Triangle tips discovered through one company’s experience:

In the world of Museum Design, education, creativity, and budget can often collide in a Bermuda triangle of sorts. Many of our incredible museum clients have creativity and quality educational content that are in danger of disappearing when the budget numbers enter the trio.

It has also been said that one can:

Design something quickly and to a high standard, but it will not be cheap.
Design something quickly and cheaply, but it will not be of high quality.
Design something with high quality and cheaply, but it will take a long time.

This triangle is often referred to as the Triple Constraint or the Iron Triangle and is familiar to most project managers, if not by name then at least in practice. So how does a museum or company deal with these triangular traps?

I’d like to introduce you to a third triangle designed to contend with the latter two. It’s what we humbly call the ADM Triangle. The ADM Triangle works like this: Applaud the creativity, Determine the priority, andManage accordingly.

For example, one of our favorite clients has currently contracted us to fabricate a futuristic Moonbase exhibit. The content is fascinating, the team is incredibly creative, and with an unlimited budget the sky wouldn’t be the limit (pun intended). As with so many projects, we’ve had to employ the ADM Triangle to avoid the triangular traps.

Here’s how that looks using our Moonbase example:

1. Applaud the Creativity. If you are working with a creative team or clients, allow them to brainstorm as if there were no budget constraints. We may not be able to ship a guest to the actual moon, but talking through what would happen if we could afford to, can provide insight to details that could otherwise get overlooked. Sounds and aesthetic embellishments that are not expensive can give authenticity to the experience.

This concept can be applied to any business experience. Think of your ideal, non-budget-restricted dream, and work backwards incorporating as many elements as you can.

2. Determine the priority. Once the brainstorming is done, begin an “if/then” process with your client and really listen. Oftentimes the creative process has made them passionate about certain things and more willing to let other things go. A talking robot might be cool, but a driving-on-the-moon rover experience might be cool and reach multiple educational goals simultaneously, therefore taking preference.

In the business world reaching ten target market clients might offer better results than a mass reach to hundreds of unknowns. Sometimes you don’t know until you make only one the priority.

3. Manage accordingly. When your goal is to have high quality, competitive pricing, and reasonably quick turnarounds, the Iron Triangle can be a menace. However, within a project pieces can be broken down and managed with two triangle edges in mind building up to the third. An interactive space game, for example, might be costly and take a while to program, but the quality could be enhanced if the designer is given leeway to reproduce the template and/or graphics for other games in the experience.

In other words, look at the Iron Triangle as a balance scale and decide which way it should tip to ensure that quality, timeliness, and budget effectiveness are all represented on some level.

It is a rewarding process when creativity, education, and budget requirements can complement each other instead of competing. We’ve found great success managing projects for our clients by helping them prioritize their needs and explore creatively. We’d love to hear from you and we will keep you posted as we journey to the moon and back again.

Blog (Exhibit Insight)

7 Money Saving Tips For Shipping Your Next Trade Show Display

2012-10-25 exhibitinsight

1. Remove old address and carrier labels. If you have multiple labels on your pieces, then a freight handler may not know which one is the current one to be using. Freight can be sent to the location that you just shipped back from if it’s not perfectly clear which label is providing the current address or shipping info.

2. Pick a reputable shipping company that specializes in trade show shipping. There are some shipping companies that do not understand trade show freight. Often, they inflate their promises without an understanding of crucial procedures like driver check-in times and waiting until the freight is released post show. These mistakes can be costly. You may end up paying twice what you originally budged when your freight is forced to be shipped by the show coordinators because your shipping company didn’t follow proper procedures.

3. Retire old cases and crates. Don’t make the mistake of thinking your crates will make it to one more show before you have to replace them. Don’t guess! If your crates and cases are even a little iffy, spend the money and have them replaced or properly repaired. The shipping industry, including the show’s freight handlers, are very rough with your items. They don’t care that you have glass and TVs in those crates and it is marked “fragile”. If you have any doubts…replace it!

