Need a Showroom in Detroit? That's No Problem!

If there is ever an industry where the "whole is greater than the sum of its parts," it is the exhibit industry.  One project may have many people collaborating toward the completion of an ultimate goal.  Even exhibit companies who do everything "in-house" have to rely on other companies to supply various aspects of an exhibit project, be it manufactured components, shipping services or exhibit installers to name a few.  It's true, especially in the exhibit business, that no one is an island, and anyone ever involved in the industry - from exhibitors to exhibit suppliers - knows this.

At Integra Display we collaborate with many different companies and individuals on several levels giving us vast capabilities to meet many diverse marketing needs. And at times we supply display materials and graphics to others who are not the end users.

Recently we got together with Image-Tek in Novi, MI, to take care of client, Shiroki North America from Smithville, TN, that needed a showroom and lobby in their new Detroit facility. The collaboration resulted in the fabrication of a showroom displaying the company's products and featuring high impact large-format graphics.  Photos of the final installation can be viewed here: http://tinyurl.com/3wr34f5

Another great match-up is a display manufacturer who produces Made-In-The-USA displays and exhibit materials for Integra Display and other display designers all over the world.  They have recently introduced and eco-friendly line of displays called Magnetix and it is getting alot of attention.  We have Magnetix featured on our website this month: http://tinyurl.com/3cww72y

Project size and scope, no doubt, does matter and does impact the "whole is greater than the sum of its parts" mathematics.  I have often told my clients that I have a "cast of 1000's" working with me and, honestly, with some projects that number seems low.  The bottom line is our clients just want a great product, delivered on time, within budget and that will achieve their goals.  And with all of our available resources, I can confidently say, "That's no problem!"

Tradeshow Selling: 4 Key Questions You Must Know

The tradeshow floor is a selling environment.  Given you've chosen the correct show, there is a high percentage of people walking the show with whom you would like to speak.  This is why tradeshows are such a good marketing vehicle:  large numbers prospects in one place at one time.  There are also people there for reasons other than buying what you are selling, hearing your presentation or viewing your demonstration.  Both numbers are big and both walk right past your booth.  But how do you find the good ones, the prospects - your future customers?  How do you know if you should spend time with this person?  All good salespeople - and booth staffers - know they must get the answers to these 4 basic qualifying questions:

1. Do you have a need?

A good qualifying question which is also a nice icebreaker: "Hi! What brings you to the show today?"  This will let you know if you have something they need or want or if instead they are looking for another company, another unrelated product or the nearest bathroom.  If you do have a product or service they are interested in, you will want to spend more time with them and drill down to their more specific needs, finding out their time-frame, their budget and who has the authority to buy.


2. What is your timeframe?

Everyone with a need does not necessarily have a current need.  Others may need it yesterday.  You need to know this in order to know if this is someone you want to spend time with now, or to followup with in 3, 6 or 12 months.  It will also tell you if you want to deal with them at all; some time-frames do not fit your production schedule or are otherwise too demanding.  Time-frame qualifiers are straightforward "when" questions, like:

When were you planning to implement the new program?
When do you need these new widgets installed?

3. Do you have a budget?

What good is it to find someone with a stated need and timeframe, but no budget?  One of the best ways to approach this question is to give a range: "Based on the information you have provided me, your project should cost between X and Y.  Is this in your budget?" or "Similar projects we have done for other companies are in the X to Y range.  Will this work for you?"  No budget today does not mean no budget ever and may become a time frame issue. But how do you know if you don't ask?

4. Who is the final decision maker?

It is good to find this out as soon as possible lest you'll be spending alot of time with the wrong person.  Ultimately, you'll need to sell to someone who has the final buying authority or at least buying influence. The final decision maker may not be in attendance, but they are the first person you'll want to followup with if the need, budget and time frame questions have been met. A good question to ask, "Besides yourself, who will be involved in the decision to purchase?"  

The answers to all four questions must  be known before a sale - any sale - can be made.  Good salespeople simply have conversations with people and let the answers reveal themselves in a natural way.  Some call this active listening.  But because time is at a premium, especially at well-attended shows, keep the small talk to a minimum on the show floor.  Capture all the information on a lead sheet or electronic device and follow-up.

A good strategy is to have staffers in the booth who "meet and qualify" (these are not the quiet, reserved types) and others with your company who can take care of "hot prospects" with a definite near-term need, purchasing authority and budgeted monies. This may be someone with technical expertise who can give a demonstration or an executive in the organization with deal-making authority.  If you are working the show alone, these qualifying questions can help you talk with greater numbers of attendees.  Wherever part of a larger booth staff or alone, the post-show followup is key to your selling success.

CEIR, Center for Exhibtion Industry Research, offers exhibiting research and reports on this topic (http://www.ceir.org/find-research/instant_research).

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QR Tags: New Ways to Market Your Tradeshow

If you have not already seen these square barcodes, known as QR Tags, on products,  print ads, billboards and elsewhere, you will soon.  And smart tradeshow marketers and exhibit managers will begin using them in large numbers in graphics and other marketing materials to meet their tradeshow goals.

