August 23, 2019in Trade Show Exhibits 0 Likes

What Is the Big Deal with Quality?

Nobody should have to explain why quality is important, it should just be the standard for everyone, right? Not quite. Most people ramble about quality and don’t entirely know what it really means or the benefits it brings.

Imagine catching the biggest wave you have ever surfed on and your surfboard collapsing beneath your feet just as your fingers were beginning to graze that beautiful curve of ocean water. Now imagine that wave is your next big customer, when he’s just about to sign an amazing contract and your cheap branded pen breaks into your feeble counter, while the pieces start to fall apart, just because your now ex-customer excitedly banged softly on the surface. It doesn’t matter how many times you explain how your company works differently, your services are superb, and quality is your middle name. People know what you see is what you get. Coherence is key and if you are concerned with quality, make sure you look for, consider, and invest on quality products yourself.

Sure, quality doesn’t have to break the bank, just make sure to get the best bang for your buck. Everything about you and your brand speaks heaps of your company and the products and services you provide. Participating at a fair, an outdoor event, a convention or a trade show is quite the investment. Why not make sure that investment not only lasts, but makes your brand look like the Queen of Diamonds while you’re at it? You need to buy quality products if you are to offer quality products. Full circle. So while you are considering quality, make sure to consider durability, portability, protection, and service, while looking for displays, exhibits, counters, banners and flags that can sell on their very own just by looking at them.

Your reputation precedes you, so don’t rest on your laurels. You can’t pretend to be reputable if you buy in bulk from cheap importers. When you think of quality, think home-grown and buy local to act global. Quality comes from caring hands, it comes from products specifically tailored for your needs, it is an essential part of what you have to offer. Don’t only find excellent service, and the most amazing company, find all-American products made right here in the U.S.

So when you promise quality, make sure you are buying quality as well. Nothing speaks higher quality like American hands relentlessly working for you. American quality is always a great deal! Not only will you be buying the quality you care so much about that connects to the quality your company has to offer, but you will be supporting American families that will in turn improve the economy which will translate into a better sales environment for your company! Again, full circle!

Let’s be honest, some people just don’t care about quality, can’t find its true value or understand it is just a better investment. But we do, and therefore our customers do as well! If your concern is quality, if your added value speaks eloquently about how you are unique and offer something no one else can, we get it! We are just like you! Quality is the best thing we have to offer. That is why, just as you do, we make sure the hands that make our products and the minds behind our services are not only as American as a crisp Fourth of July, but understand that without quality there is no repurchasing, no loyal customers, no consumer community and nothing to set you apart. In business, coherence can make or break you, so make sure if quality is your game, you find the partners that not only understand you, but can offer you what you and your customers deserve.

July 15, 2016in Trade Show Advice 0 Likes

Tips for Improving Your Trade Show Meeting ROI

When attending a trade show, one of the most important goals of your exhibit booth team should be scheduling and meeting with companies you would like to work with. Your company is there first and foremost to represent your brand and create awareness about what you do, as well as your latest products.

The best ways to capitalize on all the effort of planning and attending a trade show for your company is to engage in pre-show marketing and outreach from your sales team to schedule valuable meetings with their accounts or leads.

This week we feature the insights of Anne Thornley-Brown at PlanYourMeetings.com who shares many valuable thoughts on how to prioritize and follow up on your meetings in order to properly benefit from the efforts leading up to them.
Check out these excellent tips to improving your after trade show return on investment. Let’s have a look!

Your meeting/conference is over. Attendees have returned to their homes and offices. What happens next will have a direct impact on how participants perceive the value of your event.

It’s important that they retain the valuable tips, information and strategies you offered. It’s even more important that they be able to apply what they learned.

Follow-up is one of the most important aspects of event design, but it’s also the most neglected areas of corporate event planning. Here are 11 steps you can take to achieve measurable ROI.
Before your meeting adjourns

Rule of three.Give participants time to identify three specific tips, insights or strategies they learned and pinpoint how they will use them when returning to work. It’s in the mail. Ask participants to write this information down, put it in an unsealed envelope and address it.

