A love letter. This week’s ode to marketers who got it right.

I love marketers. Those crazy kids who are seen as cost centres who spend shedloads driving customers to buy products and services from the company that employs them in these austere times.  I like renegades and therefore I love marketers!

Two micro business entrepreneurs rocked my world this week. And they covered themselves in marketing glory.

An aside…what type of weirdo gets on a plane with 4 litres of laundry liquid as part of their carry on?!?! I’m writing this blog on a plane and into the middle seat has slid a young lady toting the mega value pack laundry liquid. Before I go off on all sorts of tangents wondering why anyone needs extreme cleaning power on a flight, best I get back to the theme of the week…

A card arrived in the mail this week and I was totally gobbed. It was from this small business who I had to buy no more than $30 worth of electrical gear to repair my Himalayan salt lamp.  Don’t judge until you’ve reclined in the soft glow of the lamp when listening to Nine Inch Nails. It soothes a frayed psyche. There was no little reminder to buy more product or tout a monthly special, just a simple thank you and the most gorgeous photo ever of the owners of his small business. Yet, do not be fooled by this seemingly charming yet ordinary couple. They are hard-core marketing pros. Who do you think I am going to go to if I need anything in the realm of crystal, alternate therapies or just general whacky shit? They have got me for life. If I just get a card or a $30 spend, how much do you reckon they love what they do and totally embody the “be excellent to each other” of the spiritual space.  I bow to such simple marketing. It cost them a dollar for the card and 60 cents for the stamp and they got themselves imprinted themselves on my loyalty list.

Hard core marketing pros!

Next up on the love letter is my demonic personal trainer Nathan Morris. We’ve just kicked through a year if working together and I was clearly in the drop off zone in terms of commitment in turning up and doing the work. I am six weeks out from finishing the rowing season and I was coasting. I was turning up late under the guise of a good excuse and still dining out on my rowing successes. To celebrate our first year together did I get flowers? A gluten-free protein bar?  A photo book detailing before and after shots of me tackling the TRX?  No, I got a freakin’ “Come to Jesus” talk!  Nathan knew after a year together and hitting some high points that was in that zone of “Well, that was nice, lifted a few weights, did some mobility stuff but it is now time to ease up and get on the lounge with a cheesecake” and I could have tapered off my involvement with him.  Nathan’s marketing pitch for us to continue working together was explaining that it was my choice and my money but I was not getting the best out of him and our time together and that I needed to show up on time fully warmed up to get results.  He could have just shut up and taken the money but he recognized that having a personal training business depended on having committed clients that show up and are pushing hard on the gym floor. Other potential customers can see how hard he works his clients and adds in advice about nutrition and having correct form. Nathan’s marketing spiel worked.  I am getting there early doing my warm up and am fully committed to at least trying to love jumping around like an excitable bunny under the assumption that this is doing something really rad for my body.

Oh yes, thought I would also share my Himalayan salt lamp with you!

So how could you uses these examples to produce outrageously good marketing in the trade show environment?

Could you send a hand written card to the top prospects, thanking them for visiting your stand?

Could you practice some radical honesty with a prospect about your products and services and steer them towards a better fit, even if it is with an opposition firm?

Over to you, what would you like to share about some mind warping marketing you have seen or experienced recently?  And can you explain 4 litres of laundry liquid on a plane?!?

This weeks tune is a song I reckon is one of the 10 best Australian songs ever written.  Have no idea what they are banging on about but that line “I’m the re-run that you’ll always force yourself to sit through”.  KILLER!

See you next week!

Hire vs buying your trade show stand. What should the savvy marketer do?

In the past few days I have compiled some data for a client of mine on their yearly trade show spend and it has highlighted some interesting metrics around hiring a 1 off trade show for each event versus purchasing a trade show stand that you can use repeatedly for your entire trade show program.  More on that data later in the post but first let me explain some of the pros and cons for the 1 off and the repeat use stand.

THE ONE OFF STAND

The one-off stand usually refers to the one-off hire of a trade show stand or booth at an exhibition.  The cost will traditionally include the design, the hire of the items, transport to and from the venue and labour to install and dismantle.  At the completion of the show, in most cases, you will retain nothing and this can be also refereed to as a “build and burn”.  You can do a hybrid of 1 off hire items supplementing that with items such as banners and key graphics that you use and keep across your trade show run.

Bayer @ VNCA 1 off Hire Stand

Bayer @ AVA 2012 1 off Hire Stand

PROS:

• You can change the look and the theme for each trade show event you attend.
• You are not locked into the same size space for each event as you have a stand that only fits a pre-determined size eg. 6m W x 3m D.  This allows you to take more space at the shows where you want to make an impact and downscale at the shows of lesser importance.
• You do not have to pay for storage of your stand in a warehouse when not in use.

CONS:

• You have to re-start the design and sourcing products and services anew each time you do a show.
• There can be a lack of consistency across the look and feel of your trade show as it has a different vibe every show you attend.  Consistency in the marketing of your brand to existing and prospective customers is SO vital, so don’t underestimate how valuable consistency is!
• It can do your head in.  All you want is the same freakin’ stool in green because it matches your logo and across the 5 shows you do in a year, you have more variation in your stool that there are discoverable languages in the world.  So the key take away from doing one-off stands is that you will have to build in some flexibility with finishes and selections as there is A LOT of variance from both supplier and  hire location!

