Web: www.xtreme-exhibits.com Phone: 314.785.1700    |
|
|
Illuminate with Luminary...
The Luminary is a unique combination of a contoured rollable light box, a compact light system and a telescoping bannerstand. The Lambda Duratrans graphic attaches to the telescopic stand for an attractive appearance.
Luminary is the only lightweight and portable light box bannerstand system. Easy to transport, set-up and breakdown.
Call or email for details!
|
|
Avoid a Tradeshow Built on Afterthoughts
by Eric Lukazewski
 I hate cars. As much as I rely on them to get me around, I despise the care that's needed to keep them running. I'm automotive illiterate. My dad showed me how to change a tire, change the oil and other basics for car maintenance, but I quickly learned as an adult that opening my wallet keeps my hands clean from dirt and grime. Even still, I tend to avoid an auto mechanic like a pack of rabid raccoons.
Recently, I had been in need of brakes from my car, but as my quest was to avoid the automotive dentist, I put it off and put it off....until I noticed a nasty grinding and squeaking sound from my car. It was unavoidable now. My presence was known for miles with the hideous sound and making the issue an afterthought had now become the first thing attributed with me on the road.
Tradeshow exhibitors often fall vicim to this routine. From exhibit planning, service orders, shipping, graphics and more, there's a number of items, intentional or not, that are often overlooked. Some exhibitors accept this as part of the process. They sacrifice here to ensure their resources are spent over there. This stigma is simply bogus and the battle for tradeshow sanity can be won if you commit to the battlefront with a proper strategy. Avoid your small oversights and negligence to grow into a nasty representation of your exhibit brand.
Have a Service Team - If you're a event marketer for your company, nothing would be better of your time than to do that. The saddest thing to see is a marketing strategy that has been killed because of the hours a company has spent simply getting to an event. Enlist members from your company to handle the logistics and services, while you can focus on making your event a success.
Exhaust your Resources - Are you working with an exhibit company? If so, let them take some of the pressure from you and your team. Many exhibit companies will coordinate service logistics and many have ties to best management practices. Is your event in New York but you live in Phoenix? Ask your exhibit company to assist with recommendations for carriers and local labor if you're in unfamiliar territory. Often times their knowledge and relationships with these service providers means cost savings for you.
Detail your Shipments - There's one undebatable waste of dollars - Time. Your time, employee's time, laborer's time is not meant to be utilized tracking down your newly printed set of brochures on a floor of crates a boxes. Take the time to itemize every box as to its content, and develop a system to easily identify items for quick and easy access. If you're missing a critical component for your exhibit success, that success may take a vacation.
Don't Sacrifice Quality for Quantity - Be wise with your budget. Having a large 50×50 island is nice, but does little good if you've sacrificed accurate brand representation to get in that space. Instead, construct a vision for your brand and identify it through all levels of representation; exhibit structure, graphics, colors, lighting, etc. Let your brand dictate the space and not the other way around.
Chances are, you've been successful in building an image, a brand around your company. People associate your company's name with an identity, be it quality, service, professionalism, etc. Afterthoughts are little gremlins who attack those attributes and even the littlest one can overshadow the most firm strategy. Destroy those gremlins with proper planning and systematic execution.
 About the Author: Eric is the marketing director at Echelon Design & author at Tradeshow Insight. He provides new marketing strategies and various social environments to the tradeshow and events industry. Coupling his passions for technology, design and social media, Eric positions his insights along side and in front of current trends for an optimal trade perspective. Find him online at http://www.tradeshowinsight.com |
