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		Exhibit Marketing - Attendance Promotion Your booth, I&D, and transportation arrangements have been made. Now, all you need are the attendees — and lots of 'em. Here are the resources you need to lure hoards of qualified prospects to your booth. Single Article PDFs Click an article title for detailed information. Natural-Born Killers Astellas Pharma US Inc. uses a 'Natural Killer' campaign to retain 1,500 physicians in its booth for an average of 10 minutes each, twice the previous year's average visit. Bait and Pitch Fish Software Inc. baits its customers and takes them on an educational product demonstration using a high-tech lure once used to battle the Nazis. Recipe for Success ProQuest Information and Learning savors the flavor of success with an exhibit experience that tantalizes attendees' taste buds and generates an 86-percent increase in leads. Lumpy Mail Gets Read Are your prospects bored of boring, old postcards? Are they tired of two-dimensional tactics? Here are five examples of clever 3-D direct-mail campaigns, along with tips to help you take your company's pre-show mailers to the third dimension. Time of Possession Komatsu America Corp. uses a series of sports-themed activities to keep attendees inside its exhibit, doubling sales leads in the process. The No-Surprise Party 1220 Exhibits threw itself a birthday party and got the best present of all: twice as many RFPs as compared to its 2005 exhibit. Bell of the Ball Bell Helicopter Textron Inc. nearly triples at-show sales by pointing attendees' eyes to the skies at Heli-Expo 2006. Everything Matters 3D Exhibits Inc. reinvents itself, jazzes its existing customers, and snags eight new big-budget opportunities by focusing on what matters most to trade show professionals – everything. Fit to a Tea An in-booth tea party helps Impact Unlimited Inc. demonstrate its customized solutions – and exceed its lead goal by 100 percent. More Than S'mores Exhibit Works Inc. cooks up a tasty booth experience to give attendees s'more – and triples traffic compared to the previous year. Prizes Out, Products In Johns Manville quadruples its quality time with attendees by trading a car giveaway for a realistic product-demonstration game. A Quality Education Exhibitgroup/Giltspur educates attendees on the value of quality using a life-sized interactive board game – and increases its top-quality leads by 50 percent. Forget Me Not From crackerjack staff to demos that dazzled, learn how six different companies earned memorable marks in Exhibit Surveys Inc.'s annual Most-Remembered Exhibits study. Game Show Following a recent acquisition, HP marries its conservative approach to trade shows with the bells and whistles for which its new acquisition is known. The result? Sizzle with substance. Unplug and Play With a product launch only months away, first-time exhibitor Hopscotch Technology Inc. turns a shoestring budget and a bad booth location into a backyard playground. Multipurpose Mailer Thanks to an innovative personalized mailer, XMPie Inc. generates buzz, qualifies leads, and demonstrates its software before even setting foot on the show floor. The Intangible Experience Challenged to bring its multifaceted software to life, Siemens Medical Solutions USA Inc. turns to an imaginary grandmother and doubles its leads from the previous year. All-Star Awards – A Model Plan Thanks to his 'little' idea, Paul Shelton saves Astec Inc. big money at CONEXPO-CON/AGG – and doubles sales leads. All-Star Awards – Buzz on a Budget With a little creativity, Tracie Hugley drives 80 percent of show attendees to interact with GeoLearning Inc.'s brand. All-Star Awards – Feed the Bottom Line Aj Thakker reinvents Farm Credit Canada's sponsorship to harvest a 50-percent sales increase and a literal hill of beans. X Marks the Spot X-Rite Inc. covered the PRINT 05 show wall-to-wall - thanks in part to a craving for pizza and a ''So what?'' attitude. Saving Lost Customers: Inspiration from the Home Depot After a 30-percent loss in revenue, Word Distribution takes a tip from The Home Depot and creates an exhibit strategy based on customer education. When in Doubt, Use Penguins To set itself apart from other furniture makers, Magnussen Home Furnishings employs a group of flightless African birds - and generates a 20-percent increase in exhibit traffic. EXHIBITOR Magazine's Eighth Annual Sizzle Awards Honoring red-hot trade show exhibit promotions I'll Believe It When I See It Six product demos that prove their claims right before your very eyes. Press Pass Tips from the press on how to get their attention at a trade show. Start Spreading the