July 18th, 2010
Trade shows can be exhausting. You’re constantly “On” and networking to meet other people, see specific booths, and either sell your product or buy the products of others. Usually when a trade show is held in a big city it can be difficult because they tend to be on a large scale over the course of a few days. In the case of Las Vegas, it can be a true test of will.
Before heading to Las Vegas for a trade show, make sure you read up and are prepared. Going in prepared is half the battle. Know the booths you want to check into, know the people you want to make sure to meet and discuss with, and also the costs of the products you will be seeing. Don’t make the mistake of reading the materials on the plane ride over, or you’ll miss out on a lot of key money saving tips.
At the very least, come up with a plan at least 6 weeks ahead of time.
Don’t waste your time on collecting business cards. You just wind up going back to your hotel room with a pocket full of cards of people you won’t be able to remember their names. As part of your strategic plan you should think of the key people in your industry to meet with.
Pick the right team. This goes a long way when you’re heading to Vegas for a trade show. Pick workers that will go there to work and not slack off and go enjoy the amenities. Las Vegas is known as Sin City and America’s Playground for a reason. It is home to casinos, fine restaurants, 24-7 bars, the most notable shows, and the best events. It is very hard to resist temptation, especially when you’re there for work. Try to give yourself some time to enjoy these things, but definitely in moderation.
So when going to a trade show in Las Vegas, keep it in mind that its just like any other. Do your homework and be prepared!
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June 20th, 2010
When you’ve got a trade show coming up, it’s pretty hard to differentiate yourself from the competition. Trade shows have hundreds of business all vying for the attention of those walking through them. We’ve talked about how to grab attention with colors or unique fonts. We’ve even talked about the different kinds of wall hangings, ceiling displays, table displays that you can have. But up until now most of those suggestions have been in 2D displays with something like posters and hangings. What about 3D displays?
There are hundreds of different types of 3D displays that you can use at a Trade Show, and that’s half the fun. You don’t want just some boring table with information right? You want something like this cool graphic board that advertises not only outwards, but has the ability to have things placed on it’s 3 different flat levels. Or you want something like these movie cases that are in the shape of characters that people know and love.
There are no limitations when it comes to the size, shape, color, and structure of your POP display. In fact, the more creative the better more often than not. The trick is to be relevant. Know your audience, and your space requirements as well. You don’t ever want to walk into a place with a huge cardboard cutout and have no where to put it!
Try and see a space before you have to actually go in and set up to know what you’re working with. If there aren’t any huge limitations, let your creativity fly!
Tags: brand identity, color theory, creative, custom display, design, display, fonts, metal POP display, point-of-purchase, point-of-purchase display, point-of-sale, POP, POP Display, product marketing, Trade Show
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May 31st, 2010
You’ve got a huge trade show coming up. You’ve got all your materials ready to go. You’ve got great display cases in a variety of shapes, sizes colors, heights, widths and are generally prepared for whatever this trade show might throw at you whether you’ve got a large or small booth or don’t even know what you’re walking into until you get there. You are pumped!
But people aren’t coming to your table.
They aren’t altogether that interested in what you’ve got.
They look quizzically at your product and walk away.
What could you possibly have done wrong?
Well, odds are it was your content. If you are selling a product, you want to entice and engage people to come to you and ask questions. It is up to you to get them to ask more about you and your business.
First – lets look at your graphics. Can they be seen from a distance? Are they using complementary colors to make the words pop? Are the fonts appropriate for your business AND easy enough to read?
Next – lets look at your sign placement. Are you standing in front of it so people can’t see? Is it low in front of your table where people walking won’t see it in their line of vision? Is it small and on the side of your table/booth? Maybe you’ve placed it too high up and no one sees it? The art of Feng Shui is not lost here – know where to place things for optimal vision.
Lastly – lets look at the wording of your signs. Questions are a great way to get people interested in what you’re selling because they want the answers. They want to know how you can help change their lives. Your customers have to sift through so much material at a trade show (and elsewhere) that if they can read through your signs and get the general idea, then why would they bother stopping? Do not place too many words at the same time you shouldn’t place too few words. It is very much a balancing act. Offering free items and letting them know about this kind of giveaway is also a way to draw in people. Contests are a great idea too. One of the best things you can have is some kind of spinning prize wheel that allows your customer to engage and have fun.
So while having the greatest materials may be a giant step in the right direction, you want to make sure your content on signs and displays makes you and your product go the extra mile. Know how to interest people, draw them in, and make them interested. Good Luck!
Tags: brand identity, color theory, creative, custom display, design, fonts, point-of-purchase, POP Display, product marketing, retail display, Sales, typography
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May 20th, 2010
When you have a display – it can be any size, shape, color, height, or width and it can be a tall standing board, or hang from the ceiling or over a wall at a trade show. The possibilities are endless.
