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	<title>Skyline Trade Show Tips &#187; value of trade shows</title>
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		<title>I&#8217;d Rather Be Exhibiting Than &#8230;</title>
		<link>http://www.skylinetradeshowtips.com/id-rather-be-exhibiting/</link>
		<comments>http://www.skylinetradeshowtips.com/id-rather-be-exhibiting/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 21 Sep 2011 13:00:38 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Mike Thimmesch</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Trade show careers]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Trade Shows]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[value of trade shows]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Trade Show]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[trade show exhibiting]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.skylinetradeshowtips.com/?p=5533</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Trade show exhibiting may be tough, but think about everything you could miss out on by not doing it. Read these 16 things you can avoid by being an exhibitor!]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[
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<p><img class="alignright size-full wp-image-5566" title="I'd Rather Be Exhibiting" src="http://www.skylinetradeshowtips.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/bumpy1.png" alt="I'd Rather Be Exhibiting" width="250" height="302" />Think exhibiting is tough?  It sure beats the alternatives!  Here are 16 burdensome things you can avoid by <a title="exhibiting" href="http://www.skyline.com/request/whats-working-in-exhibiting" target="_blank">exhibiting</a> at a trade show!</p>
<p>I’d rather be exhibiting than:</p>
<ol>
<li>Losing touch with what’s going on in my market</li>
<li>Not knowing what my competition is doing</li>
<li>Forgetting what my client looks like</li>
<li>Not keeping up with my industry network</li>
<li>Losing my clients to a competitor</li>
<li>Cold calling all day (can you say, “Voicemail Hell?”)</li>
<li>Being stuck in bumper-to-bumper traffic on the way to a prospect</li>
<li>Cleaning up my database</li>
<li>Deleting out-of-office emails</li>
<li>Sitting in my tiny cube</li>
<li>Not expanding my company network</li>
<li>Enduring another meeting</li>
<li>Miss meeting my industry press</li>
<li>Having people ask “who is your company?” when I call</li>
<li>Not learning about the newest products</li>
<li>Being stuck in the same old routine</li>
</ol>
<p>There&#8217;s a lot of value to your company when you are in your <a title="trade show booth" href="http://www.skyline.com" target="_blank">trade show booth</a>!  What things would you rather be exhibiting than doing?  Share your ideas in the comment box below.</p>
<p><img class="alignleft size-full wp-image-800" title="What's Working In Exhibiting" src="http://www.skylinetradeshowtips.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/whats-working-in-exhibiting1.gif" alt="What's Working In Exhibiting White Paper" width="68" height="88" /><em>If you’d rather be exhibiting better, then get the white paper <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a title="What's Working In Exhibiting" href="http://www.skyline.com/whats-working-in-exhibiting" target="_blank">What’s Working in Exhibiting</a></span>. For your free copy, <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a title="Click Here" href="http://www.skyline.com/whats-working-in-exhibiting" target="_blank">click here</a></span>. </em></p>

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		<title>Thanks To The &#8220;Value Of Trade Shows” August 2011 Webinar Attendees</title>
		<link>http://www.skylinetradeshowtips.com/thanks-to-the-value-of-trade-shows%e2%80%9d-august-2011-webinar-attendees/</link>
		<comments>http://www.skylinetradeshowtips.com/thanks-to-the-value-of-trade-shows%e2%80%9d-august-2011-webinar-attendees/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 15 Aug 2011 14:41:32 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Mike Thimmesch</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[value of trade shows]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[booth staffing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[exhibit design]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[lead generation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[trade show booth]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[trade show lead management]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.skylinetradeshowtips.com/?p=5402</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[In our August 2011 webinar we covered why exhibitors and attendees value trade shows, and how exhibitors have improved their results.  Here’s the presentation.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[
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<p>Skyline hosted webinars called “The Value of Trade Shows” on August 10th and 11th, 2011.   Thank you so much for sharing your comments and your questions about how to get the most of of trade shows, be it lead management, <a title="trade show exhibit design" href="http://www.skyline.com" target="_blank">trade show exhibit design</a>, and more.</p>
<p>As promised, here is the pdf of the actual presentation content.  (If the pdf viewer is not loading on your browser, you can go to the actual pdf file by copying and pasting this URL into your browser window: http://bit.ly/qwqt9G</p>
<iframe src="http://docs.google.com/viewer?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.skyline.com%2Fimages%2Fwebinars%2Faug_2011%2FValueTradeShows_August2011_Presentation.pdf&embedded=true" width="450" height="355" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" frameborder="0"></iframe>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>During the seminar we offered several items.  If you did not attend or did not ask during the webinar, just click to request your copies:</p>
<ul>
<li><strong><em><a title="The Value Of Trade Shows" href="http://www.skyline.com/request/the-value-of-trade-shows" target="_blank">The Value of Trade Shows</a> </em></strong>White Paper</li>
<li><a title="What's Working In Exhibiting White Paper" href="http://www.skyline.com/request/whats-working-in-exhibiting" target="_blank"><strong><em>What’s Working In Exhibiting</em></strong></a> White Paper</li>
<li>Info on Skyline’s <a title="Inline trade show displays" href="http://www.skyline.com/Request/Inline-Brochure/" target="_blank">portable displays and modular inline exhibits</a></li>
<li>Info on Skyline’s <a title="island trade show exhibits" href="http://www.skyline.com/Request/Island-Brochure/" target="_blank">custom modular island exhibits</a></li>
</ul>
<p>Thanks again for attending!</p>

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		<title>Top 8 Reasons Exhibitors Value Trade Shows</title>
		<link>http://www.skylinetradeshowtips.com/top-8-reasons-exhibitors-value-trade-shows/</link>
		<comments>http://www.skylinetradeshowtips.com/top-8-reasons-exhibitors-value-trade-shows/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 09 Aug 2011 16:02:26 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Mike Thimmesch</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Trade Shows]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[value of trade shows]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Trade Show]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[trade show exhibiting]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.skylinetradeshowtips.com/?p=5366</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[There are lots of reasons for exhibiting, many that can’t be easily duplicated anywhere else. Read the 8 reasons most exhibitors share for valuing trade shows.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[
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<p><img class=" alignright" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4025/4260417999_ef03294509.jpg" alt="" width="280" height="186" /></p>
