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Posts Tagged ‘Social Media’

Measuring the Impact of Social Media Marketing: Free Webinar

Tuesday, May 21st, 2013

Measuring Social Media Webinar

MEASURING SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING

“Social Media Metrics: What To Measure And Why” will be the subject of a free webinar on Wednesday, May 22. It is intended to give business leaders perspective on the differences between social media marketing and traditional advertising approaches, and to provide them with an understanding of what data should be driving their analysis of the success of their efforts.

Tim Patterson, vice-president of Communication Steroids / Communication One Exhibits, says the information is timely and relevant. “We recently offered this presentation to a group of public relations professionals and got great feedback.”

The webinar will focus on the necessity of re-defining the importance of ROI in a socially connected world; and how results of marketing efforts can be quantified.

Roger Pike, a co-presenter also with Communication Steroids/ Communication One Exhibits says hard numbers are out there. “Nobody wants to invest time, money, and resources into a significant social media campaign unless they can get a handle on what that investment returns. There are tools to measure that return; with concrete numbers.”

The webinar is scheduled for Wednesday, May 22 at 10 am Pacific Time. Sign up is free at http://tinyurl.com/socmedanalytics. While the webinar is free, we do ask for some basic contact information to attend.

CONTACT: TIM PATTERSON 503-507-4110; tim@communicationoneexhibits.com

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Based in Portland, Oregon, Classic Exhibits Inc. designs and manufacturers portable, modular, and custom-hybrid exhibit solutions. Classic Exhibits products are represented by an extensive distributor network in North America and in select International markets. For more information, contact us at 866-652-2100 or www.classicexhibits.com.

Tags: Social Media
Posted in Mel White, Social Media | No Comments »

Excellent Posts on www.tradeshowguyblog.com

Thursday, April 5th, 2012

Social Media and Trade Show Marketing

Our friend Tim Patterson at www.tradeshowguyblog.com continues to amaze me. If you are fascinated about the intersection of Social Media and Trade Show Marketing, there’s no better source than his site. Here are some recent posts including one where he reviews his work with Classic Exhibits and EXHIBITOR 2012.

Case Study: Classic Exhibits and Social Media at EXHIBITOR 2012

“Starting three weeks before the show, we started posting short teaser videos. The videos slowly revealed the “Be Better” concept using a lighthearted investigative reporter approach. Getting the inside scoop from Classic was the main theme. They appeared on the Tradeshowmarketing YouTube channel, here on Tradeshowguy Blog, and on Classic Exhibits’ blog, Trade Show Tales. In addition, we posted these on Classic’s LinkedIn group and Facebook page. Almost immediately, traffic to Classic’s blog tripled.” [continue]

Social Networking and your Tradeshow

9 things I Learned from #EXHIBITOR and #ExpoWest

“Reflecting on the week I spent in Las Vegas and Anaheim in early March . . .

People are learning how to use QR Codes. Finally.
Video gets people’s attention. The various videos I posted on the YouTube Tradeshowmarketing channel got me recognized time and time again.
NetworKing is king. By hanging out with people I knew, I kept meeting more people that I may work with in the future.” [continue]

Why Don’t Exhibitors Return?

“After walking the floor at the Natural Products Expo West for a full day, it occurred to me that a number of exhibitors I had met and talked to the past couple of years were not here. Even though it’s huge show with thousands of exhibitors, and it might be easy to overlook them, that’s not the case: I looked them up on the show app and couldn’t find them.

They had vanished. Why? I wondered.” [continue]

–Mel White
http://www.linkedin.com/in/melmwhite
mel@classicexhibits.com

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Tags: Classic Exhibits, Exhibitor Show, Social Media, Tim Patterson, Trade Show Marketing, tradeshowguyblog
Posted in Mel White, Social Media | No Comments »

Excellent Interview in Event Design Magazine

Tuesday, June 28th, 2011

Event Design Magazine -- June/July 2011

I don’t know how many of you receive Event Design Magazine (www.eventdesignmag.com), but there is an excellent interview with Sue Huff, Director of Global Conventions for Medtronic, in the June/July 2011 issue, Best Practices column.

Normally, I’d simply link to the article, but it’s not on the Event Design website yet. Instead, I encourage you to read the interview if you have the print edition (pg. 16-17), and for those who do not have the issue, I’ve retyped several of her responses below. If I get in trouble with the folks from Event Design . . . well I’m sure they’ll let me know.

From the article:

Sue Huff manages more than 75 of Medtronic’s exhibition programs across all of the company’s U.S. businesses as well as its Pan-European programs . . . . Here, she talks to designers about the keys to creating global consistency, the evolution of social media and virtual events and overcoming cost containment challenges.

