No trade show booth is an island. You will always have neighbors, and they will be on every side of you. And your relationship with those neighbors can make or break your trade show experience. It doesn’t matter if you’re in a 70×70 and they’re in a 10×10, they can still be a valuable ally or a mortal three-day enemy.
We’ve all seen or experienced booths playing “can you top this” with the volume knobs on their PA system. We’ve all seen or experienced presentations ruined by pyrotechnics, blaring rock and roll, or screams of “HEY !! WHO WANTS TO WIN AN iPAD??”
If you do a trade show, it’s either happened to you or it will happen to you. But whether you wage all-out war or have a peaceful and mutually beneficial negotiation is YOUR choice.
Waging Trade Show War
The situation: Day One of the Trade Show. Your neighbor’s first presentation of the morning is deafening. The sales reps in your booth can’t have a conversation. Something has to be done or it’s going to be a long three days.
Your response:Those jerks are too damn loud. I’m going straight to Show Management. They’ll come over with one of those dB meters and get those clowns to TURN IT DOWN. If they don’t, I’ll just turn mine UP !
Their response:Oh yeah!? Well, TWO can play at that game. I’m going to keep my dBs right at the legal limit all day long. We’re going to do four … no SIX, 10 minute presentations an hour. Yeah, That’ll show ‘em. Maybe throw in a little feedback to REALLY make their day. By the end of this show, they’ll wish they never messed with me.
Conclusion: OK, this is obviously a lose-lose approach. Not unlike making the decision to call the police instead of just asking your neighbor not to play their new Metallica box set at 2 in the morning. Use this “call the cops” approach at a trade show and the three days will be hell for both of you.
Peaceful Trade Show Negotiation
The situation: You’re at the Convention Center on the set-in day. You’re rehearsing. Running through your presentation. Checking your sound system. The guy at the next booth is doing the same. And he’s got MUCH bigger speakers than you do. So in the “volume knob wars,” you’re gonna go down. What do you do?
Your response:Hey! How’s it going? Looks like we’re both going to be doing live shows here. What kind of presentation are you doing? (Really listen.) Well, I’d like to introduce myself to see if we can coordinate our schedules so we’re not fighting each other for three days. Are you presenting on the hour and the half hour? Great. What if I go at 15 and 45? Just know that when I do have my presentations, there may be pretty big crowds and it might get kind of loud. But, just know that if it DOES get too loud, you can give me a signal and I’ll turn it down.
In fact, since it looks like we’re not competitors, how about if I mention you guys at the end of the presentation and see if I can send some of that traffic your way?
Their response: Hmm. Nice guy. I should try to stay on schedule and make sure my volume doesn’t go to “11.” I wonder, if I send some of my crowds to their booth, if I can score one of those cool blinky balls they’re giving away … or two …
Conclusion: Compromise. Wage Peace. Establish a relationship. I guarantee you, you’ll have a better show. You’ll have more fun. And you might just pick up some more business.
Do you have an industry-related question you’d like answered on “Hey Newman”? Send him an e-mail and get your inquiry answered on the blog.
Did your Sunday feel like it was missing something? Did it lack a certain flavor and creativity and intellectual stimulation that you had been carrying into your Mondays? My Sunday was certainly lacking something … and that “something” was Mad Men.
So what is it about this window into the world of 1960s ad executives that has put us into a collective withdrawal since the season finale? It’s easy to say the writing is superb and the performances are first-rate. But more specifically, the messages embedded in the advertising storylines are endlessly captivating.
Today I’d like to talk about the ad campaigns themselves. Don Draper and his cohorts understand that in any kind of writing — especially advertising — everything has to be “big.” They understand that, in writing, you don’t give the central character a chest cold; you give him a terminal illness. What makes the plight compelling is how high the physical or emotional stakes are. So, Don or Peggy figures out what’s life-changing about a swimsuit or briefcase or floor wax and ups the ante.
There’s real brilliance in elevating a tray in a slide projector to the level of poetry by calling it “The Carousel.”
