Optimize your shipping logistics

We are all concerned with the rising costs of shipping so here are a few tips to help keep them at bay.

Are you planning ahead to move your trade show displays or are all your shipments last minute rush shipments? Rush shipments usually means the fastest mode of transportation is required. Faster means of transportation equals rising costs. While everyone understands the trade-off of the higher rates of air travel against the financial gains derived from providing the service, on time; still many of you have expressed an interest in keeping costs down.

By planning ahead, labeling your displays and skidding, you give your logistics company ample lead time. Often they are looking out for your best interests and will determine the most efficient and cost effective way to ship your freight, taking into account all the indicated parameters.

A Smash Hit Displays want to curb your shipping costs. In order to do so, we inform our customers of the typical turnaround time needed for a trade show display order with or without graphics. But, sometimes we customers just need the items sooner than later. Whatever the time parameters, we do whatever it takes to save our customers expedited shipping costs. But, taking the time to plan ahead will allow them to be the ones in control when it comes to shipping logistics.

VOIP Outside the Box

VOIP outside the box. How about trade show displays outside the box?

A Smash Hit Displays try to think and act outside the box when confronted with questions from customers. Answers to those questions typically point our customers in a different direction than they would have originally chosen. Why, because sometimes it is a refreshing point of view from someone outside your 'companies sandbox' that bring your marketing, or advertising efforts into clear view.

For a one of a kind graphic element in your next display or a display atypical of the pack give our site a look. We are here to make a difference in your trade show life and take your old display out of the box

Laying the proper trade show groundwork

Trade shows are effective for many reasons. One main reason is key prospects are all under one roof and they're eager to see what you have to offer. Further, those prospects have the interest, need and made the time to look at your products or services.

Most who exhibit are so convinced about the benefits of exhibiting at trade shows. Rhonda Abrams, author of the attached article, is equally convinced. In fact her newest book, "Trade Show In A Day," is designed to help entrepreneurs exhibit at trade shows effectively. Here are a few key excerpts for trade show success:

1- Choose the right show.

First, recognize the different types of trade shows: shows for consumers versus shows for industry insiders; tabletop shows versus shows with booths; and expositions for buyers versus educational confer-ences.
Before you book a show, get a list of past exhibitors, either from trade show management or from the trade show's Web site, call a few and ask about the nature and number of attendees at previous years' shows.
Develop a pre-show promotion plan.

2- About 75 percent of show attendees plan booth visits before the show starts; you want to be part of their plans. Before the show, invite people to visit your booth. Send an e-mail, make personal calls, develop promotional incentives. Pre-show promotion increases your chance of having visits from qualified leads.
Choose promotional materials wisely.

3- Attendees come to trade shows to gather information. They need something to take home with them to remind them about you. If you keep your materials minimal and easy to carry, you'll meet attendees' need for information without burying them under a mountain of paper.
Make your booth inviting.

Make your next trade show effective by utilizing the resources available at A Smash Hit Displays. For a great selection of custom trade show displays, superior graphic design, or just answers to your questions please call or take the time to view our site.

Treating those in wheel chairs with common courtesy at trade shows

Another nugget from the Julia O'Connor quarry of trade show articles. This one talks about the hard work endured by attendees who may use a wheelchair.

For some, the chair may be new and temporary but for most attendees, it is where they live. Julia offers a few suggestions for making life easier for everyone on the floor. If you are planning to attend a show soon it would be well worth the few minutes needed to peruse her article to fully verse yourself on these worthy suggestions.

1. Honesty is the best policy. Those folks in the chairs know that they are in the chairs. It’s your responsibility to make them as comfortable in your space as any other visitor.

2. These days, wheelchairs are smaller and allow more mobility. Watch out for them as they zip around the corners and scoot out of elevators.

3. It’s important to maintain eye contact, as with any visitor, but rather than hunching over, pull up a chair so you’re both at the same eye level and have a normal conversation.

4. Just as people with vision problem may have a person with them as a guide, so too may people in chairs.

A couple of my best friends are confined to wheel chairs and it constantly amazes me when I'm in their presence how others will do exactly what Julia warns against. Human nature is hard to overcome but if you are duly prepared you will be less apt to look and feel like and idiot and just treat these people like everyone else. Because they are; they just happen to view the world from a different perspective.

We at A Smash Hit Displays view the world through a multifaceted prism when constucting displays for customers. For it is the 'winning' display that works against the flow, grain, current to set itself apart from competition. To embrace such a feeling of display graphic satisfaction unmatched in the industry... simply give us a shout.

Games Games Games: Trade Show Style

For those crazed gamers who don't know, the Games Expo will be in Vegas this year so book your flight! Games Expo 2007 wil be held at the South Point Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas March 18-22, 2007.

Games Expo is primarily focused on non-electronic games- a thriving entertainment sector. Exhibitors at Games Expo will announce their new products for 2007 plus annual programs.

Personally I don't understand the craze but understand its a big money indsutry.

Big money is what A Smash Hit 'Display' makes for its customer. Those who are smart enough choose A Smash Hit Displays for their trade show pop-ups, backlit displays, panel systems, or banner stands not because they are American made products but because they know they will receive excellent customer service and the best damn graphic ideas in the industry. To that end, because their displays separate themselves from the pack they make more money. For at a trade show the display's main goal is to attract more attention and people... period.

