The goal of every exhibitor is to initiate contact with potential clients and continue to build relationships with existing clients. Offering a few of your non-core products at or below cost will attract the interest of potential clients who may not have otherwise been interested in your company. The concept of selling a product at or below cost to attract more new customers is foreign to many business-owners, and it certainly won’t work for everyone, but using a loss leader can be a great trade show marketing strategy.

When you sell a non-core product at cost, you leave your client with the impression that your company is price competitive in every area of business. When they suddenly find themselves in need of your core products, they will assume that you are the cheapest because your loss leader was so cheap. This perception needs to be reinforced in reality (i.e. you need to actually sell your core products at competitive prices) in order to keep the client happy with your company.

Here are some things to consider when selling products as a loss leader:

• Your products should be related to what your business actually does. If you primarily sell office furniture, you could offer a few office accessories at or below cost. You want to avoid selling your core products at or below cost so that you do not confuse your customers and devalue your brand.
• Your loss leader product should require little or no customer support after the sale. If you’re already selling a product below cost, the last thing you want is a customer service nightmare when the products break or become damaged weeks after the sale.
• If your company does not keep detailed financial records, you will never be able to make an educated decision about when and if you can use a loss leader in your trade show marketing program.

If you choose to integrate a loss leader into your program, make sure it is well advertised at your event both on your trade show display and in your exhibit literature. If you forget to let people know about your special, you cannot properly evaluate its effectiveness on your target market.

Electricity at trade shows is billed based on your actual usage. Many exhibitors are shocked to learn the cost of electricity, even if it was advertised in the exhibiting agreement. Personally, I don’t know the difference between a watt and a volt, but typically exhibit electricity is billed by wattage, and here is the wattage used for a number of common power consuming appliances (thank you Exhibitor Magazine):

• TV: ~50 watts
• Sound System: ~75 watts
• Computer: ~400 watts
• Fax Machine: ~60 watts
• LCD Projector: ~300 watts
• DVD Player: ~50 watts
• 50-inch Plasma: ~500 watts

If you have to pre-order your electricity, always order more than you need. It would be disastrous if you ran out in the middle of your event.

In yet another move to offer better service and value to our customers we have dropped the prices on most of our literature stands for the second time within the last month.   We now have savings of up to 40% off list price which could save you as much as $87 per stand!  We realized that the literature stands are virtually indestructible, easy to use and never have customer service issues so we can afford to drastically cut our prices and offer better savings to our valued customers.

Literature stands are a great addition to any display.   Popular stands like the Reveal 1 Literature Stand collapses down small enough that you can store the stand in your display case with your display if you use something like the 10ft Standard Graphic Popup.

Please browse our more then 25 literature stand options for the one that suits your display and budget needs the best.

In addition to offering the most versatile and affordable trade show lighting solutions on the market today, MODdisplays offers premium light bulbs that work with our lights. Take a look at our selection:

Many of our customers, and justifiably so, are concerned  about unforeseen added costs to their display purchase.  We have come to realize that many of our competitors are not straight forward about pricing.   They will advertise a banner stand that looks great but upon further investigation the price doesn’t even include the graphic.

MODdisplays has from the beginning tried to avoid cheap gimmicky tactics to attract customers.  Our prices online are turnkey.  The displays and banner stands include the hardware and graphics as depicted.  Every banner stand comes with a padded carry bag and almost all of our displays come with hard shipping cases.   Even our Standard Popups and Exhibit One displays include lighting.

And as of the first of the year we have offered free graphic design, a service that cost $75 to $150 per hour with other companies.    That is correct, free graphic design with any display or banner stand.  We don’t even charge rush charges.  Basically we have taken out every unforeseen variable when it comes to shopping for displays.  The only cost you will incur is shipping and shipping cost are at an all time low.  Shipping most 10×10 displays across country is only about $60 and you can ship a banner stand for less than $20.

Just for reading this post we will offer you free shipping.   Use the coupon code “FREESHP” in the checkout for free shipping.  So you can purchase a display online and recieve free graphic design, free shipping and no rush charge.  You will simply pay the advertised price to get the product in-hand with custom graphics, no extra charge.

