What is a Trade Show?

A trade show is an event created with the intent to bring together members of a particular industry to share, demonstrate and discuss their latest products and services. Major trade shows usually take place in large convention centers in populated cities and typically last several days. Local business to business trade shows are smaller and might be held at a local arena or hotel to allow area businesses to establish connections with local prospects.

The main purpose of a trade show is to bring members
together of a similar trade or industry.

Some trade shows, which could also be referred to as a fair, trade exhibition, or expo, limit attendees and exhibitors to only those of the industry. For example, the Consumer Electronics Show, tries to limit attendees to professionals in the electronics and technology fields. However, America’s Largest RV Show restricts attendance to industry members for the first few of days but then opens its doors to the public for the remaining time.

What Happens at Trade Shows

Trade shows provide an exhibit space for your company to showcase your products or services. Once at the show, you’ll receive a schedule of the days happening, such as workshops or presentations featuring speakers knowledgeable in your industry. There are opportunities to interact with the media during networking events to promote your business online or on TV. Private or VIP exhibitor events are also held (for an additional fee) and awards presentations on the last day crowning “Best of Show”.

Exhibiting at trade shows provide a different setting to meet potential new customers, reinforce existing relationships with dealers and distributors. It’s essentially the ultimate in networking events.

Attending a trade show allows you to become familiar with the latest and greatest in your industry. It also gives you the opportunity to snag some good deals with special “show pricing” or educate yourself on the newest trends coming up.

Costs to Participate in a Trade Show

The cost to exhibit at or simply attend a trade show vary greatly, typical expenses include.

For Exhibitors

Booth space rental fee
Design and production of a professional trade show display
Shipping costs
Costs to unload booth and move onto show flow, called drayage
Travel and accommodations for booth staff
Marketing materials, handouts, giveaways, samples, promotional items

For Attendees

Attendees still have expenses, but they are a fraction of what it costs to exhibit. Attendee expenses would include an attendance fee to get in the show, along with any travel and accommodations for staff in attendance. This is a fraction of the cost to set up a booth at the show so often times smaller companies choose to simply attend the show and network.

Popular Trade Show Venues

America’s 5 Largest Convention Centers to Host Your Next Event

- McCormick Place, Chicago, IL.
- Orange County Convention Center, Orlando, FL.
- Sands Expo and Convention Center, Las Vegas, NV.
- Kentucky Exposition Center, Louisville, KY.
- New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, New Orleans, LA

Find Trade Shows Now!

TOP 14 Notable Trade Shows happening this month:

Washington Auto Show
www.washingtonautoshow.com
APR 05 – APR 14, 2019
Washington, DC
Attendees: 950,000
Exhibitors: 125

National Association of Broadcasters – NAB Show
www.nabshow.com
APR 06 – APR 11, 2019
Las Vegas, NV
Attendees: 89,313
Exhibitors: 1,581

Craft Brewers & BrewExpo America®
www.craftbrewersconference.com
APR 08 – APR 11, 2019
Denver, CO
Attendees: 13,000
Exhibitors: 800

Fire Department Instructors Conference – FDIC
www.fdic.com/index.html
APR 08 – APR 13, 2019
Indianapolis, IN
Attendees: 28,061
Exhibitors: 821

Aviation Week MRO Americas
mroamericas.aviationweek.com/en/home.html
APR 09 – APR 11, 2019
Atlanta, GA
Attendees: 10,000
Exhibitors: 800

ISC West – Security Solutions
www.iscwest.com
APR 10 – APR12, 2019
Las Vegas, NV
Attendees: 36,771
Exhbitors: 1,009

Specialty Coffee Conference & Exhibition
www.coffeeexpo.org
APR 11 – APR 14, 2019
Boston, MA
Attendees: 8,025
Exhibitors: 425

American College of Physicians – Internal Medicine – ACP
www.annualmeeting.acponline.org
APR 11 – APR 13, 2019
Philadelphia, PA
Attendees: 10,000
Exhibitors: 325

National Science Teachers Association – Annual – NSTA
www.s6.goeshow.com/nsta/national/2019/index.cfm
APR 11 – APR 14, 2019
St. Louis, MO
Attendees: 14,000
Exhbitors: 500

Army Aviation Association of America – AAAA
www.quad-a.org/19Summit
APR 14 – APR 16, 2019
Nashville, TN
Attendees: 8,000
Exhibitors: 300

New York International Auto Show
www.autoshowny.com
APR 19 – APR 28, 2019
New York, NY
Attendees: 1,000,000
Exhibitors: 185