4. Clean out the clutter. Don’t ship items that you definitely do not need. If you don’t need that counter at the show don’t ship it. Once you label your crates as empty to have show services take them away, they treat them as “Empty”. Meaning they are stacked with the hundreds of other crates from the show. Often on their side or even upside down. You don’t want your items rattling around in there getting damaged. In addition, extra weight can lead to increased material handling fees.

5. TVs need special cases. Buy the special AV cases for your TVs. Just keeping them in the box does not protect them the way they need to be protected. The box contents become compromised quickly. Buy the top loading cases; side loaders may be opened the wrong way and your TV will fall out on to the floor.

6. Follow up. Follow up on your freight. Call and get a “Proof of Delivery” (also called P.O.D.) Make sure it was delivered to the correct location. Did it arrive on time? Who signed for it? Make sure that the carrier has the correct information for picking up. If you are not going through a display house who is managing shipping and setup for you, find out if the carrier will give you the driver’s phone number. This way, you can call him and make sure he arrives on time for check in.

7. Make sure to palletize all loose and miscellaneous items. Items are much more secure that are offloaded on a pallet. If your items are not on a pallet, the show will charge you more to offload and load them. Don’t pay extra fees when you don’t have to.

Blog (Exhibit Insight), Branding, Marketing

Plan to Get Your Advertising Money’s Worth

2012-10-02 exhibitinsight

story You have a something to offer. You have a message. You have a marketing budget. Now it’s time to do some media planning.

In choosing media for your promotional efforts, a very important consideration is how well a particular advertising vehicle will reach your target audience at a level that will allow the investment pay off with increased sales.

Generally, you will be considering the following vehicles:

Television
Radio
Newspapers
Electronic (e-newsletters, broadcast e-mails, pay-per-click, Web banners, etc.)
Magazines (consumer and trade)
Outdoor billboards
Public transportation
Yellow Pages
Direct mail

Do more than simply “count noses” in the medium’s audience. Start with a general demographic profile of your customer base, then evaluate all the advertising media in your market to see how well represented those targeted individuals are among the medium’s viewers, listeners or readership. (The media sales reps should be able to provide such demographic information about their audiences.) Calculate how many impressions you’re likely to get for your advertising dollar and determine how the various advertising vehicles stack up against one another.

For example:

Newspaper: Readership 100,000
Readers who are likely potential customers: 10 percent
Full page ad: $10,000
Cost per potential impression: $1

vs.

Targeted Direct Mail: Mail to 10,000 homes
Recipients who are likely potential customers: 95 percent*
Total cost (postage, design, printing, etc.): $8,000
Cost per potential impression: $0.84

These dollar figures are only part of any equation. Take a look at what your successful competitors are doing as well. And naturally, if you’re working with an advertising agency, strongly consider what they have to say on the subject.

Once you have a “winner” from among the advertising media, try to come up with an effective plan for that vehicle alone. Frequency is key. Typically an average of three or more exposures to an advertising message is necessary before consumers take action. Make this your minimum baseline marketing plan. Don’t ignore your “gut instincts” either.

Next, and as your budget allows, plan to have “spikes” in your advertising during the weeks just before consumer activity is likely to increase, or when you feel the time will be right for promotional activity. You can either “double up” on your primary advertising vehicle, or complement that messaging through another fairly effective medium (based on your preliminary analysis). Remember to maintain adequate frequency for the secondary advertising vehicle as well.

Depending on how large your budget is, you can repeat the process with two, three or four different advertising vehicles — first laying down a “primer coat” of advertising and ratcheting up your marketing on top of that during special times of the year.

This layering gives you flexibility. Because your frequency levels are set high enough to give a medium a fair chance, you needn’t hesitate to later divert funds from an underperforming ad investment to another advertising vehicle in subsequent months. Most importantly your message is re-enforced and all-around effectiveness is enhanced.

