Posts Tagged ‘Trade Show Tips’

Tips For A Better Trade Show Presentation

Saturday, April 2nd, 2011

Trade shows can be stressful for the most seasoned of professionals to say the least. For those just starting out they can be a downright nightmare. You want to be prepared before you arrive so you immediately start doing your homework; the demographics of those attending the event, what they will be looking for, the best way to present your product to them. In terms of exhibit design, you’ve worked for months with a designer and have created a custom built trade show display that is sure to be a home run. Featuring your company’s unique logo and complete with tons of counter space, room to demo products, and a place to pass out brochures; from a design standpoint everything is just how you imagined it. The big day shows up, the doors open, people begin to flood the convention center…and…and suddenly you freeze. Your mind goes blank, the color drops out of your face, and you’re as lifeless as a cardboard cutout.

Everyone lets their nerves get the better of them at times and stage fright happens to everyone at some point. The trick is to know how to shake yourself out of it and turn a terrifying situation into a successful trade show.

Tips For Shaking Stage Fright

  • 1) Know it when you see it- It’s easy to fall into a trance and continue stammering along in some type of shock. The hard part is knowing when you are losing control, accept what is happening, and quickly regain that confidence that got you to where you are.
  • 2) Don’t imagine the worst- Focus on the moment, take a few deep breaths, and lean on what you know. Nobody knows your product better then you do, so fall back on all that knowledge and tell those customer why you are about to change their world
  • 3) Relax- Sure it seems impossible when you are there in the deep end, but by taking a step back and gaining some composure, in no time you’ll start to have some fun. Don’t get so caught up in the pressure associated with the event being a success and just let things happen. In no time your personality will start showing through and people will be lining up to see what you have to offer.

So many times we put these tremendous levels of pressure on our backs and expect the world to change overnight. Remember to relax, take a step back if you need to, stay focused on what you know, and don’t forget that success isn’t always instantaneous.

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The Science Behind Trade Show Games!

Monday, October 11th, 2010

In a recent paper by Cheryl K. Olson of the Massachusetts General Hospital entitled “Children’s Motivations for Video Game Play in the Context of Normal Development” the subject of why we play games was addressed. According to Olsen the reason we play games is because they give us a connection to one another in that today’s games whether video or otherwise are geared toward being played by groups of people rather than alone. Games also feed our desire to compete with one another in hopes of proving our superiority.

As a company that fequently attends trade shows you might find these answers quite interesting especially if you are in the market for a new exhibit. Responses to the question “Why do you play video games?” included: “I like to compete with others”, “Helps me to forget my problems”, “I like the challenge of figuring things out” and clearly the most insightfull in terms of business “Helps me make new friends”. Now think about some of the games that are availble to be customized featuring your company’s name and logo and think about this last statement. Games like Plinko, Football Toss, Putt-Putt Golf, and even bowling each helping you to make that connection with your target market by telling them that you want to be their friend, you want to help them figure things out, and you’re there to help them forget or even solve their problems.

Now given this survey was geared toward finding out the motivations of minors, but honestly aren’t we all children at heart. As adult’s don’t we all want to show our boss we are the best at what we do? Show our friends that we’ve found the perfect device to solve our problems? That we’ve got a new friend that is helping us make our lives better? Games and props do more than just provide fun, they encourage people to spend some time with your company and learn what you are all about. They are the foot in the door of a lasting relationship. What more could you ask for then a line full of people at your next trade show event all standing around laugh, forgetting their problems, and getting to know your company?

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Avoid the Agony Of The Feet. Offer Your Trade Show Visitors A Comfortable Seat

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.

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Posted in Conferences & Venues, Expert trade show advice, marketing tips, Promotional Ideas, Uncategorized | No Comments »

Is There Such A Thing As Privacy At A Trade Show?

Friday, July 16th, 2010

The words trade show and chaotic seem to go hand in hand don’t they? Everywhere you look bright lights are flashing, bells and whistles are going off, and vendors are yelling at everyone that walks by as if they work at a back country carnival. Privacy is nonexistent and most conversations tend to follow the same basic script:

Salesman: Hi Sir! Would you be interested in taking a look at product ABC?

Potential Customer: Sure. What does ABC do? Show me how it works.

Salesman: It’s simple. You put this in here, turn there, and presto-change-o! It’s like nothing you’ve ever seen before and it’s guaranteed to change your life.

Potential Customer: Sounds Great! What kind of deal can I get on it?

Salesman: Well it all depends on how much of ABC you want, the color, the size….why don’t you give me your info and we can set up a time to talk about this more in detail.

See what happened? The salesman caught the customer’s attention, showed him how product ABC worked, and sold the idea that the customer was missing out on a great opportunity if he let ABC get past him. The only problem is that ABC is kind of expensive and there’s a lot to work out in terms of payment plans, interest rates, warranties, models, etc….none of which can easily be done when you have 50 other people trying to get your attention. You could ignore the other customers, but you would be trading one sale for potentially tens of others. So in this case the salesman did the only thing he could do…he collected the customers contact info and setup a time to go into detail at a later date.