Do this after the last break. if you leave it until the end of your meeting, you’ll miss anyone who slipped out early.
Take note. Go through the envelopes and make note of participants’ comments. Use this information when communicating the event’s value the next year.

After your meeting

Go video.Consider posting clips with highlights from keynotes and breakout sessions on YouTube. In the real world. Include specific tips for applying the meeting content in the real world. Videos are underused but have a huge impact.

Be specific.A week after the meeting, send participants a summary of highlights from both general and breakout sessions. Be sure to include specific suggestions on how the tips, strategies and other content can be used on the job.

Seek feedback.Include the video clips and a survey, so participants can offer feedback about the meeting.
Again, be specific. Offer tangible giveaways to guarantee high participation.

You’ve got mail. Two to three weeks later, mail the envelopes with the follow-up plans to remind participants what they learned and how they planned to apply it.

Track success. Six weeks later, invite participants to share how they’re successfully applying what they learned and the benefits of using the strategies they learned. Share the stories. Publish the success stories in your company or association blog or magazine.

These simple steps will significantly boost the perceived value of your events, conferences and business meetings. And next year, you’ll be glad you have the information.

What do you think? Is planning for trade show meetings both before and afterwards as important as Anne Thornley-Brown affirms?

We love talking about the best exhibit booth designs and accessories that will help you network and generate leads better. From Tables that charge your visitor’s mobile devices to to iPad-ready presentation podiums that put lead tracking right at your fingertips, we have the options to empower your success.

ExhibitDEAL can be reached at Sales@ExhibitDeal.com or call 866-577-DEAL, we’d love to put our experience to work for you.

April 15, 2016in Exhibit Deal News 0 Likes

ExhibitDEAL Showroom Grand Opening Event

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We want to extend a big thank you from all of us at ExhibitDEAL to everyone who attended our Grand Opening event. We hope all of you who could make it to the unveiling of our new showroom enjoyed yourselves. Hopefully it was an energetic and enlightening experience full of meeting new people. Attendees were able to network with other business owners, learn trade show success tips from industry veteran Rick Goldman and experience our production process first hand like never before.

And what trade show event is complete without take home swag? In addition to exquisite food and drink, visitors were offered an always useful handbag and carved wooden puzzle to master.

Did you sign up for the raffle to win a FREE 10ft display? We ended the night’s festivities by unveiling the winner of the grand prize, Juan Ceballos from Icon Network! Juan will have his choice of our most popular tension fabric display systems: the 10ft TuboZip or Tenso pop-up backwall valued at $1000!

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Maria Daza announces Juan Ceballos as the free 10ft display prize winner

Our clients often ask our sales team about the printers and techniques we use to achieve such high resolution reproductions of their art on a large scale. Without our production process we’ve perfected over more than a decade, there could be no ExhibitDEAL. It is no wonder why we are so passionate about what we do. From our traditional 1200 DPI authentic Hewlett Packard inkjet printers, two new fabric transfer printers or our in-house product testing and assembly, every step of the process is designed to give you the best looking and highest quality product possible.

One of the most eye-catching attractions we had running during the event was our wide format dye-sublimation heat press. We very much enjoyed sharing the science and finesse required to transfer art from the printed paper to our high quality washable fabric.

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Maria Daza shows off our dual dye-sublimation transfer printers that allow us to keep up with the high volume of fabric projects

Our two new transfer printers and their heat press used to finish the paper prints onto fabric have become the crown jewel of our in-house production. Producing all manner of fabric trade show displays big and small now accounts for the majority of our customer orders. Since opening our fabric display department, our production team has tripled in size and we are showing no signs of slowing down!

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Andres Leyva and Devon Start teach customers about the dye-sub heat press technique where keeping tension is crucial

Pushing the envelope to achieve the latest printing techniques and product designs is very important to our mission. Our new facility houses one of the only heat press fabric transfer machines of this size in all of Southwest Florida.  Investing in a dye-sublimation heat press that can accommodate prints more than 104″ wide encourages our client’s imagination to run wild with custom booth layouts like never before.

