Category Archives: Trade Show Ideas

Free Trade Show Table Covers Information Guide

Leave a reply

Thorne Communications LLC Trade Show BoothOne of the most cost-effective investments you can make to promote your business is trade show table covers. This durable staple is an important piece of your branding package at expos and events.

For example, I’ve used the one for my business (pictured in this post) for about 5 years already. It’s been through the washing machine and dryer and still comes out looking amazing. Those of you who are familiar with me and my blog know that green is our primary branding color. The impact that a large swath of color adds to a trade show or event table is significant. If you have a strong branding color, people will identify it easily in a crowded show or event floor.

There’s just one catch: They’re expensive. A table cover for a standard 6 to 8 foot trade show table will run at least a couple hundred dollars each, less if you buy more than one. Table covers are not throwaway items; they’re an investment. But considering that you will use them for years, the cost per use diminishes rapidly. On an annualized basis, mine cost about $50-$60 per year. Plus, it’s likely I’ll be using it for at least another 3 to 5 years, dropping the cost further. Even though I do only a few exhibits each year, it’s still cost-effective. And if you do a lot of events, it could cost you only a few bucks each time you use it. As well, I’ve chosen a style that can convert for use on either a 6-foot or 8-foot table which helped me save on having to purchase one to accommodate each.

And for heaven’s sake, buy a protective bag to store your cover! It can be less than $20 and will protect it from stains and dirt while in storage and transit. Also keeps it folded to prevent further wrinkling.

One other thing about table covers: There are a lot of details to consider when purchasing. Size, fabric, imprint, etc. Our favorite trade show table cover supplier (whose products we feature on PromoWithPurposeShop.com) has graciously put together a 4-page table cover information guide to help you get the cover that’s best for you. We’re sharing that with our Promo With Purpose Today subscribers… for FREE.

Already signed up for our email updates? Watch your email for a link for your free download.

Not signed up yet? Join our Promo With Purpose Today email list and you’ll get a link to your free download when you confirm your subscription. Just enter your email address in the following box and click Sign Me Up!






We respect your email privacy

Product Info

Related Posts

Best and Worst Trade Show Signs Ever

8 Replies

Confession: I love the whole superhero film genre. I’ve seen most of them, some of them multiple times. (Heads up: See my Amazing Spiderman pic later on in this post.) So I had to go and check out the Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo (C2E2) at McCormick Place. I’d never been to this event before, so I was anxious to go. Also being close to the events and expo world, I certainly wanted to see what they did with trade show signs and exhibits.C2E2 Welcome Sign

The welcome sign to the event was enormous! Spanned the hallway next to the entrance. Impressive!

But then here was another one of the expo’s welcome signs posted in McCormick’s Lakeside Center:

Directional Sign

What???? It looked like a pizza box with the directional message in marker. Really?

Okay, I’ll be fair. I usually park in McCormick Place’s Lakeside Center because it always seems quieter and easy to get a spot. C2E2 was in the West Building. So the expo was likely expecting most attendees to park in one of the other McCormick Place garages. But here’s the interesting part: I wasn’t the only one parking there. When I arrived, there were a couple of lost families wandering around the Lakeside Center wondering where to go. At the time I arrived, there was NO sign whatsoever directing visitors to the West Building and only an incidental facility employee to direct folks. The pizza box creation was seen as I was leaving the expo in the afternoon. So it appears that there were many more lost people and this was the solution.

What’s even sadder is that this isn’t the first time I’ve encountered a situation like this.

SWAG How to Choose and Use Promotional Products for Marketing Your Business by Heidi ThorneSo, dear expo managers, please keep these tips in mind as you do your planning for trade show signs:

  • Think Like an Attendee. I’ve harped on this before in my post Trade Show Signs: Doing What Comes Naturally. Where will your attendees likely, or even unlikely, be looking for help in finding their way? Put a sign there, please! A official printed sign. Not a pizza box.
  • Think Like a Hacker. What do computer hackers do? They find a way to access your computer that you weren’t monitoring. In my example, I was entering McCormick Place through the building that wasn’t the site of the actual expo. But it was open for access. It was obvious that others were using this route, too. Should have been covered.
  • Walk the Walk. Walk through to your expo from each of the main transit or parking areas and see if you can find your expo. Better yet, take a total newbie with you and ask them to guide you to your event. If the newbie gets confused or lost, that’s where a sign should go.

Your attendees will think you’re a superhero for helping them find their way easily.