Fiefdoms do not equal gold

A new article from our ally Julia O'Connor which is part fairy tale part non-fiction.

Her fairy tale tells the story of three Knights and how they affect the "land of trade shows". There were the Knights of Marketing, Sales and Exhibits.

The story talks about a King wishing to participate in a Royal Market Event which the three Knights vied for position and glory.

Learn more about how the story ends by taking a few moments to visit our site.

A Smash Hit Displays try to bring our customers trade show fairy tale happy endings. That's easier typed than done. In order to have happy endings there has to be an open line of communication offering understanding of our customers immediate needs. Custom graphics and state-of-the-art trade show dispalys always help that cause.

Displays of Luxury: Arab Furniture

What will probably become the world's largest furniture and decoration accessories trade show will be held this year in Dubai. For those in the industry, be aware there will be even more competition on the horizon. What does that mean for the average consumer eventually lower pricing? It's inevitable.

The following article has little to do with trade show displays other than the furniture display show that will be held in Dubai will dwarf the shows here in the states before long. Along those same lines, the trade show display industry, specifically pop up displays have gotten entirely too competitive and its due to the importation of cheaper product combined with people who don't understand how to market product correctly.

Coming from a sales background I was always taught to price your product at what the market would bear. Meaning price it competitively and as high as possible. That mantra works well with little competition but as competition gets fierce eventually most people get nervous and start to drop their drawers when it comes to price. So, the same knee jerk reaction is adopted in our industry sadly.

Smash Hit Displays take pride in our competitive nature. In order to combat the price issue we offer greater information to questions posed from our customers, as well as, top-shelf custom graphics, and direction for those who need a little hand holding.

Tips for bringing your event to Life

Our buddy Susan Friedmann has posted yet another good read concerning event planning. An event planner's job doesn't stop with the meeting in the company boardroom. Organizing an employee appreciate event, an awards dinner, a product launch, the celebration of a company milestone, a gala recognizing a longtime employee's retirement, might be some of the duties heaped onto your back.

One key to a successful special event is to seek out entertainment or decorations that are unique and fun to spark conversation among guests. As you begin envisioning your event, picture the mood you want the environment to create. You should determine whether you want to create a jubilant, celebratory atmosphere or one that is more serious. The ambiance you aim for depends a great deal upon the type of event you're having. If it's a product launch where you want to create an aura of enthusiasm and excitement, you'll likely lean toward an exhilarating atmosphere. If you're organizing an event for your employees and their spouses, perhaps you want the mood to be somewhat romantic.

The following is a partial list of tips that will help you shape and enhance the atmosphere with the entertainment, decorations, and food you choose.

1. Think outside the box when planning the atmosphere at your event.
2. Create a fun, interesting, and exciting ambiance using special stage settings, lighting, special scenery, music, ice carvings, flowers, centerpieces, candles, etc.
3. Vary your decorations depending on the type of event you're throwing and the venue you choose.
4. Check all decorating plans with the venue in advance since many have restrictions on what they allow you to do in their establishment.

A Smash Hit Displays charge our customers with the common task of questioning their event facility to find out what is and is not permitted at their shows. For some shows are more stringent than others. Gathering vital information can separate you from the pack when it comes to showtime. Should you require booth-separating consultation on graphics, different displays, booth set-up, then look no further.

9 Tips on how to make your conference 'user friendly'

Ran across the following article a few months back and bookmarked it. Having a booth at a trade show is a good way to meet prospects or position your company in its industry context, but becoming part of a user conference will involve your customers and prospects in a peer-to-peer community -- a 'marketing/tip' club.

Attendees aren’t just coming to meet your company reps; they’re coming to meet each other. Still, it can be difficult to show the return from such an event.

The goal of a user conference is to build relationships among your customers that hinge on your brand. This is why it’s so important for vendors to be proactively involved with their user conferences. Combined with the company’s own conferences and participation in third-party events, this makes for a lot of marketing potential, but also a lot of marketing outlay.

A Smash Hit Displays attempt to bring the many facets of a company together when preparing for a trade show. Such preparation leads to the purchase of trade show displays such as backlit walls, fabric tension displays, truss systems or even custom displays. The result depends on the information gathered in the preparation period. Should you need the expert guidance for your next show look no further.

33 Tips for using Teleconferencing for your next trade show

The following article was written based on businesses preparing for future meetings. You can easily apply these tips to not only meetings but trade show displays. As part of the pre-show planning and preparation, you may find well find yourself having to hold teleconferences with your suppliers or members of your team around the country or world to elicit information which will benefit your companies' brand and booth space.

Like those next business meetings, trade show planning and preparation is the key to success. However, it's obviously not possible to plan all the details especially for last minute or emergency meetings. The following teleconferencing tips and guidelines should be kept in mind before your next show date. Please take a moment to read the article in its entirity should you desire to read the remaining tips.

Advance Planning
1. Make a list of all attendees and check that they're availability on the date and time planned.
2. Check with the service provider you choose if they require a reservation and if so, how much notice do they need.
3. Decide on the options you will use for your call. Will it be dial-in or dial-out? Do you want it recorded? Once again, your service provider will give you guidance in these areas.
4. Contact all participants and give them the date and time of your show.

A Smash Hit Displays attempt to school our customers on advance planning for their shows. Some of that planning includes fact finding, company wares, and brand identity. Those are bundled into eye catching trade show graphics to place on their banner stands, backlit walls, or pop ups.