Posts Tagged ‘conventions’
Friday, December 17th, 2010
The display went up in seconds with no problems. Within minutes you were able to unload everything, find your assigned spot at the convention center, and assemble that custom designed trade show exhibit made especially for you. Complete with a couple pedestals, an information display, a couple video monitors, and of course your logo featured prominently in several locations, it’s hard to argue that you’ve got one of the best looking exhibits at the event. Knowing it’s not all about the look of the display though, you have made sure to cover all the bases. Weeks were spent going over every fine detail of the product line you will be presenting, calls and emails were sent in advance to generate some early buzz about where you will be, you’ve even placed a couple banners out front to let those coming know where to find you.
Suddenly you hit a string of bad luck. You get nudged on the way back from getting coffee and spill it all over your pants. You run out to the truck to find something to clean up with only to realize you have a flat tire. On your way back you notice someone has stolen one of your better priced items and of course nobody saw anything. Needless to say before the day even starts going good your attitude is far less than positive. As the day progresses you begin speaking to a lot of potential customers. The convention center is full, but for some reason you are barely able to squeak out more than five minutes of anyone’s time. In frustration you begin to look around at your exhibit for what the problem could be….only the problem isn’t the display it’s your attitude.
We all have bad days and tribulations we must go through, but the best looking display in the world will only do so much good if the attitude it is presented with stinks. It’s extremely important to set aside all those bad vibes and focus on the customer when those doors open and people start piling in. Another thing to remember is that a positive attitude shouldn’t be confined to the area of your exhibit. People notice more than we tend to give them credit for and it’s not unreasonable to say that potential customers were nearby when that cup of hot coffee got spilled on you, when you screamed because of that flat tire, and when you feverishly attempted to hunt down a would be thief. All that planning you did weeks before the event and that custom designed display will only go so far if you present them to the customer in a sarcastic or unfriendly manner.
The next time you get ready to start your day dealing with potential customers, think about your attitude and make sure to be positive!
Tags: conventions, Custom displays, Custom graphics, custom trade show exhibits, information displays, marketing tips, pedestals, portable trade show display, Trade Show Booths, unique trade show display, video monitors
Posted in Custom displays, Custom graphics, marketing tips, Trade Show Booths, Trade Show Displays, Trade Show Exhibits | No Comments »
Wednesday, November 24th, 2010
It may seem kinda silly to be talking about 2011 what with Thanksgiving being tomorrow and all, but the fact is the time to get ready for next year’s trade show is today. A great looking trade show display doesn’t happen overnight, but instead takes time in order to ensure that you are getting exactly what you need to set yourself apart from your competitor. At Godfrey from the very moment you contact a personal project manager a constant dialog is established which allows you to voice your opinion on color, design, style, accessories, and keeps you up to date every step of the way as the display or exhibit is created. The most important decision though is as old as time itself, “What do people want?” In hopes of shedding some light on this continuous dilemma, today we are going to take out the old crystal ball and tell you what we think will be the hottest trade show trends for 2011
*Value over price- It used to be that price was king, but these days with the economy picking up steam consumers are just as interested in the value they will receive by purchasing a product as they are by what they will have to pay for it. Grand fabric exhibits and custom built pop-ups will definitely help you get your point across, but the key for today’s consumer is letting them touch, feel, and taste your product first hand in order to convince them that you are offering a quality product.
*Social Media and the pressures of friendship- Forget phone calls and mail-outs, the trick to getting your target market’s attention is reaching them where they live and that’s on social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter. These are the places where we find out what our best friends and favorite celebrities are tripping over themselves to get to; where our favorite restaurants are offering special promotions for following along on their sites. At your next event make sure to add a couple of spaces to that ledger you have set up at your information booth to include ways to reach them via social networking sites and email
*Meeting expectations- With so many products flooding the market, in order to separate yourself from the competition one of the most important things that have to be done is you have to meet the expectations of your customers. Not only does every bell and whistle need to be laid out and easy to use, but they must be of high quality. This is where an audio/video display proves invaluable in that you have the ability to showcase every aspect of your product in a eye capturing format.