<p>Why do exhibitors value trade shows?  What are their objectives for exhibiting?  What benefits do they get from exhibiting?</p>
<p>It turns out exhibitors have a lot of great reasons for exhibiting, many that can’t be easily duplicated anywhere else.</p>
<p>Let’s look at exhibitor&#8217;s top 8 reasons for exhibiting at trade shows, as reported in <a href="http://www.skyline.com/request/the-value-of-trade-shows"><strong><em>The Value of Trade Shows</em></strong></a>, a white paper published this year by Skyline and EXPO Magazine:</p>
<p><strong>1)  88% of Exhibitors Exhibit for Awareness</strong></p>
<p>The top reason exhibitors exhibit at trade shows is to raise the awareness of their company and brand.  Nearly 9 out of 10 exhibitors agreed this is a reason for their participation at events.  They build their brand, the awareness of their products, and improve the name recognition of their company.  Raising awareness is even more important for new companies, new exhibitors, or companies entering new geographical or vertical markets.</p>
<p><strong>2)  72% of Exhibitors Exhibit for Leads </strong></p>
<p>Fill my pipeline!  72% of exhibitors say they exhibit to get leads from new buyers and prospects.  Trade shows are a major method for lead generation for business-to-business companies.  Exhibitors bring back piles of leads to fill the pipeline of their sales force.  Exhibitors can qualify the leads right at the show and move them farther down the buying cycle.</p>
<p><strong>3)  70% of Exhibitors Exhibit to Build Partnerships </strong></p>
<p>Let’s make a deal!  70% of exhibitors say they exhibit to create and or strengthen industry relationships or partnerships.  This demonstrates that trade shows add significant value beyond their value in reaching clients and prospects.  Trade shows are where an industry gathers, and it’s often the best time to forge and renew alliances with partners, not just interact with buyers.</p>
<p><strong>4)  65% of Exhibitors Exhibit to See Current Clients </strong></p>
<p>Of course it <em>is</em> very valuable to see your buyers face-to-face.  65% of exhibitors agree they exhibit to see their current clients.  It’s harder every day to get face time with overworked clients while they are in their office, so trade shows give exhibitors that opportunity.  And in their <a title="trade show displays" href="http://www.skyline.com" target="_blank">trade show displays</a>, exhibitors can reveal new products, cross-sell and up-sell clients on other products, and just make sure everything is okay and that their relationship is strong.</p>
<p><strong>5)  58% of Exhibitors Exhibit to Network With Industry Colleagues and Vendors</strong></p>
<p>Beyond partners and clients, exhibitors also like to see their industry colleagues and vendors.  That’s why 58% agree it’s one of the reasons they exhibit at trade shows.  It’s a great time to catch up and find out what’s the buzz and pulse of the industry – what are the major issues, what are the hot new products, what companies have been doing well or poorly.  Trade shows also offer a chance to build up and strengthen exhibitors’ network, whether it’s to start potential sales, keep tabs on competitors, or find future places to work.</p>
<p><strong>6)  </strong><strong>54% of Exhibitors Exhibit Because of Competition</strong></p>
<p>More than half of exhibitors say they exhibit at trade shows because their competition is there.  These exhibitors want to protect their existing client relationships, and not be left out when attendees are looking for new solutions.  They figure that if their competition is at the show, then the clients must be there, too.  However, this is a defensive reason to exhibit.  Once exhibitors have better measurement of each shows results, and can compare each show’s attendee profile against their ideal client profile, they tend to care less about if their competition is at the show, and more about each show’s ROI and audience match.</p>
<p><strong>7)  52% of Exhibitors Exhibit to Support Industry or Association </strong></p>
<p>We’re in this together: 52% of exhibitors agree that they exhibit to support the industry or association.  About half of all trade shows are owned by an association, and the revenues from the show supply the majority of that association’s budget.  By exhibiting at the show they help their industry association facilitate education and networking of its members, and to fund advocacy and lobbying efforts on their behalf.</p>
<p><strong>8)  52% of Exhibitors Exhibit to See Many Buyers At One Time </strong></p>
<p>52% of exhibitors say they exhibit because it allows them to see many buyers at one time.  Think about it – thousands of trade show attendees actually pay to visit the show, walk down the aisles, and then walk by your <a title="tradeshow booth" href="http://www.skyline.com/portable-displays/design-ideas" target="_blank">tradeshow booth</a>!  It would take many months of direct sales to equal the number of buyers you can meet with while exhibiting at a trade show.</p>
<p><strong>That’s 8 reasons over 50% of exhibitors agree with! </strong></p>
<div>
<p>Those are the 8 reasons for exhibiting that over 50% of exhibitors agree with.  Which is a powerful indicator why trade shows are so valuable – trade shows don’t just provide one thing, they provide <em>many</em> things that marketers value.</p>
<p>As an exhibitor, this list may also give you ideas on how to more fully harvest the potential value of trade shows, or perhaps how to better explain their value to trade show nay-sayers.</p>
<p>Why do you value trade shows?  For the reasons above?  Or some other reason?  Let us know in the comment box below.</p>
<div>
<p><em><img class="alignleft size-full wp-image-3838" title="Value of Trade Shows White Paper" src="http://www.skylinetradeshowtips.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/Value-of-Trade-Shows-cover-thumbnail.jpg" alt="Value of Trade Shows White Paper" width="67" height="87" />You can read more about the value of trade shows – including another 7 reasons why exhibitors value them – in the 24 page white paper <strong>The Value of Trade Shows</strong>.  <strong><a href="http://www.skyline.com/request/the-value-of-trade-shows">Click here to request your free copy</a></strong>.</em></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>Photo courtesy of http://www.flickr.com/photos/askdavetaylor/4260417999/</p>
</div>
</div>

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		<title>Awareness, Leads &amp; Meetings: Climbing The Ladder Of Trade Show Objectives</title>
		<link>http://www.skylinetradeshowtips.com/awareness-leads-meetings-climbing-the-ladder-of-trade-show-objectives/</link>
		<comments>http://www.skylinetradeshowtips.com/awareness-leads-meetings-climbing-the-ladder-of-trade-show-objectives/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 14 Jul 2011 15:44:41 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Mike Thimmesch</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Lead Generation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Setting Objectives]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Trade Shows]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[value of trade shows]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Branding]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[lead generation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Trade Show]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[trade show exhibiting]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[trade show planning]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.skylinetradeshowtips.com/?p=5218</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Exhibitors main objectives often start with building awareness, then progress to generating leads, and then to setting up meetings.  Can you move up the ladder?]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[