THE REUSABLE STAND

This typically refers to the stand that you, the exhibiting company own and store.  Normally you would partner up with an exhibit firm to design a stand that you can use across your trade show program and the exhibit house is responsible for the warehousing, transport and install / dismantle of it.  I think my best advice here it to go with a kit form of items that allow you to have large or smaller stands depending on your requirements rather than be looked into a permanent size footprint – say 6m x 6m.

Thiess @ Ausrail 2011 6 x 3 Reusable Stand

Thiess @ Ozwater 6 x 6 Reusable Stand

PROS:

• You have a consistent look across your trade show program and once you have developed and locked down the stand design, you aren’t faced with “what the HELL are we going do for THIS trade show”.
• You can predict your costs for the trade show calendar up front.  As you know the stand you will be using, you can then get your exhibit house to provide costs for each show you attend well in advance.
• Although the stand is reusable, you can build in the flexibility of updating graphics and messaging and even changing the colour of the stand.  Just because it is a reusable stand does not mean that it is set in stone!

CONS

• You will have to store the stand – at either your own premises or that of a third-party.  Your exhibit house will usually have a network of storage facilities that you can park your stand in.
• If you make the investment in building a repeat use stand, you will be locked into it to get the return on investment for around 2 – 3 years.  Upshot of this?  Don’t build yourself a stand so ugly it burns your retinas.  Take time to get it right and ride your exhibit company like a pony at a church fete to make sure they develop something that will blow your hair back.  In a good way.
• Make sure you have buy-in from all the stakeholders in your company to have a repeat use, modular stand.  I know of one company a few years ago who decided to do a reusable stand that did not run it across the desk of the CEO with enough detail so the response when Boss-man turned up on site was “What the (rhymes duck) is THIS?!?”  He was right, it was particularly ugly stand done by an inept contactor with bubbling laminate and 300 x 300 bathroom tiles used on the floor.  And the poor buggar was stuck with it.  So start well in advance and get everyone on board the “YES!” bus.

You will notice that I did not mention cost benefits for either the 1 off stand or the repeat use stand in the pros and cons above . That’s because – largely – it is determined on a case by case basis.  But I can tell you from the data I have collected based on my client’s example I mentioned in the intro above, the repeat use stand is more cost-effective than the 1 off stands across a 2 year show run. Figures? About $400 difference from the more cost-effective repeat use stands to the higher cost of doing 1 off’s.  Any exhibit house of value can run the figures out for you if you want to look at your options so why not do just that?

Tune for this week is one of my favourite one hit wonders…Plastic Bertrand!  God with talent like that, I can’t believe that bloke only knocked out one single killer song….

See you next week!

Why coxswains are the best marketers ever (and bye for now Alison)!

When I am not designing and managing exhibitions and displays, I can be often found wedged in a fibreglass hull either training or competing.  This rowing thing would have the be the most barking mad sport of all time.  You can’t see where you are going, the time you need to train to perfect the list of 6,467 things you need to excel at in order to just scratch competent level in competition is out of all proportion and did I mention that this bulk of this activity happens at dark o’clock when most reasonable people are tucked up in bed?!?  But there is one person in out crew of 9 who really stands out in terms of contribution and commitment and that is our coxswain, or cox as we lovingly know them as. And while I hack my way through the water (one of the 6,467 things I am trying to remedy), I have had cause to pause and reflect on why coxes are the best marketers ever:

1. They see opportunities others do not

Fair play, they are the only ones facing the right direction in a crew but they are constantly assessing wind and weather conditions, other crew’s positions throughout a race, the crew’s ability to lift through key stages, the actual course and what can wander into your path (Police boats!  Sydney Ferries! Spectator Craft!  SWANS!!!!!!) and they try to steer the sharpest  and most direct line to the finish line.  This, all done under a 4 minute time frame. Marketers, like my beloved coxes excel at seeing niches to position their brand and see new fertile ground for opportunities.

2. They are the key drivers of moving a crew (or company) forward

How does a business get and remain successful? Hands down, it is generating sales and making profit, which is largely the function of the marketing team devising strategies to deliver sales.  Coxes are the same.  I am just some hack with a blade wishing I was on some lounge with a cheesecake balanced on my lap.  Until the cox fires me up and gets me and my fellow 7 rowers functioning as a crew, we are destined just to lope along with”OK” results and an empty medal display case.

3. Tactics, tactics, tactics.

Marketing mavens need to implement their marketing strategies using carefully placed tactics and so do coxes.  You can have all the sound marketing strategies you like but without the implementation of the tactics, well, you just have a lovely piece of paper.  My race tactics are pretty concise. Row like you stole it. Don’t freak out / fuck up.  The tactics employed by a cox are a little more elaborate “Right.  We do our start of 15 off on 38 and then after 15 strokes, settle down to 34 – 35 with no loss of power. I am going to call for pushes on the legs for 10, another 10 focussing on clean catches and then another 10 on finishes.  I will also call for pushes if I feel that the other crews are making a move.  Towards to end of the race, I will ask for a power push of 3, then holding for 7 and then stepping up in 10’s for the final 250 metres. At that point you EMPTY THE TANK”.  Christ, that took longer to write that it does to row…

I am reflecting on the marketing power of the cox as I am sad to say that I am loosing one of the best coxes I have had the insane thrill of rowing with.  Alison is returning to the UK to be with her family as they face a health issue and so the rowing gals and I are gathering to break bread (and crack open a champagne bottle of two) and see this lovely lady off in style.

