Trade Show Marketing Blog

As the spring trade show season winds to a close, there couldn’t be a better time to make sure all of your exhibiting components are in good working condition. MODdisplays is offering its deepest discounts of the year on trade show booths and exhibiting accessories in the month of May. If you take the time now to correct any problems with your exhibiting components and store your system away properly, you will be happy you did at the beginning of the fall trade show season.

The following is a list of promotions that expire on May 31, 2009:

Free Shipping on Alumalite Zero

When you purchase any Alumalite Zero trade show exhibit, receive free shipping using the coupon code “ALZSHIP”.

10% Off Xpressions Salesmate

Receive 10% off the purchase of any Xpressions Salesmate display when you use the coupon code “XSM10″.

Free Shipping on Table Covers

Using the coupon code “TCSHIP”, receive free shipping on any table covers found on our website. This coupon cannot be used in combination with any other coupons.

Take 10% Off All Counters

MODdisplays offers a wide selection of trade show counters. Use the coupon code “COUNT10″ to take 10% off any counter system on our website.

Free Shipping on Hero Tabletop Displays

Our Hero Panel Tabletop Displays just got more affordable. Receive free shipping on any Hero using the coupon code “HEROSHIP”.

Take 10% Off Any Hanging Sign

Take an additional 10% off any hanging sign on our website using the coupon code “HANG10″ at checkout.

Free 10 x 10 Section of Flooring

When you purchase any XRline trade show display in the month of May, receive a free 10′ x 10′ section of interlocking soft wood flooring in your choice of color. Call 877.663.3976 for details or email sales@moddisplays.com.

Take 10% Off Showmax and Showstyle

Using the coupon code “SHOW10″, take 10% off any Showmax or Showstyle tabletop display unit. These exhibits are perfect for exhibiting in tight spaces.

Free Lumina-8 Lights with 10 x 10 Xpressions Unit

We ordered too many Lumina-8 trade show lights, and we have to get rid of them. When you purchase any 10′ x 10′ Xpressions Display, you can get one free. Call for details.

Take 10% Off Any Burst Display

Using the coupon code “BUR10″, take 10% off any Burst Display we offer on our website, including our new Burst package deals.

If you have any questions about these promotions or would like to place an order, please call 877.MOD.EXPO or email sales@moddisplays.com.

MODdisplays is proud to announce the release of Alumalite Lineare exhibits. This unique system will compliment our already successful line of classic Alumalite displays. Every Lineare system we sell comes complete with a hinged, backlit header system and reflector panels to create a powerful graphic presence on the top of your booth. Instead of using feet (like the classic Alumalite displays), the Lineare uses returns on both ends of the exhibit for a more finished look.

In addition to traditional Alumalite accessories (such as monitor mounts, literature holders, and product shelves), there are a number of new accessories available with the Lineare system. The counter systems have been completely redesigned for a more sleek look and easier packaging, and the side panels can be customized with slatwall, which is perfect for hanging products or promotional items.

The basic structure of the Lineare exhibit system ships in two rotomolded, wheeled cases that are 51″w x 35″l x 15″h and weigh 150lbs. The entire system can be set up using only the tools provided, which means your company can save a lot of money on labor at your next event without sacrificing the look of a unique, custom trade show booth.

If you have questions about the Alumalite Lineare, please contact our helpful staff at 877.663.3976 or email sales@moddisplays.com.

Shopping for trade show displays and exhibit graphics has never been more affordable than it is right now. In addition to drastically reduced prices for 2009, MODdisplays is offering additional savings in the form of promotions that are valid through March 31, 2009. Taking advantage of these coupon codes and special savings can help you make the most of your exhibiting budget.

• Free shipping on hanging signs. When you purchase a hanging sign through our online store, use the coupon code “HS-SHIP” to receive ground shipping on your hanging sign at no cost to you.
• Free carry bag with any Xpressions tabletop display. When you purchase an Xpressions tabletop display, receive a free padded carrying bag for a limited time. Call 877.663.3976 to redeem this limited time offer.
• Free shipping on Entasi displays. Receive free shipping on any Entasi display by using the coupon code “ENTSHIP” at checkout.
• Free banner stand light with the purchase of any Expand banner stand. For a limited time only, receive a free banner stand light with the purchase of any Expand banner stand. Please call 877.663.3976 to take advantage of this special offer.

If you have questions about any of our promotional offers, feel free to call 877.663.3976 or email sales@moddisplays.com.

Visit www.moddisplays.com/promotions for updates on our monthly promotional offers.

• Free 10 x 10 section of soft wood flooring with any purchase of $2,500 or more. Trade show flooring is a valuable marketing asset at any convention or expo, and MODdisplays is giving flooring away with any purchases over $2,500. Any trade show booth looks better with well designed exhibit flooring, and our soft wood floors go well with almost any style of trade show exhibit.
• Free shipping on any trade show case. MODdisplays understands that shipping trade show cases can be a costly enterprise, but we’re willing to take the cost of the first shipment upon ourselves. Use the coupon code “CASESHIP” at checkout to receive free shipping on the purchase of any trade show case we carry.
• Receive graphic infill panels at no cost when you purchase an Exhibit One counter system from MODdisplays. Our trade show counters provide exhibitors with storage as well as a place to meet and greet attendees. Adding your graphics to the front of your counter allows you to further enhance your company’s brand at your next event.
• Free shipping case with the purchase of an Orient Banner Stand Wall with lights. When you purchase an Orient Banner Stand Wall and add a set of Lumina 2 trade show lights, your entire package will be shipped in a durable, rugged shipping case with wheels. In addition to protecting your banner stands and light fixtures, the shipping case will make transportation easier.