<div class="topsy_widget_data topsy_theme_monochrome" style="float: right;margin-left: 0.75em; background: url(data:,%7B%20%22url%22%3A%20%22http%253A%252F%252Fwww.skylinetradeshowtips.com%252Fawareness-leads-meetings-climbing-the-ladder-of-trade-show-objectives%252F%22%2C%20%22shorturl%22%3A%20%22http%3A%2F%2Fbit.ly%2Fq56zMc%22%2C%20%22style%22%3A%20%22big%22%2C%20%22title%22%3A%20%22Awareness%2C%20Leads%20%26%20Meetings%3A%20Climbing%20The%20Ladder%20Of%20Trade%20Show%20Objectives%22%20%7D);"></div>
<p>Do you always feel like you could be doing more with your trade show program?  You’re not alone.  What may surprise you is how your exhibiting evolution may follow the exact same 3 steps as other exhibitors:</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>First</strong>, exhibit to raise <strong>awareness</strong> of your company, <a href="http://www.skylinetradeshowtips.com/branding-demystified/">brand</a>, or products.</li>
<li><strong>Second</strong>, change your exhibiting goal to <a href="http://www.skylinetradeshowtips.com/100-trade-show-lead-generation-ideas/">generating <strong>leads</strong></a>.</li>
<li>And <strong>third</strong>, switch to focus on holding <strong>meetings</strong> in your booth, especially with clients.</li>
</ul>
<p><img class="alignright size-full wp-image-5219" title="Climbing the ladder of trade show objectives" src="http://www.skylinetradeshowtips.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/Climbing-the-ladder-of-trade-show-objectives.jpg" alt="Climbing the ladder of tradeshow objecftives" width="287" height="354" /></p>
<p>This insight hit me while reviewing survey responses from exhibitors sharing what they are doing differently in their trade show programs.  Most exhibitors said they were focusing on one of these three objectives.  What struck me was how exhibitors repeatedly transitioned from one goal to the next, progressing more along this continuum of engagement.   I’ll share those quotes shortly.</p>
<p><strong>Step 1: Exhibit to Increase Awareness</strong></p>
<p>Here are quotes from some of the exhibitors who talked about how they exhibit at trade shows to increase awareness of their company brand:</p>
<ul>
<li>“We are looking at it as more of a marketing tool to make our presence known to the market.”</li>
<li>“Using it more to get name recognition.”</li>
<li>“Primary purpose is to gain name recognition.”</li>
</ul>
<p>Understandably, some exhibitors that focus on branding do so because they are new companies, new to trade shows, or entering new markets:</p>
<ul>
<li>“Using them as a branding effort in new markets rather than sales tools.”</li>
<li>“We&#8217;re just starting to use trade shows.  It is an opportunity for us to introduce our company to market sectors adjacent to our focal markets today.”</li>
<li>“We did not do trade shows 2 years ago, we are looking for more exposure.”</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Step 2: Exhibit to Generate Leads</strong></p>
<p>After exhibiting to generate awareness for a while, trade show marketers get the itch to do … <em>something more</em>.  Here are three exhibitors who spoke of that transition from awareness to leads:</p>
<ul>
<li>“Primary focus is on generating sales leads whereas before it was more brand awareness.”</li>
<li>“Using it as a true lead generator as opposed to just organizational branding.”</li>
<li>“Looking for qualifying leads more than generating exposure.”</li>
</ul>
<p>This transition only works in one direction &#8212; no one said they wanted to shift from generating leads back to raising awareness!  Other exhibitors also focused on lead generation:</p>
<ul>
<li>“Relying more and more on trade shows for lead source.”</li>
<li>“Gathering more leads.”</li>
<li>“Using to generate leads.”</li>
<li>“Collecting and tracking leads.”</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Step 3: Exhibit to Hold Meetings &amp; Relationship Building</strong></p>
<p>The next transition is from gathering leads, to holding meetings with key clients and prospects in their <a href="http://www.skyline.com/">trade show booth</a>:</p>
<ul>
<li>“More for maintaining relationships rather than bringing in new leads.”</li>
<li>“We are using them more to set up meetings at the show.”</li>
<li>“Trade shows/industry conferences have become greater opportunities to deepen existing client relationships and meet face-to-face for the first time in some cases, rather than primarily make new contacts.”</li>
</ul>
<p>Many exhibitors even said they focus their trade show activity on meetings <em>just with clients</em> in their <a href="http://www.skyline.com/">trade show displays</a> (although over time, if you do not also gather new prospects, eventually you will run out of customers!).</p>
<ul>
<li>“Appearance at shows is more about reconfirming existing customers’ choice in our product, retention, meeting many customers in one setting and connecting with possible business partners, than they are about sales.”</li>
<li>“We are more focused on our key customers.”</li>
<li>“Account maintenance.”</li>
</ul>
<p>Meetings in the booth seem to be a more effective use for trade shows.  We asked exhibitors to share how their organizations view the effectiveness of trade shows, and those who focus on meetings rated trade shows 13% higher than those who focus on awareness, and 32% higher than those who focus on lead generation.  Moreover, more exhibitors in our survey said they focus on meetings than either awareness or lead generation.</p>
<p>In this day and age when it’s so hard to get face-to-face with even our clients, it makes sense to focus on setting up meetings with your best clients and prospects.   You want to make sure you’ve got a strong relationship with your existing clients, keep them up to date on your latest offerings, and potentially cross-sell to them your other products.  And a longer meeting in the booth avoids the pitfalls of taking a quick lead on the show floor that fizzles into nothing when your sales force has a tough time getting a follow-up meeting after the show.</p>
<p>Not to say there weren’t other objectives that exhibitors focus on.  Some highlighted networking, some mentioned generating sales, others about a greater focus on R.O.I.  But these three – Awareness, Leads, Meetings – were by far the most common, and appear to be followed by exhibitors in order.</p>
<p>So where are you on this ladder of trade show objectives?  If you’ve been thinking you can do more at trade shows, maybe it’s time to stretch your program, and reach for the next rung.</p>
<p><img class="alignleft" src="http://www.skylinetradeshowtips.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/Value-of-Trade-Shows-cover-thumbnail.jpg" alt="Value of Trade Shows White Paper" width="67" height="87" /><em>For more information about how you can climb the ladder of trade show objectives, read <strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a title="The Value of Trade Shows" href="http://www.skyline.com/request/the-value-of-trade-shows" target="_blank">The Value of Trade Shows</a></span></strong>. This white paper tells how exhibitors said they are increasing their trade show participation, why they value trade shows, and how they are exhibiting better at trade shows than before. <strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a title="Click Here" href="http://www.skyline.com/request/the-value-of-trade-shows" target="_blank">Click here</a></span></strong> to request your free copy. </em></p>

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		<title>10 Booth Staffing Secrets To Double Your Trade Show Lead Count &#8230; Guaranteed!</title>
		<link>http://www.skylinetradeshowtips.com/10-booth-staffing-secrets-to-double-your-trade-show-lead-count-guaranteed/</link>
