Keys to Finding Lost
Exhibit Components
Problem: To save on drayage costs at a small show in Las Vegas, one
client shipped a 10-foot portable and product samples to the convention hotel. The client figured they would then wheel them
to the show themselves.
The client arrived at the hotel the
day before the show opened. The display
was there, but the product samples (which had been shipped separately) were
nowhere to be found. Since they only had a couple of hours to set up the display,
they decided to take care of that first. In the meantime, the hotel was to keep looking
for the product samples.
At the exhibit hall, they began to
unpack the display. Unfortunately, the
client found they were missing one key piece, the booth header. This header was
the only company ID in the booth, and it was a necessary structural component.
Without it, the back-wall graphics wouldn't stay up.
The packing invoice showed that the header
had been shipped separate from the rest of the booth. Why? No one seemed to
know.
Solution: First, they called us. We said we would try to track down the missing
header in time for the show. As a
backup, I called the exhibit manufacturer's Las Vegas dealer and asked if they
had any headers in stock. Unfortunately, the answer was no. But they did say
they could mock-up a header that would "do" for the one-day show. Our client gladly accepted
The hotel also ultimately located the
missing product samples. Since our
client has a last name, where a portion sounds like a first name, they were
holding the product samples under a wrong name
Bottom line, our client made it
through the show unscathed. The
replacement header did the job, and they also had products to give out. We suggested to our client that they never
ship their exhibit to the hotel. Hotels frequently
misplace things. Also, security issues
prohibit some hotels from receiving certain suspicious packages.
Retainable Promotional Products
The
promotional products industry is probably one of the most misunderstood
industries in the world where billions of dollars are wasted each year.
Fact:
"Nothing beats promotional items for having your targeted message reach a
designated recipient on a repetitive basis." Unfortunately, manufacturers,
distributors, and customers make fundamental mistakes every day when selling
and buying promotional items. One of the biggest problems is that buyers too
often try to sift through over half a million promotional products available.
Purchase
decisions are based on what others use ineffectively or on what they like. We
as marketers live by one simple philosophy: "It's not about us it's about
you." The reality is that 1% of the products offered make up 70% of the
purchases and it is these tried and true items that work for one reason. They
get re-used over and over.
Giveaway
Means Throw Away
Most
"giveaway" items should be re-named "thrown away". They items are not used and retained. This simple
fact decreases your exposure and actually raises your cost per impression. Our recommended promotional items have the
highest retention and re-use rate giving you the most value for your dollars.
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