If you have any questions about our promotions, give MODdisplays a call at 877.663.3976 or email sales@moddisplays.com.

In light of the current economic crisis, companies are using cost-saving trade show marketing strategies to reduce their expenses. When marketing departments have less money to work with, creativity soars. Exhibitors are constantly looking for new and exciting ways to make the most of their shrinking budgets, which has led to a number of innovative marketing trends.

Social media marketing for trade shows has skyrocketed in 2008, and the future looks more promising than the past. Websites like Facebook and Twitter allow exhibitors to quickly and easily communicate with thousands of attendees in a matter of seconds, which means the flow of information at conferences is faster now than ever before. Social media will continue to flourish in the trade show landscape in 2009. Learning to use these valuable tools can drastically improve the return on your investment at your next event.

The sale of modular exhibits is on the rise. Companies are finding that they can save a lot of money by purchasing a single trade show booth that can work in a 10′ x 10′, 10′ x 20′, and 20′ x 20′ space. Although these exhibits limit your company’s ability to exhibit at multiple shows on the same day, it drastically reduces cost for exhibitors who register for fewer than 10 shows per year. Small businesses love modular display systems, because with these systems they have the flexibility to add components to their display system as needed.

Multimedia exhibiting is becoming increasingly popular at trade shows. A trade show booth without a monitor or some audio-visual components is an anomoly in today’s trade show climate. Even in 10′ x 10′ spaces, exhibitors are looking to support large monitors on the back wall of their trade show display booths. Supporting large monitors requires a durable, well-engineered structure. There are many display systems that meet this criteria, but not many can be shipped in a single shipping case that can be transported by UPS or FedEx.

Stay on top of current trade show marketing trends by reading our trade show blog daily. We regularly update our content, so stop by often.

The trade show marketing professionals at MODdisplays have years of experience with the design and development of trade show displays, and are intimately familiar with exhibiting strategy and best practices. In order to share our experience with our clients, we have begun to write trade show articles and post them directly to our website. The topics of these articles vary widely, but the overall goal of this new section of our website is to help our clients be better informed about the way trade shows work.

There are a number of articles already posted to this section of our website, and we have committed to adding more articles every day for the benefit of our clients and potential clients.

How many times have you found yourself bored out of your mind listening to a speaker at a conference? If so, you’re not alone. Over the past 5 - 10 years, more and more speaking positions at conferences have been given to “sponsors” (exhibitors who pay a premium to have time in front of visitors and attendees to the show). This is a great way for trade show organizers to make an extra buck, but it detracts from the overall experience for attendees. In the long run, I would argue that this practice will drastically decrease attendance and devalue the primary focus of any trade show, which is the marketing efforts of exhibitors put into their trade show booths and literature.

Event sponsors may pay $1,000 - $10,000 for the opportunity to speak to attendees, and they will certainly be looking for a return on that investment. As a result, speeches look more and more like live commercials. Attendees are interested in hearing informative speeches that relay information about the health of the industry, current industry trends, and what to expect in the near future. If you subject attendees to sponsor after sponsor who are relentlessly pushing their own products and/or services, they will quickly become bored and annoyed.

In order to solve this problem and keep attendees interested in hearing the speeches at conferences, it will take a concerted, collective effort on the part of show organizers to prohibit exhibitors from buying their way up to the podium. Speakers should be chosen on the basis of merit alone, not on the basis of how much money they are willing to shell out for a 10 minute long commercial. When speakers are chosen in this way, trade shows will be much more interesting for attendees. This may upset a few exhibitors out there who were used to buying an audience for their company, but they’ll get over it.

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.

A national moment of remembrance takes place at 9 p.m. US Eastern time.

Stephen Wynn, chairman and CEO of Wynn Resorts Ltd, recently announced plans to squeeze another exhibit hall onto the Las Vegas Strip. The new upscale convention center is still in the design phase, but preliminary drawings indicate that the new facility could be approximately 1.8 million square feet in area.

Sandwiched between the Las Vegas Convention Center and the Sands Expo and Convention Center, the new development will be positioned well to attract event and meeting organizers. The exhibit hall will take the place of the Fairways on the Desert Inn golf course, which is nestled just off the Las Vegas Strip near two of Wynn’s other properties (Wynn Resort and Encore Hotel and Casino).

According to plans outlined by Wynn at the companies first quarter earnings conference, the development will include two 2,600-room hotel towers, a man-made lake, and fountains (after all, it is Las Vegas). The hotel towers will be connected to the convention space by an underground transportation system, which will make the upscale convention center a convenient place to exhibit or attend a trade show.

There have been no announcements regarding specific dates for ground-breaking or completion of the project, but exhibitors and meeting planners are excited for the prospect of a new upscale convention center in Las Vegas.