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Devon Start tells how printed art is heated till it becomes a gas and sublimates onto fabric where it dries again

The sublimated end result appears before your eyes as muted, pale colored prints roll through the felt drum barrel at 400° and appear out the other side as fully dried, now vibrantly colored finished prints. Our production team is always excited by the response shown toward seeing the process in live action.

The showroom opening really shined as an informal opportunity for our customers, both newcomer and veteran to get hands-on with our trade show displays and accessory options. The entire ExhibitDEAL sales team engaged in answering questions with personalized tours of our facility. The new showroom offers diverse examples of classic 10ft and 20ft popup photomural and fabric backwalls as well as more custom solutions like an L-curve corner wall, Silicone Edge Graphic (SEG) Lightbox or even a Star-shape 3-sided freestanding island booth for a 20 x 20 space.

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Juan Santos discusses the pros and cons of two display models

An experienced trade show exhibitor knows that getting noticed by attendees or not makes all the difference. A successful conference is about being able to show you generated a stack of qualified contacts, versus just another marketing expenditure so your team can say “yeah, we were there.” When your company is represented in their booth on exhibition day, they need unique tools that help them not only stand out, but be remembered.

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Andres Leyva points out the newly launched Boomerang SOLO Glow Counter, a backlit accessory for when getting more expressive matters

For many exhibitors, an all purpose banner wall or curved pop-up is a good fit that represents your brand professionally across a variety of industry conferences. But when the budget and setting allow for something a little more creative, our gallery includes many brilliant choices to help you turn eye contact into a firm handshake. We know that the more your brand gets noticed and remembered, the more likely they are to reach out to you to do business after the show.

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John Cornell, Director of Sales at ExhibitDEAL shows the advantages of popular retractable banner stands
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John Cornell shows off the removable, reusable graphic adhesive, PhotoTex

Having an eye-catching, professional display with a good message is only half the battle however. Ultimately it is up to your booth staff to capitalize on the attention you get from that cool setup. Unless you have been to a few trade shows, many people find themselves floundering to introduce themselves without much of a game plan. So to help give everyone some clever tips to help them exhibit like a pro, we brought in someone who knows a thing or two.

Once everyone had a chance to eat, drink and get to know each other we gathered around to learn trade show strategy from one of the best.  Rick Goldman, owner of Ad Excellence and experienced industry expert was the guest speaker who shared his insights that have made his advertising agency a success for over 20 years.

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Rick Goldman, keynote speaker at the ExhibitDEAL showroom opening

During his presentation, Goldman notably pointed out how to capture your attendee’s attention while generating a bit of jealousy in your competitors. Other booths at the show will see how many people are carrying your brand collateral and gifts versus another. This creates an idea in your competitor’s mind that these booth visitors have already been “claimed” or sold by your brand and there is no point in them spending time to get their attention.

Another comment we often hear is that it is difficult to get noticed. There are so many types of displays in varying sizes. It is easy to be overshadowed by the company next to you, especially if it is a large enterprise level brand with a huge budget for marketing. For the “mom and pop” shop and other small businesses it is easy to feel lost in the crowd. As Goldman discusses, finding opportunities to make your marketing clever and unique are crucial to having a successful trade show presence.

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Rick Goldman discusses his tips for trade show success with guests

When visitors at the event were asked what their biggest trade show challenges are they often said “timeline!” Managing the timeline up until the show can be very hectic. Making sure brand materials are ordered, flights are booked and lodging arrangements are all made can be overwhelming. From the agency side, a customer often comes with a concept and art far too close to their exhibition date. This makes every step in the preparation chain more rushed, even forcing a representative to pick up their display on their way to a trade show.

Being noticed at an event, however is not worth much if your booth team is not skilled in sales and networking techniques so they may capitalize on your investment. Being personable and looking for the right opportunities to connect with a trade show attendee so they remember your brand can make all the difference. Make sure they leave with a positive and memorable impression of your brand. When possible, the ever popular trade show giveaway item or “swag” can be that extra reminder you need when months down the line that visitor has a need and is more likely to think of your company to fulfill that need.