National Catholic Educational Association – NCEA
www.ncea.org/NCEA2019
APR 23 – APR 25, 2019
Chicago, IL
Attendees: 4,965
Exhibitors: 443

International Sign Expo – ISA
www.signexpo.org
APR 24 – APR 26, 2019
Las Vegas, NV
Attendees: 20,140
Exhibitors: 589

National Rifle Association – NRA Annual Meetings & Exhibits
www.nraam.org
APR 26 – APR 28, 2019
Indianapolis, IN
Attendees: 87,154
Exhibitors: 838

———————————————————–

Our company is a family owned and operated company and as such, we have deep-seated family values and we focus on quality and on offering our clients a top choice of eye-catching and appealing tradeshow exhibits and displays. If you are interested in purchasing a portable pop up trade show display for your next trade show or event, contact us here!

Don’t forget to LIKE US on Facebook to see more of our portable displays and banner stand options!

Fun, Fresh Ideas to Step Up Your Trade Show Game

Trade shows might be for business, but they don’t have to be all business. It’s time to up your trade show game to make your investment worth your time, increase return and finally get people to engage in your brand.

Most people describe a trade show like this: people wandering up and down aisles glancing at booths with no rhyme or reason as to exactly why they are even there. Some of them were told by their boss to go make an appearance at the trade show, while others went there on their own free will. No matter the reason they are there, you need to remind them why they went. There are tons of ideas out there to help you embrace new business and bring new excitement to your brand. Don’t get comfortable and continue doing the same old thing. It’s time to shake things up and take your trade show experience to the next level with these fun, fresh ideas.

Up Your Marketing Game

The right marketing before a trade show event has the ability to get people talking, sharing, and engaging. You can go all in or stick with a budget. And with the addition of social media, organizations large and small are finally embracing before the show marketing.

Create some hype before you arrive on the trade show floor by utilizing a partial reveal just to get people talking. For instance, include a statement in your marketing that mentions something huge will be revealed at the show but only to those who visit your booth. What’s the big surprise? Well thats is up to you. It could be:

A big company announcement
A new sponsor or collaboration reveal
A prize for a contest winner

The whole point is to cause curiosity and draw attention to your booth at the show. The best thing that can happen to you at a trade show is a crowd!

Marketing Made Fun

Here’s where the fun comes in. It’s all about involving your attendees and making them want to participate in marketing your business. Here’s the trick though – it has to be easy! If it’s complicated, most people won’t engage. Try to stick to simple ideas that no one can say no to.

Humor: Create a “hidden” camera scenario where something unexpected happens and you record your attendees’ reactions to things. You could even stream their reactions in real time if you have the right type of audience.

Scrolling Message Board: Utilizing a large screen within your booth space or in the middle of the trade show floor, encourage attendees to post on social media about your company at the show, using a certain hashtag or emoji to get on the message board. You’ll be surprised how this will motivate people to do some silly things to get on that message board. All the while, they are promoting your brand or company with a simple post on Facebook or Twitter!

Interactive Walls: It could be as simple as creating one out of post-it notes, a whiteboard or chalkboard surface. Propose a question and ask people to respond or invite them to post their business card to show that they were there. When they show is over, you could post a photo to boast how successful your show was and ask if they can locate their contribution.

Mini Contests: Throughout the day, host quick contests to draw in with attendees walking by your booth. Make themes based on well known games, like would you rather or Simon says. Your prizes should be worth their time so you’ll not only draw in willing participants, but you’ll also create buzz and give people a reason to stop by your booth.

Photo Booth: Trust us, photo booths aren’t just for weddings! As each attendee walks onto your exhibit floor, give them a mask or a prop with your booth number written on the back telling them to visit your photo booth. They will be so intrigued, that they’ll have to stop by your booth for a photo. A little bit of fun not only entertains it serves as a great conversation starter as well.

Offer A Mid-Show Snack: Just as the mid-day slump rolls around, so will you offering up a mid-day goodie! Stroll the exhibit hall with an an ice cream cart or a popcorn cart. Just make sure your snack offering is portable and branded with your logo. That way you can serve a refreshing snack throughout the exhibition floor, with the intention of enticing people to visit your booth.

In Conclusion

One of the best ways to switch things up at your next trade show is to create an unexpected experience. The goal is to condition your audience to expect the unexpected. Surprises are some of the most memorable aspects of life so take advantage of this even at a trade show.

Trade shows can either be really fun and memorable or really boring and not worth your time. The decision is yours. But one thing we’ve learned from our previous trade show experience is this – we should all embrace the trade show with a smile and a laugh.

Trade Show Checklist – 26 Must Haves!