The Draper campaigns illustrate that when marketing any product, the statements have to be bold and the benefits colossal. From a trade show perspective, it’s our responsibility to figure out what those “big” benefits are. Challenge yourself to figure out what’s life-altering about your product so that it truly stands out. You can’t afford to piddle around emphasizing the “small stuff” because if you take your product for granted, the audience will, too. Your message needs to be honest and believable, but it needs to be memorable!
That’s how I view my job as a trade show presenter: What can I say that will transcend this product or service? What’s the hook? What’s the differentiator? What can take this technology from being an inanimate object and make people feel its impact on their lives?
I’m not talking about making your trade show audience cry (necessarily), but why do we have to think of your enterprise server or security solution or other product you’ve designed, built, and devoted so much time to, as just the next temporary thing? Why can’t it be something “bigger” … something with a higher purpose?
That’s the artistry in advertising and marketing: making a human connection in everything you do.
I remember as a child sitting at the dining room table as my dad loaded up “The Carousel” to show us the latest round of family pictures. We kids fought against it then but are so grateful for those memories now … especially since Dad’s gone. It was only possible (and that device was only in our home) because someone looked at that object and asked, “How do I turn this into something beautiful?”
It’s not just stuff that you make; it’s stuff that can change people’s lives, change their perceptions and change what they do and need. Don’t tell me about the speed of your processor or the capacity of your drive. Tell me what this will do for the guy in the third row whose work life is really difficult, and his home life is suffering as a result. That’s what “mad men” do: They ask, “What is it that will get someone to look at this in a totally different way?”
So, I ask you: What’s life-changing about your product? Don’t rest until you have the answer.
Do you have an industry-related question you’d like answered on “Hey Newman”? Send him an e-mail and get your inquiry answered on the blog.
Hey Newman, when I do a product pitch at a trade show, I just don’t feel like I’m connecting with the audience. What can I do to get them to perk up? –John from Chicago
Nine times out of 10, this mystical “connection” comes down to presenting toyour audience instead of presenting at your audience. I’m talking about basic presentation techniques — ones that sound painfully obvious until you watch an actual live presentation and see things going horribly wrong. Today, I’d like to talk about one of the biggest offenses: ear prompter abuse, which is a problem so prevalent it should actually be criminal, as in, haul that guy off the stage and put him in solitary so he can’t hurt anyone …
If you’re using a prompter and you’re just repeating lines being fed into your ear, then here’s what you have to do to be successful:
1. Avoid eye contact with attendees at all cost, because it might distract you from the voice in your head.
2. Don’t stray from the script because you might miss something you’re told or get off track.
3. And don’t move or act in any way that might distract you from the instructions of your puppet master.
And 4. If you want your audience to remain conscious, ignore the first three instructions.
When it comes to trade shows, “live presentation” is synonymous with “live performance.” It’s more important that you’re captivating your audience than it is to say anything in particular. Engage in eye contact at all times.React to bad (or good) body language with constant course corrections. Change your cadence, timbre and points of emphasis based on the energy of the crowd.
Believe me, blank stares are a lot worse than going a little bit “off script.”
As in most areas of life, change can be very good — even if it comes in the middle of a live trade show presentation. As an actor back in the early days of my career, I did a lot of live theater, including one show that ran for almost two years. I had to go into each performance reminding myself: “You’re not reciting these lines; you’re creating them.” I had to perform the words every night as if it were the first time they were leaving my lips — as if the situation I was in was brand new. Each performance had to feel fresh and unique and alive …
The trade show environment is no different. An audience wants authenticity and engagement. They want to feel that you actually give a damn about what you’re talking about and that you’re passionate.
If all you’re doing is delivering a staged recitation of a marketing white paper … then your audience might as well be reading it online (where no one will see them sleeping).
One final tip:
If you want to use an ear prompter the right way, be sure to buy the best equipment available and get training from an expert. In my mind, the best ear prompter guy in the business is Brian Collins at Ovation.
Do you have an industry-related question you’d like answered on “Hey Newman”? Send him an e-mail and get your inquiry answered on the blog.