What they are:

Invented in Japan, where they are everywhere, QR tags (short for Quick Response) are two dimensional codes place on - or integrated into -print ads, outdoor signs, store windows and even business cards.  For the trade show exhibitor, they might be printed into your display graphics, integrated into pre-show mailings and even post-show follow-ups.

A smart phone, such as an Android or iphone, scans the codes and delivers to the mobile screen any number of data rich information: web sites, product demo videos, coupons and landing pages to collect additional information.  The Hacker Group, a direct/digital marketing agency in Seattle, has rightly called this technology “a seamless link between the physical world and the online world.” Wow!

How they work:

QR tags can be generated and printed by anyone using readily available software.  Your printer or tradeshow graphics designer can generate a tag as part of your display graphics.  The can be produced and added to existing graphics or incorporated into new graphic designs. These tags are coded with the data and information information directed to your prospects. Tags are then scanned by smart phones or camera phones and in a matter of seconds, your banked information is transferred to the mobile smart phone. Tons of information can be transferred in seconds.

Benefits for the tradeshow exhibitor and exhibit manager:

Smart phones are everywhere, especially at trade shows.  With QR Tags, you can become an early adopter, differentiate yourself from the competition and connect with your target audience. This new technology tool allows for great creativity in putting together your marketing campaigns.  Here are just a few ideas to get you started.

Pre-Show Mailers - the QR tag might contain this data:

-  Company web site, or better yet, a show specific page.  Scanning a tag is much easier and faster than typing a long URL address.
- Map of your booth location, with hours for any special presentations, seminars, demos or in-booth promotions.  Make it easy to find you, especially a large shows.
-  Special invitation to an after-show party or hospitality suite.  Many times, its where the real business gets done.
-  Offer for a special giveaway

Trade show graphics - the QR tag might contain this data:

-  Product demonstration video
-  Landing page to request more information (including need, budget and time frame pre-qualification)
-  Video of customer testimonials
-  Coupon or show special pricing
-  Special giveaway - such as the i-pad promotion shown above

Post-show followup - the QR tag might contain this data:

-  Business card information on the thank you note
-  Video demonstration of product prospect was interested in
-  Customer testimonials

NOTE: For hot prospects, you may want to use those old reliable technologies: the telephone, paper and pen.

How's your booth staff performing?

I have a friend who works in the hotel industry, a nice hotel on the upper end of quality and service.  One thing he is always mentioning is the “shopper visit” and the “shopper report.”  In his world, a shopper is an  anonymous mystery guest who checks into the  hotel, calls room service, visits the concierge, eats at the outlets, visits the exercise facility - no department is spared. All the time, the mystery shopper is taking copious notes on cleanliness, service, courtesy, attire, etc.  The mystery shopper also takes names.  

The shopper report is a big deal for him and all his coworkers and he always talks with a tone of respect and  seriousness.  The shopper’s visit and resulting report is completely objective and its outcomes can have serious repercussions, both positive and negative.  Indeed, the program has a great affect on behavior modification.  For instance, he says his manager is always telling him to “treat everyone like a shopper.”

Now let’s apply this concept to trade shows.  What if there was a mystery booth visitor who entered your booth at the next trade show - someone totally unknown to your booth staff and employees?  The mystery booth visitor could carefully observe many staff behaviors that ultimately can make or break the success of the show.


Unless you, the management are physically inside the booth at the show observing the staff, how do you really know how they are performing.  And if you are there, how is your presence affecting their behavior?

This mystery visitor could observe things like the approach and greeting, qualification and presentation skills,  demonstration skills, how the visitor is followed up on after the show, 6 months, 12 months.   Also, the mystery booth visitor could check the setup of the booth while checking the quality of third-party vendors’ services, such as florists and installation/dismantling crews.

Yes the mystery visitor could “take names” but ultimately the mystery booth visitor can tell management what is working and what is not and what needs to be worked on through additional training. 

How design increases booth traffic

Display design has some heavy lifting to do on the busy trade show floor.  There is much to see, much to do, much much competition for your prospect's attention.  In a very few seconds, your display has to visually engage the prospect in some way.  In those very few precious seconds, display design is the best way to engage the prospect, grab their attention, and lead them to that equally important show floor experience - your greeting.  The transformation of disinterested attendee to engaged prospect is a lightning fast transaction.

Consider this 20 ft display trade show display designed by Kristoff Creative for Choice Food of America (CFA) and produced by Integra Display.   This design is an embodiment of a concept we often advise our clients: Your display should be a billboard, not a brochure.  Kristoff and CFA "got it" with this display design.  Is your display design working hard for you?  If you are observing show traffic passing you up yet gathering at others (maybe your competitors), then try the less is more billboard concept with new display graphics.

New client converts shipping case into GIANT ipod

Integra Display client, KeepingUP.org of Vanderbilt University Emergency Medicine, makes it easy for busy physicians to "keep up" with the latest and most current articles on Emergency Medicine. The 15 minute downloadable podcasts offer concise summaries of 50 major journals.  Editor and co-founder, Clay Smith MD, FAAP, FACEP, thought the best way to get across the message to prospects on the busy show floor is with a giant ipod - this one made with a graphic wrapped around the display shipping case.  An entire 10 ft. wide X 8 ft. high display (shown) packs and ships in the one case via UPS, FEDEX or checks as airline luggage.