Event Design: What are some of the biggest trends affecting the trade show industry today?
Sue Huff: In general, I’m seeing social networking and virtual events used in combination with the convention environment. However, virtual has still not caught on in the healthcare industry like it has in other industries, perhaps because it’s important for physicians to be able to talk face-to-face about tough cases. We’re also seeing the show floor decreasing in size because companies are cutting back. At Event Marketing Summit last year, there was a lot of discussion about moving off the show floor with proprietary events, however, this is not common in the healthcare space.

Event Design: What is the biggest hurdle at U.S. trade shows today?
Sue Huff: Cost containment is the biggest challenge. With the recent economy, it’s more and more challenging and that’s why we’re seeing decreasing exhibit space. Exclusive service costs continue to rise, at a time when we’re looking at cutting costs. These costs are controlled by the show organizer and their selected vendors. For example, 63 percent of our convention budges are controlled and negotiated by the show organizer, and we have no control over these costs other than to decrease our size, or bring less (weight) to the show.

Event Design: Is social media having any impact on how you execute at shows?
Sue Huff: We use Twitter, Facebook and virtual technology. These channels can communicate what’s going on in the exhibit at a particular time, help us learn what the competition is doing and hear what people are saying, or what topics are of interest to show goers. I see this channel in combination with the face-to-face event increasing over time. Face-to-face is still a very important component for the healthcare industry. We’re also seeing more shows offering some type of virtual/web experience through the organizer.

Event Design: How would you like to see the trade-show world evolve?
Sue Huff: There’s still a value to face-to-face but the world is evolving with social media and I would like to continue to see how that’s integrated, but not as a replacement for live events. As the younger generation gets older, they’re just more comfortable with it, so it’s going to to continue to evolve. I would also like to see exhibitors more in control over their costs. I’m not in control of over 63 percent of my costs other than to increase or decrease exhibit size. Signing an exhibit space contract when true labor and the drayage rates are unknown is not OK. We need to know what we’re signing up for. I was recently discussing this model with an industry peer, and we agreed, it’s a flawed model. Normally, when you want to buy a service, you go out and get a bid from various vendors, review the responses, decide which vendor you’re going to work with, negotiate pricing, the vendor then provides the service and you pay the vendor. But today, the entire middle section of this model is missing and broken in our industry. To try and explain drayage to a marketing or finance partner is not possible, because it doesn’t make sense. I would like to see this industry healthy, which means the business model must change.

For the complete interview, please read the print edition, or be patient and it will appear online at Event Design sometime in July.

–Mel White
http://www.linkedin.com/in/melmwhite
mel@classicexhibits.com

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Tags: Event Design, Medtronic, Social Media, Sue Huff, Trade show
Posted in Mel White, Social Media | 2 Comments »

The Professor of Social Media for Trade Shows and Events

Wednesday, June 1st, 2011

Meet the Professor

Do you know just enough about Social Media to sound knowledgeable, but not knowledgeable enough to be a wiz bang expert? I’ve discovered that it’s very easy to get started, but getting to the next level can be more challenging unless you have a mentor. I do. His name is Tim Patterson at Interpretive Exhibits. Tim manages and contributes to the, www.tradeshowguy.com blog which tends to focus on social media issues, tips, tricks, and trends for the event and trade show industry.

For example, here are some recent postings on Trade Show Guy (Where Social Media and Event Marketing Collide):

That’s just going back three months (March 2011)! As a fellow blogger, I am consistently impressed by the depth, the variety, and the sheer volume of information about social media and trade show marketing.

In addition to his posts, Tim offers several eBooks, including Social Media Marketing Bundle and 101 Rules of Trade Show Marketing, and a library of podcasts with trade show, event, and technology experts.

Need a Speaker or Trainer for Social Media Marketing for Tradeshows, Events or Conferences?

Tim Patterson

Tim is available. He just recently spoke at the Event Marketing Summit in Chicago and was a featured speaker at the Exhibit Designers and Producers Association (EDPA) in December. In Tim’s own words,

“I truly enjoy getting up in front of your group to talk, teach and discuss a lot of things related to tradeshow marketing: social media, staff training, event marketing, booth design, and other elements of tradeshow marketing. I’m available as a speaker in a breakout session at a conference, or as a panelist, or as a seminar leader/speaker/trainer for private engagements.”

If you are interested in stepping up your game in social media or trade show marketing, I encourage you to visit www.tradeshowguy.com and signup for Tim’s newsletter and/or be a fellow Tweeter.