Hey Newman, I’ve seen a number of your trade show presentations, and they tend to be very “theatrical.” But what if your client doesn’t want a lot of flash and dash? What if they just want a “straight” presentation? –John via Newark airport gate
No problem! At Magnet Productions, we do a lot of “straight” presentations. But what we NEVER do is boring presentations. A presenter (even if he’s not doing a game show, magic or escaping from a straitjacket) can STILL command an audience’s attention and keep them entertained with little more than a microphone and a great story.
The key is to simplify the message and tell that story in a way that will engage your audience.
One great technique for this is creating a dialogue. When developing your script, ask yourself what questions an attendee might have. What are their “pain points?” Incorporate these questions into your spiel. You can pose them to yourself on behalf of your audience, but here’s a more effective approach: Put the questions on index cards and hand them out to several audience members before the show. Cue them to ask the questions at the appropriate time (perhaps rewarding them with a trade show giveaway). Make the questions interesting, or dare I suggest, funny. The substance of the question is real. And, of course, the answer is real. But now, instead of droning on to a zoned out audience, your people are engaged, curious and entertained.
Regardless of your approach, the key is to break up those big blocks of trade show talk. Twelve minutes of non-stop tech is going to bomb. Divide it into four “chapters” with questions or equally thoughtful interludes. Nothing over the top; no balloon animals. Just moments during which you can check the pulse of your audience. And resuscitate them if necessary.
In terms of visuals, remember that PowerPoint is death. Try a dry erase board instead, like that guy in the UPS commercials. His presentation of the information is utterly simple, but it’s still interesting. So, be a little unpredictable — even with a “straight” presentation. It will go a long way to holding your audience and having a successful show.
Have an industry-related question? Send “Newman” an e-mail and get your inquiry answered on the blog.
Hey Newman, I attended my first major trade show recently, and I have to say, it wasn’t exactly a “family-friendly” event. Do these shows always have so much skin on display?” –Bob in New York
The year is 1985: I’m presenting at one of my first trade shows: Comdex. Strolling around the Sands Convention Center, I see more women falling out of their clothes than I’d seen at Caesar’s Palace the night before. I turn a corner and actually see one booth offering lap dances with women cooing high-tech features of products to highly “attentive” attendees.
But, of course, that was then and this is NOW, right? We’ve progressed WAY beyond that kind of thing. (Insert ironic smirk, here.)
Several months ago, I attended a very large and respected annual event in Las Vegas. There were “stewardesses” in micro-miniskirts and skin-tight Spandex everywhere I looked. Attendees were getting whiplash walking from one booth to the next — and senior executives of some of the same companies exhibiting the questionable practices, were taking offense. (Senior executives of both sexes, mind you.) It became such a cause for concern that I understand Show Management will now be enforcing a booth staff dress code for future events.
This conduct is precisely why itcan be so difficult to articulate the value of a legitimate, professional crowd gatherer to an exhibitor; they’re lumped in with all the rest of this “eye candy.”
As I have written about before, qualified, savvy crowd gatherers can be a huge help on the trade show floor. But these women and men are doing much more than selling sex and taking photos with attendees; they’re delivering a pitch, stratifying prospects and bringing target attendees to the booth staff capable of following up. It’s important, meaningful work.
All this sex appeal raises a very important question:What do these companies think they’re getting for their money? Sure, attendees are stopping by the booth for a “closer look,” but who are these people and what are they looking at? Sex sells … but what does it sell? What’s the takeaway? When calls are later made to follow up on these leads, the people picking up the phone aren’t real prospects. They just wanted a photo between two bikini-clad models. A guy in a suit might be less attractive, but he’s attracting serious prospects. And by that, I mean “serious” in demeanor and interest in your product.
Companies need to keep in mind that when they run their trade show presence like the Vegas strip, they don’t get the benefit of “What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas.” These attendees have smartphones with 5 megapixel cameras and 1080p video. Now it’s more like “What happens in your booth is on YouTube in 30 seconds.” And if what’s happening there is not consistent with your company image, or potentially offensive, THAT can be some risky business.