Wednesday I wrote to you about our great looking Grand Format Fabric Graphic Structures. In that post I mentioned the ability to essentially create a conference room complete with table and chairs both featuring your company’s name and logo. I wanted to expand on this because what you are doing by constructing of display is creating a space away from the trade show chaos where some privacy can be had and those details our salesman above mentioned can be explained while at the same time his associate can handle new visitors to the exhibit. Below is how things might have been different had the salesman been able to spend more time talking about the specifics of product ABC.

Salesman: Hi Sir! Would you be interested in taking a look at product ABC?

Potential Customer: Sure. What does ABC do? Show me how it works.

Salesman: It’s simple. You put this in here, turn there, and presto-change-o! It’s like nothing you’ve ever seen before and it’s guaranteed to change your life.

Potential Customer: Sounds Great! What kind of deal can I get on it?

Salesman: Well it all depends on how much of ABC you want, the color, the size….I tell you what, if you have a moment we could step back into the office area behind me and go over some of the specifics. I promise to have you back on your way in 15 minutes.

Potential Customer: Sure! Show me the way!

Easy to setup, simple to transport, and like everything from the Godfrey Group each display is available in a wide variety of colors and fabrics. All it takes is a few basic questions and you could be on your way to creating a trade show exhibit that is sure to increase your sales. What are you waiting for! Contact us today at 1-800-789-9394

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Posted in Custom displays, Custom graphics, Expert trade show advice, marketing tips, Trade Show Booths, Trade Show Displays, Trade Show Exhibits | No Comments »

The Sky Is The Limit With Godfrey!

Friday, June 25th, 2010

We’ve all been there, you’re at the store and the one thing you need is the only thing that is not marked with a price tag. You immediately start scanning the tops of the aisles for signs that a price scanner is nearby so you can see how much the item costs. Maybe it’s not a price you are looking for, maybe you are in a hurry or are looking for something specific like baby friendly mosquito spray. Your first inclination of course is to look up in hopes of finding a sign pointing you the in the right direction. It’s natural. You get frustrated, begin to feel lost, need help….you instinctively look towards the sky in hopes of being pointed in the right direction. Maybe it’s religious. Looking up inspires hope, good thoughts, no limitations. Looking down means looking backward, being limited by your circumstances, without choices….

When you’re at a trade show looking up is just about the only way to find what you are looking for and that’s why hanging banners are so important. A customized hanging banner with your company’s name and logo has the ability to act like that ray of sunshine parting the dark clouds and lighting a path for consumers to follow straight to your exhibit. If you don’t believe me just check out our round, tapered, or pinwheel headers for yourself.

If your frustrated about the lack of traffic coming in the direction of your booth or kiosk then instead of looking up, look to Godfrey where we have just the thing to part those cloudy skies. With thousands of designs to choose from, the sky is the limit as to what can be specifically tailored to fit the needs of your organization. So what are you waiting for? Pop over to our main site today and learn more about our fantastic signs, eco-friendly forums, and of course overhead banners.

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It’s Time To Get Motivated!!

Wednesday, June 9th, 2010

We’ve all heard the sayings ”The pain you feel today will be the strength you feel tomorrow”, “The beauty of flying like an eagle is the ability to soar without looking back.”, or my personal favorite featuring the cutest of kittens dangling from a tree “Hang in there!” These days it seems that everyone is trying to motivate you to do something. Just one look at the world’s most popular media site Facebook and you’ll quickly learn that people all over are using these types of motivational phrases to not only boost their own moods, but to also give others a bit of inspiration in hopes of making it through a tough time in their lives. Nowhere are these words of wisdom more needed then in the work place where just like the economy, hopes of a better future are at an all time low.

The question is though, do motivational posters placed around the office work? Well according to Ken Brown a professor at the University of Iowa they do. “If they’re part of a broader campaign, with clearly outlined goals and a commitment from management, they may have some impact ” says Brown. Brown then goes on to say, “It’s hard to alter peoples’ behavior, so getting workers to increase their value to a company is not easy. If the change effort is part of a multipronged strategy with committed management working to create change, and they create a sense of urgency that change is needed and clearly explain the reasons, then posters and coffee mugs can be a small part of it.” The Godfrey Group understands this idea and that’s why all of our products are geared toward helping you spark a sense of desire  in the hearts and mind of your target market.

Whether you are in fact looking for poster frames perfect for those motivational phrases to hang around the office or you need an eye-catching display practically guaranteed to draw people to you, Godfrey has just what you need to get the job done. If you get down to it from our Pop-up displays to our Portable Kiosks, to our Computer Stations; everything Godfrey does is essentially created to motivate. If you are looking to inspire your customers or improve the attitude of your own employees, contact Godfrey today and get on the path to a brighter tomorrow.

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Posted in Custom displays, Custom graphics, Custom hanging headers, custom office displays, Deskwrap, Expert trade show advice, lobby displays, marketing tips, Office fixtures, Poster frames, Promotional Ideas, SpaceStation Popup Displays, Uncategorized | No Comments »