Tags: 2011 trade shows, audio displays, booths, conventions, Custom displays, Custom graphics, customer service, design trends, Display Booths, Displays, Exhibits, fabric structures, information displays, kiosk, marketing tips, popup displays, portable trade show display, potential customer, potential customers, Trade Show, Trade Show Booths, trade show trends, unique trade show display
Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »
Wednesday, October 20th, 2010
The great thing about Godfrey’s extensive variety of trade show displays and exhibits, is that no matter what you are in the market for we’ve got it covered. Whether it is a display that is quick and easy to assemble, an environmentally friendly exhibit, or something private such as a portable conference room, one look around our website and you’ll instantly see there’s no limit to the possibilities of what your next trade show exhibit could look like. But what if you already have a display that for the most part you are satisfied with? What if you purchased an exhibit before you heard about Godfrey and you haven’t gotten your money’s worth out of it yet? The color is still good, there’s no sign of any major wear or tare…basically it’s still a good display yet there are clearly a few extras missing that might help with the overall design. Thankfully Godfrey has the answers guaranteed to solve all the problems with your current display.
Counter Space and Storage Problems- Many are surprised at just what an extra pedestal or two will add to the overall layout of the exhibit. Not only do pedestals provide more counter space, but at a trade show where space is in high demand they can also be used to store extra inventory such as brochures or packaging. Plus they are perfect for helping to direct the flow of traffic into and around the exhibit.
Customized Headers and Banners- While we can’t do much about the lack of customization on an existing display, Godfrey does offer several styles of banners, signs, and hanging headers that can easily feature your company’s name and logo.
Additional Shelving- Information displays not only provide extra room to display brochures and other informational materials, they can also incorporate video and audio accessories which are sure to give your sales a boost.
Custom Flooring- A trade show exhibit should tie everything together. From the color of the walls to the use of graphics to what the company is trying to promote, all of these things should be reflected in the design of the exhibit. Flooring is just as important. Whether it be a red carpet, connecting, or even diamond plated tiles; a good looking floor cover is often the final piece of the puzzle in building a great looking exhibit.
Tags: booths, conventions, Custom displays, Custom graphics, customer service, customers, display add ons, Display Booths, Eco-friendly displays, Event Planners, Exhibit Booth Company, Exhibits, fabric structures, kiosk displays, marketing tips, portable trade show display, potential customers
Posted in Eco-friendly displays, marketing tips, Uncategorized | No Comments »
Monday, October 18th, 2010
Every couple of weeks the rumor mills gear up, the blogs begin posting their theories, and the 24-hr new sites can’t help but spread the buzz as word begins to spread of yet another major announcement by Apple. The latest event occurred less than a month ago and brought us the new iPod design along with a better version of Apple TV, both of which left half the planet salivating the moment the first designs hit the web. Now comes word that this Wednesday will be yet another historic day in terms of what the electronics giant has up its sleeve. Best guess as to what will be revealed include a new version of the Macbook Air “the world’s thinnest notebook”, a new operating system, or something as simple as a software upgrade. Regardless of what will be offered though, Apple succeeds repeatedly where others fail…they capture our attention by building up the mystery.
As a company that regularly makes the rounds on the trade show circuit, there are a few Apple inspired things you can do to help build a little mystery of your own. The first thing you need to do is come up with something people want. It could be a new line of products that you are waiting to revile, a lower price, or a even a new contest. Once you’ve come up with something people want to see, it’s time to spread the word. Reach out to every contact, every friend, every person that ever signed a visitor sheet at one of your exhibits. Tell them where you are going to be and promise them an announcement that they will just have to see to believe. Finally on the day of the trade show, cover the landscape in teaser ads that are designed to leave people with no choice but to see what all the fuss is about. Place posters outside the event center, electronic information displays inside the main entrance, or if possible a billboard sign similar to the Truss System all geared toward pointing people in your direction.
Everyone loves a good mystery the same way we all hate to be left out of the crowd. By building an air of mystery around your next trade show exhibit you create a feeling in the consumer that a major opportunity will be missed out on unless they visit your exhibit. If you need more proof that a little mystery can do wonders just tune in Wednesday when Apple makes their latest announcement…I know I will.
Tags: Apple announcement, Apple TV, booths, conventions, creating buzz, Custom displays, Custom graphics, Display Booths, iPod, iTunes, kiosk displays, marketing tips, mystery marketing, portable trade show display, potential customers, Trade Show Displays, unique trade show display
Posted in marketing tips | No Comments »
Wednesday, September 8th, 2010
We all know that trade show vendors will go to extraordinary lengths to attract attention to their booths. Far beyond custom displays and game props many vendors feel that the best way to attract attention is by putting a pretty face in front of their booths. While an attractive person will definitely get you attention, it may not be the kind you want. In fact scantily clad models bring about three very distinct problems that are hard to get around if you are vendor looking to utilize this type of marketing:
•1. They draw the wrong crowd. The main problem with using a model as the main way to sell your product is that it gets everyone’s attention. Every company has a target market in mind for their product. A segment of the population that they feel is the perfect fit for their product. By placing a model in front of your display, instead of zeroing in on that target market you may find yourself wasting huge amounts of time on people who are just there to see a pretty face and don’t have any interest in what you have to offer.
