A salesman’s perspective on what makes a great trade show booth
by Sean Sweeney

I have been selling professional services for almost 18 years, and in that time I have attended many trade shows. In the last few years I have been selling PubFactory, iFactory’s electronic publishing platform solution; and my trade show attendance has increased exponentially. Regardless of where I go, the type of show or the time of the year, I see the same mistakes being committed in both the set-up and manning of trade show booths.  So, to help our current clients, friends and associates, I have assembled a list of do’s and don’ts for your booth…

1)

DO…
Have a warm and inviting booth where people can see and sample your product easily—and without crowding one another. If you have digital products, have multiple computers to run the software so that it can be interacted with and sampled by your visitors.

DON’T…
Have your collateral set up in the back of your booth with your round table and chairs in front, thus forcing your prospective customers to climb over you, your table, and your bag in order to see what you have to offer. Nothing turns people off more than their inability to see, touch and interact with your product.
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Everyone has a reason for doing what they do. Some people know their passion at the age of 5, and follow it for the rest of their lives. Some people stumble into employment that fits them like the final piece to a puzzle.

My love affair with project management was something of an evolution, and it was a fit that I have grown into. It’s definitely not a job that a 5 year old envisions, but somehow it fits with many of the things I have valued since I was not much older than that.

I am a self-proclaimed jock. I’ve played team sports since I was 5, refereed since I was 11 and coached since I was 12. I believe in all of the lessons we learn about from our coaches, teammates, or classic sports films. I not only believe in these lessons, I’ve carried them with me throughout my career.

First—and most obviously—I believe in teamwork. I believe that 99% of the time, a good team can solve problems better than the individual. Teams generate not only more ideas but also many different ones. There are creative thinkers, logical thinkers, analytical thinkers and dreamers. And most groups have at least one devil’s advocate to uncover possible problems with proposed solutions. No single person can possibly break down a problem from all angles—but a team can. Project management is all about working within the constructs of a team—and I love that. You can’t be a good project manager unless you are a good team player. You can’t be a great project manager unless you are also a great team leader.

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Ten tips—from a project manager—to get the most out of your vendor and your web project.

Before embarking on a digital communications project with a vendor, be sure you develop a plan. Knowing what terrain lies ahead, and the best route to get there, will allow you to stay on time…and on budget.

Get your vendor involved early. Too often decisions on features, functionality, and budget are decided upon without the valuable advice an experienced developer can bring to the table. Use your vendor to shape the RFP.

Be clear on your priorities and commit to them. Outline your goals before the project begins, and don’t lose sight of all that you want to achieve. This can be your project’s biggest motivator. Ideas evolve, changes are implemented, and new concepts can blanket your original project goals. Establish clear priorities and try not to lose sight of them.

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During the course of my work, I inevitably end up in conversations with my clients about what they don’t like about their current website and what changes they would like to see implemented.   Their organizational brand is a source of pride and they want to “look good” in front of clients—certainly a worthy goal.   The problem lies with how one defines “good” with respect to an organization’s online presence.

I’m a big advocate of data-informed web strategy.  In that light, I tell my clients that defining “good” in terms of their own preferences (or the preferences of their boss or colleagues, for that matter) will make internal staff feel good but will likely result in a bad customer experience.   Imagine a Pepsi Challenge whereby the senior management team of PepsiCo samples their own soda, decides it tastes better than Coke, and then uses those test results as the foundation for their teen market strategy.

You need an online strategy that uses customer data, including Socialgraphics[i], as its foundation.  Who is visiting your website?  Who is not visiting?   How do they interact socially on the web?  Who is influencing whom?  What are their needs, likes & dislikes?

In terms of your own website, you also need to consider the question:  “What do we want visitors to do when they get to our website and how can we actively encourage this behavior?”

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Whether you arrived here by way of our new website, or by other means—we encourage you to explore our new site!

http://www.ifactory.com

by Pete Gaioni, iFactory Strategist

Cut out the strategy piece, save money on your new website…and live to regret it.

Having worked at a number of interactive firms over the years, it’s become clear to me that the vast majority of established web agencies utilize a distinctly tactical approach to helping clients.  While many of these agencies employ talented people that produce quality work in terms of visual design, information design, technical development and user experience, the resulting solution does not necessarily resolve the critical business issues their clients face.  Moreover, even when critical issues do get addressed, there is typically no well-considered measurement model (other than general web analytics involving total site visits and page views) by which to gauge relative success over time.

I believe there are four primary reasons for this:

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A few simple things you can do to improve your website… without a PhD in Statistics or 30 dedicated FTEs.

http://ifactory.com/about/Article_Feb_2010_Overwhelmed_by_Info.php