventook the player to India with me, so Iam constantly reminded of the compa-ny that gave it to me – that is powerfulbranding!

In addition, a couple of days ago,Verizon Wireless came to visit ouremployees to talk with them about anew employee mobile phone program.I was impressed to see that theybrought a variety of advertising spe-cialties, including business card-sizemints and imprinted mini-flashlights.Even in our office, where we areexposed to these products every day,

these items gave us one more reasonto stop by the Verizon table and talkabout their products and also servedas a reminder of the discounts offered.And the mints were fantastic, too! •

For additional information on ASIand The ASI Shows visit their websitesat www.asishow.com and www.asicen-tral.com.

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Do:Research a show carefully before you decide to

exhibit. Does this show attract a large number ofpeople from your target audience? Tradeshow par-ticipation takes a lot of time, energy and resources.You don’t want to spend them on folks who areunlikely ever to do business with you.

Don’t: Be afraid to ask questions. Show organizers

have all kinds of information that new exhibitorswould benefit from knowing. Ask about attendeedemographics, exhibitor’s requirements, and whatassistance you can expect from the show’s staff.

Do:Start planning early. Regular tradeshow exhibitors

routinely start planning their appearances twelve toeighteen months in advance.

Don’t:Pass up the chance to visit other industry

events before you exhibit for the first time.Make note of what exhibitors worked for youand what turned you off. What did you find to beeffective? Can you incorporate those items intoyour own exhibit?

Do:Make a list of goals and objectives for the show.

This list should be very specific. Do you want togenerate $X in new sales, start a certain number ofnew business relationships, or spread the wordabout a new service offering you’re introducing tothe market?

Don’t:Get sidetracked by what everyone else is doing -

or by what people tell you you ‘have’ to do at atradeshow. You’re at the show to reinforce yourexpert identity and achieve your goals and objec-tives. Anything else is off-target.

Do:Be open to creative and new ways of present-

ing your services. Tradeshow attendees see hun-dreds of exhibits in the course of one day. Youneed to be unique and engaging for your displayto be memorable.

Don’t:Be afraid to be enthusiastic about your services.

If you’re genuinely jazzed up about what you do,attendees will sense that. Enthusiasm is contagious— and more importantly, it sells!

BY: SUSAN A. FRIEDMANN, CSP

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Do:Learn the 80/20 rule and take it to heart. The

best exhibitors are those who listen 80% of the timeand talk 20%. Focusing on attendees’ wants andneeds is a surefire route to success.

Don’t:“Throw Up” on attendees. This very common

practice occurs when nervous exhibitors can’tstop talking, and keep up a constant barrage offacts, figures, and sales spiel. Attendees arequickly turned off by this, and your chance toform a profitable new business relationshipwalks away.

Do:Remember you’re on display. What you’re selling at

a tradeshow is, primarily, first impressions. Be profes-sional, well-dressed, and mannerly at all times. Younever know who’s watching.

Don’t:Eat, drink, or chat on your cell phone on the

show floor. When you need refreshment or a break,leave your exhibit booth. Remember, the eyes of thepublic are on you at all times, so you’ll want to con-duct yourself well.

Do:Be realistic. Tradeshows are long events. You’re on

the floor for anywhere from ten to twelve hours at a go,often several days in a row. This is a lot for any one per-son to do on their own, and most Nichepreneuers aresolo operations. Ask for help. Recruit friends to workthe show with you. If nothing else, they can spell youwhile you grab a quick bite to eat.

Don’t:Forget! If you have friends help you at the

tradeshow, it behooves you to provide them withsome training. Make sure they understand what yourservices are, how you’re different from your peers, andwhat the marketing message is. Also, have a plan inplace to cover what they should do when they run intoa question they don’t know the answer to.

Do:Ask qualifying questions. You want to know who

you’re talking to, who they work for, and in whatcapacity. This will help you determine if theattendee is a prospective customer or not.

Don’t:Be afraid to encourage people to move along if

they’re not interested in your services. Some of the

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people who attend tradeshows are ‘tire-kickers’ —they like to discuss everything, but buy nothing.You don’t want to waste your time with them.

Do:Take notes. Take time before the show to create

a lead-card system, in which you’ll record pertinentinformation to facilitate post-show follow-up.

Don’t:Depend on your memory — no matter how good

you are, a few words scrawled on the back of a busi-ness card won’t be enough after the show’s overand you’ve met with literally hundreds of people.

Do:Be polite and nice to everyone. The junior execu-

tive today can be a senior executive tomorrow.

Don’t:Forget to read the Exhibitor’s Service manual.

This is the thick packet of materials you receivedwhen you registered for the show. Inside, you’ll findeverything you need to know about exhibiting atthat particular show — and discover importantdeadlines for ordering services. Don’t miss thosedeadlines or you’ll pay more for everything!

Do:Reach out to the media. Have a press kit available

in the media room. Be open to interviews — reportersand freelancers often walk the floor looking for sto-ries. If you have something truly newsworthy toannounce, schedule a press conference at the show.

Don’t:Forget to advertise your tradeshow participa-

tion. Make sure your target audience knows theycan see you at the show, where you’ll be, and whatthey can expect when they visit you.

Do:Follow Up! The most important part of any

tradeshow takes place after you leave the building.You see that big pile of leads you’ve gathered? Sendthem all thank you notes for coming to see you —and follow up with them the most promisingprospects quickly. You’ll be glad you did.

Don’t:Hesitate to include hands-on, interactive demon-

strations into your exhibit whenever possible.People love to participate. They love to try newthings. Most of all, they love to have fun. If you canintegrate fun into your exhibit, you’ll have moreattendees than you know what to do with.

Do:Use giveaway items that enhance your expert

identity. You want items that your attendees willuse regularly and reinforce their impression of youas the expert.

Don’t:Get caught up in trendy giveaway items pushed

by promotional salespeople. You want to stand outfrom the crowd, not merge with it.

Do:Give your tradeshow participation a fair chance

to work. Results may not be immediate. Rome was-n’t built in a day. But the business relationships youstart at tradeshows today can steadily blossom intoprofitable partnerships tomorrow. •

Written by Susan A. Friedmann, CSP, TheTradeshow Coach, Lake Placid, NY, author: “Meeting& Event Planning for Dummies,” working with compa-nies to improve their meeting and event successthrough coaching, consulting and tradeshow training.For a free copy of “10 Common Mistakes ExhibitorsMake”, e-mail: [email protected];website: www.thetradeshowcoach.com

Don’t: Forget to read the Exhibitor’s Service manual. This is the thickpacket of materials you received when you registered for the show.