In my first years of being coxed by Alison I was always bouncing around her like a frog in a sock.  Did we do OK?  How was the power in the boat?  Did we still get clearance when we upped the rating.  Truly, I was / am  / can be insufferable.  Rowing can be such a battle in your own mind, you need feedback like a crack addict to compare your own experience to. Over time, I have seen that Alison is like the zen master of coxswains.  She is super calm before and during the race and only gives you the feedback and instructions you need.  There is no yabbering on or streams of consciousness, she locks it down tight.  I have seen over time how this has helped me so much in the boat as my excitable foxy terrier ways have been smoothed out by her cocoon of calm and I am a better and a more controlled rower because of it. She has cheerfully carried our mascot Daisy the Donkey through training and races, steered us through the Sydney Harbour cauldron when whipped up through a strong southerly and has dispensed lip gloss, tissues, plaster, water bottles, hats through her amazing monochrome dream coat, all while crammed in a space that is the average size of a handbag.

Alison owns a fair proportion of all the medals I have won with the rest being shared with Koach Kim, the rest of the rowing squad, my demonic personal trainer Nathan and my friends and family for the ever strong support while I wail “I can’t DO this!”.  I am not sure how I am going to feel when I step in the boat again, lean over the side, look down the boat and not see her there. But I will have the memory of the last race I had with Alison coxing.  It was the recent State Masters and were in D8 amongst some pretty hot competition.  At the 500 metre mark I was aware that we had slid up along side the boat in the adjacent lane on my right.  Through each stroke, Alison encouraged us forward and we clawed our way along that nearby boat. I was level with 7 seat….I was now level with 5 seat….now with 3….and then final with 200 metres to go, our bow was clear of them!  You know that zen master Alison?  Forget that, she became a force of power! The nearby crew put on a surge but Alison got the jump on that and we found a new level.  Everything was hurting, but Alison called for one last push to ensure that they could not take our water and then…the sound of the finish hooter for first place…and THEN another hooter and OHMYFREAKIN’GOD, WE JUST PLACED SECOND!!!! We were just so, so happy and to perform and respond for Alison in her last race (for now) will stay with me forever.

On the podium for silver at the State Master 2013

There is a saying that God made coxswains because he can’t be there and in Alison’s case this is doubly true.  And there is no way he would have carried our mascot Daisy. Heartfelt thanks and much love Alison!

Our mascot, Daisy!

The tune this week comes from one of my favorite “gee-up” tracks when I need to get the rowing zone.  Push it!

See you next week!

4 easy-as ways to set a budget for your trade show program. No stress. No complex matrices!

Setting a budget for a trade show program is fraught for most clients. So don’t feel like you are in the minority if you are burying you face in your hands or rocking in the fetal position.  After 18 years in the industry I would like to share with you four techniques you can use to set trade show budgets that will stop the angst and hair pulling (yours or someone else’s, your choice).

 1. Use a budget from previous years

I know, I know, this seems so Captain McObvious but since it really is SO apparent, it gets totally forgotten about. Here is what you do:

• Look in previous years marketing reports to extract the figures from the trade show program of past years.
• On average, add CPI (consumer price index) for each year since the last record of trade show spends. For example, if 2010 was the documented trade show spend take the base figure x 3 years x CPI and voila! There is your budget!
• The fine print: Be real about this. For example, don’t include a touch screen in you wish list if high cost hardware was not a part of your past show budget. You need to throw a bit more coin in if you after this sort of high spend gadgetry!

 2. Use your spend for the floor space as a guide

I have seen this method work with taking both the square meterage and total cost as the key-determining factor. For example, if your stand space cost $100K, then clients sometimes allow an equivalent amount for the design and build of a stand. Alternatively, some clients use a dollar figure for each square metre. A quick and dirty guide: 6 x 3 (18 sq metres) stands allow $100-$150 per square metre for a custom stand. 6 x 6 (36 sq metres) allow $80 – $120 per square metre for a custom stand. Everything under 18 sqs: $120 – $150 per square metre and over 36 square metres: $120 – $200 per sq metre.

The disclaimer bit:

• This is plus GST
• This is based on a 1 off use custom design and build
• This does not include 2 storey stands, catering, high-end technology, ponies (dude, they are HIGH cost and HIGH maintenance) and elaborate anything. This is a guide only, not something carved high on the mount!

3. Tie it back to your objectives

Say you had a million dollars for your marketing budget (steady now) and your objectives for this year include launching a new range of products that require in person demos with the intension to book meetings with key customers for a more detailed demo. The aim is to book 80 meetings with 20% of those visited buying your new technology product and placing orders within 60 days. Fantastic! Trade shows will serve you well and with such a major objective, you might allocate around 80% of your marketing spend to achieve this goal. But what if your major goal for the year was to launch a new website that was compatible across all platforms and showcases your entire suite of products. Now this a different beast and you would best tipping say 60% of your budget into a flawlessly built out website and the rest of that budget into promoting the shit out of it and yes, some of those promotion activities might include trade shows with your key audience in attendance. These examples show how important it really is to set clear objectives in your marketing plan as it provides a road map on how to achieve those aims.

 4. Make it up

No, seriously. Often when I see clients and I ask what the budget is, there is some nervous shuffling about and then those despair-inducing words are uttered, “there is no budget”. Hogwash. There is always a budget, it is just people might feel uncomfortable talking coin, they are worried that you will use every last dollar and want to see what they can get for less or they really don’t have much clarity around what a trade show stand might cost. So what I advise is this. As a marketer setting a budget for the stand, write down any figure you get an intuitive hit on. Now double that. How does that sit with you? Too much? Too little? Keep feeling you way through this writing down numbers, crossing out, dividing by 3, adding another 20% and so on until you get a figure that you think is a fair price for your stand brief. Next step is to tell the design firm that you partner with and they will – if they are solid operators – if you budget is too tight or super workable. Both extremes are met with raised eyebrows so this is no guide for which end of the spectrum your budget sits!