Tracking the results of your advertising is critical for future media buys. Though an initial assessment may suggest a lot of bang for the buck for a particular advertising medium, reality may show something very different. Constantly refine your advertising campaigns and experiment with the various media. Given some time and thoughtful analysis you will see your advertising investments pay off with big dividends.

*This completely depends on how good your mailing list is.

Links for this subject:

Media Planning

Media Buying and Planning Calculators

Contributing Author: Ginger Reichl Pinstripe Marketing

Blog (Exhibit Insight), Branding, Marketing

Branding: The New Small Town. Seven tips to make it work for your business:

2012-06-12 exhibitinsight

These are the days of lightning fast technological and sales innovations. The tiny pet supply store that once serviced a small town is now able to ship its boutique dog collars nationwide. A simple two-click search can yield a page full of product and service reviews on a prospective vendor. We can compare prices, styles, designs, ship times, all with the click of a mouse. The era of small-town, know your salesman’s name, conventional shopping is over. Or is it?

Even with modern innovation, provider loyalty is significantly high these days. Major contributor: company branding. Branding allows any size company to evoke emotional and intellectual responses by creating consistent experiences for their customers. Larger companies spend millions of dollars each year purposely aligning every aspect of their business with the values and qualities that will make them stand out from their competitors. It has paid off significantly. So how does a smaller company without a multi-million dollar marketing budget benefit from this practice? It’s easier than you might think. Here are seven branding tips that can be applied to any size and any stage of business:

Branding is certainly worth your time and effort. The most successfully branded companies understand that relationships are key when attempting to develop client loyalty. Proper branding builds trust and evokes an emotional response from a current or prospective client.
Think past the logo. Branding is much more than logo affiliation and recognition. Coca-Cola is not selling cola; it’s promoting happiness. Apple is not selling technology, it’s selling intelligent design, and well, coolness. Nordstrom doesn’t just market their business as an upscale department store; they market themselves as exceptional service providers. Consider making a list of how you want to be known and remembered by your clients and make that as much a guidepost for your image development as the product or service you are offering.
Store layout IS part of branding. Whether you have multiple offices or you are a one-stop operation, the layout of your space can send very specific messages about who you are and what you represent. Disrupted flow and mismatched design can imply that your company is disorganized and inconsiderate. Put the time and effort into researching the “feel” of the space you desire and consistently duplicate this feel in all spaces, including trade show and travel booths.
Branding is much more than expensive marketing materials. Don’t be put off by what you might perceive as high cost marketing items. Keep in mind that the purpose of branding is to evoke a consistent emotional experience. Office dress code and mandatory customer service procedures can be just as impactful as expensive campaigns.
Everything is brandable. These days anything can be branded. Company vehicles can be wrapped, websites tweaked, t-shirts, cards, and other print materials can all be produced with similar style and content. If you can dream it, you can brand it. Think outside the box. Make a list of anything and everything your clients will come into contact with and apply the principles of your desired image.
A little research goes a long way. Take advantage of the research already out there. Look at businesses both in your industry and out that have the reputation you would like to be known for. Pay attention to their imaging, environments, printed materials, how they handle customer and employee relationships, how they dress, how they communicate to their consumers, the types of advertising they select, etc. A shipping company with a reputation for caring about details might have some marketing concepts you can use in your business even if the industries are different.
Custom work can actually save you money in the long run.Enlisting the help of a design expert can keep your company from having to reinvent the wheel. Marketing experts have experience on their side. They know what works and what doesn’t. They can help you find a style and template for your brand that you can utilize across the board.

Blog (Exhibit Insight), Marketing, Sales

Making the Scene at Trade Shows: Like other “meet markets” some are looking for a connection at trade shows

2012-05-13 exhibitinsight

Trade shows are commonly understood as bazaars where exhibitors attempt to reach new customers by promoting their products or services via interactive displays and face-to-face conversation. These events are frequently huge and elaborate gatherings and every booth is striving for that “wow’” factor. With perhaps thousands of visitors, each of whom is a potential critic, participating in a trade show can be daunting for the inexperienced vendor. It may help to realize you’re probably already familiar with the basic mechanics.