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AS AN EXHIBIT MANAGER, you have a fiscalresponsibility to allocate your resources properlyand report results accurately to management.Without money nothing will happen. W.Somerset Maugham wrote, “Money is like asixth sense without which you cannot make acomplete use of the five.” The bottom line foryour entire exhibit program depends on harness-ing the right amount of fiscal resources.However, we are in an age when marketers sim-ply do not have unlimited budgets. Here areseven tips that will help trim a few dollars fromyour budget.

DISPLAYFirst-time exhibitors may consider renting

booth hardware before taking the plunge andcommitting to one system. Typical rentalcosts are about 20 percent of the retail valueof the hardware, excluding signs and graph-ics. Another consideration is refurbishing anolder booth rather than replacing it. If the

structure is in good shape, then re-facing itcan be cost effective.

First time exhibitors might also considerpurchasing a used booth. Check with your dis-play house for a good lead or look on one of theInternet resale sites such as www.eBay.com.

TRANSPORTATIONGenerally shows have an official freight for-

warder. At first glance, it may seem more expen-sive, but the official freight forwarder will likelyguarantee on-time delivery because it under-stands the show and often gets priority at theloading docks. Whenever possible, avoid last-minute shipments because charges can be exor-bitant. If your event does not have a designatedfreight forwarder, consider forming a group withother exhibitors from your area to negotiate bet-ter rates collectively.

The cost of drayage—moving goods from theshow’s receiving dock to your show floor space—is a reality in many exhibit facilities. Depending

BY: BARRY SISKIND

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on the location, you may be able to move somethings yourself, such as a booth that comes in acase on wheels, but before you move anything,check the local labor rules. Drayage is usually calcu-lated on a cost per hundred weight basis (CWT).This means that if your shipment weighs 510pounds (231 kilograms), you will be charged for 600pounds (272 kilograms).

LABORIn certain jurisdictions you can provide your own

labor, while in others you cannot. Be sure to read theshow rules carefully. On-site labor charges can beminimized by ensuring that your display needs as lit-tle work as possible on-site. A pre-show checkup willeliminate a lot of last-minute structural problems.

PROMOTIONPlanning early for the entire year is an easy way

to stretch your promotion budget. It gives you thecost advantage of multiple-unit purchasing ofadvertising space, lower per-unit costs on premi-ums and printed material, as well as an opportunityto work collectively with other exhibitors.

Ensure that your boothers limit the use ofgive-away items to only serious visitors.Brochures, premiums, and other trade show toolsare wasted when exhibit staff give them away

rather than pack them up and ship them home forthe next show.

Often exhibitors welcome the idea of cross-pro-motion. You can trade products in each other’sbooth with a sign acknowledging where theattendee can learn more about a particular product.For example, if you sell computer hardware, findsomeone else at the show that sells computer furni-ture. If you sell flowers, find someone else who sellsvases. You can also put links on each other’s websites, conduct joint advertising programs, and par-ticipate in collective promotional techniques suchas the use of a passport at the event.

THE MEDIA If you cultivate your relationship carefully with

members of the media, they can be terrific promo-tional partners. There is no guarantee that you willget what you want, but there is little cost and thepotential reward, such as moving to the front of theline when it’s time for editorial coverage, is so highthat it is worth the effort.

SHOW SERVICESThe cost difference between ordering services

within the show deadlines and at the last minute issubstantial. Read your show manual carefully andensure that you have ordered everything on time.

Land-line telephones are expensive to install andoften redundant since most of your staff have theirown cell phones or PDAs. Unless you need the land-line for an Internet connection, this is one expenseyou can avoid.

BOOTH STAFFIn some locations you can hire professional booth

staff from a local agency rather than bringing yourown. Often the cost of travel, accommodation, andthe time away from the office makes bringing staffuneconomical.

Small ideas like these can provide big resultswithout having to break the bank to get them.

Barry Siskind is North America’s foremost tradeand consumer show expert and author of The Powerof Exhibit Marketing. He is president of Torontobased International Training and ManagementCompany. For a free copy of Barry’s™ audiotape,Double Your Trade Show Results...Guaranteed

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Designing a Trade Show Display

BY: MARC MOUSSEAU

SIMPLICITYEmerging trends in the industry are showing that“less is more” in trade show booth design. Tradeshow prospects should walk away from your dis-play knowing who you are and what you do andhave an understanding of how your company isimportant to their company.

Focus on Branding and Products – After all,branding and products represent who you are andwhat you do.

Focus on Lighting – Lighting is the most effectiveand underused trade show display accessory.Lighting makes your message or product “pop” as itdirects the attendee’s eye exactly to where you want.

Scrapbook – Look on the Internet, in trade mag-azines, and walk the floor at trade shows youattend before deciding on your new displaydesign. When you see something you like, askyourself, “What is it about this that I like?” Oftenclients make the mistake of saying, “I like the XYZdisplay.” Remember, that design is taken, so bespecific and ask yourself, “What elements of theXYZ display do I like?”

Avoid fads – Fads, such as colors or fixtures thatare not expected to have the same life span, as yourdisplay should be avoided. However, some fads,such as iPods as promotional gifts are a good way tokeep your display current and “hip” without incur-ring a major cost when you want to make a change.

Is the experience worth the effort? While theoverall project will have its ups and downs, the finalproject needs to be worth the effort. Know yourlimits before embarking on this project and designaccordingly. Your prospects will see and feel the dif-ference between “This is what we had to settle for”and “Look what we were able to do within our lim-ited budget!”

The success of your project should be dictated bythe following criteria that you establish beforeembarking on the design project.

AVOID DESIGN BY COMMITTEE.Design by committee is defined as allowing a

large group of people such as a sales team, to haveinput into the entire design phase of your tradeshow display. This not only drives the cost UP, butalso drives the creative process DOWN and usuallyresults in a mediocre final product. Select a group

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TRADE SHOW DISPLAY CHALLENGE:Enfamil had attended The American Baby Faires in previous years using 10 x 30 foot inline

trade show displays. For 2002-2003 their trade show exhibit booth marketing scope expand-ed to a 20 x 30 foot space.

Their first booth design was budget conscience and was made from a standard kit avail-able from a trade show exhibit booth manufacturer. In late 2003, Enfamil directed MooseLogistics to create a trade show display booth that would "own the show floor."

However, several issues had to be considered for their new booth design, including anannual 10-show schedule, freight and logistics, with only a single day to install the tradeshow display and only 4 hours to dismantle the booth.