The day has finally come. You’ve been prepping for your trade show for what seems like an eternity. You arrive at the venue, start unpacking and BOOM. You realize you forgot something! Showing up unprepared has got to be the worst feeling especially when it comes to something you thought you were prepared for. Lucky for you we’ve enlisted the help of our fellow exhibitors to compile this handy trade show checklist.

DOWNLOAD NOW: Printable Trade Show Checklist

And trust us, we know it’s easy to forget the small things on your way out the door since your biggest concern should be your trade show display. Keep our simple trade show checklist handy for future use. It will be a lifesaver and you’ll make friends with everyone around you since you’ll be the prepared exhibitor!

Booth Items:

Signage – If your trade show signage is separate from your display, don’t leave part of your company behind.
Promotional Items – Brochures, postcards, flyers, handouts, samples etc.
Business Cards – Bring plenty to hand out to as many qualified leads as you can. More is better.
Business Card Holders – Simply because it looks much neater than a stack of cards thrown on the table.
Giveaways – Make sure you choose something that makes sense or is relatable to your company, and just don’t give it away to anyone walking by – make sure they are worthy.
Containers to hold your giveaways – Basket, candy dish, pen cup, etc.
Bowl for collected business cards – Just an easy way to keep everyone’s information in one place to take back to the office for follow ups.
Name Tags – Don’t rely on the event to give you a lanyard name tag. Everyone wants to know your name as well as what company you are with.
Table Linens – Let’s be honest, those trade show venue tables can look pretty rough. And it’s a bonus if your table cover has your logo on it!
Presentation/Video/Media – You worked hard on that video or powerpoint presentation, so don’t forget it.

Office Supplies:

Pens/Pencils/Sharpies – Yes, you might be at a trade show where there’s an unlimited supply of pens from other exhibitors, but just bring your own.
Scissors – It’s almost inevitable that something will need to be cut during set up or tear down.
Notepads & Post Its – Good for taking notes or if someone else forgot their business card you can jot down their information for a follow-up.
Rubber Bands/Paper Clips – Don’t lose all those business cards you just collected. Plus you can bend paper clips and use them for the most unconventional purposes.
Stapler – The stapler can come in handy to tack all sorts of unsuspecting things together.
Tape…all the tape! – Scotch, Duct, Masking, Packing, Double Sided – any kind of tape you can think of, you’ll need it.

Technology:

Laptop/Monitor/TV/iPad – The bigger the better!
Chargers – With constant use, devices are sure to run out of juice so make sure you pack all necessary chargers. And this includes your phone charger!
Cords to Connect Computer to TV/Monitor – Nothing worse than the moment you realize you’re missing your HDMI cord because it’s at home in your living room.
Extension Cords/Power Strip– Outlets are shared between exhibit booths and it always seems you need just one more outlet. Plus, in the event you want to place your TV or monitor in a location not so close to an outlet, you’ll at least have a backup plan.

Other Supplies:

Safety Pins – Two words…wardrobe malfunction.
Snacks – No one wants to feel “hangry” or “parched” during a trade show. Quick snacks will do the trick to take the edge off.
Gum/Breath Mints – We would suggest skipping the onions or garlic for lunch and always good for after your coffee break.
Hand Sanitizer – Think of the hundreds of hands you’ll shake. Enough said.
Zip Ties – For all you OCD peeps out there, these help keep computer wires looking nice and tidy.
Back up Shoes (if you’re wearing heels) – Comfortable shoes are so worth it, especially when the show is over and you have the dreaded job of packing up your trade show display.
First-Aid Kit – Well, you don’t bleed all over your prospects.

Face-to-Face Marketing in a Digital World

Social media and online advertising are certainly proving to be the wave of the future. We’re more connected than ever before, yet there is still disconnect when it comes to marketing. In many instances digital marketing is a super convenient way to get your brand and products in front of a large target audience, but not without some challenges. Overcrowding on some social media platforms tends to make it difficult for brands to engage without increasing their marketing budget.

In reality, having a presence online and face-to-face should both be an essential part of your marketing strategy. However, when trying to instill value in your product or service there’s only one technique that works time and time again…networking. Yes, good ol’ fashion, face-to-face networking! And can you guess where the easiest place to do this is? Well, a trade show of course!

NETWORKING WORKS, PERIOD.

Maybe you love it or hate it, embrace it or avoid it, networking is quite possibly one of the simplest, most effective tools to market yourself or business. But, the effectiveness is up to you! Many of us approach networking with good intentions – think of that stack of business cards from your last trade show collecting dust in your desk that you haven’t touched. Or the hundreds of LinkedIn contacts you’ve actually never met (or chatted with for that matter).