As promised, here’s my superhero pic with one of the most amazing trade show signs I saw at C2E2. “Just thwip it!”

C2E2 spiderman sign

Want more trade show and event sign and promotional ideas? Sign up for our email updates by entering your email address in the following box and clicking Sign Me Up!






Product Info

Related Posts

Sticky Post It Notes Ideas to Engage Event Attendees

3 Replies

Image Source: Pixabay CC0Looking for an event activity that’ll really stick (literally) to engage attendees at your next event? How about using some Post It notes? Check out these ideas for 3M Post It notes used to engage audiences and employees around the world (NY Times): 3M Says ‘Go Ahead, Make Something of It’

Then watch the video from 3M to see Post Its in action:

Check out the 3M “Go Ahead” Campaign Video on YouTube

Inspired? Some Post It ideas that you can use at your next event:
  • Post It Picture Wall. One group noted in the NY Times article created a pixelated picture on a wall entirely composed of Post It notes in various colors. Make it a group project on a whiteboard or other smaller surface if a wall is not available. To spur the creativity and make the project relevant to your event’s purpose, give your group a theme for their picture project. You could even have multiple groups doing this and have some sort of contest. (See advice for posting on walls later in this post.)
  • Sharing Wall. As also reported, a “Who Inspires You?” wall was created in Cambridge, Mass., on an empty storefront to engage passersby. Come up with a relevant question to your event and ask people to submit their answers on a Post-It stuck on a wall. It becomes a centerpiece of the event that attendees will want to spend time reading. Actually, I saw something similar to a sharing wall at an event on motivation. However, they used non-sticky paper taped to the wall. (Ick!) But it was a focal point for the day’s activities!
  • Question Wall. Similar to the sharing wall, ask attendees what they might want to get out of their time at your conference. The answers might surprise you and be a good guide for the day’s activities and future conference planning. My friend Adrian Segar, of Conferences That Work, has a TON of ideas for this! Check out these posts:

Discover What Attendees Want to Talk About With Post It!

Important: Even though Post It products have removable adhesive that does not harm most surfaces, check with your meeting facility to see what wall would be best suited for this use. Adrian has some advice for this, too:

Post It notes are one of my favorite promotional products. Inexpensive, useful and people quickly run out of them. So you don’t have to worry about giving your folks the “same old” promotion. They’re usually looking for them!

Have more ideas for using Post It notes to engage attendees or staff members? Share with us in Comments.

And if you want even more promotional products ideas, subscribe to our free email updates by entering your email in the following box and clicking Sign Me Up!






Product Info

Related Posts

The Various Uses of Wristbands at Events

Leave a reply

Wristbands have long been used by concert venues to keep track of people attending events. With the new technologies that have come in to play within the last few years, the standard event wristband is now able to do even more. Wristbands can give wearers access to additional information about the event they are attending, help event organizers keep track of the attendees and also provide a valuable marketing resource to venues and outside advertisers.

One of the main benefits of the new generation of event wristbands is the additional information it gives event goers access to. Event organizers are now able to set up their wristbands to allow attendees to do things like enter contests being held as part of the event. Many venues are also including access to online information about the event specifically to attendees who have the wristbands.

The most important thing that wristbands do for event organizers is to help them keep track of event attendees. The new generation of wristbands can be instantly scanned, letting the people at the gate see at a glance if attendees have prepaid for an event. This feature will reduce time in queue, which leads to fewer customer service issues, in addition to fewer frustrations for the event organizers and staff. Event wristbands also come in a wide variety of colours and they can be coded to let staff know quickly which areas of the event different attendees have paid for access to. Wristbands also can be coded to show which guests are of legal drinking age, cutting down on problems in this regard.

In addition, wristbands offer a great marketing opportunity for both the venue and outside sponsors. Logos or slogans are easily added to the wristbands and the cost to produce them is minimal. Many event attendees also save their wristbands as a remembrance of the event, meaning that they save the sponsors information as well. A variety of logos can be put on each wristband or an advertiser can pay to only have their information on a small number. This allows multiple advertisers the opportunity to reach their target audience.

Wristbands are made of a wide variety of weatherproof materials and come in a number of colours to suit any size event. They are a great option not only for concert promoters, but also for advertisers trying to reach a particular market at a relatively low cost.

About the Author

Guest blogger Craig Franks works for MPM Wristbands who are in the events industry. Whilst working for these event wristbands suppliers, he has learnt a lot about the practical benefits of using wristbands and can see them eventually being used entirely instead of tickets for some events.