MOOSE LOGISTICS TRADE SHOW DISPLAY ATLANTA SOLUTION:Moose Logistics incorporated the use of Matrix frame systems, fabric graphics, and cus-

tom booth design elements to achieve the needed look. The fabric is machine washable so itcan withstand the wear and tear that traditional graphics cannot. The custom elements arepainted and a reserve of touch-up paint has kept these elements fresh for 14 shows. Finally,the Matrix frame system allows for speed in setting up the core elements of their trade showdisplay booth.

TESTIMONIAL:Moose Logistics provides an exceptional level of service. From the design stage to coordi-

nating logistics of the finished product - they are professional, committed and cost-efficient. Our participation in the American Baby shows would be hampered without their expert-

ise and leadership.

Sincerely,

Marie Boone-Clark Associate Manager, Consumer Resource Center Mead Johnson

Client: Enfamil www.enfamil.comContact: Marie Boone-Clark Show: American Baby Faire/Wal-Mart Family and Kid ExpoSpace: 20 x 30

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of people whose ideas are important to determineitems like functionality, budget, and staffing. Oncethese decisions are made, create a small team, per-haps just three people, to spearhead the effort tofind possible designers and exhibit houses.

Once you have narrowed the choices to no morethan three designs, you can present them to importantstakeholders to choose the final design. This is a suc-cessful approach because everybody has input.

WHAT DO YOU WANT PEOPLE TO REMEMBER MOST ABOUT YOUR COMPANY?

Attendees at any major trade show will havea visual overload of information. To have aneffective presentation, you will need to havemore of an impact than your competitors onthose attendees to whom you target your prod-ucts and services. In your first meeting with adesigner, you must answer the question: Whatdo you want people to remember most aboutyour company?

Do you want them to remember the people whowork for your company, or do you want them toremember your products or services?

KNOW WHAT YOU DO NOT WANT TO SEE.

Just as important as deciding how you wouldlike your display to function, it is important to knowwhat you want to avoid. Power Point presentationsare usually boring! You might also want to avoidcertain colors, shapes, or product highlights.

DON’T LET INEXPERIENCED PEOPLECHOOSE FURNITURE AND AVOIDRENTAL FURNITURE.

Two of the most underestimated items in a dis-play are carpet and furniture. Carpet should betreated like shoes. Would you wear old or scuffedshoes with your best suit? Consider your displayyour best suit. People notice!

Furniture can also make a statement. Themost successful trade show displays have design-er furniture and custom-made tables to acces-sorize the rest of the booth. Rental furniture isfunctional; however, you many consider allow-ing a designer to choose the right furniture to com-plement the design.

Your Product/Service is the hero. Focus yourattention on providing an outstanding product/service—this is your ultimate goal.

BE KEENLY AWARE OF THESE COMPONENTS:• The design office• The client• The community

The criteria encompassing all of these areas willdefine your design boundaries.

MAKE VALUE ENGINEERING A TOP PRIORITY.

Focus your budget on those items that will havean impact on your prospect. Maybe it is a largegraphic or a multimedia presentation. Then, workwith the designer or exhibit builder to prioritizethe elements you want most.

THE LOWER THE BUDGET, THE HIGHER THE DESIGN COSTS.

While this does not make sense at the outset,this statement is based on fact. The more restric-tive the budget that designers have to work with-in, the more limited their choices become. Thismeans more “trial and error” occurs as a result oftrying to create an effective design within thebudget parameters.

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BE CREATIVE AND RECYCLE.When working with a designer or exhibit house,

conduct an inventory of existing displays. You willbe surprised to find that a new coat of paint withdesign or structural adjustments may be all youneed to tweak existing displays. Voila! You have ausable component for your new design.BEGIN WITH PENCIL SKETCHES.

Pencil sketches—or drawing a picture—is a greatway for companies to exchange basic sketches andideas to improve the booth design. At MooseLogistics, we start with pencil sketches to find adirection for the design before we begin chargingfor design time.

NARROW DOWN WHAT YOU WANT IN YOUR DISPLAY.

You should be able to state what your displayshould accomplish in the following ways:

• A single sentence• A single phrase• A single word

CONTROLLING THE COST FACTOR IS IMPORTANT.

Are you designing for budget or budgeting for design?At least 90% of most companies establish a

budget and design accordingly. However, most ofthe top displays budget to the design. This is notto be considered a blank check, but rather aneffective way to design a display.

When meeting with clients, a good designershould focus on the criteria, or “wish list,” of keycomponents they would like to incorporate into thefunctionality of the display. It is NOT the designer’sposition to choose which elements should be omit-ted. The designer is not part of the client’s day-to-day operations. The designer should design thedisplay based on this criteria. Once price is deter-mined for the build-out, it is up to the company pay-ing for the display to determine the items thatshould be omitted and those to remain.

When interviewing, the designer or sales execshould explain this strategy to the client. Thisavoids surprises and allows for not only a designthe client can be happy with, but also design ele-ments that can be added to the display as futurebudgets allow.

INDUSTRY STANDARDS EXIST AND SHOULD HELP YOU WITH THE BUDGETING PROCESS.Inline: $1,250.00 per lineal foot Island: $175.00 per square foot$225.00 per square foot for a double decker

BUDGET ALLOTMENT SHOULD FOLLOW A FORMULA.Design 20% of the budget Lighting 10% of the budgetStructure, furniture, graphics, 70% of the budgetand carpet

DECIDE THE ROLE OF THE EXHIBIT HOUSE EARLY.

What is the role you wish the exhibit house to play?Consider the following responsibilities:• Provide the best price for a trade show display• Provide an effective display for the clients market-

ing program• Work with the client as a service provider after the

exhibit is built• Develop a long-term relationship and become a

part of the marketing team

WHAT IS DRIVING YOUR DECISION? Which of the following aspects is key in your

decision-making?• Price • Service • Previous relationship with an exhibit house

AFTER THE DISPLAY IS BUILT, TWO OTHER CONSIDERATIONS NEEDTO BE PART OF THE BUDGET.

After the display is built, two major areas remainand must be included in the budget. The first is thecost to carry the exhibit as well as “per show costs”associated with each event. According to an articleentitled, “Budgeting Rules of Thumb,” in theSeptember issue of Exhibitor Magazine, companiescan expect the following:

REFURBISHMENT • Crated: 15% - 20% of the original price, per year • Uncrated: 25% - 35% of the original price, per year

“Pencil sketches—or drawing a picture—is a great way for companies toexchange basic sketches and ideas to improve the booth design.”