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Rick Goldman speaks about how following up with contacts in an informed and timely manner is crucial after trade shows

We hope you enjoyed this inside look at our full service exhibit production and our showroom assortment of fantastic finished display styles. It was a rare occasion to be able to welcome so many guests to learn about a process we are so passionate about. If you missed the event, check out more images of the fun and we hope to see you next time!

A special thank you to all our sponsors and vendors that helped make the night such a success. We couldn’t have done it without local musicians, Night Court and delicious hors d’euvres by Chef Fab Culinary. Complimentary vodka tasting kept the cheer going, courtesy of Lucky Player.

Have questions about how to get started with planning your next trade show event? Backwall displays, accessories, custom projects and branded giveaway items – whatever your needs ExhibitDEAL has you covered for all your promotional needs. Get in touch with our exhibit experts at Sales@exhibitdeal.com or 866-577-DEAL.

April 2, 2014in Point of Purchase Displays 0 Likes

UM Motorcycles got astonishing results

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We have DEALs for all your marketing needs! Check out a recent happy customer – UM GLOBAL

 

Juan Santos is an expert at building cool motorcycles. UM’s yearly sales meeting was coming soon and he wanted to get a few banners to add some branding to their conference room. Looking for a great deal, he found exhibitDEAL through a quick online search.

So Juan from UM and John from exhibitDEAL met over the phone for our customary complimentary consultation. Thirty minutes later they discovered there was plenty more than a few banners that we could do to make sure UM Dealers were completely thrilled with the new products and placed lots of orders – got to keep your eye on the final objective! So with only one week to go, we got on the mission to build display platforms, flags, media walls, banners, branded water bottles, welcome signs, floor graphics, removable wall decals and more. From graphic design to installation, the exhibitDEAL team delivered on time and under budget – of course, we always give you the best DEAL.

“Thank you so much for your suggestions – you should have seen the excitement in the dealer’s faces when they saw our brand everywhere, even on the racetrack floor! It was a strong message that our new 2015 product line was the perfect choice and worth the higher price level. Never before had we been able to close orders during our meeting, but the confidence in the brand just gave the dealers the right push to move ahead. I am thrilled to have found you guys!” – thank you Juan, we had lots of fun with your bikes. Sorry we missed the test drive!

Want to discover how you too can go beyond the traditional display AND get the BEST DEAL? Schedule your complimentary consultation today!

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September 12, 2012in Banner Stands 0 Likes

Stand Out from the Crowd with Banner Stands

Psst! Want to get a little attention at your next trade show? Its easier than you might think. You already know you need great products and services to get a crowd excited. But to help them find you in a busy trade show, try adding Banner Stands to your next display. Banner Stands offer the ability to showcase that new product or service easily at your display, letting it be one of the first things customer sees. Here are a few of our favorite tips to make your Banner Stands truly unforgettable.retractable-banner-cat

Add unique graphics and make them “pop”! When planning your display, remember that at a trade show your banner is something people will be able to see at a distance. It will be something you can use to draw in a crowd from across the room. Take advantage of this opportunity, and give them something great to see. This is the ideal space to put your spokesperson, top new product or something you are promoting at the trade show.

Have something great to say. This is another important factor to keep in mind. Not only do you want to use graphics, but you want to say something. One of the best things you can add is your company name. Another thing to add would be the tag line or slogan for your latest product or promotion. Make whatever you say something memorable, like that song that keeps running through your head hours after you’ve taken that spinning class at the gym.

Make them an offer they can’t afford to refuse. Want to really draw a crowd? Use your banner as the ideal opportunity to offer visitors something when they visit your booth. They could sample your product, get a free T-shirt or other promotional item. Another exciting opportunity would be to meet your spokesperson!

Our best inside secret of all: use the billboard strategy. Billboards used to be one of the most popular forms of advertising, today you’ll still find billboards in a few favorite places. Billboards can be quite memorable and successful. So what makes a great billboard? It needs to be memorable. It also needs to have appealing graphics, that suit the company to a “T.” That billboard also needs to say something, a “call to action” that reminds you to buy to product, make a call, to do something. Plan yours with that same strategy in mind. Take advantage of the opportunity they offer you at your next trade show, and prepare for a great crowd at your booth!