Hey!  Bonus infographic!

Set your trade show budget. Stress free style!

Got a burning question about the budgeting for your own trade show program? Please leave a comment below or get in contact here and I would be happy to get my abacus out and see how I can help!

In my quieter moments I like thinking of who I would be in an alternate universe and when I saw this hot clip from MIA with ladies who are doing some hell-yeah stunt driving, I knew who I wanted to be this week in my alt-universe.

See you next week!

The 5 must-have elements that every sales office needs

Apart for working in trade shows and exhibitions, I also design and project manage sales offices for land developers and builders. Fitting out garages attached to display homes, portable sales offices both large and small and even the turning of a two storey home into a complete sales experience…yep, I’ve done them all. Despite the difference in scale and budget, there are some commonalities across sales centres and here are the 5 key items I believe every sales office should have to ensure an outstanding customer experience:

 1. An anchor point

I find people fascinating. I’ve watched people step into a sales office for the first time and you can see their eyes furiously dart about looking for something to fixate on and provide safe harbour before sales staff make contact with them. I think you need an outstanding feature as an anchor for visitors to grab onto when they first arrive. It might be a model of the development or a representation of the kitchen, but whatever it is, it needs to provide the visitor a point to gather and to then explore the sales office further when they feel comfortable knowing they won’t be strong armed into signing contracts. I’ve experimented with both concealing the anchor point – and thereby establishing a customer journey through the sales office – and also having the anchor front and centre. Both modes have their benefits and drawbacks but I had a recent success with the Aspect sales office for Places Victoria. The anchor in this sales office was the model lightbox that was incorporated into a larger discussion table. The high cost of a 3D model was replaced by a lightbox showing the overall development plan. This lightbox model was set into an organic shaped discussion table so once the visitor was interested, they could migrate to the table area to discuss their requirements with a sales consultant without being moved on to another location separate to the model. This approach really refreshed the sales process and was based on enhancing the visitor experience rather than being sales driven where the traditional way was to bung them in an office and start talking turkey!

Aspect Sales Office for Places Victoria

 2. A variety of ways to provide information

I think we can all agree that buyers of new land and home developments are much better informed an ever. Throw in a crowded market, where the buyer is spoilt for choice across numerous price points and you have a very clued up customer. The majority of visitors would have done some research on-line before visiting a sales office so now the challenge becomes what sort of information do you display? It really comes own to bringing the development brand to life. The majority of sales offices just display static graphics applied direct to walls with random brochure holders scattered about. Smart developers such as Mirvac are using multimedia to provide even richer content for the visitor. Touch screens in the Array sales office are able to provide renders of apartments with the option to dial in preferred colour scheme and pick their own stand point from the range of views on offer in their selected apartment. Other sales offices are trialling iPads to provide access to development micro sites and downloadable PDF information. These iPads can also be used obliterate the written lead form as data can be logged electronically and integrated into the CRM database.

Array Sales Office for Mirvac

 3. Credentials

The housing industry has claimed the scalps of many a builder and buyers are right to be nervous of laying down a stack of cash for their dream home or block of land when tales of dodgy builders and collapsed developers abound. So I really think it is vital to champion your credentials of being a long-term and secure player in the market. AV Jennings do this really well and have recently amped this up even further with their 80th year celebrations. Both their online and offline marketing are featuring this huge 80 year achievement and we also installed a panel celebrating this in the Arlington Sales Office. While your credentials might not deliver house and land sales outright it does provide that all important confidence and peace of mind that the builder or developer that is being dealt with is legit.

Arlington Sales Office for AV Jennings

 4. Kiddies area

I have to confess I am challenged by the kiddie are.  Having no kids of my own and two 39-flavours-of-wonderful nieces that seem most interested in the contents of my handbag (as am I “Oh Look, Aunty Noni has a drill in here!”), I really struggle with what kiddies like these day.  Fortunately I have my wonderful VA, Fiona with two kiddies of her own that I can tap to provide insight on what the little people of today are getting down with.  On the recent update of the Aurora Sales Office, Fiona selected toys and games based around the jungle theme that would appeal to a spread of ages.  Even the Wii game was selected with the jungle theme in mind.  The benefit of having a kiddies area is that the little ones are kept occupied while the all important sales process is taking place.  Kids that have something to do are not harassing their parents to “Can we go now, pleeeeeaaaassssseeee?” and allows the sales staff to have a longer and deeper conversation about the property or home that the buyer is interested.  One added tip here, make sure the kiddies area is in view of where the sales discussion will take place. Nothing kills the sales process faster that having a little person out of sight, hearing an almighty THUMP and then a squeal of pain!

Aurora Sales Office for Places Victoria

5. Great, I mean GREAT staff

I was out at the Banbury Sales Office this week looking to do an update for the new apartment release and got chatting to Reece, the on site sales consultant.  I have to say that Reece was the BOMB!  The sales office that is coming up to 2.5 years old and still looked a clean and clutter free as the first day the sales office opened.  He was super knowledgeable about the product and his customers and gave great feedback on ideas for the next stage of the sales office. You know, I can make a sales office as tricked out and amazing as you like but having enthusiastic and knowledgeable staff to run the sales office is key.