But what do you put on the specific display? *That* is the most important thing. The words, the colors, the sizes, the fonts – they all matter. There’s a lot of psychology that even goes into it. Recently, the re-branding of certain companies has seen many logos go from capital letters to lowercase letters. Why? For example, AT&T. A few years ago they consumed Cingular – which was a very popular cell phone company amongst young adults. It was all orange, and had a fun logo that was a paint splat that looked like a person. When AT&T merged, they assumed the orange and mixed it in with their blue, and lower cased the letters at&t. Lower casing has helped them to stay “fresh” because that’s what the younger generation likes. It seems relaxed, fun, and not overly controlled. Hard to believe all of that comes from just a different font, right?
This website came out yesterday – that is a really fun and interactive ebook on fonts from A-Z. Take a look and see what you could throw onto a display to make it “POP” more than it already does.
Just this week, Google even opened up 18 fonts that can be used on line. If you have any digital displays you can now incorporate these fonts into things that people are already accustomed to.
Typography is important be it on line, in paperwork, and displays. Catch someone’s eye. Be creative. Use fun fonts!
Tags: brand identity, color theory, creative, custom display, design, fonts, google, metal POP display, point-of-purchase, POP Display, product marketing, Trade Show, typography
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May 1st, 2010
There are a number of ways to advertise your product and all avenues must be considered. When you first sit down to think about your marketing, you have to think about online interests, store marketing, press releases, social media, contests, commercials, and so many more options.
When you get around to thinking of your displays, which kind of display is perfect for you? Which style is going to set your brand a part from everyone else? What’s the difference?
Pop Up Trade Show Displays
Large scale posters and stalls that help attract your customers’ eye as they walk around a Trade Show. These will help frame your booth and arrange your area in such a way that will draw positive attention to your product.
Hanging Displays
These can be used in a few ways – they can just be large posters you place on a wall permanently, or they can be things you use for trade shows, or moving sales shows. A Hanging Display is also a case that will hang over a wall or a Pop Up Display.
Hanging Exhibits
This type of display is easily transportable, and can be hung over a cubicle wall, can be framed, or it can actually be hung from high above from the ceiling. Ideally is is a rather large sign that hosts company name and information drawing attention to where you are located on the floor.
Counter Top Displays
These are exactly what you would expect. They are generally eye level and are visible in the general area of a person. Generally these are best used in retail stores and are perfect Point of Purchase (POP) for that last minute impulse buy. The average customer will always peruse them while they are waiting in line for the cashier.
Digital Menu Board Displays
These are relatively new, and would be found most in places like a restaurant, but they are meant to increase sales and visibility. Menus are the perfect item for this kind of display and they can be easily changed whenever they need to be.
Whether you are a retailer, a trade show traveler, or work for restaurants – you must always consider your key audience and location. The type of display you need will follow suit once you sit down to think about it.
Tags: custom display, display, metal POP display, point-of-purchase, point-of-purchase display, POP, POP Display, product marketing, retail display, Sales, Trade Show
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April 16th, 2010
We are sitting in a time where you cannot rest on the laurels of yesterday. You cannot brag about your achievements from last year. You cannot hope to show off shiny awards, and hope that all of this will bring you rewards tomorrow.
Displays, Marketing, Social Media all have to be living in the future. What is amazing and innovative today is tomorrow’s old news. Continue to do what you’ve been doing, and cultivating those networks and markets, but constantly improve as well.
Have you run reports lately on your demographics? Do you know what the kids these days want? What are the newest fonts & graphics that will gain attention? Has your website been redone within the past year or two? Do you run any social media Analytics programs on your sites or blogs?
If the answer is no to any of those, you’re already behind the curve and potentially losing business. If you don’t want to invest in social media, but are curious how it could augment your company’s marketing, hire a consultant as a one time fee to see what there is to be done and if it would be worth it.
Explore all options, keep on top of research, and always be aware of the newest trends. Your business will thank you for it later.
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April 1st, 2010
How fast do you walk? I suppose the answer to that depends on your destination – are you casually window shopping and perusing what stores have to keep in mind for later? Or are you walking at a fast pace to quickly get somewhere? What are you noticing as you walk by? Regardless of a customer’s speed, the average glance lasts 3 seconds and that is all you get to catch attention and bring customers into your business.
Everyone is a consumer at some point, and all final shopping decisions are made while the customer is in the store. A clear visual representation is everything.
Know your brand and know your customers. Lets say for example, a working mother is in a mall shopping for herself, but she walks by a certain window display featuring a baseball field scenario. The images will now spark her memory and she will remember her 10 year old son needs a new baseball mitt for his upcoming little league season. If that display had not been in the front of your store, she would not have entered.
Now, think of where in the store you would place this mitt. Would it be by the checkout counter? No. Place the mitts/bats/clothing/etc. somewhere near the back of your store. This way the customer now has to walk through other items before getting to what she came in for. Perhaps while this mother is buying a catcher’s mitt, she also thinks to herself her son could use new protective pads, or a hat, as well, because they’re right next to the mitts.