		<comments>http://www.skylinetradeshowtips.com/10-booth-staffing-secrets-to-double-your-trade-show-lead-count-guaranteed/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 21 Apr 2011 18:24:31 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>John Hamari</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Marketing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Trade show booth staffing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[value of trade shows]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[booth staffing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[lead generation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Trade Show]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[trade show booth]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[trade show booths]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[trade show marketing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[trade show planning]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.skylinetradeshowtips.com/?p=4289</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Are you getting the most out of your trade show booths and staffers? Find out how to double your trade show lead count using these 10 secrets ... Guaranteed!]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[
<div class="topsy_widget_data topsy_theme_monochrome" style="float: right;margin-left: 0.75em; background: url(data:,%7B%20%22url%22%3A%20%22http%253A%252F%252Fwww.skylinetradeshowtips.com%252F10-booth-staffing-secrets-to-double-your-trade-show-lead-count-guaranteed%252F%22%2C%20%22shorturl%22%3A%20%22http%3A%2F%2Fbit.ly%2FgcFubG%22%2C%20%22style%22%3A%20%22big%22%2C%20%22title%22%3A%20%2210%20Booth%20Staffing%20Secrets%20To%20Double%20Your%20Trade%20Show%20Lead%20Count%20...%20Guaranteed%21%22%20%7D);"></div>
<p><a rel="attachment wp-att-4328" href="http://www.skylinetradeshowtips.com/10-booth-staffing-secrets-to-double-your-trade-show-lead-count-guaranteed/10boothstaffingsecretssquare/"><img class="alignright size-full wp-image-4328" title="10 Booth Staffing Secrets to Double Your Trade Show Lead Count" src="http://www.skylinetradeshowtips.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/10boothstaffingsecretssquare.jpg" alt="10 Booth Staffing Secrets to Double your Tradeshow Lead Count" width="329" height="329" /></a>When you ask the average booth staffer about trade shows, their first thing that comes to mind is long hours, sore feet, some fun, and work piling up back in the office.  This may be true, but needless to say we do shows for the benefits that we receive by way of lead counts and exposure in the market place.  Below are some of the &#8220;secrets&#8221; that can help unlock the potential of shows for you.</p>
<p>1.  <strong>Exhibiting without Borders: </strong>Staff in the aisle where the attendees are walking by.  It seems like where the booth carpet meets the aisle carpet, often becomes an impenetrable &#8221;line in the sand&#8221; that staffers rarely venture past.  We all want to be &#8220;out of the box&#8221; in the way we think, so consider the exhibit space as &#8220;in the box,&#8221; and the aisle as &#8220;out of the box.&#8221;  This is where it gets a little uncomfortable, but if we can get out there and engage people as they come by, this will result in remarkably higher lead counts.  I staffed an exhibit yesterday where an attendee was going to walk by the exhibit without stopping and I engaged him, only to find out that he has operations on 3 continents and represents about a 5 million dollar sales opportunity for our client.  This guy was going to walk right by the <a href="http://www.skyline.com/portable-displays/design-ideas">tradeshow booth</a>!  The only reason I pulled him in was because I was in the aisle.  The business is there and we need to be in the aisle to get it.  Sometimes the show may ask you don&#8217;t staff in the aisle, but go ahead and do it until they tell you otherwise.</p>
<p>2.  <strong>Watching gets you a Goose Egg:</strong> Engage attendees&#8230; period.  Recently I attended the nation’s largest trade show and did some stat counting on the trade show floor.  With one exhibit, I watched 74 attendees walk by a 60&#8242; section of exhibit in 10 minutes, with only 2 of them being approached by the booth staffers.  The results speak for themselves: 2.7% of attendees were being reached by the staff during the time I kept track.  Why would the results be so low?  Simply put, it is because they did not engage attendees.  The opening line that works for anyone, in any show, is &#8220;What brings you to the show today?&#8221;  That question can&#8217;t be answered with one word (yes, no, or fine) and will require the attendee to stop and think about their response.  Now the door is open to qualify them and move onto the next step.</p>
<p>3.  <strong>Divide and Conquer:</strong> Surround staffers around in-booth attractions to get the maximum benefit from your investment. <strong> </strong>Having a game or some type of entertainment is a tremendous method for generating high traffic in your <a href="http://www.skyline.com/Design-Portfolio/">exhibit booth</a> space and at your hospitality suite.  The key to any attraction is to engage and qualify the attendees while they are waiting for the attraction or when the attraction is completed.  Many organizations pay a tremendous amount of dollars for a great in-booth attraction, only to have attendees escape with no interaction with the booth staff.  We need to surround the attendees and make sure that we get an opportunity with them.  Another method to insure interaction is to tie the in-booth activity to the qualifying process.  We should work with the magician, trick shot pool guy, robot, or game organizer to make sure they can work into their script a qualifying question that we can see.  Not that this is any of us, but when it comes to in-booth activities, it seems that the norm in the trade show industry is to attract attendees, only to have the staff not participate in their role of interacting with the attendees.</p>
<p>4.  <strong>Play Zone, Not Man to Man: </strong>Create zones in your exhibit space that each staffer is responsible for.  Depending on the size of your space, you may have 5&#8242;x5&#8242; (or 10&#8242;x10&#8242;) zones in an exhibit space that each staffer is responsible for.  Often, staffers will congregate at the main approach the exhibit and then leave a portion of the exhibit unstaffed.  Assign zone 1 to staffer &#8220;A&#8221; and let them know that this is their space and they are responsible for it during their time slot.  You are much less likely to have a staffer slip off with some prospect to chat and abandon their post.  This creates personal accountability as well, and does not allow leads to slip by the &#8220;back door,&#8221; never to be engaged by a staffer.  In addition, this technique naturally solves some of the problem of staffers congregating and talking to each other, rather than to attendees.  Creating zones can work in the largest and smallest of exhibit spaces.  It does, however, require a sufficient number of staffers in the space.</p>
<p>5.  <strong>Pre-Set Appointments at the Show: </strong>The primary reason we attend shows is to talk to people that can influence the sale of our products and services.  What better way to insure that we get the chance to talk to the right people than to set a specific time to talk to them at the show.  One of the keys to making this work is to do confirmation calls the morning of show to confirm the appointment and give landmarks that make it easy for them to find you.  You will need to get their cell phone number so you can catch them at the show.</p>
<p>6.  <strong>Make Your Giveaway Part of What You Do: </strong>Try to find a way to tie your giveaway into what you do.  This might be a direct tie-in; for instance if you are Apple, you would likely give away an iPad or a similar giveaway that is directly tied to what you do.  Many organizations are service-oriented, and in that case you might offer a percentage off their first purchase or a free on-site assessment.  If you want to give away something that is unrelated, that could work too, if the only people eligible are those who are qualified to make decisions about your products or services.  This means that attendees that are just &#8220;trick or treating&#8221; for all your free giveaways only get a Jolly Rancher and in order to register for the premium drawing, you have to be qualified.</p>