Have an industry-related question? Send “Newman” an e-mail and get your inquiry answered on the blog.
I recently had the pleasure of spending some time in Tuscany. Not surprisingly, one of the big highlights was the food. Oh, the food! Exquisite, delicious … and simple. More than anything, what I re-learned in Tuscany is how phenomenal something uncomplicated can be. Most meals contained one spice, one main ingredient and one sauce or dressing made from a fruit or vegetable plucked from the garden just outside the kitchen window.
Simple is tasty. Simple is beautiful. And simple is memorable.
Simple is tasty. Simple is beautiful. And simple is memorable.
One afternoon, my travel companion and I took a hike in the Chianti region on a return leg from Volpaia to Radda. As I reflected on the incredible Tuscan meal we had just shared, I found myself thinking about trade shows. (OK, it only lasted for about five seconds, but still …) What I walked away with was a renewed desire to bring a “menu” of simple, succinct messaging back home with me.
Ninety-five percent of the time, trade show messages are too complicated. Yes, the technology may be intricate or advanced, but the telling of story doesn’t have to be. It fact, it needs to be simple. It needs to have two or three high-quality ingredients just like the meals in Tuscany (perhaps the technology, a feature and a benefit). Whatever those ingredients are, they need to be mixed in as simple a way as possible … and that’s it. Delicious, digestible, memorable.
Every time I ate a meal in Tuscany, I thought to myself, “This is so simple. I can cook this!” But I’d need that sage. I’d need olive oil that good. I’d need red wine that fine. I’d need noodles and tomatoes that fresh.
Hiking in the Chianti region, reflecting on great meals and great messaging.
So, Part I is keeping it simple, and Part II is having the right components. What it looks like when you don’t have the right components is those people at trade shows trying to sell “vaporware” — essentially mixing a whole bunch of stuff up in a convoluted mirage of messaging. In reality, there’s nothing there. It’s “The Emperor’s New Trade Show Product” hidden in a complicated presentation.
If you have the right components — if you have compelling technology — then have faith in that. Have faith that what you’re there to talk about is worthwhile and just find the simplest possible presentation of that information.
Be a Top Tuscan Chef. And whip up something delicious at your next trade show.
Hey Newman: I just got back from attending a trade show in Vegas and from the look of things, it seemed that most of the people staffing the booths just didn’t want to be there. Don’t you think there’s a much cheaper way to have a lousy time? —Gail from New York
This is a message for trade show vendors: At your next show, sneak up on your own booth. That’s right, pop out from around a corner about 10 yards back and take a good, honest look at your investment.
Do your booth staffers look like sad little wallflowers?
Do they look like kids at a high school social afraid to ask someone to dance?
Is there a guy sitting expressionless in front of a glass bowl of Hershey’s Kisses, wondering why no one is coming up to talk to him?
This “condition” is more common then you might think, especially with the smaller booths. At one recent show, I walked around and paid particular attention to the 5 x10 and 10 x10 booths. Often they’re manned by just two or three people who are so uncomfortable they’re burying their heads in books or dabbling with smartphones — just sitting there waiting for it all to be over.
I looked at these people and found myself thinking about Neil Strauss, a contributing editor at Rolling Stone best known for penning a book called, The Game: Penetrating the Secret Society of Pickup Artists. This was the inside story of guys who despite NOT being the most attractive males out there, pick up women with absolute ease. Strauss not only researched this “secret society,” he became arguably one of the top pickup artists in the world and actually started conducting workshops for the undesirable and uninitiated.
At the heart of this book is a philosophy about “how to engage people.” He argues that if you’re going to try to pick up a woman in a bar, you don’t say, “Can I buy you a drink?” You don’t ask anything that could elicit a “no” response. Instead, you “engage” her. You contrive a story seemingly playing out before her eyes and ask, “What do you think?” Yes, it’s an opening line. But it’s an opening line that’s not clichéd or overwrought; it’s a question that pulls this woman into a story with you through her advice or involvement.