Don’t worry you’re not alone! We all know how incredibly important face-to-face marketing is, along with community involvement, yet we all try so hard to avoid it. The hard truth is it’s possible networking might be the missing piece your marketing strategy needs to boost your efforts and see a spike in sales.

FACT: 74% of trade show attendees say that they have a more
positive opinion about the company, brand, product or service
being promoted after the event.
Source: EventMarketer.com

Have you considered attending or exhibiting at a trade show yet? Trade shows are all about building relationships – simply getting to know someone. Asking questions and really listening to determine if they are in fact the potential client you’ve been looking for. There’s something special about being present, making eye contact with someone and showing them the confidence you have in your company.

Rather than try to cut through all the social media noise, start by attending a few local events or business-to-business trade shows. Just remember to keep an open mind – you’re creating long term business relationships here, so it won’t be a fast process.

BUT BE SOCIAL ONLINE, TOO.

There’s no better place to network than at a trade show. So by combining the social aspect of marketing before or after your trade show can most certainly benefit you as well. Here’s a few examples:

Before the trade show: connect with your existing clients online or on social media to let them know you’ll be attending and would like to meet up.
At the trade show: take a pictures with clients (new and old) at your booth to build awareness about your show presence.
Before the trade show: Use social networks to gauge your clients most pressing needs and interests.
At the trade show: Speak with clients about these needs to create a more valuable in-person experience.

Digital communication provides a great opportunity to keep customers and prospects engaged long after the trade show doors have closed.

FINAL THOUGHTS.

Whether its online or social, marketing should always be consistent and always follow through on your brand awareness. Consistency builds trust, and in turn a long lasting business relationship. It’s this constant communication that will keep the dialogue with prospects and customers fresh and lively year-round.

In the end it all comes down to positive audience engagement, both digitally and in-person.

DID YOU KNOW: YOU ONLY HAVE 3 SECONDS TO CAPTURE THE ATTENTION OF ATTENDEES?

Now’s your chance to get creative! Since 1994, our family owned company offers quality trade show display products, providing exceptional customer service to each and every one of our customers worldwide. Lucky for you we have “all things trade show” in one convenient place online – www.AffordableDisplays.com.

So start envisioning your own trade show display today. And the best part is we’ll be here to guide you throughout the entire process!

Questions To Ask When It’s Your Trade Show Off Season

Here’s the typical scenario: trade show season begins and you invest in two or three trade shows or marketing events because you expect to see a return on your investment. You prepare, attend, gather leads – then you’re back at the office with that “high on life” attitude ready to follow up on those precious leads and convert them into new business.

But workflow and life gets in the way. And instead you come home, check emails, look at the work piling up on your desk and play catch-up. Unfortunately this often ends in business-as-usual mode and an unwelcome back to reality wondering where all your motivation went.

We hear about this all the time.

But how do you change this vicious cycle that could be hurting your trade show investment? Well, quite simply you have to make the time. Here’s a few tips on how to maintain the positive momentum and take advantage of your hard work after the shows wrap for the season.

Ask yourself “why, how and who”

Why am I participating in trade shows? Great question, right – but do you have an answer? Deciding to participate in a particular trade show is the easy part; it’s figuring out why you chose that show thats most important. You could be looking for a way to build brand awareness, or increase distribution of your new products. It could also be that you would like to focus on client relations as a way to nurture the face-to-face relationship. Nail down your WHY and determine a clear initiative that aligns with your business strategy to move it forward.

How am I going to measure attendance? Counting leads is the first step to measuring your success at the end of a show, but try and find a way to measure attendance before the show as well. Consider this – it’s like placing an ad on Facebook, choosing how many people to target then going back to see how many people you actually reached. You need to understand your return on investment to insure you marketing efforts are working for you. Just ask and you shall receive! Ask the show organizer to give you numbers based on last years attendance to help you decide whether a particular show is even worth attending.

Who am I targeting at the show? You might be exhibiting at a high traffic, well marketed trade show, but have you figured out how to actually get them to visit your booth? Some of you might get stuck on the number of people that visited your tradeshow booth instead of measuring their legit interest in your products or services. Quantity doesn’t equal quality. Don’t settle for 300 basic leads when you could have 50 well-qualified leads. By singling out the type of clients you want, you can plan your presentation more effectively reel them in – hook, line and sinker!

Bottom line: The show does not end when you get home. It’s so important to take the time to reflect on your current trade show season and put your newfound knowledge to work for your company. And the best time to do this is NOW – before you’re routine tasks suck you in again and before you realize you have to be in full-on trade show season mode…again.