September 7, 2012in Banner Stands 0 Likes

Go Hi Tech with DIGITAL Banner Stands for Your Next Display

Some displays can be a bit ho-hum. After awhile its like we’ve all seen it before. In today’s digital age, a great way to get attention is to add technology to your displays. Customers enjoy the hi-def graphics and images they can produce. There are a few reasons a company should consider adding DIGITAL Banner Stands to their next display.DIGITALBannerStand

Show you are up-to-date and on the cutting edge. No matter what industry you are in, its important for your display to represent your company, products and services in the best way. Every company today wants to show they are adept with technology, with a website, social media and using the latest technology. Adding a hi-def banner stand is another way to remind your customers that your company is tech-friendly, and best of all this will work for any industry.

A picture is worth a thousand words. We are a visual society and most of us pay more attention to the images we see related to advertising and promotion than we truly realize. With hi-def, that image/photo is shown to the best of its ability. You can even show a variety of images to entertain and keep your audience captivated with a fun presentation at your display booth.

“Just right” size matters when it comes to displays. The DIGITAL Banner Stand comes in a size you’ll love to set up. At 74” inches tall and 36” inches wide, it only weighs about 100lbs. A hi tech heavyweight that is a logistical lightweight you can easily set up just about anywhere you go. It makes that first day at your booth so much easier, especially if you have to “nudge” the stand into a different location. Its something one able bodied person – or two – can do with confidence, even if they are dressed in business suits and conference badges!

Its budget friendly & adaptable. This is one of the top reasons to choose this technology. Not only can you use this banner stand for this upcoming trade show, but you can create new presentations for trade shows for the coming years! This is not a single solution product, you can keep adapting it to your needs. The stand is large enough to get attention at about 6 1/12 feet tall and 3 feet wide, but also small enough you can consider it for smaller events, not only larger trade shows. Just another reason to go hi tech for your next trade show!

August 24, 2012in Hybrid Displays 0 Likes

Why a Modular Display Makes Sense For a Trade Show Circuit

If you are committed to growing your business into a successful one that is competitive in markets across the country, you will probably need to attend several trade shows every year.  Conventions or trade shows create a special and valuable situation for anyone starting out in an industry.  The largest buyers, investors, and people of influence, gather together to investigate the newest developments in their industry at these yearly or sometimes, quarterly events.  For many large industries, there are regional conventions that take place throughout the year.  If you want your company to be competitive in several different markets, you will need to arrange to exhibit at more than one event each year.

Keeping your brands image consistent at every event, will help you create a buzz that spreads throughout the industry.  The business world is smaller than you might think, so if you have a successful show in one region, it is likely that people will talk about your product and booth to their colleges in other regions.  Make it easy for people to find you at a convention, by keep your booth design consistent throughout the year.

One of the best ways to stay consistent, but be able to adapt to changing booth placement and other factors that are out of your control, is to travel with a modular trade show booth display.  The images and overall design of your booth will remain the same, but with a modular booth, you can reposition any element of your booth to create the most efficient layout in each convention location.

Modular booths also give you the freedom of easily breaking your booth down into small shipping cases for easy transport.  Whether you are shipping your booth with a carrier, or packing it up and checking it on a flight as luggage, you will need your cases to be lightweight or of average shipping size to avoid costly charges for oversized packages.

July 12, 2012in Trade Show Displays 0 Likes

Energy Curved Fabric Displays and Other Cost Saving Fabric Trade Show Options

Many small business owners struggle with the overwhelming costs of exhibiting at a large convention or trade show.  Many business owners do not think they cannot afford the money to create a professional booth layout so they choose not to attend the show at all.  Remember, you cannot grow your business without connecting with other people in your industry, and conventions and trade shows are a vital part of making those connections.

When you break down the costs of exhibiting at a trade show you will find that while there are some costs that cannot be reduced, like booth fees and basic travel costs, you booth design costs can vary greatly and with a little planning you can create a booth layout that is both engaging and cost effective.  Many larger companies bring in construction crews and spend thousands and even tens of thousands of dollars building solid walled units in their booths.  Obviously a small business on a budget cannot afford that kind of expenditure for every trade show or convention.  Large scale fabric displays are the perfect alternative to solid construction.