Strauss’ philosophy is hardly limited to the world of pickup artists. “Engagement” is something that most certainly can be applied to trade show marketing. I was observing the booth staff at this recent trade show, and they weren’t engaging anyone. First of all, they’re sitting. Rule No. 1: No sitting! Secondly, even when standing, they look positively miserable. If you’re spending that kind of money at a trade show and you’re planning to go there with the attitude that you’d rather be anywhere else, then don’t go!And before you say a couple of staffers don’t represent the “enthusiasm of the company,” remember that these faces are your company for the purposes of these crucial three trade show days. They are the representative image of you and the images that attendees will remember.
Honestly, if I had some sort of magisterial banishment power, King Newman would have sent home half the people working this particular trade show. If you’re going to look bored — if you’re going to feel miserable — find another way to market your services.
Here’s the ironic thing: A lot of these same people will spend a fortune on search engine optimization, which is designed to drive traffic to their site. But they don’t spend any energy driving traffic into their booth. And that doesn’t necessarily mean hiring a trade show presenter like me but perhaps a crowd gatherer — at least someone with people skills! If the person in your booth is not the type who can go up to a perfect stranger and strike up a conversation, then they’re the wrong person to be at the show.
You need to find someone who is not just a technical expert; you also need your company’s best pickup artist.
Have an industry-related question? Send “Newman” an e-mail and get your inquiry answered on the blog.
Hey Newman, all you have to do is pick up a newspaper to see that we’re in a VERY serious climate right now. I know as a trade show presenter, your approach is to balance content and comedy. Are you still finding it appropriate to be funny, or are companies so sensitive about everything that they want strictly informational presentations? —Karen from P.A.
Karen, you’re right. A lot of companies are in a serious mood right now and are concerned whether laughter in presentations is appropriate. Generally speaking, companies have the tendency to hide behind, “We have a serious message.” The fact is, every organization has a serious message. Business is serious stuff. But there are a million ways to communicate that message.
Haven’t we all gone to the movies where we’ve seen a “serious” film, and found ourselves laughing? You might be laughing through your tears. Or crying through the laughter. But the power of the film, its message still comes through.
If you’re going to impart information — especially if it’s difficult-to-grasp, complicated information — people are more likely to remember it if they’re laughing about it.
I had a Chemistry teacher in high school who made the dullest material come to life through story-telling, crazy props and even costumes. His classes were like 45 minutes of stand-up punctuated by the occasional explosion. I’m sure you have your own version of that science teacher, and I’m sure you remember a lot of what they taught you.
To appreciate the lasting power of humor, all you have to do is walk up to someone on the street (preferably 30 and up) and say, “Remember ‘The Puffy Shirt’ episode of Seinfeld?” Instantly, that person’s face will brighten and they’ll start quoting lines from it … despite how many years it has been since that person saw it on TV. For my generation, you can do the same experiment reminiscing about the campfire scene in “Blazing Saddles,” or your favorite Monty Python sketch.
There’s plenty of evidence to support laughter as a highly effective memory device. When you have a booth of people laughing about something, you can ask them two hours later “what was so funny?” and they’ll be able to tell you not only what was funny, but the substance behind the joke. They remember. And in the same way, they will remember your company and your featured product or service.
I have watched scores of trade show presentations over the past few months, and the vast majority of them are horrible. About as riveting as watching paint dry.* No laughter. No smiles. Just a lot of vacant stares. The presentations are little more than a staged reading of a product white paper, followed by, “Thank you very much” and “Here’s your free shirt.”
Ask someone what they remember two hours after a presentation like THAT, and they’ll say, “Um … well I did get the free shirt.”
(By the way, I actually did find a video of paint drying on YouTube. Watch it and judge for yourself.)
Have an industry-related question? Send “Newman” an e-mail and get your inquiry answered on the blog.