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FROM AN AVERAGE OVERALL SHOW BUDGET:

Floor space 33%Travel 18%Services 12%Exhibit properties 11%Shipping 9%Promotion 8%Graphics 7%Other* 2%

• Contingency plans: Add 10% to your show budg-et for the unexpected

• Return on Investment: 3% of the total budget

AVERAGE LABOR REQUIREMENTS(FOR EXHIBIT ONLY)

Island: One hour per 8 square feetIn-line: One hour per 10 linear feetShipping and drayage based on 2006 average for

Moose Logistics’ client base

DRAYAGETo advance warehouse: 70.00 per CWT*

Direct to show site (Crated): 66.00 per CWTDirect to show site (Uncrated): 86.00 per CWT

*CWT mean per 100 poundsBased on straight time delivery 8:00 am – 4:00 pmMonday-Friday

SHIPPINGAverage shipping cost for display materials

Regional: priced by the poundNationwide: priced by the pound

Price includes shipping charges, accessorial fees, fuelsurcharges, and insurance coverage •

Marc Mousseau is President of Moose Logistics,www.mooselogistics.com, a full-service trade show mar-keting company based in Atlanta, Georgia. His companyprovides pop-up displays, custom trade show exhibits,rental exhibits, creative services, and freight and logisti-cal services to clients around the world. Marc’s philoso-phy is that customer service is the backbone of any goodbusiness. His clients include American Express BusinessPlatinum, Babies R Us, Bristol-Myers Squibb, MeredithPublishing, and Nestle.

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THE YEAR WAS 1895. King Camp (whose name isnot fictitious) stood before his shaving mirror, justas he’d done many times before. But today a newthought occurred to him. His cut-throat razor wasperforming its usual job, as well as it usually did,but so little of the blade was actually being used inthe process of shaving. So King Camp started won-dering about producing a new type of blade…onethat was practically all edge and little else. Then hethought about housing it in a device that wouldmake shaving cuts and accidents near impossibili-ties. And then he thought about disposability. If he,King Camp, could make a thin, flat, efficient blade,cheap and disposable …did I forget to tell you? KingCamp’s surname was Gillette.

We all love a good story. But, more importantly,we tend to remember good stories. For some reason,good stories makes things personal, we can identifywith characters and recall the details associatedwith them. The effect is the same when the charac-ters are brands. Introduce a brand in the context ofa good story and suddenly any corporate entitygains a personality and becomes warm and friendly.

Unfortunately, many brands tend to forget theinteresting bits and pieces of their past, the detailsof their stories that make them unique, that differ-entiate them from other brands. But why, I hear youask, all this talk about branded story telling?Because the web is probably the best possible place

you could share a good story with an audience. On one hand, the web audience can explore the

fascinating stories of why, for example, the Cokebottle looks like it does, why Band Aid is called BandAid and why a Mars bar is called a Mars bar. On theother hand, visitors can skip the stories if they pre-fer. So if you agree with me, if you agree that a goodstory around a brand, a story that forms its identity,is an effective way to generate consumer under-standing of a brand and loyalty to it, then tell mewhy such a treasury of stories are is thoroughlyuntold by today’s Fortune Top 500 companies. Youhardly ever come across a good story on brand web-sites, despite the fact that most companies wouldhave a story to tell that makes them unique.

Such stories don’t have to be spectacular, or atthe heart of a brand’s existence, like Mr. Gillette’sshaving story. You can tell the story of why yourdesign approach looks the way it does, how yourname came about, what’s behind your logo, interest-ing ways your product has been used by customers,feedback from unexpected people…All the smallstories that differentiate your brand from others.

Remember, branding takes place in the minds ofthe consumers. Humans naturally create associa-tions in their minds, and we surround ourselves withour associations, the physical, intellectual and emo-tional familiarities of our lives. When the Internet firstappeared, URLs were composed only of numbers.

BY: MARTIN LINDSTROM

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Pretty soon those were convertedinto text because no one could remem-ber a 20-digit number, and even fewercould relate to it. The fact that it might havebeen more rational and systematic to keep thenumber URLs is irrelevant in light of the fact that weare all human beings.

So, do some thinking. Ask your founder about your compa-ny’s past. Ask your customer department about funny customerexperiences. Ask your product development department aboutwhy your product looks like it does. Then turn your corporate memo-ries into a branded story, which you can include and reflect on your site.Not only will your customers love it, I’m sure it will make your employeeseven more proud of their workplace and their brand history. •

Martin Lindstrom is recognized as one of the world’s primary brandinggurus and more than four million people read his weekly columns that are syn-dicated across twenty-one countries. Martin Lindstrom’s books have beentranslated into twelve languages and published in more than thirty countries.He sits on several boards globally, and his clients include Disney, Mars, Pepsi,American Express, Mercedes-Benz, Reuters, McDonald’s, Kellogg’s, YellowPages and Microsoft. . In addition, his acute insights have been featured inUSAToday, Fast Company, The Times, Fortune, BBC 1, BBC World, BBC Radio,The Daily Telegraph, The Observer, Washington Post, The Australian and TheIndependent. Lindstrom’s latest highly acclaimed book; BRAND sense, with aforward by Philip Kotler is published by Simon & Schuster, New York. Formore information on Martin Lindstrom please visit his website at www.mar-tinlindstrom.com.

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HOW COOL WOULD IT BE for your Sales & Marketing Division to report thatyour Tradeshow produced record numbers of key targeted accounts that notonly visited your booth, but placed orders?!? What if your specific customerscame directly to your booth as soon as the trade show opened on the first day?What if you sold your products and services to the majority of them within 14days of exhibiting? If you have an effective game plan in place to lure the rightpeople to your booth and you have a post-show strategy to finish them off witha sale, it’s not only possible, but also probable!

First, get a Pre-Show strategy that gets the attention of your intended target. Don’t leave to chance they will find you while walking the show. Youwant them to already have a deal with you before your competitors find them.You can do this very effectively with the right promotional product(s) in a pre-show mailer. We recommend you send several of these mailings, starting withan attention-getter, then build on a weekly basis until it is time for the actualtrade show.

After you have connected several times prior to the show, be ready at theshow for them. Put it out there that you will reward the first 50 people whocome to your booth by a certain time. Be ready each day with a special-valueditem that ties in with what they have received already in your pre-show mailings.Tell them precisely what they have to do to get the special item you have wait-ing for them. If you want them to fill out more information or see a demonstra-tion or stand on their heads, you will have to tell them what to do and they willdo it, I promise.

The payoff is the Post-Show strategy. After you have lured them in, demon-strated your product and special pricing and all the rest at the show, finish it offwith an appointment by your rep to bring the last item that ties it all togetherfor the prospective client. Set it up that your rep will visit their office within thenext two weeks or less to hand-carry in that final item.