<p>7.  <strong>Trade Shows, Nightclubs and Mixers: </strong>Trade shows are strange.  What I mean by that is there are very few places where you stand around trying to talk to strangers and garner enough interest from them so you can tell them what you have to offer.  This process is uncomfortable and the only other places you may find yourself doing this is at a nightclub or an after-hours mixer put on by some association.  It is uncomfortable and one way to ease this angst is to find a couple of hand-picked people from your staff to be designated crowd gatherers.  They clearly need to be more out-going and gregarious than the rest of the staff to qualify.  Make it their job to be in the aisle staffing and to hand off the attendees to other people staffing the exhibit space (this does not exempt others from engaging or staffing in the aisle).  They are not responsible to do anything, but catch the attendee, qualify them, and hand them off to the staffer who can get into the details of the possible project.  After the hand off, they go back into the aisle to get some more attendees.</p>
<p>8.  <strong>Practice Catch and Release: </strong>Once we engage attendees, we find out that many are not qualified.  At this point we need to employ the practice used by many fishermen called &#8220;Catch and Release.&#8221;  We caught them, now we have to gracefully let them go.  The easiest way to do that is say &#8220;Thanks for stopping by, and I hope you have a great rest of the show.&#8221;  We are now able to gracefully let them move on and you are now free to engage other attendees.  In this process it is good to bear in mind that we don&#8217;t want to hand out our giveaways until we know they are qualified.</p>
<p>9.  <strong>Bring Only the Staffers that Want To Be There: </strong>The best person to staff <a href="http://www.skyline.com/island-exhibits">exhibit displays</a> is the person who wants to be there.  Picking staffers has to start with a basic criteria being met.  The staffer should want to be there.  If the staffer does not want to be there, they will not represent the organization well.  This becomes especially important, knowing that 85% the results that your organization receives is directly tied to the experience that the attendees have with your booth staffers.  Regardless of position, from CEO to the Janitor, we need to have someone who will represent the organization well &#8211; and that starts with the person who wants to be at the show.</p>
<p>10. <strong>Have a Huddle Every Morning:</strong> Each morning, of each day of the show, have a booth staff meeting.  Before the chaos of the show begins, gather your staff and have a pre-show meeting (roughly 1 hour prior to the start of each day).  At this meeting you can give an update on the quality of leads coming in, kudos to the best performers, announce any mid-stream adjustments, timing of activities, and update everyone on how well you are doing against the goals that have been set.  On an individual level, set specific target goals for each staffer so they have something to shoot for and compete against.  This can be given prior to the event or can be handed out at the event.  Also, this is a great opportunity to discuss the &#8220;best practices&#8221; in exhibit staffing, along with the 10 deadly sins of staffing (this may have some variation by company depending on your goals).</p>
<p>There is no better teacher than our experiences and observation.  These top 10 secrets are derived from both sources and if we are able to learn and use these top 10 behaviors and attitudes, we will surely double our lead count at our next event.</p>
<p><em><a href="http://www.skyline.com/request/booth-staffing-guidebook"><img class="alignleft" title="Booth Staffing Guidebook" src="http://www.skylinetradeshowtips.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/booth-staffing-guidebook.gif" alt="Booth Staffing Guidebook" width="68" height="88" /></a>Learn more about how to staff your booth and increase your trade show lead count.   <strong><a title="Click here to get the Booth Staffing Guidebook" href="http://www.skyline.com/Request/Booth-Staffing-Guidebook/" target="_blank">Click here</a></strong> to get your free copy of the 48-page <strong><a title="Booth Staffing Guidebook" href="http://www.skyline.com/Request/Booth-Staffing-Guidebook/" target="_blank">Booth Staffing Guidebook</a></strong>, chock-full of helpful articles, worksheets and checklists to help your booth staffers thrive on the trade show floor.</em></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>

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		<title>The Value Of Trade Shows: New White Paper Confirms Exhibitors &amp; Attendees Highly Value Trade Shows</title>
		<link>http://www.skylinetradeshowtips.com/the-value-of-trade-shows-new-white-paper-confirms-exhibitors-attendees-highly-value-trade-shows/</link>
		<comments>http://www.skylinetradeshowtips.com/the-value-of-trade-shows-new-white-paper-confirms-exhibitors-attendees-highly-value-trade-shows/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 20 Mar 2011 13:10:20 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Mike Thimmesch</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Trade Show News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[value of trade shows]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.skylinetradeshowtips.com/?p=3831</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[This new report reveals the significant value over 500 people find in exhibiting at and attending trade shows, and how exhibitors are improving their results.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[
<div class="topsy_widget_data topsy_theme_monochrome" style="float: right;margin-left: 0.75em; background: url(data:,%7B%20%22url%22%3A%20%22http%253A%252F%252Fwww.skylinetradeshowtips.com%252Fthe-value-of-trade-shows-new-white-paper-confirms-exhibitors-attendees-highly-value-trade-shows%252F%22%2C%20%22shorturl%22%3A%20%22http%3A%2F%2Fbit.ly%2FhaSIiO%22%2C%20%22style%22%3A%20%22big%22%2C%20%22title%22%3A%20%22The%20Value%20Of%20Trade%20Shows%3A%20New%20White%20Paper%20Confirms%20Exhibitors%20%26%20Attendees%20Highly%20Value%20Trade%20Shows%22%20%7D);"></div>
<p><a href="http://www.skylinetradeshowtips.com/the-value-of-trade-shows-new-white-paper-confirms-exhibitors-attendees-highly-value-trade-shows/the-value-of-trade-shows-cover-large/" rel="attachment wp-att-3833"><img class="alignright size-full wp-image-3833" title="The Value of Trade Shows new white paper" src="http://www.skylinetradeshowtips.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/The-Value-of-Trade-Shows-cover-large.jpg" alt="The Value of Trade Shows new white paper" width="279" height="361" /></a>Looking for proof that trade shows are still a powerful marketing medium?  You’ve got it!</p>
<p>Skyline and <em>EXPO</em> Magazine have combined resources to create a new white paper called <strong>The Value of Trade Shows</strong>.  Use this report to help justify and enhance your trade show program and get more people to your <a href="http://www.skyline.com/">trade show booths</a>!  <em><strong><a title="The Value of Trade Shows white paper request" href="http://www.skyline.com/request/the-value-of-trade-shows" target="_blank">Click here to request your copy of this report</a>.</strong></em></p>
<p>Based on extensive surveys with over 500 trade show exhibitors and attendees, this report reveals that even in the midst of recent technological changes, exhibitors and attendees still find significant value in trade shows, and expect to for many years ahead.</p>