News Six ways to maximize trade show press opportunities. The Incredible Shrinking Exhibit To defray high exhibiting costs, hot-mix asphalt facility manufacturer Astec Inc. replaced its $6-million equipment with 1/8-scale replicas at CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2005. How to Write a Post-Show Report A trade show isn't over until you evaluate your success and compile a comprehensive report. Here are nine sections to include. Monster: Here, There, and Everywhere To market its services at an HR trade show, Monster did what any self-respecting, bug-eyed, B-movie creature from the 50s would have done: It grew to giant size and devoured the entire city. Movers and Shakers Want to blend out on the show floor? Try adding action to your exhibit with one of these 10 examples. Anatomy of a High-Response Direct-Mail Campaign Five pre-show promotions that take the guesswork out of direct mail. Five Ways to Make Your Small Exhibit More Effective Industry experts weigh in on how to give your small booth a competitive edge – without breaking the bank. Gentlemen, Start Your Mowers Gold Eagle Co. turns a lawn-mower racing stunt into a kick-grass, 12-year media event – raking in 25-million media impressions annually and a 4-to-1 return on investment. The Selling Power of Retro A car-stereo manufacturer creates an authentic gas-station exhibit and even gives it a name – Sid's Garage. The result: a 50-percent increase in sales at the Consumer Electronics Show. Banking on Ben To drive its brand to its clients, Bank of America created a traveling country club – and hit a hole in one. Sizzle Awards – False Alarm A fire-alarm direct mailer sparks a smokin' 95-percent return rate. Sizzle Awards – Graffiti by the Foot Ride Snowboards Co. uses graffiti artists to attract more than 3,000 retailers to its booth, wow industry press, and polish its brand image Sizzle Awards – Mirror, Mirror… Matrex Exhibits uses image consultations to lure attendees to its booth for conversations averaging 12 minutes each. Sizzle Awards – Turf's Up New to the golf market, Georgia-Pacific shoots a 12-percent return with its shady direct mailer. Sizzle Awards – Twist and Tout An old game offers a new twist on product demonstration, and scores 236-percent more leads than expected. The 'No Respect' Tour Milwaukee Electric Tool's road show draws 1,000 visitors per day – making its blue-collar customers feel good about themselves. Corporate EVENT Awards: 40,000 Square Feet of Face Time Hewlett-Packard Imaging and Printing Group Executive Briefings and Solutions Demonstrations - Silver Award, Performance Tier, Hospitality Category Corporate EVENT Awards: Best Foot Forward GES Exposition Services, GES/NDA Grand Opening Mixer - Silver Award, Innovation Tier, Direct Mail Category Corporate EVENT Awards: Hogwarts and All Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc., ''Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets'' DVD and Video Launch - Gold Award, Innovation Tier, Décor Design Category Corporate EVENT Awards: Invasion of the Geek Snatchers AMD Area-64 - Judges' Choice Award, Performance Tier, Product Launch Category Corporate EVENT Awards: Living Large Heineken International, Amstel - The World's Biggest Living Room – Judges' Choice Award, Innovation Tier, Décor Design Category Corporate EVENT Awards: Night Shift Banc of America Securities - Gold Award, Innovation Tier, Décor Design Category Corporate EVENT Awards: Press Run Hewlett-Packard Co. Impressions Road Show - Silver Award, Performance Tier, Mobile Marketing Category Corporate EVENT Awards: Scare Tactics Lincoln Ballistic Protection Series Launch - Gold Award, Performance Tier, Product Launch Category Corporate EVENT Awards: Shock and Awe Tenneco Automotive, Monroe Ride Safe Tour - Silver Award, Performance Tier, Mobile Marketing Category Corporate EVENT Awards: Spider Attack Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc., ''Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets'' DVD and Video Launch - Silver Award, Innovation Tier, Direct Mail Category Corporate EVENT Awards: Start Your Engines Audi AG Frankfurt Sports Night - Silver Award, Performance Tier, Media Event Category Corporate EVENT Awards: Test Flight Tablet PC Airport Demo Program - Gold Award, Performance Tier, Product Launch Category Corporate EVENT Awards: Village People Hyundai Motor Deutschland GmbH, 2002 Dealer Meeting - Gold Award, Innovation Tier, Venue Selection It Was Bold. It Was Daring. It Required Tuxedos. How the not-for-profit Bluetooth Special Interest Group used models, flowers, and a famous heist movie to drive attendees to its members' exhibits. Wheee! ''Ladies and