Is the Recesion Almost Over?

Today the stock market jumped again bringing the DJIA to over 9200. Many economists are calling this market rally a sign that the recession will soon be over. There are also economists stating that the market will fall again, even lower than the 6500 low we hit a few months ago. What does this mean for a company struggling to increase revenues and market share?

It means you can't listen to anything the "experts" say. Every industry is dramatically different and an overall assessment of the economy can not determine the potential for growth in an industry. Look at the crippled auto industry. Ford is pushing through this rough time and has yet to accept federal stimulus dollars, while GM and Chrysler are on the brink of disaster. This is a great example of how effective management and cost cutting can improve your companies bottom line. Cost controls, effective marketing, and valuable employees are the key to maintaining a profitable business.

Investing in trade show displays for your next trade show could give your company the boost it needs to get out of a slump or move up to the next level. Smash Hit Displays specializes in helping companies realize their exhibiting potential with out spending every last dollar. Our pop up displays have been very popular lately due to the great value they provide to our customers.

-Matt
Smash Hit Displays, LLC

Trade Show Displays & Exhibits Improve Your Brand & Image

A long time ago, companies and business people would simply show up to trade shows with products for preview and their sales pitch in mind. Now, trade show exhibits are becoming a major part of these events and are just as important as the service or product that you have to offer. Consumers expect a professional atmosphere and an impressive showing of what you have to offer. How you plan for your next show can make the difference between faltering, and being hugely successful.

These days, there is a variety of companies that appear to trade shows; some make a major statement, and others simply show up with a table and a pitch. You need to ensure that you set your company apart by making a statement and providing an appealing marketing strategy at the event. You will see elaborate custom trade show exhibits to panels, pop-ups and environmentally friendly exhibits, you can showcase your company's services or products in grand style. Modular, backlit - there is such a huge array to choose from, you will have a tough time deciding what best suits the needs and budget of your company.

Also important to the success of your trade show displays are the design and details. When you represent your organization at these events, you absolutely want to be certain that your unique brand makes a statement and is easily recognized. Why attend if potential new clients or customers just walk on by, without a second glance? First impressions are often the last. You must catch the eyes of visitors, and create a memorable impression.

Ease of portability is also important, especially if you attend numerous trade shows. Long gone are the days of exhibits and booths that are a big hassle to put up, take down and transport. Also, many companies are creating trade show exhibits in accordance with companies desires for more environmentally friendly displays. If your company is eco-friendly, there are numerous options that will also help display to visitors that you are concerned about the earth.

Your trade show displays, booths and exhibits should blend perfectly with your brand. Often, dynamic designs and brightly colored details are a good choice, as they attract the eye of the visitors. You want to easily demonstrate your message and unique brand through every touch point of your company. Think of huge corporations that everyone world over easily recognize such as Coke or Nike - this should be your goal, to have everyone recognize your special brand at first glance.

If the results you get when attending events is not stellar, you need a change. To effectively attract new clients and grab the attention of every visitor who attends, maybe you should consider the trade show displays you use. It can make an astounding difference in the success of your next show!

Our company is getting a facelift!

At Smash Hit Displays we take great pride in our easy to use, customer friendly web site but we have taken it to the next step! We are getting ready to launch a new and improved web site that is more interactive and easy to use than our current site. We will not be offering a full line of green trade show products as well as all the latest trends such as Alumalite and Xpressions displays.

With shipping prices going through the roof, we will still offer free ground shipping on select items to save all of our customer’s money. We also offer a full line of lightweight, compact displays that are very easy to ship and can be carried onto airplanes.

The most impressive aspect of our new site will be the custom display section which will feature an expanding page of custom displays and options to customize a display to your companies needs. We will continue to offer great service and customer support as well as our popular pop up displays and banner stands!

Trade show performance

There are lots of ways to improve your team's performance at trade shows from snazzy new displays to intensive training to rewards and incentives for top producers. it's difficult to even count the myriad ways. But many of these trade show improvement methods come with hefty price tags.

Don't despair. There are many ways to pump up performance without breaking the bank. In fact, I've collected 27 low or no cost ways to improve your next trade show. Use these trade show tips to make your next trade show your best ever:

1. Research the trade show before you commit: Does it attract a large number of people from your target audience?

2. Give yourself enough time: Planning and preparation for a major trade show can take 12 to 18 months.

3. Involve top management in the planning process.

4. Send e-mail reminders to loyal customers and strong prospects before the show, urging them to stop by your booth. 5. Define goals and objectives for trade show participation. 6. Share these goals and objectives with your booth staff. They can't achieve your goals and objectives if they don't know what they are. 7. Plan for security as needed: you don't want expensive prototypes or demo models 'walking away'. 8. Brief your team on common trade show espionage practices and how to defend against them. 9. Send enough people to ensure adequate trade show booth coverage throughout the show. 10. Give each booth staffer a specific role, with job expectations clearly spelled out. 11. Stress the value of friendly greetings, polite manners, and appropriate body language. 12. Take the time to familiarize your team with the lead collection technology you'll be using before the trade show. 13. Make sure at least some of the people going to the show are prepared to answer technical questions. 14. Send friendly, personable people with a genuine enthusiasm for your company, its products and services. These may not be your most senior people: make your choices based on effectiveness, not seniority. 15. Check in with your team throughout the trade show to assess performance, reward positive behaviors, and stop negative trends before they get out of hand. 16. Establish a dress code for your staffers: They'll look more professional and act as better ambassadors for your company. 17. Don't forget the shoes, hair, and accessories: people notice the details. Manicures are crucial, as your team will be shaking hands hundreds, perhaps thousands, of times during the show. 18. Two words: Breath Mints. 19. Practice asking qualifying questions with your booth staffers. 20. Product demonstrations are a great way to draw a crowd: Make sure your team knows how to give an effective, engaging presentation by having them practice before the trade show. 21. If you are sponsoring entertainment, a speaker, or other event, make sure your team knows what to do during this time. From working the crowd to collecting leads, there's plenty they should be doing to promote your company's name and image. 22. Designate a 'go-to' person to act as a liaison with trade show management. The better your relationship with management is, the better your show experience will be. 23. That exhibitor's service manual the trade show organizers sent you when you registered? Read it: it's chock full of valuable information to help ensure a stress-free show. 24. Copy appropriate pages from the exhibitor service manual and pass them along to the relevant staffers: It doesn't help you to know when everything has to be broken down and off the show floor if you're not the person doing that work. 25. Order services ahead of time. Making deadlines = big savings. 26. Establish a follow up protocol for hot leads, promising prospects, and likely customers. Use this protocol to turn leads into sales. 27. Say "Thank You" to attendees for stopping by, to anyone who fills out survey information or participates in a demonstration, during your follow up calls.