•2. They ruin your clean image. First impressions mean everything and they are often virtually impossible to reverse because you almost never get a second shot at talking to the customer. If a visitor walks by your booth and sees a model that could be considered inappropriately dressed, that customer could immediately classify you as a company that is less than family friendly. When designing a display for a trade show you want to be as professional as possible at all times. You want custom fabrics, clean lines, and quality video presentations. By putting a less than wholesome face in front of the exhibit you are alienating a large portion of the population.
•3. They distort your message. Once you consider all of the expenses that are involved in getting to, setting up, and promoting yourself at a trade show, the last thing you can afford to do is have people walk away from your booth not knowing what you are all about. Again using a model may get bring the crowd your way, but moments later if asked visitors to your booth might be able to remember what the model looked like, but not what she was there to sell. Models get in the way of what you are there to do and that is burn your company’s name in the minds of hundreds of consumers.
Instead of using a model to promote a product, the best move is to invest in a custom built multicolored trade show display that only Godfrey can provide. With a wide variety of kiosks, hanging headers, and pop-up displays to choose from; Godfrey is the answer to all your trade show woes.
Tags: booth, booths, conventions, Custom displays, Custom graphics, customer service, Displays, Event Planners, Exhibitors, Exhibits, fabric structures, hanging headers, kiosk, marketing tips, portable trade show display, potential customer, potential customers, Trade Show, Trade Show Booths, Trade Show Displays, unique trade show display
Posted in Custom displays, Custom graphics, Expert trade show advice, marketing tips, Overhead banners, Trade Show Booths, Trade Show Displays, Trade Show Exhibits | No Comments »
Wednesday, August 18th, 2010
We don’t get to talk too much about the economy here at Godfrey, but today I want to talk a little about Opportunity Cost. In it’s most basic of definitions Opportunity Cost is “the cost of an alternative that must be forgone in order to pursue a certain action. Put another way, the benefits you could have received by taking an alternative action.” Now that you know what it is, think about everything you have to go through from the time you put the date on the calendar to the moment you are ready to start showing your wears at the trade show. Think of all the time this is spent getting prepared that could be spent in more productive ways.
First you have to pack everything so it will make it to your destination in one piece. Then there’s a line at the ticket counter and your flight has been delayed. Your luggage is the last one to come throw the baggage doors. There’s an accident on the freeway and you’re stuck at a snail’s pace for over an hour. You finally make it to the event center and they gave your spot to someone else by mistake. You get a new location and you’re not done yet….you’ve still got to set up your display. All of these tasks cost you valuable time. Time which could have been spent getting better prepared for the show. Time which can be gained back by choosing a custom designed pop-up display.
Made with lightweight materials and featuring a lifetime warranty on the frame and hardware, a pop-up display from Godfrey will do more than just save you time….it will gain you the contacts you need to make any trade show a guaranteed success. Each display is fabric wrapped with invisible seems and easily folds back into a compact shipping case that can be wheeled from one destination to the next at a moment’s notice. A 200 watt light fixture only helps to accentuate any one of 75 different colors available to choose from. Whether your preference is a curved, straight, or montage style pop-up; Godfrey has the display that you need to gain back all that lost time and never missing another opportunity at winning a customer over again!
Tags: booth, booths, conventions, custom colors, custom designs, custom exhibit, Custom graphics, customer service ideas, customers, Display Booths, economy, marketing tips, opportunity cost, pop-up display, portable trade show display, potential customer, potential customers, time savers, Trade Show, trade show booth, Trade Show Booths, trade show help, unique trade show display
Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »
Monday, August 16th, 2010
The first official day of college football is less than a month away and where I’m from that means tailgate season is upon us. In the south college football doesn’t just last 5-6 months of the year, in Alabama it’s a 365 day discussion that never stops. On any given Saturday from September through the first of January malls are deserted, parks are left abandoned and empty, and the only people on the streets are those trying desperately to get home in time to catch the second half. If you’re a retailer or any type of event planner than the only way you can guarantee that people will show is the promise that they won’t have to miss the big game. I’ve been to both weddings and funerals where somewhere tucked in the corner of a room you could find a dozen men and women alike applauding a completed touchdown pass.