Most prospects aren’t used to this. They attend a show to see what’s new.So, be different. Put some time and effort behind showing these prospects youare different and that doing business with them is so important to you that youare willing to give them more of this kind of attention just for the opportunity.It will set you apart from your competition and increase your market-share atthe same time.

Is this the Personal touch to ensuring your trade show goes exceedinglywell? Yes, because IT’S ALL PERSONAL.

Dave Ribble is President of The Company Image/Geiger. 818-906-9894www.tradeshowcoach.TCI4me.com. For a comprehensive approach to doingexceedingly well at your show please contact them.

It’s ALL Personal

Dave Ribble

“If you have aneffective game plan

in place to lure the right people

to your booth and you have a

post-show strategyto finish them off

with a sale, it’s not only possible, but

also probable!”

IF YOU PLAN IT, THEY WILL COME

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THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR marks a good time toassess your staff’s strengths and weaknesses, as wellas gauge their level of motivation. There’s no betterway to do so than through performance reviews. This process is much more than just an exercise inpaperwork — it’s an opportunity to help employeesimprove their performance, boost morale and ensurethat your team is working in line with company objec-tives. Here’s how you can conduct an effect review:

PREPARING FOR THE PERFORMANCE REVIEW

A successful performance review requires plan-ning. The first step is to set a date for the meeting,giving the employee plenty of notice. You mighteven request that he or she complete a self-evalua-tion beforehand to help frame the discussion. Whenyou inform the employee of the upcoming review,clearly communicate the meeting’s objectives,which might include talking about overall perform-ance, goals for the year ahead and opportunities foradvancement. In addition, be sure to explainwhether or not salary changes will be discussed.

Also, carefully review the employee’s progresssince his or her last review, making note of both keyachievements and problem areas. Then, develop anagenda (which you can keep to yourself) of majorpoints you’d like to cover.

Budget enough time so the meeting won’t berushed, and pick a location that’s private and freeof interruption. Since performance reviews can benerve-racking experiences for employees, considergoing off-site. A coffee shop or bookstore, for

instance, may offer a more relaxed environmentthan your office or a conference room.

Remember that the time, thought and energyyou put into planning for a performance review willlikely pay off. In a survey conducted by our company,77 percent of employees said they greatly value the information and feedback they receive duringthese meetings.

CONDUCTING THE REVIEWDuring the review, you should provide positive

feedback and constructive criticism while listeningto the employee’s concerns and goals.

As you discuss both positive and negativepoints, remember that detailed observations aremore appreciated and helpful than generalizedstatements. Rather than simply saying, “I liked yourdesign for our latest direct marketing brochure,”try, “You did an excellent job incorporating our com-pany’s message into a piece that appealed to youngprofessionals. From the typography to the photosyou chose, you really hit the mark.”

When giving negative feedback, it’s impor-tant not to sugarcoat or dilute your message.That said…remain constructive. Harshly repri-manding the employee for “not bringing freshideas to the table” will be far less effective thanexplaining that you expect — and value — themarketing professional’s input. Perhaps the per-son has difficulty expressing ideas because heis often nervous in front of groups. While a criticaljab will likely be demoralizing, offering supportand mentioning the availability of public-speaking

Improved EmployeePerformance

BY THE CREATIVE GROUP

NewYear,BR0107_Section01.qxl 12/29/06 11:55 AM

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classes will instill con-fidence and motivation.

As the discussion turnstoward the future, make sure theprofessional’s goals are in sync with hisor her career path and fit your organization’sinitiatives. Also, don’t just make note of goals— help the employee develop a roadmap forreaching them.

Throughout the conversation, link the employ-ee’s daily contributions to the firm’s overall success.And before concluding, give the employee anopportunity to air any thoughts or suggestions forimproving the department.

FOLLOWING UPAfter the review, document the appraisal in writ-

ing and provide the employee with a copy. This willensure you and the employee are on the same pageand that newly established expectations or time-lines are crystal clear.

Continue to check in with the employee on a fre-quent basis and provide timely feedback. If a directreport does a standout job developing a first-quartermarketing plan for your firm’s primary client, don’twait until the next review to provide a pat on theback. Likewise, if an employee suddenly starts

m i s s i n gdeadlines, take correctiveaction immediately to nip the issue in the bud. Bycommunicating with staff throughout the year, you’llminimize surprises and make performance reviewseasier and more beneficial for all parties involved.

Performance reviews can be either highly moti-vating or extremely de-motivating depending onhow you, as a manger, view and handle thisimportant process. Give performance reviews thetime and attention they deserve, and you’ll helpstrengthen your department and set your staff upfor success in 2007. •

The Creative Group is a specialized staffing serviceplacing creative, advertising, marketing and web profes-sionals with a variety of firms on a project basis. For moreinformation, visit www.creativegroup.com.

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Trade Show IdeasEvery tradeshow has one – the badge/passlanyard – here are a couple of our favorites:

1. Frequently voted one of the best suppliers in the industry, the SnugZ Bi-foldneck wallet is great for all the essentials at your next tradeshow holds an I.D.

in front with a pocket in the back for business cards. Also unfolds to find a zip pocket for cash and change and 2 more pockets for credit

cards and personal I.D… Everything you need conveniently hung around your neck. Snugz

2. If your calendar is filled with tradeshows to attend,the T501 is a100% full grain, buffed cowhide holder

you will use over and over The Black Bear BadgeHolder/Travel Wallet is great for conventions or in room

sales meetings. It features a top slot for holding your business cards, built in penholder, and a hidden back pocket

for money, keys, etc. Redesigned in 2005 it now comes withthe removable cell phone holder with a belt carry clip

Canyon Outback Leather Goods, Inc.

3. Tired of taking you badge holder off and on every time a vendor wants to ‘scan you’

then the minibak may be just what you are looking forthis retractable badge holder is available in a wide rangeof colors, styles and imprint possibilities. KeyBak


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This is the story of one of the best bag oriented promotions Brilliant Results has observed.

PROBLEM: Getting attendees to the booth.

SOLUTION: A tote bag with a tag.

The secret of the promotion – eachbag had a numbered tag and sever-al bags had the same tag number.To win an Apple iPod, attendeescarried their bag on the show floorand looked for a matching num-bered tag on another attendee’s bag.

RESULT: The most talked about bag at the show.

The booth was six deep with attendees seeking bags and the company’s bag was prominently displayed and talked about duringthe entire show. Recipients were scanned and received informationabout the company from the booth staff. The winners wereannounced at the conclusion of the show, in show follow-up e-mails and in show media coverage.