It doesn’t end there either. As the customer is walking to the front of the store to purchase these items, place the impulse buys within arm’s reach while they wait. Socks, mouth guards, sweat bands can all be last minute additions to a customer’s purchase.
All because you had a creative, eye catching, POP display in your store’s window front that triggered a woman’s memory regarding things her son needed, you have now made a rather hefty sale. You have maximized your appearance and maximized your sales all in that 3 second glance.
Tags: attention, creative, display, merchandising, POP, POP Display, product marketing, retail display, Sales
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March 17th, 2010
Creating a great custom POP display takes a little bit of research in your niche and consumer base. What’s your market research? Success and building blocks are based upon this preliminary and essential step. Understand consumer trends within your market. What makes consumers want to, well, consume? There are loads of research on consumer spending, trends, and why we buy what we do. Learning the overall big picture about branding and marketing, and then honing in on your specific niche market will help your POP display sales and business.
Your customer base is not all you should be concerned about. Market research on your competition will also help when strategizing for custom POP displays. Who is your competition and what are they selling? How are they doing it?
Case Studies
Doing a case study of your competitors as well as your customer base is a great strategy for market research. How you research affects how your sales, and custom POP display sells. Case studies can be done by focusing on a particular product, brand or competitor and their specific branding, advertising, campaign or sales technique to better understand the implication of the campaign and their strengths and weaknesses. What worked and didn’t work?
Focus Groups
Focus groups work well for new products before they go out to the market. This researching technique is done by asking a group of people on their feedback, thoughts and perceptions on a product, service, packaging, advertising, or even a custom POP display.
Questionnaires
Questionnaires or surveys are a great chance to find out what customers think about a product or service. It can be conducted through a company website, direct mail, telephone, or other forms of marketing and is fairly easy for a customer to do. The less time-consuming an activity is, the more likely you will get feedback, especially if you tie in cash incentives for the questionnaire or by adding in a sweepstakes contest and offering prizes.
These are three ways in which to do market research to help with your custom POP displays. Research as well as interactivity with the customer through surveys and focus groups are a great start. Keep your eyes out for trade organizations and publications in your field.
Tags: custom display, point-of-purchase, POP, product marketing, retail display
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March 4th, 2010
When customers walk into a store, they are immediately bombarded by brands. Various products of all shapes and sizes greet them and scream “pick me, pick me!”; each vying for their attention. Even just looking at a brand increases purchasing probability by 30-120%. Up to half and two thirds of purchasing decisions are made at the point of purchase. When brands compete for your attention on the aisles, point of purchase displays elevate a brand by increasing its consideration to consumers, thereby impacting your purchasing decision.
What’s Your Brand?
Establishing a good brand identity and displaying your brand in point of purchase displays adds to the customer appeal. Your brand identity should be easily recognizable to the public and have good brand awareness for working the point of purchase display’s selling point. Brand identity is a good tool to selling your product, and with point of purchase displays, bringing your brand up to the forefront of purchasing decisions gives upper hand advantage. Make sure customers know your brand identity. Communicate your identity through packaging and point of purchase display materials. In a saturated market, lots of products exist to compete for attention. Your brand identity has to stand out and stay on top. Brand positioning in consumer’s minds should put your product above others. Designing the right package and look to fit your brand’s message and coordinating point of purchase display materials will give your product visual appeal that customer’s will take notice.
Custom Displays
Dolin Display offers custom POP displays that help your brand get noticed. End of the aisle displays, in particular, can really attract the attention of customers and Dolin Display can help customize your custom POP display for any location. Whether you’d like to dazzle people with your product at the end of the aisle, at the cash register, or as an island, Dolin Display would like to help with your custom POP displays.
Tags: brand identity, custom display, merchandising, POP, POP Display, product marketing, retail display
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February 16th, 2010
Point of purchase displays, in essence, glorifies your product, making it stand out from the rest of the consumer options by keeping it separate. Shopping is overwhelming enough with all of the choices out there, why not set your product from the rest by having a point of purchase display?
Since point of purchase displays show a product in a nice fashion, POP displays have huge purchasing power. Customers are willing to pay what they see and value as a better product.
The Impulse Buy
The impulse buy most commonly happens at the counter during check out. You may feel compelled to buy something you didn’t think you wanted or even need, such as chocolate, lip balm or a magazine.
Counter POP displays are limited to smaller merchandise but can add up for extra sales. Many people buy as impulse shoppers and displaying your product where it is convenient will give your sales the extra advantage.
Floor stand POP displays are meant to be displayed independently and on the floor. You can choose metal materials, polymer, etc. Choose between a rotating or non-rotating display with a three-dimensional quality of all four sides. This can be placed anywhere in the vicinity of a shopping area and can act like an island of merchandise.
The power of point of purchase displays adds to your overall marketing strategy by appealing to impulse shoppers and thus increasing sales. Choosing the ideal display is up to you and your brand, your product and where you feel your product would strategically shine.
Tags: custom display, metal POP display, point-of-purchase, point-of-purchase display, POP
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