If you have any questions about sales office, please leave them in the comments section below and I would be happy to answer.  Otherwise, you can get in touch with me here.

So earlier this week I competed in the State Masters of Rowing and came away with a silver medal.  I am still riding high on this but a pretty vital part of my silver was playing this song by Tool 9 times back to back on my way out the regatta venue.  Look, the video is pretty mind bending but the lyric of “pain is an illusion” was ridiculously helpful in the latter part of the race where I wanted to call for medical assistance.  But when that medal went on, by crikey, I was definitely pain-free!

See you next week!

The Insider’s Secret Guide to the Sydney Convention & Exhibition Centre

As a marketer doing trade shows and exhibitions you are going to find yourself in one of the many major convention & exhibition centres around the Australasia area.  But who tells you the insider goss, what to expect and where to go for a cleansing chardie after the show day?

Fret not, I’d love to share my experience of the good, the bad and the downright eye rolling cer-razy with a secret, insiders guide.

This week, I have for your consideration the Sydney Convention & Exhibition Centre (SCEC).  Soon to be jack hammered into the ground (end of December 2013 looks like its last drinks), the current centre is due to replaced by something else that is light on detail and big on puffery promises.  But until the wrecking ball is swung, there is a full calendar of shows so there is ample opportunity for you to visit and attend shows.

“Where do I tell the cab driver to go?”

The SCEC is handy, right at the side of Sydney CBD and located in the Darling Harbour Precinct.  The cab ride from the airport will take anything from 20 mins to 1.5 hours depending on traffic and the mood of your cabby. I once did it in a Tarago with 5 of my crew in 16 mins to make a plane out of Sydney.   We made the plane but some of the crew swore never to have me drive again.  Huh, that’s gratitude for you.

“What if I need a bed and a hair dryer?”

Awesome!  There is a stack of hotels around the area from fleapits to five stars. I recommend the Novotel Rockford a solid 4 star performer and you can comfortably walk in heels from the hotel to the front door of the SCEC.

“What if I have a car that needs to be parked for the day?”

Well first up, pack a credit card as it could get nasty.  You can park under the centre which is so convenient (but expensive), but if you feel like you might fancy a walk to and from the venue, lodge your car at the car park behind the entertainment centre. You will save some coin & pass the Pumphouse en route, server of sherbets!

“I’m on site at the show and feeling a bit peckish, where do I go?”

You are in clover my friend.  You do have Darling Harbour but I say ditch the crowds and tourists and head across the new area under the HQ of Commonwealth Bank known as Darling Quarter. It is a shorter gallop and there is every food type you can think of and a few you should avoid.

“I’m on site and can’t spare the time to get out of the venue? What is safe to eat?”

Best bet is the Thai beef Salad they serve in the in-hall cafes.  There is the standard deep fried whatever but the Thai Beef Salad is a surprisingly good turn out for a venue caterer.

“Oh Christ, I have forgotten to bring the pens / Velcro / 30kgs of cement etc.”

Put the worry beads down, help – and supplies – are located very close by.  For stationery, try the one at Darling Walk or in the main Darling Harbour Development. Need nails, a stepladder or 30 kgs of cement (hey, we’ve all had a moment where 30kgs of cement is the only possible answer)? The nearest location is the Thrifty-Link Hardware @ Pyrmont.  They sell small amounts of Velcro but if we are talking reams you are after as your box of tricks is somewhere lost in the courier vortex, try Lincraft in York St.

My bonus tip here is the whole of Darling Harbour is circled with 24-hour convenience stores so you will be totally AMAZED by the random stock they have that suddenly is the answer to your prayers.  They also stock cleaning products so you can clean your hire furniture yourself. Yes, for your convenience it comes pre-grimed and no, the hirer will not clean it for you, just be glad you even have it delivered to your stand.

Chips out of your white laminate furniture or floor?  Liquid paper is your best friend.  Dive into you handbag and fish out the black eyeliner (liquid or pencil) to touch up anything black on your stand.  If you want bonus points, grab a cheap pack of kiddies textas and keep in your on site kit for touch up of ANY colour or hue.

What I will miss about SCEC:

• The morning light coming through the eastern windows along the concourse after you have worked through the night to finish a motor show stand.  Did it 7 years in a row and there was nothing like the first rays of light breaking through the concourse glass to remind you that there was a 45 minute window to shower, eat processed cheese and apply makeup to cover a grey pallor before Press Day.

• 

  Check the natural light coming through the SCEC concourse!

What I won’t miss about Darling Harbour:

• The loading dock.  It is the size of your average wardrobe.  This means it is HELL loading and unloading trucks for shows.  I think I held the record for a while for the longest load time for a B-double (5.5 hours).
• The catwalks between halls.

• 

  The freakin’ catwalks between SCEC halls making exhibiting underneath a challenge!

Shhhh! Hot Diva Insider Tip: Ok, so if you are there for set up before show opens, it is known as contractor days but of course as an exhibitor you will be in towards the end to set up your gear and pretty up your stand.  Since you will be wearing a high visibility vest, why not wander down to the exhibitor desk on the concourse and treat yourself to the contractor rate?  I think it is something like $16 and when asked if you are a contractor , you need to pull this off pretty convincingly.  Just think contractor thoughts and you’ll be fine.  Keep this as our secret and we will all benefit. (Fight the power man!)

Time for a tune.  This year I am so pumped to hear the new Queens of the Stone Age album but until then, let’s get in the archive.

Please feel free to ask any questions about the SCEC or pass this onto someone you know who will be exhibiting there soon.

See you next week!