At the very least, put his website in your Favorites and visit it at least a once a week. Tim’s an information machine . . . miss a week and you miss a lot.

–Mel White
http://www.linkedin.com/in/melmwhite
mel@classicexhibits.com

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Tags: EDPA, Event Marketing Summit, Events, Social Media, Tim Patterson, Trade Shows, tradeshow guy blog, Twitter
Posted in Mel White, Social Media | 2 Comments »

Social Media Planning: What You Should Do in Q1 2011

Thursday, January 13th, 2011

Guest post by Tim Patterson of www.tradeshowguyblog.com.

Social Media Planning

Depending on what your company’s involvement is in social media, there are a number of approaches you can take to moving forward during the first quarter of 2011. And that’s the KEY: MOVING FORWARD from wherever you are at this moment. With the forward motion of all things social media, if you sit still you’ll get further and further behind!

If Your Company is NOT Doing Anything with Social Media

If you’re at the very beginning, you’ll have to start somewhere. Starting anywhere is better than not starting at all. Ask around the office, and look for your company’s own ‘digital native.’ This is the person that’s already online with social media. They’re already on Facebook and Twitter. They may be posting fun videos on YouTube or Facebook. Perhaps they’ve got a LinkedIn account. They’re adept at discussing and moving around in the social media world.

Once you find that person, sit down with your marketing manager and the company owner (presuming you’re a small or medium-sized company and have easy access to these people) and discuss the following steps:

Where you are
Where you want to go in the next 3 – 6 months
What tools you’ll need
Who will be in charge of the company’s social media efforts
How much time it will realistically take to set up accounts and start to build your community
What are your goals
What are the steps required to meet those goals
What other internal or external help you’ll need

At this point, you’re really doing a full assessment of where the company is in social media. Find out what your strengths are, where the holes are in your knowledge and determine the best way to fill those gaps. Here is where you’ll also be appointing someone (or two or three) that have the capabilities to lead the company’s social media efforts.

From here, look to what how you can start to create a community, stay in touch with them and provide them with information, content and response to their feedback.

Then, start: get the Facebook and Twitter accounts going, check in daily, put up links on your website to direct people to the new social media outposts. At the outset, once the accounts are set-up (should take a very short amount of time), the initial involvement might be a few minutes a day. As you see more of your community finding you, you’ll have more opportunity to ask questions, look for feedback and find ways to respond to their comments and questions.

If You Feel There’s a LOT More You Could be Doing

GET CREATIVE: If you’re past the first few baby steps described above, this is where you can start to get creative with your postings. Take note of what other companies that ‘get’ social media do. Riff off of their efforts. Come up with ways to creatively produce short videos that show the human side of your company, such as this one from gDiapers that was a video birthday present where employees described what they liked about their boss Kim.

(more…)

Tags: blogging, Facebook, Social Media, Tim Paterson, Twitter, YouTube
Posted in Social Media | No Comments »

Blogging for Beginners — Sponsored by Classic Exhibits

Wednesday, September 15th, 2010

Free Blogging 101 Webinar

Blogging for Beginners

Do you ever ask yourself: “Should I start a blog?” Or wonder “Where do I start?”

Most people ask the same questions. After all, blogging is not as simple or straightforward as joining Facebook or Twitter.

Experts say your blog is probably the most important element of your social media mix. More important than Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, or LinkedIn – and those platforms are the hottest in the social media puzzle.

Now you can learn what it takes to start a blog. In this FREE one-hour webinar you’ll learn how to choose a platform (WordPress, Typepad, Blogger, etc.), how to customize your blog, how to find topic ideas, and how often to blog.

Join Tim Patterson, VP of Sales and Marketing at Interpretive Exhibits and learn what it takes to become a blogger, whether on your own or for a company or organization.

After all, the more you know about blogging, the better off you’ll be in dealing with the quick-changing social media world.

Join this fun, fast-paced, informative webinar set for September 29 from 10 – 11 a.m. Pacific (1 p.m. Eastern).

Tags: Blog, Classic Exhibits, Facebook, LinkedIn, Social Media, Tim Patterson, Twitter
Posted in Mel White, Social Media | No Comments »

Social Media 101 Webinar Slides by Tim Patterson

Tuesday, September 14th, 2010

Slides from the Social Media 101 webinar that Tim Patterson conducted in July. Tim is the VP of Sales and Marketing at Interpretive Exhibits. The webinar was offered to Classic Exhibits Distributors.

Social Media 101

View more presentations from Tim Patterson.