Hey Newman, I’m back from my last trade show and just got done wading through about 10 pounds of brochures, flyers and press releases. I hate to admit it, but most of it is now on it’s way to the recycle center. Is this my fault or the exhibitors’? —Jeffrey in Redwood City
Jeffrey, I want you to imagine this: It’s Monday night, and you’ve just blocked out two hours for the season finale of “24.” During the next 120 minutes, as Jack Bauer saves everyone from everything, how often do you think you’ll see him with armfuls of papers, rustling through them for reference while he’s disarming a bomb or finding the bad guys? Never. Why? Because it’s on his phone. It’s on his thumb drive. It’s on his laptop or if and when there’s “24: The Movie,” on his iPad. It’s all about quick, simple, efficient, on-demand information access — especially when TV lives are on the line.
At the core, the trade show world isn’t very different. The smart companies are getting away from traditional media entirely. The trend started with moving from glossy paper handouts to CDs … then to 1 gig thumb drives. The next logical step is to point all those iPhone and iPad-toting attendees to a dedicated website landing page. Why burn through paper and budget when you can just direct people to YourNameHere.com/Interop? Virtually every trade show attendee has a handheld digital device, or two. Now it’s up to all of us to utilize them. In the meantime, exhibitors featuring innovative ways to share information will continue to best the booths with stacks and stacks of paper. At a recent show, one company was handing out 2-gig storage drives that were the no larger than a credit card. All that literature that would get trashed, was now treasured right there next to your Amex card. Brilliant.
Oh yeah, and those high capacity storage devices also lend themselves beautifully to video testimonials, product demos and other things that paper just can’t deliver.
I believe that attendees need to take some responsibility for this problem as well. Just last month I watched someone at McCarran Airport in Las Vegas, going through their trade show bag and dumping just about EVERYTHING into the trash. Well, they DID rescue the t-shirts and flying monkeys …
Attendees should ask themselves — while still at the show — if they really need all those papers. They should also be asking the exhibitors if they have a green, travel-friendly alternative. If exhibitors find themselves going home with almost all of the literature they showed up with, how fast do you think they’ll adjust? Immediately!
Jeffrey, it’s not just about being green; it’s about being smart … and taking advantage of all the opportunities available in the digital trade show world.
Have an industry-related question? Send “Newman” an e-mail and get your inquiry answered on the blog.
“Tired of going back to your office with only 400 leads from your last trade show? How about 4,000? How about 40,000?! That’s right, the SCAN-EM-ALL 450 is the answer to your dreams!
“Just hold it over your head, press the green button and in 30 seconds you have captured every lead on the trade show floor. It even works through bathroom doors!
The SCAN-EM-ALL 450. If it has a pulse. We’ll scan it!”
Is this where the industry is heading? By some companies’ current metrics, the Scan-Em-All 450 would guarantee you the most successful trade show ever: 45,000 attendees and 45,000 leads. Pretty great, huh? But what would you do with them all?
This hypothetical may be hyperbolical, but the issue is very real. Many exhibitors right now have two or three crowd gatherers tasked with scanning as many people as they possibly can. It’s an easy way to rack up “leads,” but what will happen when contact is made after the show? Many of these people will say “Sorry, I just stopped by to get the flying monkeys you were giving away.” What good is analyzing your cost per lead if what you’re calling a lead is just someone filling their backpack with free stuff?
What really does define a lead? Is it just anything with a pulse, or must it be something more?
Which is more successful: a trade show with 300 leads categorized as “HOT,” or 3,000 leads in a metaphorical trade show piñata, where you’ll just whack at it after the show and see what shakes out? Some will say there’s likely more buried value in those 3,000, while others would rather focus on 300 sizzling leads and avoid sifting through random thousands.
So, I’m asking you, the community: What should be the metric for a successful trade show? What technologies do you use to categorize your leads as “hot,” “warm” and “cold”? Should crowd gatherers themselves have a tiered system and be directing traffic based on perceived quality of the lead?
Unless we come together on a clear definition of a successful show, before too long, we’ll ALL be waving SCAN-EM-ALL 450s.
Have an industry-related question? Send “Newman” an e-mail and get your inquiry answered on the blog.