You see, trade shows are the epitome of “meet markets.” Like the other variety, some people are looking to make a connection, some people are looking for a good time and some folks are just looking. As a seller, you’re obviously hoping to establish long-term business relationships. To that end, be sure to take along your confidence. Before they can believe you’ll be a good provider, prospects have to sense that you believe in yourself.

What’s great is that you have reason to be confident. You know the industry, you understand the issues that potential customers face, and you speak their language. But if you think about it, you’ll see that faith in yourself goes deeper than that. This is your career; the path of professional fulfillment that you’ve chosen because you have something worthwhile to offer.

Now that you feel good about yourself, let’s examine a few steps that can lead to taking new business home from a trade show.

Look your best – Your physical appearance will be a combination of your booth and the employees you’ve chosen to man it. The effect you want would best be described as “dapper” and approachable (e.g. neat, professional and visitor friendly). Demonstration items and collateral material should speak to the needs of your target audience. Elements should convey the tangible benefits of your products or services. Everything and everyone needs to be consistent with your established brand image and help reinforce your company’s value proposition.

Break the ice – Free promotional items are a trade show staple, the equivalent of “may I buy you a drink?” Little giveaways tell attendees that you’re interested in making their acquaintance, but don’t go crazy buying useless junk. If an item isn’t something you or your employees would appreciate, chances are that prospective customers won’t care for it either. Also when choosing an arsenal of freebies, see if you can meet an immediate need. For instance, if the site has a shortage of refreshments, you might consider offering bottled water with customized labeling. And don’t forget to offer your visitors a well-branded gift bag to carry whatever they get from you. They will find it handy, not only for your goodies, but things from other vendors as well. As they wander around, these people become walking ads for your booth.

Get beyond the small talk to show you have something in common – When selecting staff to represent your company at a trade show, you’ll look first to your most personable extroverts. That’s a good first step, however, your staff’s business knowledge is every bit as important to making a successful trade show appearance as a knack for hospitality. Once past the warm greeting and the friendly smiles, your representatives should be able to fully engage visitors about how your solutions will solve their problems. (By the way, it’s okay if someone says, “My current provider doesn’t understand me, but you do.”)

Beware the trade show lizard – As visitors to your booth size up your company, do the same to them based on pre-established qualifying criteria. Some people just like to talk. No disrespect, but don’t leave a good prospect unattended as you devote your time to someone who’s not your type. Have a plan for politely sending such people on their way to meet a better match … somewhere else.

Did you get the digits? – The purpose of trade shows is to meet a lot of people you would like to see again. That will be hard to do if you don’t know how to reach them. There are a couple of ways to do this. You can be straightforward, and ask them to provide their information. Or you can be more subtle and have them register for some kind of prize and secure their phone number or e-mail address that way. Regardless of how you attain a prospect’s contact information, be sure to follow-up within a couple of days of the event.

Not everyone you meet at a trade show is going to be Mr. or Ms. Right Prospect. But one thing is certain … you’re much more likely to find someone nice at a trade show than you will by sitting alone at “home.”

Contributing Author: Ginger Reichl Pinstripe Marketing

Blog (Exhibit Insight), Marketing

Your Best Customer is the One You’re Already With

2012-04-05 exhibitinsight

You’ve probably seen the commercial. A young man is having lunch at sidewalk café with his very pretty girlfriend. As she’s talking to him, two lovely young women walk by, distracting the fellow to the point of leering. The girlfriend texts him a message calling him a pig.

The TV spot is funny because … well men are pigs (some of them anyway, and some women too!). Of course, most of the people reading this article would never behave so atrociously. We would never fail to appreciate the wonderful person we’re already with. Or would we?