gentlemen, step right up. Welcome to the Exhibitgroup/Giltspur fun house, where you'll find the latest and greatest in interactive exhibit experiences.'' Seeing is Believing Acuvue caught the eye of the most important market for colored contact lenses – with pizza parties, product samples, and personality tests. The Gravy Train Siemens built a train to carry its technology to its customers – and ended up with a runaway hit that picked up 700 passengers a day. Inventive Invites Ditch the all-occasion invitations and standard white envelopes. Here are six eye-catching invites that will make your guests want to RSVP. The Misery Tour Doctors Without Borders gives guests cholera, diarrhea, and famine – and they come back for more. Exhibitor Lounge Act What do you do when your best prospects at a trade show are the other exhibitors? Sponsor an exhibitor lounge. It's Hard to Ignore a Man on Fire Extreme trade show demos can be dangerous. They might fail. But the greater the risk, the greater the payoff. The Great Texas Panty Raid L'eggs ran a mobile tour across the Southwest to sell its new line of Body Beautiful hosiery. Sales jumped 37 percent in a story of sheer success. Giveaways That Keep on Giving The difference between a giveaway and a throwaway can be as simple as a jalapeno jelly bean. The Games People Play Tour To celebrate its 50th anniversary, Sports Illustrated went in search of the games that made us great. The Cookies ‘n' Crime Tour It's no mystery how Court TV used the public's fascination with forensics to increase a show's brand identity by 33 percent. Caution Filling is Hot! EXHIBITOR magazine's sixth annual Sizzle Awards serve up nine sure-fire exhibit and corporate event promotions. I Was Abducted by Aliens! To promote a new TV show, the Sci Fi Channel brought alien abduction down to Earth – and got results that were out of this world. Goodwill Gains Companies that combine philanthropy and exhibiting are getting a lot more back than warm fuzzies. Hot Mail Toss that plain white envelope – the latest invitations to corporate events are all about getting noticed in a competitive market. Real Tattoos And Other Extreme Promotions Four exhibit promotions that blur the line between reality and virtual reality. They Don't Write Songs About Toyotas Chevrolet wheels in customers – with nostalgia, rock and roll, and the cover of the Rolling Stone. Trade Show Planning Guide Organize the details of your show planning activities with these worksheets from EXHIBITOR magazine RSVP Invitations that sail past the mailbox clutter. Different Strokes: A Low-Cost Small Exhibit Makeover Industry experts offer 10 options to improve Northland Putting Greens' booth. Lost in Space 12 ways to overcome a bad booth location. Trends in Giveaways: What's In – What's Out Time to give up those bubble pens. Promotions aimed at specific markets are replacing trinkets and trash as the trade show giveaway strategy of the hour. When Lead Counts Drop Falling lead counts are a signal that something is wrong somewhere. The trick is to pinpoint the real culprit(s) from a world of possible causes. 2002 Sizzle Awards Seven winners for excellence in trade show promotions set fire to attendance figures, audience feedback, and leads. The 12 Dumbest Things to Do With Giveaways And smarter things to do instead. Sizzle in Action This year's winners of Exhibitor's annual awards for trade show marketing are honored not so much for novelty as for great execution. Boost Your Booth Traffic Electronically Use the Internet to draw pre-qualified crowds at your next show. Demolition Demo Rubbermaid beats the living daylights out of its own products to show it doesn't just talk a good game. What's the Right Giveaway? Freebies evoke responses. But how do you get the ones you want? Adventure Exhibiting Inventa's Everest Environmental Expedition creates a rock-solid exhibit marketing theme. In-House or Outsourced? Use this formula to determine the most cost-effective way to create your next promotion. Everywhere, But Nowhere Beatnik's non-exhibiting strategy creates a hip scene and show-wide visibility. Lead Forms You Can Count On Improve your trade show results by creating a better information-gathering card. Lessons Learned The Hard Way Learn from three marketing missteps to avoid strategic mistakes. 2000 Sizzle Award Winners The jury's top picks for this year's outstanding trade show marketing promotions. Interactive Integrated Marketing Take your Web events pages to the next level. Mission Possible Integrate Web-based promotional strategies into your next campaign. Intel's Integrated Assault Events pages are invaluable in creating a buzz before and after the show. Promoting Your Presence Understand your marketing options with this guide to pre-show, at-show and post-show promotion strategies. Direct Savings on Direct Mail 21 tips for saving money on your next direct mail campaign. 