I am Lloyd Stone, second generation President of Manny Stone Decorators. I listen to you - really listen to you, and put myself in your shoes. And in these tougher times, I am insuring that my company to doing what is right for our clients. Here's some information about trade shows and about Manny Stone Decorators, which started in business in 1950 by decorating hotel rooms for one day, when trade shows were held in hotels and buyers would go from room to room to see what was offered.
In these tougher times it is more important to exhibit at trade shows:
Why? Because buyers seek better values and new reliable sources when times are tough.
I know ways to help you:
- Promote your efficient and speedy delivery of promised goods.
- Offer value added features to your product line.
- Do your best to keep minimum quantities requirements easy to comply with.
Trade shows offer great potential. The right item at the right price will do well if displayed properly. I have years of experience in knowing how to do that for you.
You tell your story.
You're the writer.
I'll be the advisor, the educator, and the editor who can design your exhibit.
One Big Way We Save You Money
Rent a Custom Booth
We build - to rent. You don't have to buy the booth, transport it, store it or be stuck with it for a different audience at a different show.
By renting, the booth should look like new each time you contract for its use. By renting, you attain great flexibility.
As you grow, you may need more space in which you can exhibit. Your exposures may change. One show you may have a corner, the next an inline 3 wall.
For one show you may be able to build 8' tall - another show the height restriction may be 12'.
Some shows have line of sight opportunities - like low sidewalls. Other shows allow 8' height on all walls. By renting, you can roll with the punches and take advantage of show management's sales department opportunities.
A rental exhibit allows you to change the size and configuration of your booth from show to show. Such flexibility allows you to experiment with size, shape and color to create the space that best presents your product.
Your Booth Is Your Frontage On Main Street in your industry's hometown
When contracting with the show management's sales department, attempt to rent your square footage left to right along the aisle. Depth is far less important as compared to width. The number of steps the buyer must take to walk past your exhibit is important. We can help you arrange this.
The more steps the buyer must take to walk by, the wider the exhibit, the more time and opportunity for the buyer to be attracted to your products.
Put yourself in the attendees' place. The floor is crowded; there are so many vendors and you're not quite sure where you're going or who might have what you're looking for.
How do you, as an exhibitor, make buyers do a double take?
How do you stop them in their tracks and draw them into your booth? These are key questions that exhibitors should be asking themselves well before they get to the show.
Here are some free tips for you from what we have learned over the years.
- Grids: Versatile, strong, and practical, grids are the foundation on which you can build your look. Backing them with white or color flame resistant foam board, instead of allowing the curtains to show through, will give your booth a new look and a bolder personality. Color sells!
- Flooring: Consider a white masonite floor instead of (or on top of) the standard, run-of-the-mill tradeshow carpeting. The white floor reflects light onto the wall-mounted merchandise.
- Light it up: Dramatic lighting creates instantaneous attention and attracts customers.
- Logo: Place your logo high and make it at least 2' x 4' in size. Headlines sell newspapers. Your logo is your headline.
Think of it this way-preparing to attend a tradeshow is like dressing for a party.
You want to look your best.
When you attended your high school prom (just yesterday -right?), you went out and bought yourself a new dress or a new suit, perhaps rented a tux. You wanted to look your absolute best so you could impress your date and friends.
Well, if you are exhibiting at a tradeshow, your goals should be the same. Only this time you're out to impress customers. It's all about your "look." How many potential customers will notice me? What is their first impression likely to be?
The reality is: you should be asking yourself the same question you likely asked yourself as you were dressing for the prom-Will they like me?
Dressing for the Dance
The key elements in exhibit booth presentation, according to priority, are:
- Signage
- Lighting
- Color
- Booth Height
- Wall Selection
- Flooring
Signage. Just as headlines sell newspapers, effective signage draws potential buyers to your booth. Your goal should be to create a double-take effect by presenting well-lit logos and large colorful signs.
Lighting. The importance of effective lighting for displaying the booth and its merchandise cannot be stressed enough. Unfortunately, many tradeshow exhibitors assume that convention center lighting will be adequate. Even when lighting in the facility is adequate, it is usually mercury vapor lighting, which creates an unnatural bluish color. Halogen lighting counterbalances the blue cast of mercury vapor lamps typical of convention centers. It can also be used to flood or spotlight key items so they are brought into dynamic focus.
Color. Display presentations should be colorized from light to dark, left to right. Creating order in colors is important. For example, a display of sweaters should present light colors on the left and move toward darker colors on the right, in other words, the same way we read. Do not mix colors randomly because that creates visual confusion.
Booth Height. Typically, booths are 8 feet high. However, 10- or 12-foot booths are impressive because they stand out from your competitors' booths. Also, the placement of large signs at the 8 - 12 foot height makes it easy for customers to see your message from a distance.
Wall Selection. Your booth's background wall is a key component in your presentation. Contrasting colors highlighted by excellent lighting will draw customers toward your merchandise displays. Drapery tends to absorb light like a sponge. Foam board, available in many colors, is a better alternative and is also inexpensive. Metal display grids backed by foam board serve as practical, cost effective, and attractive merchandise displays.
Flooring. And finally, don't overlook flooring. Like a tablecloth on a dining room table, your booth's floor treatment coordinates all the elements of your exhibit's presentation. White Masonite flooring offers real advantages over standard booth carpet. The material and light color reflects light onto the booth walls and, most important, your displays. It also gives you the opportunity to reinforce your signage by displaying, for example, your company logo on the floor. Think of it this way-the NCAA and NBA have reasons for promoting their teams and sponsors on their basketball court floors.
Having an attractive booth that employs multiple soft sell techniques is like having another sales representative in your booth. High visibility and brand identification work.
Why Chose Us?
Following one of our best 18 month business cycles in Manny Stone Decorators trade show exhibit 57 year history, I have chosen to "employ" sensitivity and patience as I focus on empathizing with my current clients and the new exhibitors who request advise and bids for our trade show exhibit booth services.
Since August 2008, business has become slow to develop - it is the time to use patience and flexibility with new clients and those who wish to tighten their belts. Empathy is key. I really try to put myself in the client's shoes and help them prioritize. I listen... I do not just hear them.... I listen, which leads to caring and taking a positive action.
As an exhibit booth provider, I explain to my perspective clients: "We'll crawl with you, we'll walk with you and we'll run with you."
Whether you're a start up client going to your first show or a big guy who is scaling back in these times, I treat all clients the same and do not take advantage of anyone - because that is just how I believe business should be conducted.
For every creative and practical action, there is a positive sales reaction.