Tags: Classic Exhibits, Facebook, LinkedIn, Social Media, Tim Patterson, Twitter, YouTube
Posted in Mel White, Social Media | 2 Comments »

Social Media 102 — Sponsored by Classic Exhibits

Monday, August 2nd, 2010

Tim Patterson, Social Media 102

Social Media 102 – Sponsored by Classic Exhibits

How can you use Social Media to drive traffic to your tradeshow booth? Did you know that location-based marketing is perfect for tradeshows, conventions, and events?

Facebook . . . Twitter . . . YouTube . . . LinkedIn — All are great platforms to engage your visitors, draw people to your booth, and get them to WANT to see what you’re offering.

Learn how in a one-hour webinar Social Media Tradeshow Marketing with Tim Patterson, VP of Sales and Marketing for Interpretive Exhibits in Salem, Oregon (a Classic Distributor).

Whether you’re brand new to Social Media or have been tweeting and blogging for years, you’ll come away with useful information, easy-to-execute techniques, and several case studies of how Social Media has improved attendance and sales at events and tradeshows.

Join Tim for this one-hour webinar on Wednesday, August 25, 2010, 10:00 am PT

To learn more and register: http://budurl.com/socmed102. Seating is very limited!

Classic Exhibits Webinar Training

Tags: Classic Exhibits, Facebook, LinkedIn, Social Media, Tim Patterson, Twitter, YouTube
Posted in Mel White, Social Media | No Comments »

Sacagawea vs. Magellan vs. Perfect 10 vs. Visionary Designs

Thursday, July 22nd, 2010

Comparing Four Hybrid Display Systems from Classic Exhibits

Are you comfortable describing the differences between the Sacagawea, Magellan, Perfect 10, and Visionary Designs Hybrid Systems with your customers? If not, here’s an excellent summary of each product line.

It’s actually fairly straight-forward (and it makes a lot of sense). Please understand (which translates to me CMA) that these distinctions are broad-based, and there are always exceptions.

In order, from the lowest to the highest starting prices . . . .

Sacagawea VK-1222

Sacagawea Portable Hybrid Displays

Starting Prices: $3100 (10×10) | $6225 (10×20)

Sacagawea is the entry level portable hybrid line for Classic Exhibits. Introduced about a year ago, it is our most successful product launch ever. The reasons are obvious: three attractive design series, compact and versatile displays, and terrific price points.

Sizes: Table Tops, 10 x 10, 10 x 20, Pedestals, and Workstations.
Kits: 65 standard kits.
Straight Extrusions: Mostly straight extrusions with MODUL S40 uprights and Z45 horizontals.
Graphics: Primarily one large tension fabric graphic @ 7.5 ft x 6.75 ft with a smaller tension fabric graphic and/or direct print graphics. Velcro tension fabric.
Assembly: MOSTLY attached knobs with some hex key connections. Individual numbered parts with setup instructions.
Colors: (9) Sintra/Plex Wing colors. (1) Standard extrusion color: Silver (clear satin anodized).
Packaging: LT-550 Portable roto-molded case(s) with die-cut foam inserts.

Bottom Line: Least expensive, mostly straight extrusions, primarily knob assembly, medium-large graphics. Ideal for anyone considering a pop up display.

Magellan MOR VK-1077

Magellan Portable Hybrid Displays

Starting Prices: $4500 (10×10) | $8745 (10×20)

Magellan Hybrid designs vary from straight-forward to complex. Anyone who loves curves, loves Magellan because the kits are all about curved metal and large tension fabric graphics. The most popular have been the Miracle and MOR, which not surprisingly are also the most affordable.

Sizes: 10 x 10, 10 x 20, Pedestals, and Workstations.
Kits: 62 standard kits.
Curved and Straight Extrusions: Curved and straight extrusions using MODUL Z45 and S40 for horizontals and verticals.
Graphics: One, two, or multiple large tension fabric graphics. Example: 7.4 ft x 7.8 ft and 2 ft x 7.8 ft (Magellan Miracle) with possible direct print graphics. Velcro tension fabric.
Assembly: MOSTLY attached knobs with some hex key connections. Individual numbered parts with setup instructions.
Colors: (9) Sintra/Plex wing colors. (1) Standard extrusion color: Silver (clear satin anodized).
Packaging: LT-550 Portable roto-molded case(s) with die-cut foam inserts.

Bottom Line: Inexpensive, mostly curved extrusions, primarily knob assembly, large graphics. Ideal for anyone upgrading from a basic display system such as banner stands, pop ups, or curved pillowcase graphics.