THE BAG: The Soren™ by TRG Group

Every trade show has many given away– the bag –

BR0107_Section01.qxl 1/1/07 10:00 PM


BRAND SIMPLEHow the Best Brands Keep it Simple and SucceedBy Allen P. Adamsonbrilliant results rating: Plus: A highly informative andentertaining look at the basics ofsuccessful branding with multi-ple real world examples.Minus: Some basic concepts maybe familiar to the experiencedbrand consultant.Result: An informative and inter-esting read for any marketer.

This book offers a refreshinglysimple solution to the complex marketing theoriesthat are competing for the attention of anyoneinvolved in brand development. Adamson suggeststhat we bring back the basics of good brandingand then goes on to provide multiple examples.His behind-the-scenes look at such national namesas Maxwell House, JetBlue and iPod explainingwhat they do right – and wrong is both fascinatingand informative. This book cuts to the core of whatdoes and doesn’t matter with branding.

TOUGH CHOICES A MemoirBy Carly FiorinaBRILLIANT RESULTS RATING: Plus: Memoir of one woman’srise, conquest and fall fromgrace complete with interest-ing HP tidbits.Minus: Sometimes tends to be abit over the top with “inspira-tional words”.Result: If you are interested orinvested in HP this book shouldbe on your reading list.

The entrepreneurial HP spirit was a thing ofthe past when Carly Fiorina took the reins.Fiorina found a company that had lost its market-ing savvy and split into “a thousand tribes.” Shewas hired to transform the company and shepresents an insider’s view of her transformationtactics. Her strategies laid the foundation thatallowed HP to surpass Dell and rival IBM. This isthe inspiring story of how she rose from a solidmiddle-class background to accomplish that featwith an innate flair for marketing and what thataccomplishment cost.

MAVERICKS AT WORKWhy the Most Original Minds in Business WinBy William C. Taylor and Polly LaBarreBrilliant Results Rating: Plus: Provides evidence tosupport the premise thatmaverick practices can leadto growth.Minus: Only big idea coveredis the value of originality.Result: Could be a sourceof inspiration for the risk-averse conformist.

This book relates the success stories ofunconventional, nonconformist business leadersand how their “strategy as originality” hasproved crucial to distinctive customer experi-ences and practices that have resulted ingrowth. Filled with dozens of case studies ofleaders who have adopted creative strategiesresulting in outstanding business success, thisbook may just inspire the reader to think out-side the box. While the book lacks a sense ofcohesiveness, it is filled with original and inno-vative ideas – one of which may be just whatyou organization needs.

BookReviews

BR0107_Section01.qxl 1/1/07 10:00 PM

BR0107_Section03 12/29/06 12:51 PM


EARLY IN MY CAREER, I worked as advertisingmanager for Koch Engineering, a company thatmade mixers and other equipment for the chemi-cal process industry.

I liked a lot of things about the job, but onething I didn’t like was managing our trade showexhibits.

Unpacking and setting up the booth was pain,and staffing the booth was boring – a lot ofstanding around waiting and hoping realprospects would come into the exhibit andexpress interest in our products.

But I did learn a few tricks about trade showexhibiting during my tenure with Koch (I alsohandled trade shows for Westinghouse in an ear-lier job) that I’d like to pass on to you.

FIRST, nothing attracts people to your booth likeaction – whether it’s motion, an activity, amodel, or a demonstration.

At Koch Engineering, we sold “internals” –devices that went into the innards of chemicalplants where they helped liquids react. We made

a crude working model of a miniature chemicalplant (about the size of a large desk) out of trans-parent Plexiglas, filled it with our internals, andran water through it so visitors could see the liq-uid drip, bubble, and mist.

It was a fantastic attention getter – and morethan that, it gave a live demonstration of how ourproducts worked, which was exactly what ouraudience, chemical engineers, came to see (butrarely got at other booths in the show which fea-tured mainly enlarged color photos of chemicalplants and exhibitor products).

SECOND, ROI — return on investment – is critical. Yet most companies spend thousands of dol-

lars on trade shows without measuring ROI tosee if it’s all worthwhile.

A common reason for companies to continueto exhibit at major shows is, “If we drop out thisyear, people will notice we are not there.”Another is, “If we drop out this year, we will loseour seniority and our preferential booth locationat future shows.”

IS EXHIBITING AT TRADE SHOWSA WASTE OF TIME?Without a Good ROI, Yes.

BY: ROBERT W. BLY

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Neither is a valid reason for spending time andmoney on a trade show. The only reason you shouldbe at a show is that you think the business you willwrite – at the show if they permit it, or with follow-upsto show leads after – will more than pay back thecost of exhibiting (including booth space, travel andlodging, exhibit design and production).

THIRD, surveys repeatedly confirm that the #1 rea-son your prospects come to industry tradeshows is to see new products.

So make sure your newest products (or at leastthe new upgrades and versions of old products)take center stage in your display. Use the word“new” prominently in booth graphics.

FOURTH, as you know if you visit trade shows, theycan be dull and boring.

Anything you can do to liven up your exhibit willdraw a crowd.

Example: To promote a new weapons system for atank code-named “The Gunfighter,” Westinghousehired a real-life “gunfighter” – a professional cowboywhose specialty was quick-draw shooting – as boothentertainment. As the gunfighter demonstrated howto rapidly pull a gun from its holster and accuratelyhit the target, he talked about how our weaponssystems could do the same thing for a tank (using a

script we had given him). It was the hit of the show,and every important buyer we wanted to reach cameto the booth to see him.

In another trade show (and remember, this wasthe sexist 70s – way before political correctnessbecame politically correct), we wanted to demon-strate a new Aqualung – an underwater breathingdevice designed for military applications.

We had a gigantic clear Plexiglas tank built, andhired an attractive, fit female model to demonstratethe product while swimming about in the tank –wearing a bathing suit, of course.

Other things that work well at trade shows (eventhough you may find them hokey):• Giveaways of free gifts such as key chains, luggage

tags, squeeze balls, Frisbees.• “Put your business card into the fishbowl” for a

drawing to win a bigger prize.• Free food – typically candy and popcorn.• Short marketing videos shown in endless-loop

VCRs. People get hypnotized and drawn in byanything shown on a TV screen.

• Sleight-of-hand magicians and similar live entertain-ment in the booth.

• Product demonstrations.

One more tip: When someone approaches your booth, give him

space. Don’t pounce on him like a hungry piranhaattacking a cow swimming in the river. Let him lookaround a bit.

Once he is comfortably inside your space, it’sappropriate to say something. Don’t say, “Is thereanything I can help you with?” or “Do you have anyquestions?” The prospect will say “no” to deflectyou and quickly vacate your booth area.