Need a trade show display? Shop online and buy now at AffordableDisplays.com.

8 Tech Savvy Ways to Spend Your Remaining Trade Show Budget

So you’ve made all the necessary purchases for a successful trade show season, but you’ve come in under budget (and your boss is high fiving you). This is great, however if the money isn’t spent it may not generate great returns on your investment. We have some seriously savvy ideas to help spend your remaining budget wisely to benefit your current and future trade show efforts.

We understand, having money left to spend can feel too good to be true. Maybe you just saved a huge chunk by reusing last seasons’ trade show display, or you saved on other big ticket items and just have some extra cash to spend. It doesn’t matter how you got it, here are some smart ways to spend your remaining trade show budget dollars wisely.

#1 – Up your game with audience engagement.
Audience engagement apps add another level of interactivity to your trade show. And before you look away, we don’t mean adding just any app – there’s some great tools out there you should be utilizing. The app industry offers easy to use web-based live sharing and Q&A solutions to engage attendees before, during or after the show. They might also allow followers to watch live presentations, ask questions, answer polls, make digital notes, live tweet & much more. By capturing what’s really going on in your attendees’ minds, you can use the data to help you target the right audience for future trade shows. If you’re not sure it’s the best fit for your company just start small and adjust from there. Review your engagement the first time you use the app to make sure it will work for your needs.

#2 – Social walls = real time engagement.
Imagine how neat it would be collecting social media posts from your attendees in real time and displaying them right on a monitor mounted to your trade show display for everyone to see. Try selecting a specific hashtag pertaining to your show and have attendees post using that hashtag. Or simply ask attendees to “tag” you in a photo. You could make a game of it and use this as a contest to win your giveaway. Let’s be real here — who doesn’t love seeing their post show up on a big screen!

#3 – Create a trade show landing page.
Having a dedicated landing page added to your existing website to showcase your trade show schedule, locations, agendas and speakers — this would be helpful to attendees, right? The main purpose is to send potential attendees to your website to help you spark interest and encourage social media sharing. Of course there are OK landing pages and there are amazing landing pages. Make sure your message is clear and to the point. Also graphics are huge so hiring a graphic designer might not be a bad idea since you’ll want to make sure all of your dedicated trade show landing pages are fully on brand.

#4 – Let’s…chatbot?!
For those unfamiliar with the term, a chatbot is a computer program or an artificial intelligence which conducts a conversation via audio or text. Adding a chat feature to your website to answer pre-tradeshow questions may take some of the burden off your support team. And don’t worry, your pre-populated answers don’t have to sound robotic either. You can make it sound just as natural as having a live human on the other end. But you want to know the best part? Chatbots work for you 24/7 and are pretty darn cost effective.

#5 – Retargeting is your friend.
Quite possibly one of the best tools for converting your landing page visitors into attendees. We know you’ve seen it – you go to a website and a “pop-up” appears for you to sign up. This has been around for a while but just now becoming more popular in order to run specific campaigns to increase conversions. Now you might be wondering how this actually works…well, think of your trade show landing page as a “shopping cart”. Typically you’re asked to register when shopping at most online stores so you can save your information for next time. Well, there’s a slight problem with this. Most people won’t register on the first visit, but it’s crucial to your conversion numbers. Just make sure your registration page is clear on your intent and it will be a easier decision to sign up. Lastly, maybe spend a little money to set up a specific retargeting campaign engaging with people that visited but didn’t sign up. Sometimes a little nudge is all it takes.

#6 – Create Pre-Show Teaser Videos.
Video is considered the most effective way to promote anything these days, even your trade show to boost attendance. Utilizing video before and after your trade show could help not only generate awareness to your brand but also boost attendance to your trade show. However, professional video production can become quite costly and the cheaper options may not look as professional as you would like. So how do you meet in the middle? Try merging existing footage with still photos to create a short video to display social media or your trade show landing page. Try testing out different online tools to combine elements into bite-size video snippets in no time at all.

#7 – Consider adding a Mobile Charging Station.
We’re sure you’ve witnessed this before – someone wandering around cell phone and charging cord in hand in a desperate search of an outlet. How would you like to be the one to swoop in and save the day! Trade show attendees rely on their cell phones, tablets and other devices to check emails, answer voicemail, post to social media or chat with coworkers. Adding a mobile charging station to your existing trade show booth will certainly be something attendees will not stop talking about! Genius, right?!