Perfect 10 VK-1507

Perfect 10 Portable Hybrid Displays

Starting Prices: $5200 (10×10) | $12,840 (10×20)

There is nothing on the market remotely close to the Perfect 10 and Perfect 20. It defines sexy for a portable hybrid display. It assembles without tools and comes in a mind-boggling assortment of color and shape options, all included in the standard price. The P10 is protected by multiple design and utility patents.

Sizes: Table Tops, 10 x 10, 10 x 20, Banner Stands, Pedestals, and Workstations.
Kits: 38 standard kits.
Curved Extrusions: Mostly curved extrusions using MODUL S40 for verticals and custom Z33 horizontals.
Graphics: One or two large tension fabric graphics. Example: 8 ft x 5.8 ft and 8 ft x 2 ft (VK-1507) with possible direct print graphics. Velcro tension fabric.
Assembly: ALL attached knob assembly and hinged components. Individual numbered parts with setup instructions.
Colors: (9) Sintra/Plex wing colors. (7) Powder-coat extrusion colors.
Packaging: LT-550 Portable roto-molded case(s) with die-cut foam inserts.

Bottom Line: Competitively priced, mostly curved extrusions, all knob assembly, large graphics, more options. The Perfect 10 System epitomizes high design and offers the most standard options of any portable hybrid in the world.

Visionary Designs VK-1900 SEGUE

Visionary Designs Hybrid Exhibits

Starting Prices: $7788 (10×10) | $14,826 (10×20)

With Visionary Designs, anything is possible – portable, modular, custom, and custom-hybrid designs. As the saying goes, “form follows function,” and the amorphous design capabilities of Visionary Designs allows you to create simple, complex, large, or small displays.

Sizes: Table Tops, Inlines, Islands, Counters, Pedestals, and Workstations
Kits: Over 300 standard kits
Extrusions: Hundreds: Depends on the design and the function.
Graphics: From one to multiple tension fabric and direct print graphics. Velcro and silicone edge tension fabric.
Assembly: Hex key assembly. Individual numbered parts with setup instructions.
Colors: Standard Sintra/Plex colors. (1) Standard extrusion color: Silver (clear satin anodized). Powder coat and anodizing options available for an addition cost.
Packaging: Roto-molded cases, tubs, and jigged wood crates.

Bottom Line: Extensive extrusion options, hex key assembly, small, medium, and large graphics (including SEG), unlimited designs, inlines, islands, and table tops. Visionary Designs includes the new SEGUE line of Silicone Edge Graphic displays, which maximizes graphics and minimizes visible extrusion.

Let me know if you have any questions or would like an in depth review of these systems. I would ask that you forward this link to anyone in your organization who would benefit from this comparison.

Also, please let me know if you would like to participate in the webinar Exhibit Design Search: Tips, Tricks, and Techniques in September, along with a webinar about the basics of blogging.

–Mel White

http://www.linkedin.com/in/melmwhite
mel@classicexhibits.com
Classic Exhibits Network (LinkedIn)

Tags: Classic Exhibits, Exhibit Design Search, Hybrid Displays, Magellan, MODUL, Perfect 10, Sacagawea, Social Media, Trade Show Exhibits, Visionary Designs
Posted in Classic Exhibit Systems, Mel White | 3 Comments »

Social Media 101 — Sponsored by Classic Exhibits

Saturday, July 17th, 2010

Tim Patterson, Social Media 101

Social Media 101 – Presented by Tim Patterson

Want to get into Social Media but don’t know where to get started? Join us for a fun, info-packed webinar on the basics of Social Media.

Tim Patterson, VP of Sales and Marketing for Interpretive Exhibits (a Classic Exhibits distributor) is a Social Media Guru, and he’s agreed to transform you into a guru too.

Tim will conduct a series of three webinars that will help you master Social Media, create a valuable network, and ultimately use these powerful tools to connect with your audience.

From Twitter to Facebook and from YouTube to LinkedIn, Tim will show you how the top Social Media platforms work — and how you can be a Social Media Mogul.

You’ll not only learn HOW to use these tools, but also WHY they’re so important in today’s Social Media Marketing landscape. After all, if your audience is there (and they ARE!), you’ll want to be there with them!

The initial one-hour free webinar sponsored by Classic — “Social Media 101″ — takes place twice during the last week of July:

Tuesday, July 27 @ 11 am PST and Thursday, July 29 @ 10 am PST

To register, click here: http://budurl.com/socmed101.

Classic Exhibits Webinar Training

Tags: Classic Exhibits, Facebook, LinkedIn, Social Media, Tim Patterson, Twitter, YouTube
Posted in Mel White, Social Media | 2 Comments »

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