My business is 12 years old! Here are 12 secrets of trade shows and exhibitions.

I write this post amid streamers, champagne, cheesecake and a kicky little number from Janelle Monae on the stereo.  Yes, Diva Works my 3D marketing business is 12 years old and about to kick into the surly teenage years.  Over 12 fabulous years, I have seen things rise and fall, new trends expand and combust but here are the 12 secrets I’d like to share about the trade show and exhibition industry.

1.  They work.

I was reminded of this by Nicola Chatham who is exhibiting for the first time at the Better Homes & Gardens Expo in Melbourne this weekend.  Based on some supreme pre-show marketing, and some true grit, her opt-in based around her exhibition added 3500 plus subscribers to her list.  RESULT! Nicola understood that the exhibition or trade show is not just a stand alone event and for face exploding results, you must and absolutely have a solid pre-marketing and post show plan.

2. They don’t need to cost a bomb.

I’ve done stands made of balloons.  Temporary displays using printed banner vinyl stretched over timber frames.  A 3D promo sign made of painted foam.  The key ingredient is that your idea must be KILLER and don’t do crazy stuff just for the sake of it, tie it back to your objectives and stand theme.

Riverwalk 3D Sign

3. Relationships are KING.

Work with people you like and respect.  Time is the most valuable non renewable resource we have  and should not be spent battling dodgy suppliers that cut costs and therefore service and results suffer.

4. The most valuable asset is your sense of humour.

Stand loaded onto a semi-trailer hijacked by two hookers?  A water dragon with a snapped off tail being nursed through a Motor Show build? Jeff Kennet launching a major project with a backdrop being buffeted by high winds being weighted down from behind by every meaty bloke within a 2 km radius?!? Yep.  It’s happened to me and I came out smiling and high kicking.

5. You simply must have objectives that you want your display to reach.

No excuses.  Keep the objectives to three or less to really sharpen up your trade show presence.

6. There are no perks to being a wallflower.

Stand up and stand OUT by doing something different to all your competitors. In these current times with so many firms being timid and safe there has been no greater time for trying something new.

7. You get what you pay for. ‘Nuff said.

8. Sometimes you need to call people out on the crazy.

I have a thing called the “Are you for real?!?” test. An example: I recently received a quote from the SCEC for supplying oranges, 2 x home style  juicers and an operator for the cost of $224.00 per hour to provide fresh juice.  Applying the “Are you for real?!?” test by imagining asking the question of your average punter in the  street if that cost was feasible and fair and receiving the gut result that no, indeed that was not fair or reasonable but off the chart gouging I conveyed these sentiments to SCEC.  Outrageous costs / head scratching rules and regs need to be called out and shown for the crap they are.  The trade show industry needs to thrive on not be weighed down by shit-crazy pricing and arse covering OH&S policies.

9. Figure out an ROI or ROO

Return on investment (ROI) or return on objectives (ROO)…whatever your method, make sure you have some way of measuring your trade show success because when your Chief Financial Officer comes into your office, he is not there to admire your Kikki K coordinated stationary, he wants to know what benefits trade shows deliver to your company.  Make sure you always have some level of measurement documented.

10. This is the new normal. Get with it.

I have been hearing a lot about ye “good old days” where motor shows were plenty, budgets were not as tight, you did not have to get designs past a small tribes of people you have never met….but those times are gone and are done. This is the new normal and the best antidote I can find to these crazy-weird times is getting creative and seeking out the new.  Check this!  New find of Context: a whole bunch of surfaces you can load artwork onto.  Cue a new way of presenting ideas!

Billboard Diva

Laptop Diva

11. Show me, don’t tell me.

Our brains have been re-wired due to the multitasking we have been engaged with and so our attention spans are getting even more limited.  Cutting the amount of text used on a stand and replacing with relevant images, demos, actual people able to ask questions and give succinct information is a smart move.

12. Don’t give up.

As with life, if something in your trade show program or on your exhibition stand is not working, try something new.  Truly.  Fortune favours the crazy-brave right now so dig in to get a better exhibition presence with enduring results.

Now fess up: do you have your own trade show secret?

You know that Janelle Monae track I mentioned in the opening?  Here is the whacktacular video in all its glory! It is going to blow your mind!

See you next week!

The best gift I have ever received from the exhibition and trade show industry. (Aka My ANZAC tribute to Kevin)

Greater than any income I could derive or creative project realised is the gift of the outstanding people I have met through working in the 3D marketing field in trade shows and exhibitions.  I am so lucky that these people have also become embedded in my life as enduring friends and part of the Diva Council.  But today on ANZAC day I would like tell you my story of how the exhibition industry delivered me one the best gifts of wall, one of my best mates and Vietnam Vet, Kevin.

My mate Kevin & I. I am pretty sure that is his feather boa.

Many years ago when I was a newly minted designer, I was fortunate to find myself working on many installs with this bloke Kevin.  Even the early years of knowing him, it was a dream to work him. He was always calm, ready with a quick, witty one liner and had SO much knowledge and experience to draw on.  Being one of the few females in the industry, I did get my ego knocked about quite a bit from the put downs and the brush-offs.  Kevin never behaved like this; it was always with respect and taking the time to explain his methodology so I got a pretty awesome lesson in understanding how stands got built, from an actual builder.