If you’re a trade show vendor and you know that your target market is full of die-hard football fanatics, then one sure fire way to get them to show up in droves is to contact them in advance and promise them a tailgate party with all the fix’ins. In order to throw a successful tailgate party the most important thing you need to focus on is atmosphere. With a few clicks of a button you can be on your way to creating a Grand Fabric structure that resembles a football stadium with your company’s logo emblazoned all around. The next thing you need is food. Think hot-wings, burgers, hot-dogs, and tons of potato chips complete with enough soda to drown an elephant. For special VIP customers throw a juicy steak on your portable grill and serve it all under the appropriately named Mushroom Kiosk that will give you plenty of counter space.
Now all you got to do give the people what they came to see and that’s the game itself. The Truss Me system with its monitor mount option and a dependable WiFi connection will give you the ability to blast the game all across the conference room floor. Throw a literature stand in the mix so everyone has a chance to learn about who sponsored the awesome party, a pedestal for all to leave their contact info, and what you have is tailgate party that gets the people out of their recliners and into your custom built trade show exhibit!!
Tags: alabama football, booth, booths, college football, Conference Vendor, conventions, custom exhibit, Custom graphics, custom logos, customers, Display Booths, Displays, Event Planners, Exhibit Booth Company, Exhibitors, Exhibits, fabric structures, Godfrey Group popups, kiosk displays, kiosks, literature stands, marketing tips, outdoor displays, pedestals, portable trade show display, potential customer, tailgate party, trade show booth, Trade Show Booths, Trade Show Displays, trade show vendor
Posted in Custom displays, Custom graphics, Expert trade show advice, marketing tips, Modular literature displays, Mushroom kiosks, Promotional Ideas, Trade Show Booths, Trade Show Displays, Trade Show Exhibits, Trade Show game themes, Uncategorized | No Comments »
Monday, August 2nd, 2010
When getting ready for a trade show there are a ton of things you can do in advance to make sure that you have a successful event. Of course you can make sure you have the best custom exhibit possible. You can find out who’s going to be there and what they will be interested is seeing. You can make sure who you have working the booth is up on all the facts and are able to answer any questions about your product that may arise. You can even create an elaborate demonstration of how your product works. The one thing you can’t control though is where you are located once you get to the conference center. Yes you can suggest or recommend to the event organizer where you would like to be, but ultimately it’s their decision as to where you are to setup and unfortunately not everyone can have the best seat in the house. So what do you do when you get to a trade show only to find that your setup location is far less than desirable?
Take a walk. After you have everything setup and ready to go, leave the display with your help for a while and start shaking hands. Make sure you are wearing something that contains your brand name. If you know somebody there stop by and say hello. Tell them where you are and ask them to send people your way. Just by walking around and greeting as many people as possible you are creating buzz for your display.
Make people look for you. If you didn’t bring any with you, draw up a few signs on poster board advertising that you are there and where you can be found. If you own a truck or van with your name and logo on it, make sure you park it near the main entrance where people can see it as they enter the building.
Speak to the organizer. You make think they understand what you need, but in fact the organizer of the event may not have any idea that they have setup up somewhere that is unfavorable. While you are out meeting and greeting scout out a couple new locations and don’t be afraid to approach the person in charge with your ideas about where you might be best suited. The thing here to remember is that those hosting the event get a percentage of all sales, therefore the more people walking past your display means higher sales for you and a higher profit for them.
You have the most best custom display in the world but when it comes to being put in a bad location with zero traffic, you have to take matters in your own hands and make the people come to you. By making your presence known among the visitors, asking for a few favors from friends who might be able to send people your way, putting up some extra signage, and reminding the host of the event that you are there to make them money, you just might be able to turn a bad spot into a great opportunity.
Tags: booths, Conference Vendor, conventions, Custom displays, custom logos, customer service, customers, Display Booths, Display Company, Displays, Event Planners, Godfrey Group, location selection, marketing opportunities, marketing tips, portable trade show display, Poster frames, posters, potential customer, trade show booth, Trade Show Booths, trade show marketing, trade shows, unique trade show display
Posted in Custom displays, Custom graphics, marketing tips, Promotional Ideas, Trade Show Booths, Trade Show Displays, Trade Show Exhibits, Uncategorized | No Comments »
Friday, July 30th, 2010
Over the course of researching what I want to share on this blog over the course of a week, I continuously catch myself thinking that I’ve seen everything that Godfrey can do only to be surprised yet again by something amazing that I never knew about. This week alone I’ve shared with you the perfect tent for outdoor events and gone over some of the benefits of offering your trade show visitors a chance to sit and take a break in a set of classic looking scoop-back seats. I’m always bragging about our pop-up displays and grand fabric structures. From poster frames, to table wraps, to LED displays, to inflatable props; Godfrey just never seems to run out of designs to meet your needs. What you may not know is that my latest discovery of what Godfrey offers just might change the way you plan your next trade show event.