3M's Nine-Part Promotion 3M's powerful integrated solution creates quality response and product punch. Developing a Presentation Plan That Works Solidify your next presentation by exploring your options and fashioning the right message. Four Trade Show Myths Dispelled Focus on the facts to keep your trade show program rooted on solid ground. Web-Based Promotion Strategies How Muse Technologies uses the Web as the "ultimate branding tool." Online Articles Cause and Effect Doing good for goodness' sake is fine, but what if your exhibit could benefit from your benevolence? Eight exhibitors demonstrate how charitable activities can provide cold hard results along with philanthropic warm fuzzies. Coming Out of Hiding Mossy Oak Inc. takes aim at attendees and licensees with a campfire-themed exhibit and a three-part presentation strategy, generating a 130-percent increase in booth traffic. Trash-Proof Press Kits Done right, press kits can be your ticket off the show floor and into countless publications. Done wrong, they can be a waste of time, energy, and trees. Here are seven press kits that not only delivered their messages effectively, they also impresse Monster Takes Las Vegas Despite having her budget chopped in half, Monster Worldwide Inc.'s Kerry Talbot generates a 20-percent increase in leads and turns what could have been a real horror show into a happy ending. Foot Traffic Linda Spann and her new company get off on the right foot with a $25,000 trade show promotion that generates $100,000 worth of orders in three days. The 12 Dumbest Things to do With Giveaways A guide to common giveaway blunders and how you can avoid them at your next show. Scents and Sensibility ScentAir Inc. creates a low-budget, immersive in-booth experience that appeals to attendees' senses and increases sales leads by 400 percent. Rebel With a Cause Disenchanted with the typical trade show approach, Bentley Systems Inc.'s Huw Roberts defies conventions to build an unusual booth, reach for rough-hewn contacts, and generate $4.5 million in show-related revenue. The Little Exhibits That Could Think small is powerless? Think again. Not unlike the optimistic little train, these five exhibitors prove you don't need a gargantuan space or a behemoth budget – all you need is a big idea and "I think I can" optimism. Change Your Stripes Following the herd can force you to blend into the background on the trade show floor. Take a look at your environment, and find a way to become a standout at standing out. Caught on Camera Seven exhibitors take a reality-TV approach to their in-booth programming, turning their cameras on attendees and making them stars of the small screen. Home Improvement Tired of boring old booths, Belkin International Inc. takes a tip from Ty Pennington and drives its message home with an extreme exhibit makeover. Oral Hijinks Colgate-Palmolive Co. uses an inverted theater to "edutain" dental professionals about the benefits of Colgate Total toothpaste, attracting more than 5,000 attendees at the 2006 American Dental Association show. Bling's the Thing 3D Exhibits Inc. brings the "bling" with an interactive booth-makeover contest, generating nearly 41,000 votes and 60 percent more sales leads than expected. Games People Play Nine companies hit the jackpot with casino-themed trade show promotions, generating traffic, increasing sales leads, and more. Battle of the Bolts Interlake Material Handling Inc. creates an in-booth activity that pits attendee against attendee, demonstrating its product, driving increased booth traffic, and exceeding lead-generation goals by nearly 70 percent. Truck Stop Plaisted Cos. increases booth traffic and doubles leads, thanks to a playful product display and a miniature fleet of Tonka trucks. Marketing with Martians Blue Telescope enlists the help of extraterrestrials and garners an out-of-this-world 317-percent increase in qualified leads over the previous year. Project Runway BASF AG creates a slightly-irregular fashion show, complete with car manifolds, fishing poles, and a 95-percent increase in sales leads. A Mute Point With its booth strategy on mute, Derse Inc. uses a Peep-themed campaign to increase traffic by 49 percent and capture 30 percent more qualified leads. Intel's Core Competency Intel Corp.'s hands-on, make-it-relevant method simplifies its complex Core 2 Duo processor and attracts 85,000 attendees to its booth. Risky Business Tired of playing games at