<p>In this new, 24-page white paper:</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Exhibitors</strong> tell how they are increasing their trade show participation, why they value trade shows, and how they are exhibiting better at trade shows than before.</li>
<li><strong>Attendees</strong> share the high value they place on trade shows for sourcing products, comparing and meeting suppliers, and keeping up on industry trends.  Attendees also reveal what exhibitors can do most that will catch their attention.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Why Exhibitors Value of Trade Shows</strong></p>
<p>Exhibitors value trade shows because they are effective in achieving a number of critical sales and marketing objectives.  The top reasons why exhibitors participate in conventions and trade shows are to raise awareness of company and brand, capture leads from new buyers and prospects, and create and/or strengthen industry relationships or partnerships.</p>
<p>Exhibitors also gave other reasons they value trade shows:</p>
<ul>
<li>Exhibitors that responded to the survey plan on average to increase their budgets by 9.6%, and increase the number of events they exhibit in or sponsor from 21 events in 2010 to 23 in 2011.</li>
<li>63% of exhibitors indicated their organizations’ rate conventions, trade shows and conferences as “extremely” or “very valuable.”</li>
<li>An extremely high 91% of exhibitors say that conventions, trade shows and conferences will remain to be critical to marketing over the next five years.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Why Attendees Value Trade Shows</strong></p>
<p>Without attendees, there would be no trade shows.  Fortunately for exhibitors, attendees find great value from going to conventions:</p>
<ul>
<li>A significant 88% of attendees say that conventions, trade shows and conferences are an important part of their product sourcing and buying process. An even higher percentage (91%) agrees that conventions, trade shows and conferences are essential for comparing products and meeting suppliers.</li>
<li>90% of attendees feel that business events will continue to be critical to their product sourcing and purchasing over the next five years.</li>
<li>73% of attendees say their organizations rate conventions, trade shows and conferences as “extremely” or “very valuable.”</li>
<li>Travel and event attendance budgets are expected to increase by an average of 4.1% this year.</li>
<li>57% of attendees say they or their organization make a major purchase, or finalize an important deal, within three months of attending an event.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>How to Exhibit Better</strong></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.skylinetradeshowtips.com/the-value-of-trade-shows-new-white-paper-confirms-exhibitors-attendees-highly-value-trade-shows/the-value-of-trade-shows-pages-4-and-5/" rel="attachment wp-att-3841"><img class="size-full wp-image-3841 aligncenter" title="The Value of Trade Shows research report" src="http://www.skylinetradeshowtips.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/The-Value-of-Trade-Shows-pages-4-and-5.jpg" alt="The Value of Trade Shows research report" width="423" height="274" /></a></p>
<p style="text-align: left;">This white paper provides exhibit marketers with a blueprint for justifying &#8212; and enhancing &#8212; the value trade shows have in their company’s marketing plan.  Exhibitors also share in this report how they are marketing at and selecting trade shows differently, and what are the most common methods exhibitors have used to improve their trade show programs over the last two years.</p>
<p><em><a href="http://www.skylinetradeshowtips.com/the-value-of-trade-shows-new-white-paper-confirms-exhibitors-attendees-highly-value-trade-shows/value-of-trade-shows-cover-thumbnail/" rel="attachment wp-att-3838"><img class="alignleft size-full wp-image-3838" title="Value of Trade Shows White Paper" src="http://www.skylinetradeshowtips.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/Value-of-Trade-Shows-cover-thumbnail.jpg" alt="Value of Trade Shows White Paper" width="67" height="87" /></a>Prove &#8212; and improve &#8212; the value of your trade show program. <a title="Get The Value of Trade Shows white paper" href="http://www.skyline.com/request/the-value-of-trade-shows" target="_blank"> Click here to get <strong>The Value of Trade Shows</strong></a>, the new 24-page report by Skyline Exhibits and Expo Magazine.</em></p>

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		<title>Uncle Sam Wants You To Buy A Trade Show Exhibit NOW!</title>
		<link>http://www.skylinetradeshowtips.com/uncle-sam-wants-you-to-buy-a-trade-show-exhibit-now/</link>
		<comments>http://www.skylinetradeshowtips.com/uncle-sam-wants-you-to-buy-a-trade-show-exhibit-now/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 15 Mar 2011 15:26:09 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Mike Thimmesch</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Budgeting]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Trade Show Displays]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[value of trade shows]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Tax incentives]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Trade Show News]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.skylinetradeshowtips.com/?p=3725</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The U.S. Government passed new legislation that lets businesses fully expense in 2011 the cost of capital equipment, such as trade show displays. So why wait?]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[
<div class="topsy_widget_data topsy_theme_monochrome" style="float: right;margin-left: 0.75em; background: url(data:,%7B%20%22url%22%3A%20%22http%253A%252F%252Fwww.skylinetradeshowtips.com%252Funcle-sam-wants-you-to-buy-a-trade-show-exhibit-now%252F%22%2C%20%22shorturl%22%3A%20%22http%3A%2F%2Fbit.ly%2Fe8j4hi%22%2C%20%22style%22%3A%20%22big%22%2C%20%22title%22%3A%20%22Uncle%20Sam%20Wants%20You%20To%20Buy%20A%20Trade%20Show%20Exhibit%20NOW%21%22%20%7D);"></div>
<p><a rel="attachment wp-att-3728" href="http://www.skylinetradeshowtips.com/uncle-sam-wants-you-to-buy-a-trade-show-exhibit-now/uncle-sam-wants-you-to-buy-a-trade-show-display/"><img class="size-full wp-image-3728 alignright" title="Uncle Sam Wants You To Buy A Trade Show Display" src="http://www.skylinetradeshowtips.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/Uncle-Sam-Wants-You-To-Buy-A-Trade-Show-Display.jpg" alt="Uncle Sam Wants You To Buy A Trade Show Display" width="226" height="339" /></a>If you have been hesitating about buying your <a href="http://www.skyline.com/island-exhibits">trade show exhibit</a>, Uncle Sam is giving you a nudge to buy your display this year.</p>
<p>The U.S. Government recently passed new legislation that lets businesses fully expense in 2011 the cost of capital equipment – such as a <a href="http://www.skyline.com/portable-displays">trade show display</a>.</p>
<p>So rather than depreciate the cost of the display over several years, you can expense it all in 2011.  That means no waiting for most of the tax benefits of investing in capital equipment.</p>
<p>Why is Uncle Sam being so generous?  To keep the economy energized. To incentivize businesses to invest in their own business.  To create demand for durable goods that require workers to build.  In a word: Jobs.</p>
<p>Some exhibitors rent their exhibits because it allows them to expense their costs in the same year as the trade show, and to avoid the need to amortize their display purchase over several years.  However, if you buy this year, you will get similar tax advantages as renting your exhibits.</p>
<p>Obviously, you don’t make a purchase based just on tax policy.  However, there are real marketing benefits to buying your exhibit now.  Purchase your exhibit now, and get:</p>
<ul>
<li>A stronger visual impact that attracts more leads that will grow your sales and profits</li>
<li>An updated look that’s more aligned with your current branding</li>
<li>Marketing messages more in tune with today’s buyers</li>
