Do you struggle with what to have for your promotional giveaways?  Having custom playing cards for your custom exhibits is a great idea.  Jason Arakelian of The 1 Eyed Jack blogged about his Hero Decks being a good promotional giveaway at trade shows.  In his blog about using custom playing cards as part of your thank you strategy, he said,

“I know people that have the same deck of cards in their kitchen drawer for the last 30 yrs.  That being said when I give someone a deck of cards as a thank you, I know they keep it, use it and remember me whenever they use it. Playing Cards bring people and families together.”

Your message, constantly in front of people, over a long period of time – isn’t that the perfect strategy for promotional giveaways?  If you want some other trade show strategies for custom playing cards, read Novelty playing cards are trade show magic.  There’s even a Go Green idea!

Tell us how you have used custom playing cards for your custom exhibits.

I think I’m psychic!  Are you a skeptic?  TSEA confirms trade show budget cuts for 2009 by 17%.  Having looked into my crystal ball a week ago, I posted Creative imaginations avoid trade show industry casualties, and showed how you can cut your trade show budget and sacrifice NOTHING!  Based on the survey numbers, that sacrifice is $78,100.  What are you going to have to cut?  Would you rather sacrifice nothing?

The survey also states that 51% do not provide trade show training for their staff.

Those who don’t train say they face budget issues, timing issues as well as even push back from their management.

More psychic proof is found in post Cost conscious trade show training.  It sure is odd that

Sales from leads (67%) and total number of leads (62%) were the most frequently cited ways exhibitors measured their success at a show.

Wouldn’t you do better if you trained your staff?

According to the survey, trade shows will get 1/3 of 2009 marketing budgets.  Why?  Because trade shows are still very important for generating leads and closing sales.  We are here to help you get the most out of your budget; to tighten up your trade show strategy; and to provide functionally designed custom exhibits for your trade show success.

My psychic powers are tingling.  I think you’ll be calling.

Are your exhibit booths aesthetically pleasing?  Are your exhibit designs providing measurable revenues?  The business model at The Moran Group is to provide aesthetically pleasing and functional designs that go hand-in-hand with your overall marketing, sales and trade show strategies.

Seth Godin, author of Purple Cow, posted Return on Design.  In this post he talks about how design can have a negative impact:

If the design actively gets in the way of the story you tell or the utility you deliver, you lose money and share.

Godin also talks about designs that have no impact.  You may have aesthetically pleasing custom exhibits, but they have no effect on sales.

So what is your story?  What is your core message? This is where brand consultants maximize your trade show exhibit booths ROI.  In Stop qualifying leads and start qualifying you, messaging expert, Rita Coco states that we need to

…capture the value from your prospect’s point of view.

…done right, they will have already chosen you… this significantly reduces the time and effort required to close sales.

Godin ends his blog with this, and so will we:

Knowing where you stand and where you’re headed is critical.

…skimping on design is plain foolish.

Are you thinking about pulling out of a trade show or drastically cutting your trade show budget?  Do you feel like there are no other options?  Mark Wilson, VP-Corporate Marketing at Sybase had this to say:

One of the many casualties of this market has been the conference and trade show industry. …this industry had better get creative quickly.

…Despite the tightening of overall budgets and cutbacks in travel, ensuring customers and industry players are current on your offerings and well-trained on your products is of paramount importance regardless of an up or down economy.

As a trade show exhibit booth designer, here are some of the creative ways we help to keep you in front of your customers:

- Outsourced construction reduces bloated overhead costs.  It also allows us to use our expertise in choosing the right manufacturer for your custom exhibits or portable trade show displays.
- Outsourced storage reduces bloated overhead costs.  We now focus on what is best for your trade show strategy.
- Reducing your trade show budget by 15% – 20% by nearly eliminating overhead cost.
- Trade show display designs don’t just look good.  They are customized for your specific trade show strategy needs.
- A booth rental eliminates exhibit storage and maintenance costs.
- Satellite support staff available globally and virtually.
- Strategic partners that design and implement adjustments to your trade show strategy with a proven 50% – 600% increase in your qualified leads.
- Creative imaginations that make your exhibit displays stand out while protecting your buget.

What would it mean to your trade show marketing program if you could cut your budget by 15% – 20% today, and increase your qualified leads by 50% – 600%?  Would that keep you from pulling out of a show, and in front of your customers and prospects?

Don’t be a trade show casualty. Rationalizing poor trade show results MUST STOP!  Share with us the creative things that you are doing to avoid being a trade show casualty.