People often contact us about our popup displays concerned about durability since they have a rigorous show schedule.  They love the ease-of-use of popup displays but are concerned about the quality since they will be taking the display up and down often and be shipping it around a lot.  While the Standard Popups work great and are durable, the VBurst is going to be the best option where this is concerned.

The VBurst is built with durable reinforced aluminum tubing that locks into place with steel J-hooks.   However the best part of the display is the graphic which is printed in the dye sublimation process on durable polyknit fabric.  Not only do the graphics come out vibrant because of our high-end 8 color process print but the graphic itself is machine washable.  Yes, that means you can actually throw the graphic in a washer.  The graphic is also tear, fade, wrinkle and fire resistant.

The other great part is the graphic stays on the frame, so you simply set the display up in a matter of seconds.  The graphic is simply Velcro-ed to the frame so it is easy to take off the frame for easy graphic updates or cleaning.  The VBurst is available in all sizes, including the table top versions, and offers added accessories such as lights and cases.  And the VBurst collapses to less than half the size of a traditional popup for easy handling and cheaper shipping.

Modern trade show exhibits are almost always outfitted with multimedia components such as monitors or speakers. Adding multimedia and internet connectivity to your trade show booth makes sharing information quicker and easier than ever, which has dramatically increased the profitability of trade shows for companies that do business online.

There are a number of different uses for multimedia at a trade show, and your exhibit space should be oriented in a way that functions best for your needs. If you want to use the internet to share private pricing lists or provide a brief glimpse into the members only section of your website, you may want to put your computer in a more private location to avoid snooping from competitors. If you want to share a marketing video to relay information about your products and services, you would probably want to have your computer in a prominent place to attract attention from passing visitors and attendees. Think carefully about how you plan to use multimedia and let that determine the way you organize your trade show booth components.

When incorporating multimedia into your trade show display, you should be careful to ensure that your multimedia components do not overshadow your exhibit. Monitors, demo stations, and computers should be accessible, but should not obstruct your sales staff from engaging visitors and attendees. Visitors should feel welcome in your space, not crowded and disoriented. Purchasing a trade show display that is designed to hold monitors and manage computer wiring is a great way to make sure that your multimedia has a prominent place in your exhibit without taking up valuable real estate.

Many exhibitors make the mistake of improperly lighting their trade show displays in a way that detracts from the appeal of the multimedia. It is always a bad idea to have harsh exhibit lighting directly shining on your monitor, as this will cause unwanted glare on the screen. If your presentation is hard to see because of improper lighting, visitors and attendees will quickly lose interest and move to another exhibit to find what they are looking for. Lighting your monitor from above is always a good idea, as this draws attention to your multimedia without creating a glare on the screen.

When using multimedia, be sure to correctly adjust the volume to avoid problems with attendees as well as neighboring exhibitors. Many shows strictly regulate the volume of your presentations for the sake of nearby exhibitors, so be sure to read up on the rules before planning your demonstrations. It is also important that your sales staff be able to effectively communicate with visitors and attendees. Your booth staffers should never have to struggle to speak over the sound of your multimedia, as this will make your potential clients uncomfortable and will detract from the overall feel of your trade show booth system.

Using multimedia in your next trade show exhibit is critical if your company deals online in any way. Building a good web presence and effective online marketing material is a great way to show attendees that your company is highly professional and willing to keep up with changing market demands.

About the Author:
Andy Keeler is the President of MODdisplays, a leading provider of portable trade show displays and trade show booths. If you’re shopping online for Exhibit One displays or XRline displays, look no further than MODdisplays for your exhibiting needs.  MODDisplays can be found online at:  http://www.moddisplays.com.

Every year thousands of new and improved products are launched across the United States. The vast majority of those products go unnoticed by the broader marketplace, which results in reduced sales volume for manufacturers and unnecessarily limited options for consumers. So what can be done to ensure that your new product gets noticed by the right people?

A successful product launch typically requires a detailed marketing plan that includes the creation of marketing material for retailers, timely press releases both in print and on the web, email marketing,  and strategic trade show marketing. When these elements combine, your product launch can quickly gain traction and generate revenue for your company.