The Benefits of a Banner Stand

Leave a reply

One of the absolute best ways to give your marketing a step up against others, especially at a trade show, is to use a banner stand. So what exactly is a banner stand, you might ask? It is really quite simply a display, typically used in the field of marketing, for holding various sizes and types of banners. Its main purpose is to grab a customer’s attention to your product or service. And, at that, they are generally very highly effective.

If you are planning on attending a trade show, or using a banner stand through the normal course of your business enterprises, then it is a brilliant marketing move. Banner stands have a number of really important benefits for marketing.

  • Banner stands add pop
  • Banner stands will draw in a customer
  • Banner stands come in a huge variety of shapes and sizes

Banner stands add pop because they are very bright and visual displays. When you take your company logo, or a photo of your product or a few exiting words about your company and display them on a table or an end cap, you might not be getting the kind of traffic that you wish for. However, bright, bold and colourful banner stands grab the eye immediately. This is especially true when they are used in the course of business where there are many other displays. A trade show would be a perfect example; there most likely will be a tonne of organisations in one place, all vying for attention. However, with your bright logo and company information hanging smartly above the others, traffic is likely to follow.

As mentioned above, banner stands are a fantastic way to draw in current and potential customers, which makes it far easier to convert into sales. These stands will entice a customer into your booth, and really understand the message you are trying to put forth. Having a few banners of various shapes and sizes, each tying in a specific message to your customer demonstrates that this business is competent, organized and creative, all very positive things.

Finally, banner stands come in a massive variety of shapes and sizes. Basically, for any occasion in which you or your business might need a banner, there is a stand for you. Just a few examples might be stands that are telescoping, stands that are retractable, stands that are specifically made to weather the outdoors, and even stands that have motorised scrolling. What an amazing way to get your message across by using a combination of these in action.

There are certainly plenty more benefits to using a banner stand, but it is very easy to see how they really would be able to take your marketing scheme and bump it up to the next level.

This article has been provided by Display Wizard (UK), a premium provider of display boards for a variety of marketing and promotion purposes. To find out more about the huge inventory of high quality products that they offer, please consult their webpage for additional information.

What are You Really Collecting at Trade Shows?

2 Replies

Love it or hate it, the Comedy Central series South Park is both creative and crude (always pushing the censorship envelope), serving up a unique blend of bizarre comedy, satire and social commentary. One of my favorite episodes is Gnomes (Warning: Content rated MA). For those of you who are not familiar with the series, in this episode the school-age chums have to write a report on business. For help–now stay with me on this because there’s a good lesson for trade shows in this example–the boys turn to some mischievous little gnomes who have built a business of stealing the town’s underwear in the hope of turning a profit. The gnomes go on to explain their business model in which the first step is to collect underwear, the second is a big question mark and the final step is profit. Laughable, eh?

The Underpants Business (Warning: Content rated MA)

But how many times have you encountered (or maybe even employed) a similar strategy for social media at a trade show? In the real world, it goes something like this: Step 1, collect Foursquare check-ins; step 2 is a big question mark; and, step 3 equals profit. What’s missing is a concrete strategy to transform those check-ins into sales and profit. Unfortunately, what many show organizers and exhibitors do is hop on the latest social media bandwagon–whether it’s Twitter, Facebook, Foursquare or whatever–and do not connect that into their overall marketing plan. They’re collecting a ton of followers, Likes and check-ins. But to what end?

A completely useless strategy like this is one of the “don’t let this happen to you” scenarios that my friend and trade show pro Traci Browne discusses in her book, The Social Trade Show: Leveraging Social Media and Virtual Events to Connect with Your Customers (Que Publishing).

Traci and I are definitely kindred spirits when it comes to our philosophies about trade show and social media engagement. Social media is just one tool, not an endgame. She emphasizes throughout the book that any social media strategy must make the bean counters and your bottom line happy. Yet so many show organizers and exhibitors treat social media as a standalone effort, hoping that magically it will turn into sales and profit. Maybe they’re hoping some little gnomes will make it happen for them.

Traci’s experience, keen observation and attention to the nitty gritty details of effective booth and expo marketing are evident throughout the book. With 24 chapters covering the gamut of social strategies and tactics including content creation (a year-round effort), booth staffing, how to measure the ROI of your social media efforts, and virtual events, this book is THE handbook for trade show and exhibit marketing for today.