How much attention do you devote to your existing customers versus prospects? It’s very easy to become so focused on new business development that we ignore the great catch right in front of us.

No one likes to feel unappreciated, but rather than sending you a nasty text-message, that customer will more likely decide to finally take that sales call from one of your competitors. And where does that leave you but frantically “wining and dining” a new prospect to bring a new business relationship to the level of the one you just lost.

The good news is that your customers know you have other clients. Our business relationship vs. dating analogy only goes so far, and rational people understand this. Most estimates are that the marketing effort necessary to retain a customer is only about 20% of that needed to land a new account. Why not resolve to give your current customers at least that minimal amount of attention necessary to keep them satisfied and feeling “loved.”

Now you could assess your marketing budget and say one in five dollars needs to be devoted to existing clients, but it may be just as effective to look at the issue from the standpoint of hours rather than hard currency. Devotion doesn’t have to be measured in cash.

If you think it may be time to put the spark back in your existing relationships, here are a few tips presented as phrases that you’re probably familiar with. (And you’ll notice they aren’t costly at all.)

“How was your day?” Find out what’s new with your customers’ businesses, what changes they’re experiencing, and what trends they see. You may find an opportunity where you can help (or know someone who can – see below).

“You were on my mind.” Reach out to old clients you haven’t heard from in a while. It’s possible they’ve found someone new, but it’s more likely they just haven’t required your services. Ask them the same questions as those directly above to find out what is going on in their worlds. You’ll be surprised how often you hear, “I’ve been meaning to call you.”

“Let’s go out on the town.” For those of us in sales, we spend a lot of time at networking events. Ask your clients to join you and introduce them to the people you know. Networking isn’t always about what you can get, it’s also what you can give. Give the gift of new connections, and your clients will never forget it.

“This made me think of you.” Books, magazine articles, blog entries … there are likely dozens of things you read on a weekly basis that could be of interest to your clients. Pass them along.

“Have I told you lately …” We purchase a lot of goods and services in our daily lives — for work and for business. When was the last time you were thanked? A sincere ‘thank you’ or a handwritten note goes a long way.

As long as you are in business to make money it would be ridiculous to “stay true” to just one customer. Unfortunately, what’s expected is even tougher. You need to remain true to all of them. Love the one you’re with.

Contributing Author: Ginger Reichl

Blog (Exhibit Insight), Marketing

The Ripple Effect: Keeping Your Eyes on the Pond

2012-03-15 exhibitinsight

The explosion of social media has permanently changed the way we look at marketing. Rather than casting a net of advertising messages with the hopes of capturing a prospective client’s attention, marketing specialists are focusing on ways to influence buyers by influencing the climate in which buyers are making decisions.

Companies are no longer looking to simply brand themselves, they are looking to develop corporate personalities that potential customers can relate to and interact with. Large corporations are finding social media to be a platform with which to communicate their personal, relatable side while smaller companies are finding that social networking can expand their reach exponentially.

So, what are some ways to optimize this ripple effect?

Whether you are reviewing your overall marketing strategy, or simply developing and evaluating graphics for a tabletop display or banner stand, some questions to ask would be:

How does my overall marketing strategy fit into the current political and social climate?
Are my businesses’ displays, trade show booth design, and printed materials in line with the political and social preferences of my target demographic?
Who are the customers/companies that influence the buying decisions of my prospective client? Does my message and method target them as well?
Whose voices and opinions do my ideal customers trust and how do I get those voices to relay my message?
What are the specific concerns of my potential clients and who/where do they go to to look for solutions? Do my methods reach this extended demographic?
Is this particular graphic/message persuasive enough to motivate the viewer to share it with others?

You invest a lot of time, money, and energy in your advertising “stones”. It’s time to incorporate some ripple thinking and extend your marketing reach. Remember, your ideal customer might be just a stone’s throw away.

Author: exhibitinsight

The Making of a Moonbase and the Dilemma of Triangles