<li>An exhibit shaped to better fit your functional trade show leads</li>
<li>New, lighter weight exhibit structures that lowers your operating costs and increases flexibility</li>
<li>A rejuvenated booth staff proud to stand in the new booth</li>
</ul>
<p>These add up to powerful benefits for buying a new trade show booth this year.  It appears that Uncle Sam was on to something!</p>
<p><em>To learn more about the 2011 tax incentive program, <a href="http://www.skyline.com/tax-benefit">click here</a> or consult with your tax advisor.  Also, in case you or your colleagues need more help justifying a new display, here are <a title="new trade show display" href="http://www.skylinetradeshowtips.com/15-reasons-to-buy-a-new-trade-show-display/">15 more reasons to buy a new trade show display</a>.</em></p>

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		<title>How A Great Trade Show Inspires Attendees &#8212; Which Helps Its Exhibitors</title>
		<link>http://www.skylinetradeshowtips.com/how-a-great-trade-show-inspires-attendees-%e2%80%93-and-helps-its-exhibitors/</link>
		<comments>http://www.skylinetradeshowtips.com/how-a-great-trade-show-inspires-attendees-%e2%80%93-and-helps-its-exhibitors/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 21 Oct 2010 04:59:12 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Mike Thimmesch</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[value of trade shows]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Social Media]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[trade show marketing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[trade show selection]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.skylinetradeshowtips.com/?p=2702</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[While at a show as an attendee, rather than an exhibitor, I experience how positive motivational energy from a great conference benefits its exhibitors.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[
<div class="topsy_widget_data topsy_theme_monochrome" style="float: right;margin-left: 0.75em; background: url(data:,%7B%20%22url%22%3A%20%22http%253A%252F%252Fwww.skylinetradeshowtips.com%252Fhow-a-great-trade-show-inspires-attendees-%2525e2%252580%252593-and-helps-its-exhibitors%252F%22%2C%20%22shorturl%22%3A%20%22http%3A%2F%2Fbit.ly%2F8Zm12F%22%2C%20%22style%22%3A%20%22big%22%2C%20%22title%22%3A%20%22How%20A%20Great%20Trade%20Show%20Inspires%20Attendees%20--%20Which%20Helps%20Its%20Exhibitors%22%20%7D);"></div>
<p><a rel="attachment wp-att-2708" href="http://www.skylinetradeshowtips.com/how-a-great-trade-show-inspires-attendees-%e2%80%93-and-helps-its-exhibitors/blogworld-2010-show-floor/"><img class="alignright size-full wp-image-2708" title="Blogworld 2010 show floor" src="http://www.skylinetradeshowtips.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/Blogworld-2010-show-floor.jpg" alt="Blogworld 2010 show floor" width="326" height="206" /></a><br />
I traveled to a show last week and saw first-hand how an attendee can be extra motivated to visit the show hall.  Because I was that attendee.</p>
<p>Last week I attended my first Blogworld Expo, and for a change I crossed the aisle and went to a show as an attendee, not an exhibitor.  I went for the fantastic conference sessions and to network with my fellow bloggers (especially those in the trade show industry, too).</p>
<p>The show was simply awesome.  From early morning until time for dinner, I attended superb sessions on blogging and social media.  And the networking time between the sessions was fruitful as well.  As Mike McCallen <a title="Mike McCallen Grass Shack Road blog" href="http://grassshackroad.com/blogworld-review-and-head-dump-show-143" target="_blank">said</a>, the hallway conversations alone were worth the price of admission.</p>
<p>Every attendee I spoke with shared that positive vibe.  We were all pumped to be there, getting inspired by fellow bloggers who had figured out how to be successful, and were sharing their best advice with us.  This created a motivational and collaborative spirit.</p>
<p>So when I walked from the high notes of the sessions to hit the show floor, I walked in with an extremely positive mindset that had me walking the aisles with defenses down.  I walked from booth to booth, glad to look at their offerings to see if they had something I’d heard about in a session, or if they had a solution to a problem just uncovered.</p>
<p>I wasn&#8217;t alone, either.  There was a lot of eager traffic on the floor, sometimes to the point where the aisles were blocked, and you could not get to a booth staffer or inside some <a title="trade show exhibit" href="http://www.skyline.com" target="_blank">trade show exhibits</a>.</p>
<p>This is no small feat to be glossed over.  This is the synergistic value of the trade show and conference, where a great conference puts a spell on its attendees and in doing so helps create some magic for its exhibitors.   Shows like that deserve a spot on your show schedule.  Many thanks to Rick Calvert for creating this playhouse.</p>
<p>Have you experienced this emotional boost yourself, either as an attendee or an exhibitor?  Share your story in the comments box below.</p>
<p><em><a href="http://www.skyline.com/request/whats-working-in-exhibiting"><img class="alignleft" title="What's Working In Exhibiting White Paper" src="http://www.skylinetradeshowtips.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/whats-working-in-exhibiting1.gif" alt="What's Working In Exhibiting White Paper" width="68" height="88" /></a>Get motivated by more stories of success in the 32-page white paper, <strong>What&#8217;s Working In Exhibiting</strong>.  <strong><a title="What's Working In Exhibiting White Paper" href="http://www.skyline.com/request/whats-working-in-exhibiting" target="_blank">Click here</a></strong> to get your own free copy.</em></p>

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		<title>16 Trade Show Booth Staffer Affirmations</title>
		<link>http://www.skylinetradeshowtips.com/16-trade-show-booth-staffer-affirmations/</link>
		<comments>http://www.skylinetradeshowtips.com/16-trade-show-booth-staffer-affirmations/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 06 Oct 2010 04:58:07 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Mike Thimmesch</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Trade show booth staffing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[value of trade shows]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[booth staffing]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.skylinetradeshowtips.com/?p=2628</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Here are 16 ideas to help motivate your trade show booth staff and reaffirm their commitment to doing a great job representing your company in your exhibit.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[
<div class="topsy_widget_data topsy_theme_monochrome" style="float: right;margin-left: 0.75em; background: url(data:,%7B%20%22url%22%3A%20%22http%253A%252F%252Fwww.skylinetradeshowtips.com%252F16-trade-show-booth-staffer-affirmations%252F%22%2C%20%22shorturl%22%3A%20%22http%3A%2F%2Fbit.ly%2Faq4MOn%22%2C%20%22style%22%3A%20%22big%22%2C%20%22title%22%3A%20%2216%20Trade%20Show%20Booth%20Staffer%20Affirmations%22%20%7D);"></div>
<p><a rel="attachment wp-att-2631" href="http://www.skylinetradeshowtips.com/16-trade-show-booth-staffer-affirmations/teamwork-across-age-and-nationality/"><img class="alignright size-full wp-image-2631" title="Trade show booth staffers get pumped up" src="http://www.skylinetradeshowtips.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/Trade-show-booth-staffer-affirmations.jpg" alt="motivate your trade show booth staffers " width="239" height="250" /></a>How do you get your staffers excited to staff?  Especially if they’ve never staffed before, or if they’ve staffed so many times they’ve already lost count?</p>