Yes, I bought my copy of this book. Though Traci and I are friends, neither she nor her publisher offered me a copy of the book to review; nor did they solicit a review from me. I’m glad to support the education efforts of my friends who are sharing their wisdom with marketers.

Unlike many “experts” out there, Traci walks the social media talk and she uses it professionally and effectively to build her brand and her business. And though we are now friends in real life, Traci and I actually met on Twitter in the #eventprofs (event professionals) hashtag community.

So as you gear up for your next season (and years) of trade shows, make sure you have The Social Trade Show by your side.

Product Info

Showing Your Appreciation While Meeting New Prospects

1 Reply

Guest Blog by Dominique Molina, CPA CTC

As tax season draws closer, it is a great time to show your appreciation for your very best clients. Appreciation events not only give you important face-to-face time with your clients, but also present the opportunity for your clients to bring someone along with them as a referral, giving you the opportunity to meet new prospects, while building a relationship with your existing clientele.

While the holidays can present a challenge in adding yet another social event to the calendar, consider instead an “open-house” style gathering over a 4 hour period. This gives people the chance to drop in throughout the evening without a firm time commitment during an otherwise hectic time. The open house also creates a solution if space is an issue and your office simply cannot hold the total number of guests you’d care to invite.

Events can range from the formal to the informal. One Certified Tax Coach on the East Coast treats his very best clients and their guests to an annual lobster dinner in the fall. He considers this his favorite time of year where he can focus on building his relationship with clients rather than just on helping them with tax strategies.

Another CTC partners with her clients to plan and host the event, using caterers, facilities, entertainment, and favors provided by her existing clientele. The clients enjoy promoting their own business and the event creates networking in her community.

Whatever you choose to do, make sure you thoughtfully plan the event and market it for the greatest chances of success. This is one area where mailed invitations are a must. When honoring and appreciating your clients, it is important to make that extra step to ensure they feel valued. While emailed invitations will work, taking the time to create a tangible invitation is a nice touch.

Just like the Certified Tax Coach mentioned above, consider partnering with your clients or vendors to help promote your event. One CTC on the West Coast holds an annual “block party” each summer. Together with her business neighbors, each participant markets to their client list to create a large gathering of visitors enjoying the festivities. Sharing in the costs of advertisements and promotion not only forges a healthy relationship amongst complimentary businesses, but also makes the marketing affordable.

–

Dominique Molina is President of the American Institute of Certified Tax Coaches, an organization of tax professionals who are trained to help their clients rescue thousands of dollars in wasted tax. In addition to her blogging and speaking engagements, Dominique provides CPA continuing education as a registered educator with the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA).

Trade Show Displays | Using the “Layered Look” to Boost Your Brand

Leave a reply
Giant Round Inflatable Balloon for Tradeshows from PromoWithPurposeShop.com

Use booth structures such as this giant 8′ inflatable balloon to reinforce your brand.

Think of any successful major retail or restaurant brand. For example, let’s look at Starbucks (my favorite), McDonald’s, Subway, Home Depot, Apple, Target, Victoria’s Secret, Tiffany. At Starbucks, the green and brown logo and corporate colors are reflected in the packaging, baristas’ uniforms, and signage. In most locations I’ve visited, the counter crew is friendly and efficient. Their retail spaces have a consistent look across locations. Apple has the clean fonts and apple logo on everything! All their stores have that ultra modern uncluttered look. And their staff is as hip and cool as their products. McDonald’s has used the golden arches on everything from the burger wrappers to the buildings. When you enter one of these establishments, you know you’re in the presence of that brand, right?

SWAG How to Choose and Use Promotional Products for Marketing Your Business by Heidi ThorneParroting the famous Old Spice (another branding icon) advertising campaign, look at those brands, now look at your tradeshow booth. Now look at those brands, then look at your tradeshow booth. Could your customers or booth visitors recognize that they’re in the presence of your brand? If not, you’ve got some branding to do. Might I suggest the “Layered Look?”

Promotional Polo Shirt

Coordinate your booth personnel’s attire to blend with your brand.

What is the Layered Look? The Layered Look concept takes the elements of your branding–colors, graphics, atmosphere–and applies them in as many places as possible to multiply their effect. The first layer is your building or booth structure. The second layer would be your signage. The third layer would be your booth personnel’s attire. And so on. Each element adds a layer on top of branding that your customers or visitors can identify with you, thereby building (pun intended) your brand.