#8 – Boost your WiFi.
Rather than shelling out a crazy amount of money to the venue, and sacrificing your first born just to get decent bandwidth, consider adding a portable internet hotspot to your trade show booth. It’s so crazy how these small modules can make all our internet fears disappear and for a decent price. You’ll finally put an end to that “sorry I’m at a trade show and the Wifi is so slow I can’t even load Facebook” feeling.

So maybe you still have a little money leftover?

This could also be spent on promoting your brand or products on social media. A little bit of money spent on SEO targeted content across platforms like LinkedIn, Instagram or Facebook could also work wonders.

21 Things You’ve Probably Done at a Trade Show (You Might Never Do Anywhere Else)

If you’ve ever been a trade show exhibitor, not just an attendee, there are some things that happen during the long trade show day you may never consider doing in any other business situation.

While many of these behaviors might seem normal to the seasoned exhibitor, others might as well be considered “weird” to anyone else who has never experienced the trade show floor. We decided it would be fun to collaborate and came up with short list of (funny) situations you may recognize. Check them out and let us know if you have more to add!

Wear the same outfit as your co-worker
Nonchalantly walk by another booth and grab anything on the table that appears to have a value (candy, hats, pens, mugs…)
Chat with an ungodly amount strangers, sometimes about nothing at all
Gaze over at the double-padded carpet in booth #828 because your choice of shoes were for fashion and not comfort
Party until the wee hours of the morning with co-workers and not ever talk about it after
Ask a complete stranger for a breath mint and blame it on the free coffee
Pretend the person you are talking to doesn’t need the breath mint more than you
Act completely interested in small talk for hours on end
Complain about how much you loathe setting up and taking down your booth
Be completely convinced that a 15 minute conversation will lead to your biggest sale
Explain, once again, to your family that it’s a “business trip” and not a vacation
Sneak off to the bathroom just for quiet time
Hide behind your booth curtain to scarf down your box lunch
Try and find a way not to stare at everyone’s name badge before introducing yourself
Convince yourself that the 228 business cards collected are solely interested in your business and not the giveaway
Re-introduce yourself to the same person three times
Politely take brochures from anyone and everyone walking by because you can’t say no then discard of them after the show when no one’s looking
Have a permanent smile on your face to the point your cheeks hurt
Stand awkwardly alone in your booth when your co-worker decides they want to walk around
Be shocked at how quickly your booth is to take down compared to when you set it up
Stress because you can’t find your business cards then remember throwing them in the bottom of your the display case at the end of your last trade show

Avoid these 4 common trade show mistakes

“By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail” -Benjamin Franklin

Whether you’re a fan of trade shows or you absolutely despise them, the fact of the matter is they are an integral factor to an overall successful marketing strategy. And while there are some tasks in business we would rather avoid, a trade show should not be one of them. Just make sure you are reaping the benefits of standing in a 10×10 space for 8+ hours with a permanent smile on your face.

Here are just four mistakes we’ve seen time and time again. Preparation is the key – before, during and after the show – to insure your business prospers from the hard earned sales leads collected and new connections made.

—————

Mistake #1: Showing up unprepared
Make a checklist the week before the show and triple check the list. Pens, business cards, note pads, mints and anything you think you will need to get you through the day. If you are uncomfortable or unprepared your potential clients will sense this and possibly avoid a connection with you. Also, showing up unorganized may be a complete turn off for some, so preparation is the first step to a successful trade show.

Mistake #2: Cluttered or outdated graphics
Branding stuck in 2008? Although this is only 10 years ago, to the graphics world it might as well be a century. You can still have bright, bold and imaginative graphics without them being too chaotic or dated. A clear, minimal, straight forward message is all that is needed considering most people take less than ten seconds to process who you are and what you do. Minimizing text, bullets, and avoiding too many photos is key to making your graphics stand out.

Mistake #3: Leaving your booth unoccupied
While an occupied booth seems like common knowledge when exhibiting at a trade show, take a look around and you’ll see an empty booth is more common than you think. Every time you leave your booth unattended, you have the potential to miss out on one (or more) promising leads that may take your business to the next level. If you’re lucky enough to have your booth staffed by more than one person, take turns wandering around the exhibit hall to visit with vendors or other current clients and have the face to face relationship that’s so important in business these days. Walking around the trade show floor has the potential to open up those next level business opportunities you’ve been searching for.

Mistake #4: Not following up on leads
Don’t be left spending a considerable amount of marketing dollars on attending trade shows yet neglecting to follow up on the leads gathered. Sound familiar? Try designating one or two employees to focus solely on following up on the leads collected and sit back to see what happens. Prime time for follow ups is usually within a few business days after the show has ended so you don’t want to miss out on those precious opportunities.