Shuffle forward a couple of years and we were on site at the Murray One Visitor Centre in Khancoban and our friendship really galvanised.  There must be something in saving the Pickled Parrot restaurant from burning down (true!) and having a night with the Swedish gym team (kinda true) that really bond you with someone.  About this time, the fabulous Gary who was one of the fellas who gave me a start in this industry, mentioned in passing that Kevin was a Vietnam Vet.  Apparently he did not yap about it much but since the watershed of the 1987 “Coming Home Parade”, he was more relaxed in talking about his time both training and in country.  Still, whether he was more up for chatting about it or not regardless of my curiosity, it was a moot point.  You can hardly work with a bloke on site and while you are passing paint tins and scrambling to meet show opening “Hey Kev, what was Vietnam really like?”

I had always had a curiosity about those who had served in wars. I am one of those lucky ones where no one in my immediate family had served in any theatre of war and has not been affected by the loss of a loved one in foreign lands or have to cope with the return of a member of my circle from a war zone and fitting back into life.  My Mum, who binges on history had always taken my sister and I to war memorials, with our bookcases filled with war biographies and stories and the ANZAC day march on ABC was a mandatory watch each year. So while I knew about wars, I had heard no first hand accounts and experiences.  And that is where the curiosity lie for me.  What is it, within what had been fairly ordinary men and women that makes them rise beyond any measure of bravery and determination, to face crushing odds and even years of living amid squalor and blood, to see their mates die, to subsist on rations, to continue to fight day after day, to maintain dignity and a moral code when held in prison camps…what is it, that allows ordinary people to do the most extraordinary things even under the most hellish and fucked up situations?

I got my answer.  In 2006 I had relocated to Sydney and Kevin and his wife Rosemary were due in for the 3RAR reunion on ANZAC Day.  The buggar ended up being that Rosemary could not make it due to a virus but I carried on with the plan of watching Kevin march in the Sydney parade and then – god help me – join him and his mates from 3RAR for an afternoon knees up at a pub at The Rocks.  About 3 hours into the march, I caught sight of him.  My mate Kevin, who was my Tensing Norgay when I worked the motor show circuit, marching proudly with his mates in 3RAR company with a chest full of medals.  I can see it so clearly now, I am even tearing up remembering how proud I was of him and how it just shifted my whole perception of him.  I was no longer just aware of the help and service he had given me over the years of working together, I saw and understood the larger sacrifice he made for our country by fighting some crazy war. His own life, dreams and hopes had been put on hold or even dramatically altered while he fought in Vietnam.  And then afterwards, when there was no official acknowledgement of their service and few support services, Kevin just had to find his way back to some sort of “normal life”.  When placed in an extreme situation like a war, it calls forth the very best of the human spirit like bravery, resilience, hope and love in order to endure and make it through another day or even the next hour. I would like to think that we all have these qualities within us; it should not take a war to bring those qualities to the forefront.

So what ANZAC day means for me is the deep and abiding gratitude for the men and women who have served their countries and while I can argue and bitch about politics around going to war, my support and love to those and their families is unwavering to those who have actually been through it.  And I think that the term “hero” needs to be reclaimed from the sportsman who boots 6 goals in an AFL game, from someone who runs a marathon or donates a sizeable proportion of their income to charity.  While these efforts are commendable and admirable, the “hero” resides in the men and women who have served in war.

I think that this is the only choice I could make music wise to mark this day.

See you next week.

The trade show organiser has stuffed you. Now what? Here are 5 ways to turn fizzle into dazzle

All hell has broke loose in the exhibition industry these past two weeks. We have the embarrassing cancellation of the Melbourne Motor Show 3 months out from opening and the trade show run in conjunction with Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week was visited only by a brown dog. And he was lost.

Trade and public exhibitions rely on a strong network of organisers, designers, builders and exhibitors to create truly outstanding results. So what happens if the show organiser who is meant to um, like organise a show stiffs you or falls short on promises and commitments made? Hold the phone on calling a lawyer, you first need to Macguyver yourself out of the situation you have found yourself in. Here are 5 ways to do exactly that:

1. Trust you instincts

Normally if your exhibition organiser is a flake you get advanced notice early on. Calls and emails go unanswered, show plans and manuals are delayed from release and it all feels NQR. If you get this feeling of unease early in show lead up, start causing waves. It’s no good saying on site in an empty show hall “Well, I thought they had not done much show promotion”. These organisers have taken money from you for space in the show hall, you need to make sure that investment is honoured with the show organiser doing their damn job.

Motor Show blow out

2. Read the fine print

One of the major complaints with the Merecedes-Benz Fashion Week trade show was the organisers had promised access to 20,000 buyers that did not materialise. That totally sucks but my first question on hearing that promise from the organisers would have been “How are you going to do that?!?” I want to hear the strategies, the promotions and the tactics the organisers have planned to unleash 20,000 buyers on the fashion exhibitors. I’m sorry to blame the victim here but a cursory glance at the festival layout would or should have raised some alarm as it seems that the trade show was moved from the high traffic area of entry to the runway shows of previous years to some side pavilion. Once again, this is your money that you are investing in marketing to achieve more sales and that investment needs protection and a return on it.

3. Pre show hustle

Let’s say we assume the worst and your show organiser is a muppet and that the pre-show promotion they promised is dire. Regardless of how bad or (yay!) how good an organiser is, as an exhibitor you also need to share the heavy lifting in the exhibition promotion. Tweet it out, update Facebook daily with teaser alerts about what can be seen at the show, send “save the date” with a secret promotion to your email list, get some local media buy-in and even send that hand written invitation. The cost to market yourself and your trade event has never been so cheap but the offset to this low-cost entry is that you need to do the leg work to make it happen or outsource to your 14-year-old neighbour. And one tip? Send slightly more emails / invites / updates etc than you feel comfortable doing. People are pressed for time and there are many demands for their attention, so put it out there as your audience might miss your initial message.