A fabric display will help you create a banded professional look in your convention booth for less money.  These fabric systems are easy to set up and usually do not require you to hire any additional help setting up or taking them down.  In addition to the labor costs being reduced, fabric displays are lightweight and fit in easy to transport travel cases.

The energy curved fabric displays off you the opportunity to create solid walls in your booth with their state of the art tension fabric design.  You can choose to print graphics on every panel or leave some solid to allow your products to shine in front of one of the many eye pleasing color options.

January 29, 2008in Exhibit Deal News 0 Likes

ExhibitDEAL to Offer Top Point of Purchase Displays

POP Displays great for trade shows and as sales booths

Santa Monica, CA – January 23, 2008 – Continuing to offer the very best trade show displays, booths, and accessories, ExhibitDEAL is happy to announce the addition of Point of Purchase Displays to their already impressive selection of trade show products.  ExhibitDEAL can be found online at:  https://exhibitdeal.com/ .

Offering a line of over 200 new, top of the line POP Displays, ExhibitDEAL is one again showing why they are an industry leader for trade show booths and exhibits.  An excellent choice for both trade shows and as sales booths in office buildings, malls, and outdoor venues, POP Displays are quickly growing in popularity with an increase in the number of options available to customize the display to the needs of the owner.

“These are great, new, fun [POP] Displays and we’re very excited to be adding them to our line,” Mat Kelly, President of ExhibitDEAL said.  “They’re perfect for those that already have a trade show display and want to give their business that extra nudge, or those just looking to branch out into new areas.  There really is a POP Display for everybody and every business.”

Since 2000, ExhibitDEAL has been leading the industry with trade show displays and booths that are on the cutting edge of style and material trends.  Their selection of trade show exhibits and accessories, which include banner stands and literature racks, is second to none, and their continued commitment to the environment is clear by their selection of Green Trade Show Flooring, all of which can be found on their website:  https://exhibitdeal.com/ .

November 19, 2007in Exhibit Deal News 0 Likes

ExhibitDEAL Goes Green With Flooring

Trade show display company starts offering environmentally friendly trade show flooring

Santa Monica, CA – November XX, 2007 – ExhibitDEAl, a leading provider of trade show displays, trade show flooring, and other trade show accessories, is proud to announce the addition of environmentally friendly trade show flooring to their selection of trade show displays and accessories that can be found on their website at:  http:///www.exhibitdeal.com .

In light of so many companies going “Green,” NBC most recently aired episodes of their hit shows The Office and 30 Rock, along with others, featuring story lines centered around environmental awareness, the demand for companies both small and large to be more environmentally aware is on the rise.  With that in mind, ExhibitDEAL has begun to offer a line of environmentally friendly trade show flooring that is of the same quality expected from the industry leading company, but has a lower impact on the environment as a whole.

“We’re very proud of this product,” Mat Kelly, president of ExhibitDEAL said.  “We always want to offer the best product to our customers, but being able to offer trade show flooring that’s environmentally responsible while still being a great addition to a trade show display is a winning situation for us [ExhibitDEAL], our customers, and, most importantly, the environment.”  While Mr. Kelly wouldn’t comment on whether there would be other “green” products featured in ExhibitDEAL’s product list, he was quick to point out that they are doing their part to be more eco-friendly while still offering top level products to their customers.

As the public demands that the companies they deal with be more environmentally aware, companies like ExhibitDEAL, NBC, and Universal Studios are responding by producing shows with environmental themes, broadcasting without the use of any unnecessary lights to conserve electricity, or by offering their clients trade show flooring that is of the same high quality that they’re used to, but without the same impact on the environment.  It’s believed that companies like ExhibitDEAL, NBC, and Universal are just the first in what will more than likely be many companies that offer environmentally friendly products, services, and entertainment to meet the growing demand.

About ExhibitDEAL

ExhibitDEAL is an industry leading provider of trade show displays, trade show flooring, and accessories such as literature racks and banner stands.  Their commitment to not only their customers but to the environment is evident in their expanding line of products that are not only of the highest quality, but present a low impact on the environment.

