THE EXPERIENCED EXHIBITOR             October 2022

SALES BUZZ

Stop Wasting Money Keeping Up With the Joneses 

Ann Dosen

During this round of Experienced Exhibitor Mastermind sessions, one of the questions we asked was, "When deciding which shows to go to for the year, do you consider whether your competition will be there?"


I'm happy to report that the companies we spoke with this time all said no, they don't follow their competitors around the country no matter the cost.


What do you think? I believe that if a show isn't delivering the return you expect for multiple years in a row - stop wasting your money! So what if your competitor is there? Double down somewhere else and stop worrying about your neighbor. We've talked about competition before - Sarah and I are not fans. Focus on your company - keep your eyes on your own paper. Don't get tricked into spinning your wheels or spending dollars on something that isn't working.

Do you attend shows based on whether your competitor will be there?
Yes
No

Annual Corporate Sponsorships


We have just opened up our sign-up and renewal period for our annual corporate sponsorship.


Each year we partner with 12 companies and offer them a unique marketing package including webinars, newsletter ads, featured emails, and much more.


We expect many of our current sponsors to renew, meaning we anticipate only having a few openings to fill.


If you would like more information, please email us directly at BeHeard@podiatrymeetings.com or click here to visit the webpage and complete the form.


MINDSET BUZZ

Using the Languages of Appreciation to

Motivate Your Team

Dr. Paula Rivadeneira was one of our speakers at the 2022 PodiatryExpo. She presented on understanding the "languages of appreciation", also known as the "5 love languages" to show your team members they are appreciated in a way that resonates with them. Watch the recording of her presentation to learn how you can improve interpersonal communication in your workplace.


Dr. Paula Rivadeneira is the professional Development Manager at Pima Animal Care Center, where she identifies potential leaders within the organization and develops strategies to help them reach their professional goals. Contact her directly at olddogsneedlovetoo@gmail.com

EXPERIENCED EXHIBITOR MASTERMIND

Last Chance to Participate in 2022!

The place where leaders, innovators, and people who

make things happen gather.


Our final session will take place this Friday, October 28th at 3:00pm ET. This is your chance to toss around ideas and talk about issues related to trade shows and exhibiting. 


CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP

Theme: Learning and adapting.


Topics to discuss: We've been back to mostly in-person meetings for over a year now. What have we learned? What ideas have we tested? What is different now than in 2019 and before? How has our budgeting and planning changed as related to trade shows?


Purpose of Experienced Exhibitor Mastermind: We collect data, surveys, feedback and ideas to share with podiatric conference organizations so they are able to make positive changes to their trade shows that will benefit both attendees and exhibitors. This project will NOT be a bitch-fest. The goal here is to come up with ideas and suggestions and give feedback on what works. If we simply hosted a complaint forum, that wouldn't benefit anyone. 


Special thanks to the Florida Podiatric Medical Association (SAM conference) and Kent St. University Continuing Education (August & November conferences) for their support of this project.


WHERE IN THE WORLD WILL ANN & SARAH BE?



Weil Foot & Ankle Institute Retreat | November 4-5 | Chicago, Illinois


Kent State Southeast National | November 17-20 | Orlando, Florida


Florida PMA SAM 2023 | February 2-5, 2023 | Orlando, Florida


We're looking forward to seeing you out there!


LOGISTICS BUZZ

A word about booth display design

Ann Dosen

Sarah and I have spoken with many companies recently that are redesigning their exhibit hall display. This is a great way to shake things up and test new concepts. Plus - a new setup and graphics will grab the attention of attendees in the exhibit hall. Here are our quick tips:


> Try pushing your table to the back of your booth space and stand in front of the table, rather than behind it, during the show. The open space is more inviting for browsers and doesn't make them feel like they have to step up to the "counter" to have a chat.


> Streamline your display to the newest or featured products in your catalog. Ideally, you will have less than 10 products on display. Attendees know that you likely offer more products and you can tell them all about them during your conversation. Displaying too many items at your booth is visually overwhelming and attendees subconsciously block out the entire booth.


> Display some of your lesser-known products prominently - this is a great idea especially if you don't have any new products to offer. As long as your company name and logo is highly visible so attendees know who you are, they will stop and chat if they don't recognize a product but are familiar with your company.


> If you are designing a new backdrop and everything, keep the design simple. Focus on your company name, logo, and brand colors. Keep words and product images to a minimum. Make it so that attendees can look at your booth and easily identify who you are. I've been walking exhibit halls at podiatry shows for over 10 years and I am dumbfounded sometimes when I am standing in front of a booth and can't identify the company.


Bottom line - keep it simple. It's tempting to want to give all the information up front so nothing gets left out but this is counterproductive.


PRO TIP - these same concepts apply to ad design. Fewer words. More impact.

PLANNING MAKES PERFECT
Effective Shows Take Time to Plan.
Use Our Calendar to Make Your Calendar.

A quick note from us

We get calls and emails every day asking for our thoughts on various topics related to exhibiting, from booth design, to marketing, to staffing, and which shows to go to. This Experienced Exhibitor publication was developed to help us share our ideas and experience with the industry. You can find all of our tips on our webpage here. In addition to this email, we offer Experienced Exhibitor Mastermind sessions throughout the year. Our calendar is a great resource when looking for a new show. You can also read reviews from other exhibitors about conferences. Finally, as if you needed another reason to join us - our sponsors can pick our brains any time they want. 

-Ann & Sarah

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
A round-up of exhibitor content from our recent publications...

Always say "yes" to a special event | August 2022 Newsletter


Click here to read.

Milk Your Meetings | September 2022 Newsletter


Click here to read.

Experienced Exhibitor | September 2022


Click here to read last month's issue.

Follow us on LinkedIn

for more news & updates!



@podiatrymeetings