<p>Sure, you start by choosing staffers that already have a positive attitude and want to be at the show.  But even with that going for you, you may need to give them a boost.</p>
<p>So here are 16 affirmations they can repeat every day before the show, to get them excited and ready to greet attendees to your <a title="trade show display" href="http://www.skyline.com" target="_blank">trade show display</a> with a positive attitude:</p>
<ol>
<li>This      trade show’s attendees have actually paid their own way to come here and      find solutions to their problems…the same problems my products solve.  So they will be happy to meet me!</li>
<li>My      participation in our booth will allow our company to reach many prospects      face-to-face in a much shorter time than if I was out on the road selling.</li>
<li>I will      be able to see many of our existing clients in one place, to verify the      continuing value of our offerings, and show them other products we can      provide them.</li>
<li>I know      my products well and can point out the advantages they offer.</li>
<li>I      already have several good stories about clients who have benefited from      our products that I can share.</li>
<li>I      don’t have to tell our entire story to everyone, just the part that      matters to them.</li>
<li>I      don’t have to talk the whole time; instead I will listen more and talk      less.</li>
<li>If an      angry client visits our booth, I can help keep them as a customer by      calmly helping them get their issue resolved.</li>
<li>I will      gain important new insights into what my prospects want by talking with      many of them over the next several hours today.</li>
<li>I will      find out first-hand what benefits we offer matter most to clients and      prospects.</li>
<li>I will      better understand industry trends by what my clients tell me interest them.</li>
<li>I will      get insights into the state of my industry from the buzz and interactions      on the show floor.</li>
<li>I will      build my personal network with the visitors to our booth.</li>
<li>I will      network with key people from areas of our company that I don’t usually get      to see.</li>
<li>I will      better know my strongest competitors by which ones my booth visitors ask      me to compare ourselves to.</li>
<li>I will      find out what new products are being introduced by walking the show during      my breaks.</li>
</ol>
<p>These affirmations help remind the value that booth staffers get from staffing the booth, and also help ease their fears that everything rests on them.  Most of all, it help booth staffers go into the show with enthusiasm instead of trepidation, or worse, apathy.</p>
<p>What do you tell your staff or say to yourself to get pumped to staff your booth?  Let us know in the comment box below!</p>
<p><em><a href="http://www.skyline.com/Request/Booth-Staffing-Guidebook/"><img class="alignleft" title="booth-staffing-guidebook" src="http://www.skylinetradeshowtips.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/booth-staffing-guidebook.gif" alt="Trade Show Booth Staffing Guidebook" width="68" height="88" /></a></em><em>Give your booth staffers even more guidance on how to take more leads and properly represent your brand.</em><em> </em><strong><em><a title="Booth Staffing Guidebook" href="http://www.skyline.com/Request/Booth-Staffing-Guidebook/" target="_self">Click here</a></em></strong><em> </em><em>to get your free copy of the 48-page </em><strong><em>Booth Staffing Guidebook,</em></strong> <em>filled with useful articles, checklists, and worksheets.</em></p>

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		<title>Thank You to Attendees of the &#8220;10 Things I Wish I Knew Before I Started Exhibiting&#8221; Webinars</title>
		<link>http://www.skylinetradeshowtips.com/thank-you-to-attendees-of-the-10-things-i-wish-i-knew-before-i-started-exhibiting-webinars/</link>
		<comments>http://www.skylinetradeshowtips.com/thank-you-to-attendees-of-the-10-things-i-wish-i-knew-before-i-started-exhibiting-webinars/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 24 Sep 2010 18:21:19 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Mike Thimmesch</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Budgeting]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Trade show booth staffing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Trade show exhibit design]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Trade Show Planning and Logistics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[value of trade shows]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[booth staffing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Measuring trade show results]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[trade show budgeting]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[trade show lead management]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.skylinetradeshowtips.com/?p=2482</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Skyline hosted two webinars this week called "10 Things I Wish I Knew Before I Started Exhibiting."  As promised to attendees, here are the presentation slides.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[
<div class="topsy_widget_data topsy_theme_monochrome" style="float: right;margin-left: 0.75em; background: url(data:,%7B%20%22url%22%3A%20%22http%253A%252F%252Fwww.skylinetradeshowtips.com%252Fthank-you-to-attendees-of-the-10-things-i-wish-i-knew-before-i-started-exhibiting-webinars%252F%22%2C%20%22shorturl%22%3A%20%22http%3A%2F%2Fbit.ly%2FaSVL9H%22%2C%20%22style%22%3A%20%22big%22%2C%20%22title%22%3A%20%22Thank%20You%20to%20Attendees%20of%20the%20%5C%2210%20Things%20I%20Wish%20I%20Knew%20Before%20I%20Started%20Exhibiting%5C%22%20Webinars%22%20%7D);"></div>
<p><a rel="attachment wp-att-2488" href="http://www.skylinetradeshowtips.com/thank-you-to-attendees-of-the-10-things-i-wish-i-knew-before-i-started-exhibiting-webinars/webinar-success/"><img class="alignright size-full wp-image-2488" title="Trade show webinar" src="http://www.skylinetradeshowtips.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/Webinar-success.jpg" alt="Trade show webinar " width="249" height="249" /></a>Skyline hosted the webinar called &#8220;10 Things I Wish I Knew Before I Started Exhibiting.&#8221;  We most recently gave this webinar in April, 2011.</p>
<p>A big thank you to all the attendees for their interaction during the events.  Both Bill Lauf, my co-presenter, and I were grateful for the number and quality of the attendee questions.  We may answer a few of those questions again as posts in this blog.</p>
<p>As promised, here is<strong> </strong><a title="Skyline Webinar 10 Things I Wish I Knew Before I Started Exhibiting" href="http://www.skyline.com/images/seminars/webinar/10-Things-I-Wish-I-Knew-Before-I-Started-Exhibiting-by-SKYLINE-EXHIBITS.pdf" target="_blank"><strong>a link to the seminar presentation</strong></a>.</p>
<p>During the seminar we offered several items.  Click to request your copies:</p>
<ul>
<li><a title="Measurement CD" href="http://www.skyline.com/Request/Measurement-CD/" target="_blank">Measurement Made Easy CD, Trade Show and Event Calculator</a></li>
<li><a title="What's Working In Exhibiting White Paper" href="http://www.skyline.com/request/whats-working-in-exhibiting" target="_blank">What&#8217;s Working In Exhibiting White Paper</a></li>
<li>Info on Skyline&#8217;s <a title="Inline trade show displays" href="http://www.skyline.com/Request/Inline-Brochure/" target="_blank">portable displays and modular inline exhibits</a></li>
<li>Info on Skyline&#8217;s <a title="island trade show exhibits" href="http://www.skyline.com/Request/Island-Brochure/" target="_blank">custom modular island exhibits</a></li>
<li>Sample <a title="contact Skyline Exhibits" href="http://www.skyline.com/contact-us/" target="_blank">trade show lead card</a> (just ask for the lead card)</li>
</ul>
<p>Thanks again for attending!</p>
<p style="text-align: center;">&nbsp;</p>

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