Trade Shows

Standing Sign Backers

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I recently created some signs for a convention table and pasted them on foamcore. Of course, the board did not have any “native” way to stand, so I created these backers. Print onto 8.5″ x 11″ cardstock (makes 2 stands per sheet) and cut along the red lines. Fold inward on the blue lines, glue … Read more

Plan Your Promotions 01

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So you want to run a promotion, huh?  Maybe an appearance, or an ad. Maybe you want to put on a mini-tradeshow, or hire a band to play outside your store. Before you just hand off a credit card or write a check to make things happen, there are a number of things you should … Read more

Why Free Stuff Sux

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I’ve been talking with a lot of people lately about ‘building your email list.”  Rule #1, they say, is give something away for free.  Okay, there’s merit in that suggestion I suppose.  But quantity does not equal quality.  If you want quality subscribers who are more likely to buy whatever it is you’re going to sell down the line, you want people who’ve already shown a willingness to buy from you.  You want to charge people on your list for what they get.

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A New Beginning

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Wow, that sounds dramatic.

Hopefully it isn’t as catastrophic as it appears to be.  I finished a draft of my book Profitable Web Hosting last week, three full weeks before the due date.  I’ve got the next one outlined on 3×5 cards (yes, really!).  But they fell on the floor and got messed up.  What’s a guy to do?

Well, I have had a free program for a while that allows you to input bits and pieces of text and rearrange them into something more coherent.  But I just didn’t like the damned thing!  So I went looking for another one.

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Asking Rarely Hurts

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My wife and I are spending some quality time in the Southwest US.  Specifically, Albuquerque New Mexico.  A couple days back, we went to the 10th Annual Salsa Fiesta held in Old Town, ABQ.

I’m a wimp.  I was only able to make it through two of the three tents filled with contestants and their salsa samples.  In one of the tents, one of the contestants was urging the public to vote for them as the winners.  The staff at the booth asked, in loud voices: “Please vote for booth #18.  Remember, when you vote, please vote for booth 18.”

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Use High Quality Gimmees

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I'm against the use of gimmees (freebies, give-aways, junk, etc) in trade show booths.  If you don't start doing it, you'll never have to stop.  Just like smoking cigarettes.  Both can be bad for your health.

I've had a dozen conversations like this one, but it serves as a good example.  I'd had a booth at several B2B trade shows where I was near the same printing company.  During this one, they were giving away pads that looked like melon slices.  At the top was printed "Honeydew List."  They had stacks of other pads out on display, but this was the most popular by far.  People were coming by and literally taking away half a dozen at a time, without asking or even being talked to by the booth staff.  Word was getting around, apparently, as I heard people coming up the aisle saying, "Those honeydew lists are around here someplace."  By the middle of the afternoon, those pads were all gone.

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The FUFT Principle – You Read It Here First

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You’re sitting around doing nothing, or maybe at the office having a conversation, when suddenly the best idea in the world strikes!  It doesn’t just happen to you, it happens to almost everyone, everywhere.  But why isn’t the world awash in free energy, anti-grav packs and time machines? Lack of FUFT. I really don’t like … Read more

Shoes!

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When you’re going for that first job interview, your parents (should) look at you and say, “You’re not wearing those shoes, are you?  People will look at your shoes and judge you.” While I mostly agree with that sentiment, staffing a booth at a trade show is not the time to try to break in … Read more

TORTHASBITTAP

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People decide to get a booth for their business at trade or business shows for several reasons.  They decide it’s a good place to show off new product, or to make industry contacts. Sometimes, they decide that the show is being held in a location they’ve always wanted to visit (Vegas!) and they can write … Read more