Let’s look at a potential scenario for a tradeshow exhibitor. Let’s say their logo is blue, black and white and is roundish with an industrial feel. The company is no nonsense  and known for precision. Here’s how the Layered Look could work for this group: Angular black or gray booth structures with shocks of blue in signage and booth accessories (like the giant inflatable ball shown here and imprinted table covers). Booth personnel would be clad in blue logo’d polos or woven (or denim) shirts.

Granted there is a point where it can become overkill. But I would say that many organizations don’t go far enough.

Want more trade show displays and promotional products ideas? Subscribe to our email updates by entering your email address in the following box and clicking Sign Me Up!







Product Info

Related Posts

Guest Post: Quick Tips to Reduce Your Emissions Whilst Exhibiting

Leave a reply

Editor’s Note: Many thanks to banner manufacturer Marler Haley (UK) for sharing this helpful information with us! – Heidi Thorne

As we know, exhibiting is a big, global business. With the number of exhibitions, conferences and trade shows growing, it is only going to get bigger. That inevitably means that the impact on the environment is going to get bigger too. As the infographic below, courtesy of pull up banners manufacturers Marler Haley shows, exhibitions created 640,460 tons of carbon dioxide emissions.

With this in mind here are few simple tips that anybody who is looking to attend an exhibition can do to minimise their affect on the planet.

  • Transport – Obviously to exhibit or attend an event you need to get there. However we aren’t suggesting only attend those events that are in walking distance, or cycle to the event towing your stand. Instead of this try to use group transport where possible, for example a minibus to take all your delegates in rather than driving in cars. Alternatively use public transport, and organizers could have incentives for people doing so.
  • Energy Saving Facilities – Anybody at an exhibition should be made aware of any eco-friendly practices on site. This could involve minimising lighting, heating or even air-conditioning. Where possible use low-wattage lighting such as CFLs and LEDs. Finally ensure there are plenty of recycling bins at hand.
  • Use an environmentally friendly banner display provider – Your banner display company should be ISO14001 recognised, which is an internationally accepted Environmental Standard. Ensure that they use recycled materials, and that they don’t burn any used products in to the atmosphere.
  • Measure your impact and set goals – How much affect can these small changes actually have? Well calculate your Carbon Footprint using the many online tools available, and then try and think how you can have a smaller impact at your next event. By constantly trying to make small gains one event at a time you will soon find that these all add up and equate to a large reduction in your carbon emissions.

Reduce Carbon Emissions at Exhibitions Infographic

Trade Show Games | The Promo is Right

12 Replies

You’ve seen it at every trade show or expo. The 10′ x 10′ booth with a table of brochures and business cards and a fishbowl to collect business cards for a drawing. Oh, yeah, that’s special.

Now imagine this. You’re walking down a trade show aisle and you hear a clicking sound along with laughs and cheers. And everyone seems to be heading to or hovering around the booth where these sounds are coming from. What is going on? Trade show games… a real, live game activity that can help exhibitors engage with their audiences and encourage them to spend more time and, we hope, more money as a result.

Click Here to Watch Prize Wheels Help Create Tradeshow Excitement on YouTube

Today, a lot of electronic, location-based games are making their mark as booth traffic generators. This is a great development, especially since these games can begin prior to the show visitors ever entering the door. For a great discussion on the subject, visit Lara McCulloch’s Ready2Spark blog post “Gamification – Have You Heard of It? You Will.”

But onsite, there is something special about a real live game that gets people involved. Why? Simply, the more senses you can engage–sight, sound, touch, taste–the more you can engage your audience.

SWAG How to Choose and Use Promotional Products for Marketing Your Business by Heidi ThornePlus, by only handing out your promotional products to those who participate in your booth game, you can gain some control over your givewaway budget, too. Make ‘em earn it!

So let’s look at some choices you can use to make your exhibit say “Come on down!”:

  • Prize/Roulette Wheels – Clicking sound helps attract visitors. Plus, you can create your own inserts for segments on the wheel.
  • Bean Bag Toss – Gets people moving and engages touch as they throw the bean bags toward the target.
  • Plinko – Yes, just like you’ve seen on the game shows. Visitors drop the pucks to see if they win a prize. Inserts for prizes are completely customizable.

All of these can be used for tradeshows, fundraisers, parties, grand openings, open houses, or any event where you want to create a fun and engaging atmosphere. These game products featured on PromoWithPurposeShop.com are all made in the USA.

Want more promotional products ideas? Subscribe to our free email updates by entering your email in the following box and clicking Sign Me Up!






Related Posts