Instead say, “What brings to you the [Name ofShow] today?” His answer – e.g., “We need to find away to control air quality in our office building” — willhelp you direct conversation toward any solutionsyou can offer. •

Robert W. Bly is a freelance copywriter and theauthor of more than 50 books including The CompleteIdiot’s Guide to Direct Marketing (Alpha). His e-mailaddress is [email protected] and his Web site address iswww.bly.com.

“So make sure your newest products (or at least the new upgrades andversions of old products) take center stage in your display. Use the word“new” prominently in booth graphics.”

BR0107_Section01.qxl 12/29/06 12:17 PM

BR0107_Section03 12/29/06 12:51 PM

Quote~

Secret Word:TRADESHOW


Off The Cuff

”I think it is an immutable law in business that words are words, explanations areexplanations, promises are promises – but only performance is reality.” And…”The only unforgivable sin in business is to run out of cash.”

Harold Geneen, President & CEO (1959-77), ITT Corporation

“It is not the employer who pays wages; he only handles the money. It is the productthat pays wages.”

Henry Ford, Founder Ford Motor Company

A LETTER SUDOKU~

Solve this puzzle and spell the secret word either across or down.

Secret Word: _____________________

BR0107_Section01.qxl 1/1/07 11:02 PM


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Free Product Information. January 2007 Issue.For free product information from these suppliers, complete and mail this page to:

Brilliant Results Magazine 9034 Joyce Lane Hummelstown, PA 17036.Or fax to (717) 566-5431PLEASE CIRCLE ITEMS OF INTEREST.

Name Title

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Address

City State Zip

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3M ® Back Cover

Ashworth ® Corporate 3

BIC ® Inside Front Cover

Blake & Hollister 5

Brilliant Results Magazine ™ 45

Calconix / Time Zone ® 11

FeatherLite by Sierra Pacific Apparel 23

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BR0107_Section02 1/1/07 10:18 PM


WE CAME UP WITH A SECRET FLAVORED LIP BALM and gave away thousands of samples toattendees at the ASI Orlando show, PPAI Las Vegas show, ASI Dallas and PPAC Toronto. We

wanted a tradeshow giveaway that would keep people thinking of SnugZ afterthey left our booth. A sample was given to distributors for them to guess the

flavor for a $500.00 cash prize. The response was bigger than I everthought it would be. Phone calls doubled in January, sales went throughthe roof, not only on our new lip balm but also all our other products.

Trying to guess the flavor of the lip balm for a chance at$500 kept SnugZ in their head well after they left the booth.

People would spend hours in the booth trying to guesswhen they should have been walking the show floor. People

would come back the second day of the show complaining about no sleepbecause all they could think about was the lip balm. Some distributorsdropped back by the booth dozens of times. I even heard people talkingabout it in Vegas at the card tables in the Casino at 12:00 at night. Therehave been many people that have submitted flavor guesses via E-mail with a list of a few hundred choices. I had one lady E-mail 50 times in one night trying to guess, she even hadher kids E-mail me with guesses. People are still e-mail-ing me today from all the way back at the ASI Orlando

show a month ago.If you want to keep your company name in your clients head at all timesthis promotion is perfect. How much they think of you is up to the size of

carrot you hold out in front of them, $500 cash, $1,000 cash, free order,free setup, 20% off next order. We can make up an easy flavor or a flavor

that is impossible to guess. This promotion can also be used for clientsattending their own industry tradeshows, used as a mailer, used as a promotion

within your own company with your employees, guess the flavor and get anotherweeks vacation etc. etc. etc.Please contact me and let me know if I can help put this Promotion into good use for

you. There are many more ways to use this promotion with many different clients. You can’tunderstand the buzz it creates until you try it. The cost is minimal for the exposure it will bring.

Sincerely,

Charley JohnsonSnugz USA Vice President Sales & Marketing

For more information visit the company website at www.snugzusa.com.

SECRET FLAVOR LIP BALM PROMOTION[Editor’s Note: Brilliant Results recently received this letter about a very successful trade showpromotional product.]

BR0107_Section01.qxl 1/1/07 10:01 PM

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TheLast Word

TO CONCLUDE THIS MONTH’S focus on tradeshows, Pete Erickson of Hall-Erickson, Inc., thecompany that produces the annual Motivation Show,the world’s largest event for business executivesresponsible for the design and implementation of cor-porate incentive and meeting programs, and recogni-tion awards, referred us to one of the trade showindustry’s leaders. Lee Knight is founder, owner andCEO of Exhibitor Magazine Group, a company thatprovides educational tools for the trade show andevent marketing industry. Knight is recognized as aleading trade show producer and publisher as wellas one of the industry’s foremost thinkers.

Lee Knight began his career as a professionalmagician, promoting products at trade shows. For10 years, he worked an average of 40 trade shows ayear, using magic tricks to help corporations debutproducts such as 3M’s Post-It notes.

His firsthand observations led Knight directlyinto publishing EXHIBITOR magazine in 1982, thefirst new publication introduced to the industry inmore than a decade. EXHIBITOR magazine becamethe quotable source for people in charge of tradeshow exhibiting, which led to the launch of theEXHIBITOR SHOW in 1989.

In March 2005, Knight responded to the needs ofindustry marketers by introducing CorporateEVENT Magazine. This quarterly publication fea-tures case studies of business-to-business eventmarketing. Covering insights into the strategiesbehind using proprietary customer events to supportCEO goals and initiatives make it the first of its kindin the industry.

In all his efforts, Knight’s goal is two-fold. First,he wants to help companies realize how importanteffective face-to-face experiential media can be to

BR0107_Section02 12/29/06 12:28 PM

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TheLast Word

the overall marketing mix. Second, hewants to give trade show and corporateevent marketing professionals the skillsand knowledge needed to improve theirprograms in an ever-changing economy.

It is with great pleasure that BrilliantResults gives Lee Knight The Last Word.

BR: How and when did you becomeinvolved with EXHIBITOR Show?

LK: EXHIBITOR Show began in 1989.I had been publishing the monthly “how-to,”EXHIBITOR magazine, for trade show marketing pro-fessionals since 1982. The idea of launching a showcame out of attending other non-industry conferencesthat had successfully built a model that combined the synergies of having both a magazine and a conference/trade show together. In conjunction at that time, thetrade show industry did not have a strong education-al conference that provided a comprehensive learningexperience for the trade show marketing professional.So matching the demand with a successful organizationalmodel, EXHIBITOR Show was born.

BR: In your opinion, what is the single mostimportant service/benefit that the EXHIBITOR Show(or any trade show) should offer its exhibitors andattendees?