Before I share my new find I want to discuss just how easy it is to start working on your custom display. The first thing you need of course is an idea. Do you want something large and elaborate or are you looking for something small that can quickly be taken down to carry with you? Once you have a basic idea of what you want it’s time to meet your personal project manager. This is the person who will help you take your idea and turn it into a fully customized display. Together you will work out the basics, come up with a concept, and from there everything is sent to our design team. The design staff takes what you and your project manager have done so far and turns those ideas into something tangible that will be submitted to you for approval. Once this is complete it’s just a matter of time before your custom display is built. During this process you will be notified regularly about what progress is being made and you will even receive pictures of how everything is coming together.
Next comes that amazing discovery I mentioned above that just proves that Godfrey is the best at what they do. Along with your display you will have access to a support manager that will actually accompany you to the tradeshow and help you setup your booth. That’s right! Godfrey actually has a team of job managers that will show up and make sure everything is installed just as you ordered. And it doesn’t stop there! In b
etween shows you can even ship us back the display where we can then service, refresh the graphics, or even upgrade your design!
From start to finish and long after the show is over, Godfrey is here to give you the tools you need to make your next event the largest ever! Call us now and get your project manager working on a new design today!!
Tags: booths, conventions, Custom graphics, Display Booths, Eco-friendly displays, fabric structures, inflatables, kiosk displays, kiosks, marketing tips, outdoor displays, Overhead banners, popup displays, portable trade show display, Poster frames, potential customer, table throw, The Godfrey Group, Trade Show, trade show booth, trade show kiosk, tradeshow display, unique trade show display
Posted in Backlit displays, Custom displays, Custom graphics, Custom hanging headers, Custom table throws and runners, Expert trade show advice, marketing tips, Poster frames, Promotional Ideas, Trade Show Booths, Trade Show Displays, Trade Show Exhibits, Trade show popups, Uncategorized, Workstation | No Comments »
Wednesday, July 28th, 2010
Anyone with kids will tell you that one of the best parts of the day is those last few hours when you finally get to kick your shoes off and put your aching feet up. As somebody who is a parent and used to work trade shows every weekend, by the time I got to finally sit down I could barely walk. Convention centers are designed with one thing in mind and that’s providing the most space possible in hopes of attracting the most exhibits and therefore the most visitors. Below is a list of some of the largest convention centers in the U.S. Check out the size of some of these mega-centers!
Top 10 Largest U.S Convention Centers
1. McCormick Place, Chicago, 2.2 million square feet
2. Orange County Convention Center, Orlando, 2.05 million square feet
3. Las Vegas Convention Center, Las Vegas, 1.94 million square feet
4. Georgia World Congress Center, Atlanta, 1.37 million square feet
5. Kentucky Exposition Center, Louisville, 1.29 million square feet
6. Sands Expo & Center, Las Vegas, 1.13 million square feet
7. Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, New Orleans, 1.1 million square feet
8. Dallas Convention Center, Dallas, 1.02 million square feet
9. Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex & Expo, Harrisburg, 1 million square feet
10. George R. Brown Convention Center, Houston, 930,000 square feet
I don’t about you but 2.2 million square feet is enough to make me cry just thinking about it. Imagine setting up shop at one of these giant complexes and trying to not only get yourself noticed, but get people to stop and spend time listening to what you have to offer. Speaking of things to offer one way to get visitors to put the race to see everything on hold is to offer them an oasis in the middle of the trade show desert. By offering those that pass by a place to sit not only are you giving them a break from all the chaos, but in turn you are showing how much you care. Regardless of whether they are interested in what you are showing or not, you might be surprised by the number of people that will give you a second look when they hear you say that there’s no gimmick. If they’re interested in your company that’s great, if not that’s fine too. The point is that you just want to help out by giving them someplace to get off their feet for a moment. Oh and as it just so happens wouldn’t you know that Godfrey has several varieties of seats from the classic directors chair to the modern scoop stool. As always whatever your trade show needs, all you gotta do is look to Godfrey where we have the solution to all your trade show needs.
Tags: booths, conference centers, convention centers, conventions, Display Booths, Exhibit Booth Company, marketing tips, portable trade show display, potential customer, potential customers, seating, showroom, Trade Show Tips, tradeshow display, unique trade show display
Posted in Conferences & Venues, Expert trade show advice, marketing tips, Promotional Ideas, Uncategorized | No Comments »