4. Form your posse

I tip my hat to the Mercedes-Benz fashion week exhibitors who marched en masse to the organisers office to demand answers on why the trade event was so poorly attended. If you are feeling gyped, chances are others are too and as there is safety in numbers, the power of the complaint is amped by numbers.  One thing, though. Before firing up the crowd and recruiting other pissed off types to the cause…what are you actually after? It is no good just slapping the desk, stabbing the air with a pointed finger and raising your voice, you need a list of demands you can present the organiser with a time frame attached.

Fashion Week fracas

5. If you are waiting for the organisers to do something, you may as well wait for the magic pony to show

After your letter of demands has been nailed to the organiser’s office door and some random bin has been set on fire, assume they will do stuff all. For real. Time to get busy, hit social media ramping up promotions, discounts and specials. Design a simple flyer, commandeer the nearest photocopier and the distribute where the delegates are attending events or in the nearby cares where  everyone hangs as show coffee is shite. Hijack the courtesy bus and regale the captives with a witty tale and issue an invite to get themselves over to your stand for a VIP gift. Your energetic and financial investment is on the line. Get busy.

If you have a story where the organiser was a muppet or let you down bad, share in the comments section below. What did you do to turn the situation around?

Ok, so my song choice this week actually includes the line “when things head south, you got to McGuyver your way out of it”*

Hit it Pearl Jam!

See you next week!

* Most likely not but it still fits with the melody

What Singapore can teach the trade show industry

My trip to Singapore did not go to plan.  Rather than painting the town a nice shade of crimson and sinking Singapore Slings, I was sick, dammit.  The kind of sick that saps your energy and makes you linger in the dessert section of the room service menu.  At 7.15 in the morning.  Between sessions flaked in front of MTV and the “50 best R&B tunes of the 90’s”, I did manage to stagger through some parts of Singapore and I found it provided some key lessons for the trade show industry.

1. Forget projection, pump your coin into LED screens.

I have had a spate of clients wanting to use projection screens on their stands. And my advice is don’t bother.  There are too many factors out of your control like venue lighting, natural light within the exhibit hall (hello SCEC!) and the need to drop an expensive black ceiling above your stand.  Best direct your budget into LED screens where you can guarantee the outcome and vibrancy of the AV presentation.  The exit foyer in Gardens By the Bay totally this with interactive LED screens all set in a dark as night hallway.  Result!

Flower Gallery @ Singapore

2. Shock, and therefore awe.

Do you ever feel like you have seen everything and there is nothing new.  Yeah, this feeling partially inspired my trip to Singapore as I was hungry for new inspiration.  My first slack-jawed moment in Singapore cam when I entered the Cloud Forrest Pavilion and was met by this soaring man-made waterfall,spitting water and thundering through the vertical garden.  Well…WOW.  This is a potent lesson for your exhibition stand.  You have to work so much harder to break through and deliver the “WOW” moment as we have so many distractions on the trade show floor.  There’s my phone that’s ringing, I am trying to figure out where I get some water, I need to call this person by 2.30pm, I need to figure out what to have to dinner tonight that is NOT cheesecake and…do you see what I am saying?  This is just a slice of my thoughts at any one time (I took out the part where I think about marrying Dave Grohl and joining his band) and your trade show stand has to compete against this constant chatter as well as your competitor stands.  So for the love of all things hairy, STAND OUT by being different, being a freak, zigging where other zag, showing some emotion and just being AWEsome.

Cloud Forest @ Singapore

3.  Ye olde, not mould(y)

One of the most visited sites in Singapore is Raffles.  My take on this is it represents a time when Singapore was at it colonial peak, a time that has passed but looked on with curiosity.  It represent old world-class, secret rendezvous, hand-held embroidered fans and wafting cigar smoke. In a time where Singapore is seriously pushing new architecture boundaries with unique shapes and forms, Raffles still attracts the crowds, if only because its reputation.  Your trade show program could tap into old world hospitality like Raffles has done.  You could serve high tea (not the ubiquitous coffee) on your stand, you could offer comfortable seating or a concierge to deal with small errands that delegates need taken care off.  You could do what you say you are going to do and follow-up on stand enquiries.  You could offer such amazing and non skeezy service on the stand your company becomes known for its fully dialled in trade show staff.  We all get wistful about times that have passed especially in service levels…can you imagine the response if an exhibitor focussed only on providing the best service, no excuses, on the trade show stand?  That, would be something indeed.

Raffles @ Singapore

4. Touch is underused in the trade show industry

Settle, now.  Looking through my happy snaps I realised that I took lots of photos of textures while in Singapore.  From the smooth orb of the Art & Science museum, to the cubes on the Ticket Box Office, to the drunkards path timber pattern on the School of Art, I just got wild about textures.  I think texture and the sense of touch is shockingly underused in the trade show industry. Yes, touch screen technology is being increasing used but why are so many stands consumed by the roll coat paint finish where there are so many more attractive and surface techniques that scream “touch this” to be used.

Retail Wall @ Singapore

If you have had a trip open your eyes to a new way of working or ideas you could apply to your industry, I’d love to hear about it in the comments below.

So with spending a fair whack of time listening to R&B tunes of the 90s while eating layered mousse cake (excellent healing properties BTW), I re-discovered this slice of whackness.  Pull on your shirt with shoulder pads and let’s do this!

See you next week!