Over the years as a trade show exhibiting consultant, I have been asked by many what my opinion was on what it takes to become successful at managing trade show exhibiting for corporations. While it’s often difficult to assume what “success” means for someone else, I can share with you what it meant to me to be a successful corporate exhibits manager when I worked at Sperry UNIVAC, MEMOREX, and Beckman Instruments. Additionally, as I climbed the corporate ladder, trade show exhibiting remained a primary focal point for me in the marketing and sales areas at Kawasaki, Tektronix and especially OrCAD Systems Corp, a bootstrapped startup where the challenge of keeping the doors open existed every day.
While many exhibitors understand the value of placing their best foot forward with regards to their trade show exhibit materials, many might do better to meet the challenges of maximizing their effectiveness by more adequately focusing on various important non-exhibit entities. Far beyond the creatively painted and brightly illuminated exhibit materials placed on the trade show floor, there exist many additional aspects of trade show exhibiting that will often spell the difference between success and disappointment. First and foremost, in considering what constitutes a successful trade shows exhibit presentation is the fact that on the show floor, people will want to do business with people and not with inanimate objects like exhibits, graphics, products or sales literature. The trade show environment is one of creating an opportunity for human contact and at which the exhibit merely creates an environment conducive for people to meet each other to conduct business. The physical dynamics of trade show exhibiting are intensified and extremely more complex when compared to most any other forms of corporate business communications. This is for the most part due to the presence of the other exhibitors all competing for the attention, time and consideration of key show attendees, prospects and customers. What, in reality, does the trade show attendee see when he/she approaches your exhibit? The perception could be the difference between entering Tiffany’s or a K-mart and it all depends on the total picture presented and perceived that indicates the kind of company you are, including its products, people and business policies. A complete image of your company is presented the moment the attendee, prospect or customer notices and walks towards your exhibit on the show floor. Directly under the surface of the bright lights, flashing signs, product presentations and sales people wearing their best welcoming smiles the perception of the image of your company is created. Within a few short minutes your total trade show exhibit presentation will begin to indicate to prospects and customers your corporate culture, philosophies and level of business dedication. The professionalism of your people, products and commitment to customer service will be expressed, evaluated and actively compared against every one of your competitors on the show floor. In essence, who you are what you stand for and how you appear to do business is projected and vividly on display representing an image from the day your company was created to present time. If your most important corporate trade show were a sporting event, it could compare to your own World Series, Super Bowl and World Cup all rolled into one three day tournament under one roof of a major convention center. The question is, are you prepared?
For years, advances in technology have stimulated the imaginations of professional association management, trade show producers and exhibitors with the concept and possibilities of staging virtual conventions, meetings and trade shows. As online data speeds increased, device capabilities advanced, and the world’s connectivity became a reality, the possibility questions were usually answered with some doubt, traditional thinking and a general lack of enthusiasm. Complicated technology issues, connectivity application software confusion, device compatibility, appropriate content development and a general lack of knowledge all played a part in the idea quickly reverting to the axiom of “don’t fix it if it isn’t broken.” There were way too many tried and true financial, social and common-sense human benefits supporting the convention, trade show, and meeting worlds to consider any new virtual concept that few saw as technically viable, socially acceptable and cost effective. The idea of virtual annual conventions with technical paper presentations, workshops and lectures, supported by something of an inanimate trade show floor where exhibitors’ products and services were presented was far beyond the realm of possibility, reality and acceptance. A professional association’s annual convention with trade show support is traditional, significant and historic. It’s where members within all segments of an industry gather together to learn and share the latest knowledge, technology and industry insights. What could possibly disrupt such a time honored, viable, successful and valuable enterprise?
OrCAD Systems Corporation was a bootstrapped, non-funded startup in Hillsboro, Oregon, providing electronic design engineers with PC based CAE tools at a time when such design tools were mostly available only on higher powered expensive workstations.
By improving standardized programs and processes, kaizen aims to eliminate waste. Kaizen was first practiced in Japanese businesses after World War II, influenced in part by American business and quality-management teachers, and most notably as part of the Toyota Way.
Effective top management evaluates various marketing and sales support functions, along with their related expenditures in time and money, by asking middle management to justify each activity based on results.
Effective trade show exhibiting management is not easy or glamorous, and while you might spend six months planning required logistics of exhibiting, once the show opens, all of your work becomes subjected to others’ opinions, suggestions and comments — and not all are always complimentary.
While the Clinton campaign went about the more traditional tasks of evaluating past voter analytics, developing messaging and using research tools like focus groups and polling analysis to develop their positioning statements, Donald Trump was out in the field making human contact at hundreds of live events, learning firsthand what was on people’s minds and in their hearts.
For years, multi-city press tours have been a key component in the process of introducing new products to the trade media. The concept of delivering the news in person to editors has endured even though nearly all aspects of today’s travel logistics and expenses have continued to increase in both difficulty and complexity.