October 19, 2007in Exhibit Deal News 0 Likes

ExhibitDEAL Adds Alumalite Hybrid Displays to Product List

Hybrid trade show display is quickly becoming most popular product on the market

Santa Monica, CA – October 17, 2007 – ExhibitDEAL, the leading trade show display company, is happy to announce the addition of Alumalite Hybrid Displays to their line of quality trade show displays, trade show graphics, and trade show accessories which can be found at:  https://exhibitdeal.com .

The Alumalite Trade Show Displays are quickly growing in popularity due to their hybrid status.  Not a true pop-up display, the Alumalite Hybrid Displays consist of a backwall display with numerous optional accessories, including:  monitor mounts, counter systems, and literature racks.  The ability to add components to the trade show display after setup, adding to its flexibility, is one of the many reasons that the Alumalite Trade Show Displays are growing in popularity exponentially.

“This is a great product that we’re so happy to be adding to our product list,” Mat Kelly, president of ExhibitDEAL said.  “This is the perfect trade show display for somebody that wants to be able to customize their display for different locations and events.  The flexibility of it [the Alumalite Hybrid Display] is really quite spectacular.”

About ExhibitDEAL
ExhibitDEAL is a leading provider of trade show displays, graphics, and accessories.  Their product line includes Alumalite Trade Shows, Entasi Tension Fabric Displays, and Fabric Pop-Up Displays, as well as literature racks and banner stands.  Their entire line of products can be found at:  https://exhibitdeal.com .

February 2, 2007in Trade Show Displays 0 Likes

The 7 Habits of Highly-Effective Trade Shows

Steven R. Covey has helped millions of people in their business and professional lives with his book The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. The Seven Habits, first written 17 years ago, has proven to be an effective guide for personal and professional development. And these principles, when applied to your trade show experience, can dramatically improve your experience at the event and your results.

Treating your portable trade show display like your portable office is the key to maximizing your effectiveness at each and every event. The purpose of a trade show is connecting with people, and portable trade show displays enable you to create a space for educating prospects about what your company has to offer and qualifying leads to pitch them for a sale or follow up with them later. (more…)

November 3, 2006in Trade Show Displays 0 Likes

Safety and Security for Your Next Trade Show Visit

When planning to participate in a trade show, how often to you really think about safety and security? Exhibitor Online’s Candy Adams reviews potential risks in her article, “Trade Show Safety and Security.” From splitting the contents of her wallet between two pieces of luggage to making sure you safely set up your trade show display, she covers common vulnerabilities and how to protect yourself, your staff and your equipment during the next trade show that you visit.

Trade Show Safety and Security
By: Candy Adams

From airports, to the hotel, to the show floor itself, exhibit managers face threats to safety and security at every step of the trade show experience. Because much of what we do, and exactly how and when we do it, is not within our personal control, planning safety and security for ourselves, our staff, and our exhibit property isn’t something we can leave to chance.

Personal Travel Safety
What would you do if your wallet, containing all your cash, traveler’s checks, credit cards, and ID, was stolen going through the security checkpoint at the airport? This exact scenario happened to me a few years ago on a two-show road trip.

I now split my cash and credit cards between two pieces of carry-
on luggage whenever I travel. I also keep a photocopy of everything in my wallet on file at home, just in case I have to report the loss or theft of my credit cards or ID.

But simply arriving safely is only half the battle. Be aware of scams at gas stations near airports where travelers typically refuel rental cars. One thief will set up a distraction as you pump gas, and another will grab your purse or wallet from the opposite side of your car.

When checking in to your hotel, be sure the desk clerk doesn’t ann-ounce your room number in front of other guests. If this happens, request a room reassignment.

October 6, 2006in Trade Show Displays 0 Likes

Increase Sales By Thinking Beyond Your Standard Trade Show Display

The most incredible, cutting-edge, innovative product or service in the world is not going to generate revenue without a valiant marketing effort. Attending trade shows is a smart initiative to get exposure for your company – but if you are not paying close attention to the details of your trade show display, you are missing an opportunity to showcase your company above the competition.