—————

Making mistakes in the trade show process is bound to happen, but it’s up to you to take the opportunity to learn from your mistakes. Don’t get caught spending your hard earned time and money investing in tradeshows and fall flat once you’ve walked out of the exhibit hall.

Take the advice of Mr. Franklin – prepare.

Here’s why you should consider a Tension Fabric Display

So you’re in the market for a new trade show display booth and you’re wondering the best place to start. Should you consider a banner stand or maybe a pop up display, how about a modular display or a connecting banner system. All of those options are great and would certainly make your brand stand out however, there’s a new trend in trade show booths that is definitely another option you might want to consider first – Tension Fabric Displays.

—-

Here’s a brief overview of what you’ll find when shopping for a Tension Fabric Display:

PUSH-FIT SEG DISPLAYS
Trade show displays using the latest SEG (silicone edge graphics) push-fit graphic technology. Custom printed using a high definition dye sublimation printing process with a Straight frame and backlit options available, single sided or double sided.

FORMULATE® TENSION FABRIC SERIES
Tension fabric trade show displays featuring unique angles and stylistic elements making them a modern and sophisticated exhibit solution. Explore the many tension fabric displays, kiosks, towers, conference walls/rooms and charging stations available with unique accents and monitor/tablet options.

POP UP DISPLAYS
Utilizing a standard pop up display frame, these ultra portable and lightweight fabric graphic displays are printed with amazing color and resolution. Graphics remain velcroed to the frame for quick set-up and easy graphic updating.

TUBULAR DISPLAYS
Tension fabric trade show displays combine a snap-button interior aluminum frame and pillowcase style fabric graphic. Simply click together the frame and stretch your graphic over the tube frame to create a virtually wrinkle-free backdrop. Sizes range from 8ft wide to 20ft wide, straight or curved frames.

HYBRID DISPLAYS
Hybrid modular trade show displays combine a modern elements to create a custom look and feel, without the custom price tag. Durable frame design, custom printed high-definition dye sublimation fabric graphics ensure you will stand out.

KLIK MAGNETIC DISPLAYS
Klik magnetic trade show display system is the ideal shelving solution for displaying your products in a trade show booth. The Klik system combines magnetic vertical mounting bars allowing you to place multiple options on your display including magnetic graphics, peg boards or shelving that can be moved around and updated at any time.

GEOMETRIC DISPLAYS
Geometric trade show displays featuring the creativitly of 3D graphics with the ease and portability you need in a trade show display. Utilizing a standard pop up display frame, customize the layout and shapes of your fabric graphics with the ability to easily swap out graphics at any time.

HANGING SIGNS
Promote your brand high above the trade show floor. The many shapes and sizes of our custom hanging signs provide a great add-on to help draw attention to your booth.

GRAPHIC TOWERS
Make your brand the focal point in your trade show booth. Highlight a new product with either a tension fabric tower or pop up display style tower. And with your single or double sided custom dye sublimation printing included you’ll be sure to distinguish your company from the competition.

PODIUMS & COUNTERS
Trade show counters & portable podiums are the deal solution for the traveling exhibitor with fast production, custom options and on-time nationwide delivery.

TABLE TOP DISPLAY
Table top displays so simple and versatile they can be set up in seconds which is perfect for the travelling exhibitor. The included vibrant full color graphics insure you’ll create renewed excitement in your brand.

—-

The biggest thing you’ll notice with Tension Fabric Displays is…..OPTIONS! There is a seemingly unlimited amount of options out there when it comes to tension fabric displays. It’s best to first find out the size of your booth space that way you can narrow down the options even further. Once this is done, consider set-up time of the display along with how many people are needed for set-up. Sometime this factor is overlooked but it is very important. You don’t want to purchase a tension fabric display, receive it at your trade show and find out you need more than 2 people to set it up when you only have 1 person there. That would put booth attendants in a predicament they might not be able to resolve before showtime. And finally, it could be price that’s the deciding factor. As this is certainly an important factor to keep in mind, you also might not want to base your decision strickly on the bottom line. Usage and functionality might just have to trump what the price tag says in this instance.

As always, we’re here to help! Feel free to call us or email us anytime with your questions or concerns before purchasing your trade show display. We’re confident with our assistance, your brand will be the talk of the show!

10 Hot US Trade Shows in March

The best part about trade shows is there is one for any business! From beauty to health or merchandising, our Trade Show Calendar is by far the best tool to sort it all out. Quickly search by state, industry, dates and more to locate the best trade show for your brand. After you find the perfect trade show, make sure you’ll be representing your company in a big way. Check out all our trade show products and banner stands to insure you stand out in the crowd.