the biggest show in its industry, global risk-management, insurance, and consulting firm Aon Corp. created a battle strategy worthy of Sun Tzu. Music to Their Rears Napster Inc. did good by doing bad, teasing customers with a strip show that drew in twice its goal of 500 visitors a day. A Panoramic Prescription Amgen Inc. and Wyeth Pharmaceuticals infuse their in-booth presentation with a little movie magic, nearly quadrupling booth traffic and increasing face time with attendees. How Green Are Your Giveaways? From buying organic to recycling everything in sight, the whole world is going Green. But what about your giveaways? Health-Care Honky Tonk Nashville, TN,-based Healthcare Management Systems Inc. tips its hat to the Grand Ole Opry, tripling leads and landing a contract worth $1.7 million. Pack Mentality Four Exhibitors Harness the Power of Partnerships Choose Your Own Adventure To demonstrate its key differentiator, MG Design Associates turns its exhibit over to attendees and allows them to create their very own space. Presentation Pointers Ten tips to help you make the most of your company's next in-booth presentation. Exhibit in Overdrive Florida Power and Light Co. goes full throttle, revving up 25 percent more qualified leads with a NASCAR-inspired video game and a racecar-themed redesign. What About Bobbleheads? Jim Brodo employs 7-inch-tall salesmen to create a tradition that increases leads by 1,367 percent. Emotional Branding Doctors Without Borders invites event attendees to contract fatal diseases and experience life in a refugee camp to drive awareness, donations, and volunteers. Ford Stops Traffic When drivers think SUVs, they don't usually think 'green.' To turn the tide, Ford Motor Co. holds a series of events for police departments across the country and enlists their help to promote its new hybrid SUV. Second Opinion How do you promote attendance at private trade shows? Three experts weigh in. Game Plan DayMark Food Safety Systems increases its leads by 200 percent with carnival-style games that double as product demos. Peep Show To highlight its listening skills, Derse Exhibits lets a famous marshmallow candy do all the talking – and creates twice as many new business opportunities as expected. What About Bob? Castle Rock Industries Inc. doubles its leads and mops up $1.2 million in sales – all because of a guy named Bob. Pulpy Promo Winntech thinks inside the box and creates a successful mailer with a twist of orange and a 100-percent recall. Red Carpet Tour Pinnacle Exhibits LLC hosts 40 potential clients, representing a possible $18 million in sales, for a tour of its exhibits at the 2005 Electronic Entertainment Expo. Reinventing the Orange Winntech puts a fresh spin on its successful 2004 exhibit and squeezes twice as many leads in 2005. 3-D Invasion Advanced Micro Devices Inc. launches a hip, consistent, and ubiquitous marketing campaign to drive 1,500 people to its booth and achieve a 13-percent ROI – before sales. Cameras Allowed Trade show and event marketers who grab onto this picture thing with intentional "photo ops" for customers will further their brand, their message, and their customer loyalty. Signs of the Times Cisco Systems Inc. trades in its printed signage for digital signs to cut costs, decrease revision time, and improve customer communication. PeopleSoft: Growing Event Attendance Through Market Segmentation Aiming for a 20-percent attendance increase at its user conference, PeopleSoft Inc. developed a targeted-marketing promotion that segmented customers based on demographics and behavioral responses. Attendance soared – smashing PeopleSoft's goal. Testing: The End of Scary Promotion For more than 50 years, direct marketers have relied on testing to improve their performance. Not so in the trade show industry. It's About Shopping No matter what your company's show agenda, the visitor's agenda is always shopping. The Big Sleep Virgin Atlantic holds a slumber party for 3,000 guests to land business for its new Upper Class Suite. One for the Road Jack Daniel's takes its distillery to more than 22,000 cowboys and bikers, and triples expected sales. Top of Page Additional Resources Exhibiting Tips: Promotion Award Programs: Sizzle Awards Services: Event Marketing Traffic Builders Seminars: ExhibitorFastTrak Boston: Realizing Your Public Relations Potential ExhibitorFastTrak Chicago: Using Customers, Experts and Business Partners to Add Credibility ExhibitorFastTrak Chicago: Realizing Your Public Relations Potential ExhibitorFastTrak Atlanta: Creating Winning Direct Mail Promotions: Back to Basics to Improve Response

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