Before initiating a marketing campaign to launch your product, you need to make sure that your product is completely finished (please note that “finished” does not mean “perfected”, as no product will ever be perfect). Your prototype should be fully functional, and the design and development process should be completely finished. Creating a marketing campaign for a completed product is much easier than creating a marketing campaign for a half-completed product.

The first step toward launching your new product is to create marketing material for retailers. Take numerous photos of your product from every imaginable angle. Make sure you have a number of photos of your product in use, as this instills confidence in your potential clients. Choose a name for your product that is unique and memorable, and write a number of short descriptions that could be used in brochures or pamphlets to market the product. Design your packaging, making sure to keep it consistent with the other products your company offers. The more work you do for your retailers, the more likely they will be to sell your product.

Once your marketing material has been created, it’s time to announce the arrival of your product. Writing a press release is a great way to get your product in front of thousands of readers. Your press release should be worded as a sales pitch, and you should be careful to be concise yet thorough when writing about your product. Be sure to mention the name of your product in the title of the press release, and link the press release to a website for your product or your company website (provided it prominently features the new product).

Email marketing is another great way to get your product in front of your target audience. If you already have an email list of the important figures in your industry, you have an advantage. If not, you can often find email addresses by looking through the website of a recent industry trade show. Your email should quickly and concisely educate your readers on the new product you offer, specifically focusing on what makes it different or better than other products on the market.

The final step in your product launch is to exhibit at an industry event. Getting your product in front of your target audience in person is a great way to convince them that you offer a quality product at a good price. You will need to reserve a trade show booth and purchase an exhibit. You may also need accessories such as trade show lights or booth flooring to help highlight your product and set yourself apart from other companies. Careful placement of your exhibit lighting can highlight your product without overshadowing your company’s brand.

Once your product has been successfully launched, your work doesn’t stop there. Continue to hone and refine your marketing material, and your investment will pay off.

About the Author:
Andy Keeler is the President of MODdisplays, a leading provider of portable trade show displays and trade show booths. If you’re shopping online for Exhibit One displays or XRline displays, look no further than MODdisplays for your exhibiting needs.  MODDisplays can be found online at:  http://www.moddisplays.com .

If you are looking for a clean, modern trade show display system with a wide variety of optional accessories, the Exhibit One system is right for you. There is an entire catalog of add-ons and accessories that were designed specifically for Exhibit One displays, which means that our system can meet your needs no matter what type of experience you are trying to create within your booth. Our Exhibit One Literature Holders are designed to fit in well with the other components we offer, which will allow you to create a uniform look.

As you can see in the image above, there are front mount aluminum literature shelves as well as side mount aluminum literature shelves. Either of these literature shelves can be incorporated into your booth anywhere you see an aluminum extrusion. The cold, industrial look of these literature shelves works well with modern companies looking to generate a clean, modern feel.

If you have any questions about our Exhibit One Literature Holders, give us a call at 877.MOD.EXPO or email sales@moddisplays.com for more information.

Interlocking tile trade show flooring has many advantages over traditional roll flooring. In the past, exhibitors would buy flooring in one large piece (10′ x 10′), and roll the flooring up to store it in a case. There are many problems with this type of flooring, and interlocking soft carpet flooring is a much better solution.

The most obvious advantage is the savings in shipping. Interlocking carpet tiles break down into much smaller cases, which allows you to save money when shipping your carpet via UPS or FedEx. Roll flooring must be shipped in large cases such as the SmartPak, which can cost hundreds of dollars to ship across the country.

When your roll flooring arrives at the trade show, it will always retain at least some memory from being rolled up in shipping. This means that the corners of your booth will always curl up slightly, which is a very unattractive feature that can be easily avoided with puzzle flooring. Puzzle flooring ships flat, which makes curling a thing of the past.

If you damage a part of your roll flooring, you must replace the entire 10′ x 10′ section, which will cost you a small fortune. If you damage a part of your puzzle flooring, you only need to replace the damaged piece, which is much cheaper. Although interlocking soft flooring is relatively durable, the trade show environment will almost always produce damaged items, and it is important to know the replacement cost before you make an investment.