Consider checking out these trending trade shows happening this month:

Campus Market Expo
March 2-6, 2018
Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center Dallas
Dallas, TX

www.camex.org

CAMEX is Campus Retailing’s Largest Educational Conference and Buying Expo! For 95 years, NACS has brought campus store professionals and vendors together to meet the needs of students, alumni, parents, and the campus community.

——

International Beauty Show
March 4-6, 2018
Jacob K. Javits Convention Center
New York, NY

www.ibsnewyork.com

IBS New York is the longest-running and the hottest event in beauty! Drawing 65,200+ beauty professionals who are interested in learning new skills, refining techniques and stocking up on their salon and professional needs. This is the audience you want to reach, and the attendees you need to meet!

——

Seatrade Cruise Global
March 5-8, 2018
Ft. Lauderdale/Broward County Convention Center
Ft. Lauderdale, FL

www.seatradecruiseglobal.com

Seatrade Cruise Global 2018 will welcome 11,000 cruise professionals with ideas and innovations from every aspect of the maritime industry. Exhibiting at Seatrade Cruise Global will enable you to get your brand, products and services in front of an audience looking for new solution providers and business partners.

——

Natural Products Expo West
March 8-11, 2018
Anaheim Convention Center
Anaheim, CA

www.expowest.com

The 37th annual Natural Products Expo West & Engredea, the world’s largest natural, organic and healthy products event, experienced another record-setting year playing host to more than 80,000 attendees including industry pioneers and a new generation of innovators shaping the future of healthy products.

——

International Home + Housewares Show
March 10-13, 2018
McCormick Place Exposition Center
Chicago, IL

www.housewares.org/show

The International Home + Housewares Show features more than 2,200 exhibitors and exciting educational content at the Design Theater, Cooking Theater and through numerous special displays and events! It’s your opportunity to join the world’s largest audience of home goods and housewares professionals.

——

ASD Market Week
March 11-14, 2018
Las Vegas Convention Center
Las Vegas, NV

www.asdonline.com/about/show-overview/

ASD Market Week is the most comprehensive B2B trade show that brings the world’s widest variety of retail merchandise together in one efficient shopping experience. The ASD Market Week show floor is filled with quality choices at every wholesale price point buyers could want to find. ASD Market Week is held twice per year in Las Vegas and is truly the wholesale buying event that can’t be missed for any small to large sized retail, distribution, or importing business.

——

International Pizza Expo
March 19-22, 2018
Las Vegas Convention Center
Las Vegas, NV

www.pizzaexpo.com

With nearly 500 exhibiting companies on the show floor, Pizza Expo is the place for independent and chain pizzeria owners and managers to one-stop shop for nearly any needed product or service — and see what’s new in the industry. Attendees can expand their knowledge on topics relevant to business success during Expo’s more than 90 seminars, workshops and baking demonstrations. They also can participate in pizza skills competitions and go to special events such as the Beer & Bull networking session and the Pizza Expo Block Party.

——

ISA International Sign Expo
March 22-24, 2018
Orange County Convention Center
Orlando, FL

www.signexpo.org

ISA Sign Expo is the largest gathering of sign and graphics professionals—has the best exhibits offering new technology and helps sign companies make valuable connections. ISA Sign Expo is the most comprehensive trade show for the sign, graphics and visual communications industry, showcasing products from exhibitors in wide format printing, digital signage, vehicle wrapping, LEDs and so much more.

——

Nightclub & Bar Show
March 26-28, 2018
Las Vegas Convention Center
Las Vegas, NV 89109

www.ncbshow.com

Nightclub & Bar Show is the nation’s most influential gathering of bar, nightlife, hospitality and beverage professionals, who annually come together in Las Vegas. This is the bar professional’s one stop shop to learn about new products, new technology and new trends in the industry. Take your industry knowledge to the next level in our comprehensive Conference Program, the only program designed to meet the needs and challenges of bar owners, operators and professionals looking to get ahead in the industry. Plus, Nightclub & Bar Show is notorious for throwing Parties!

——

New York International Auto Show
March 30-April 8, 2018
Jacob Javits Convention Center
New York, NY

www.autoshowny.com

Ushering in the latest automotive trends, the 2018 New York International Auto Show will showcase an incredible collection of cutting-edge design and extraordinary innovation. More than four floors of displays from the world’s automakers will feature the newest vehicles and latest futuristic concept cars. Nearly 1,000 cars and trucks will be on display at North America’s first and largest-attended auto show dating back to 1900.