LK: Being a conference/trade show, our show’ssuccess is driven by the caliber of the educationalcontent. Our motto is best practices in trade showmarketing and our mission is to provide tradeshow and corporate event marketing profession-als with the tools and education to producehigh performance programs with measurableresults. It is all about credible content, deliveredin an understandable manner. We were the firstconference in any industry to offer a 100% refundguarantee to any customer who is not satisfiedwith our deliverable.

This commitment to quality education helpsbring the trade show community together at our

show. Through programs like ourCertified Trade Show Marketer (CTSM)program, we attract attendees who areserious about their profession. We helpthem to not only become educatedexhibitors but educated buyers for ourexhibitors as well.

The short answer is to provide the cus-tomer resources (education and access)that help them to be more successful.

BR: Do you have any suggestions for ourreaders on how to use promotional merchandise toincrease their trade show booth traffic and/or salessuccesses? What is the best product you have seenused at a trade show?

LK: Two elements are critical: recall and relevan-cy. Ask yourself these questions.

RELEVANCY:• Does the giving away of promotional merchandise

tie to your show objectives?• Is it relevant to the target audience?• Is it of the right level for the level of the target audience?• Give it only to qualified people not every passer-by.

RECALL:• If possible include contact information on/with

the promotional merchandise.• If it passes the relevancy tests it is more likely to

get their attention, the first step in being able tobe recalled.

• Does the product tie to your brand or image?• Does it tie to some kind of experience at show?

This will improve recall.Over the years we have seen thousands of examples

of promotional merchandise used as give-aways.The ones that are most successful are those thatare integrated into a full marketing campaign. Notonly should the product have recall and relevancy itshould also be part of pre-show, at-show and post-showmarketing efforts.

Lee Knight is founder, ownerand CEO of Exhibitor

Magazine Group

BR0107_Section02 12/29/06 12:30 PM

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BR: Of the trade shows you and your team have devel-oped which one(s) do you feel is the most notable/recog-nizable and what is the key to its success?

LK: Our most notable show is our signatureEXHIBITOR Show. As stated in the answer to questionnumber two we provide solutions for the attendees.We do this in an environment where the credibilityof the content and its delivery is key. Over the past19 years we have done our utmost to achieve 100%customer satisfaction. We take extra efforts toprotect the strength of the program. We require allspeakers at our conference to attend a mandatory2-day speaker training workshop that we conductannually. In addition each speaker receives feed-back via surveys from all attendees. By workingwith Northern Illinois University we bring collegelevel oversight and review to the content presentedthrough our Certified Trade Show Marketer pro-gram, the only professional certification programthat enjoys a university affiliation. . Happy customersmean viral marketing will be even more effective.The constant drive to over-deliver and our continuousimprovement mindset are also key to the successbehind EXHIBITOR Show.

BR: In your opinion, aside from your own tradeshows, what is the best trade show you have everattended? Why?

LK: The show that stands out the most isGeneva Telecom in the years immediately follow-ing privatization of telecommunications in Europe.The show was over the top. They had four storypavilions with escalators, exhibits with 3 levels andan elevator and every major telecom player had amonster exhibit. Our first article on the show wetitled “Where the Elephants Play”. Back then, theshow had a huge amount of “wow” factor andmemorable exhibits. A lot of money was spent onthese exhibits that are out of reach for manyexhibiting companies today.

BR: Any final thoughts or advice for our readerson increasing their trade show ROI as an exhibitorand/or attendee?

LK: The first questions you should ask concernthe nature of the show in question. A legitimateshow profile will identify levels of potential buyers,

buyer interest, and buyer decision-making. Thisinformation will help answer the basic questions:Why are we exhibiting in this particular show?What do we expect to get for our investment? Howdo we know this show can deliver on our goals?How will we know if we achieve our goal? Are wemeasuring key metrics? Are they the right metrics?

Set clear goals for your show participation based onthe profile of the show, and then measure actual per-formance against those goals. By setting clear andnarrowly defined goals you will be much more likely toattain those goals. You must clarify what you want toachieve: more booth traffic, more leads vs. betterleads, more press coverage, more of the prospectstime, change perceptions of your product, etc.

Without clear direction you are bound to performbelow potential in any one specific goal and withoutmeasuring you will never know.

The short answer is have clear and measurablegoals based on real deliverables.

BR: Do you remember the last promotional mer-chandise or incentive that you received? Where,when and from what organization?

LK: We receive many promotional items to enticeus as media to cover the sender’s exhibit in anupcoming show. The most recent promotionalmerchandise received is part of a sequence of pro-motional items. They have adopted this strategy bykeeping their name in front of me on a monthlybasis over the past year. Each month GESExposition Services sends us a package from the“candy of the month club.”

For information on the EXHIBITOR MagazineGroup; EXHIBITOR magazine, a monthly magazineof best practices in trade show marketing;EXHIBITOR Show, the national conference and exhi-bition for trade show and event marketing;Corporate EVENT magazine, devoted exclusively tobusiness-to-business event marketing case studies;EXHIBITORFastTrak accelerated learning confer-ences, and GRAVITY FREE: EXHIBITOR magazine’smultidisciplinary design innovation conference visittheir website at www.exhibitoronline.com.

For additional information about the MotivationShow visit Hall-Erickson, Inc. at www.heiexpo.com.

TheLast Word

“The show that stands out the most is Geneva Telecom in the years immediatelyfollowing privatization of telecommunications in Europe.”

BR0107_Section02 1/2/07 11:36 AM

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Antibacterial Hand Cleaner and Moisturizer! Instant hand sanitizer kills germs on contact within a few seconds when you don’t have time to wash. You don’t need water—you can use this hand sanitizer anytime, anywhere! It will leave your hands antibacterial clean, moisturized, and delicately scented.

Premium Blend of Moisturizers and Therapeutic Formula!Spa Line of skin moisturizing Lotions has the lightness of a lotion with the moisturizing benefits of a cream. It helps protect the skin leaving it feeling soft and smooth, and looking healthy. Our lotions contain ample portions of vitamins A and E to help condition, nourish, and replenish dry or dehydrated skin.

Sunscreen Protects and Moisturizes! Infused with Aloe and vitamin E to help condition, moisturize, and protect the skin. Provides protection for immediate sun exposure. Works to reflect and scatter the sun’s rays to provide a broad spectrum of UVA and UVB protection. SPF 30 blocks UVA and UVB rays (meets FDA standards). Antioxidants help safeguard skin and moisturize to condition.

Lip Balm! Everyone needs and uses lip protection. SnugZ Lip Balm offers cool and refreshing lip protection that soothes chapped and dry lips. Imprint is available in one color, multiple colors, or full color, and pricing starts as low as $0.99 (c).

Supplier Of The Year Award

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