Your trade show display creates a backdrop for you to meet new prospects and hopefully lay the foundation for a lucrative relationship with them. When a trade show attendee stops by your exhibit, they are stepping into your portable office, and you are offering a snapshot of what your company is about. If you want to keep a prospect in your trade show booth for more than a couple of seconds, you must be able to quickly establish trust – and projecting a polished, professional image, combined with a personable staff, sets an excellent foundation of trust.

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August 25, 2006in Trade Show Display Rentals 0 Likes

Stretching Your Marketing Dollar: Maximum Exposure on a Budget

You can’t get customers without exposure and you must invest some money to get that exposure. But you don’t have to go broke doing it.

Following the old, basic marketing model – putting a sign with your company’s name on the door; sprinkling your advertising budget across print, radio and television campaigns; and paying a graphic designer for a slick brochure or pamphlet – minimizes your impact in the marketplace. An important step in expanding your customer base is gaining exposure to generate interest in your brand. And if you were thinking that you couldn’t get a lot of exposure because of a limited budget, keep in mind that there are always effective, low-cost marketing options to attract potential customers.

Here’s a look at a couple of ideas to stretch your advertising dollars.

Website

Just under a decade ago, only the large companies were using their websites as effective marketing tools. Today, almost every business needs one. Your website serves as an essential piece of your overall marketing plan that fuels a sense of legitimacy for your business. If you don’t have a website, potential customers may be turned off because these days, the perception is this: if you are a legitimate professional, you have a website. It’s as important as having a phone number for your business. (more…)

February 25, 2006in Trade Show Displays 0 Likes

Making Trade Shows Interesting

Attending trade shows can be an effort in futility, imagine being a presenter at a trade show. Sometimes you need more than just a trade show display…

One of the hard parts about running a conference is figuring out a reasonable strategy for the trade show. Some conferences don’t have a trade show at all; if you can get the attendees to pay all the costs associated with an event, then that’s a worthwhile strategy.

From 2001 until late last year there was such a downturn in the high tech industry that vendors were having a hard time justifying the costs for booths and booth staff. The XML conference certainly noticed the downturn. It wasn’t all about the money, of course. As Tim said, a web site can function as a booth and doesn’t pack up and go home after a couple of days.

Except for, everyone now has a web site, many complete with blogs and RSS feeds and Flash demos of happy customers using the product to do marvellous things. If you know the names of the companies whose products you’re interested in, or the standard name of the type of product you’re looking for (so you can at least google for it), then you’re probably well served by the web. Always assuming that what you’re looking for is the slick, polished, demo information that most web sites specialise in. If you don’t know what types of products you might need, or you don’t know the names of relevant companies, then you have a harder time trying to find it. Or maybe you’re just suspicious of whether the products shown in the slick demos really can solve the issues you have.

I’m reminded of the scientific research community. When I was doing my PhD, you either had time to keep up with the related literature, or you had time to do your own research. You didn’t have time to do both. The way you found out about stuff that actually was relevant to what you were working on was to go to a conference or two a year, listen to the papers, and talk to people. Merely publishing your research in a recognised journal was not enough; you had to take the research to where they were going to be. I think we’re getting close to this with web sites, where one of the only ways for vendors who aren’t household names to be found is to go to a trade show and make it worthwhile for attendees to stop by their booths.

So what makes it worthwhile for attendees to stop by a booth? Part of the answer is for what they can’t get off the web. Eric Sink points out, amongst a lot of other interesting comments, that the big difference is face time. Time to put companies and products into perspective, compare them to the competition, maybe talk to some real developers. Time to see whether they can trust the vendor to fulfill the promises that vendors always make about ship dates, feature sets, and standards-compliance. And time to find out about that new style of product that they hadn’t known even existed before this week.

At the XML conference we’re doing our bit to help attendees get an experience they can’t get on the web. We’re emphasizing interoperability demos, and comparative product demos. We’re getting new vendors on to the show floor, and a lot of vendors this year are planning product launches at the conference. It looks like it’s going to be a good complement to the technical program, showing attendees another side to the innovations going on in XML-land.