Always Leave Them Laughing Integrating Humor into Your Trade Show Marketing Campaign

One of the major objectives of any trade show exhibit is to create a lasting impression in the attendee’s mind.

After all, if a visitor can’t remember you, how can he give you his business'  You also want to create a positive impression, and unfortunately, that’s harder to do than the negative equivalent.

 

Which brings us to humor.

People love to laugh – and they like other people to laugh with them.

Witness the almost constant flood of jokes and cartoons that flit across the internet: Proof that humor cannot be stopped.

You’ll often find that people go out of their way to remember great jokes, where they’ll never, ever stop to jot down the details of an eye-catching graphic.

This makes humor an invaluable marketing tool -–if you can make it serve your corporate objectives.

Some of you are dismissing this idea out of hand.

“There’s nothing funny about my product!” I can hear you saying.

Well, what’s funny about rental cars'  Beer'  Car insurance'  None of these items are inheriently funny, yet companies in all three sectors have effectively used humor to fix their products in the public eye.

It is important to remember that your trade show campaign should be fully integrated into your marketing plan as a whole.

If you are using humor in your television and print media, bring it to the show floor.

However, if you are known as a stoic and conservative company, playing for laughs at the convention center will fall flat.

Consistency in corporate image is key.

What can we learn from companies that have successfully used humor' There are four key lessons.

Avis Rental Cars “We try harder” campaign centers on humorous scenarios highlighting what would happen if a rental car company wasn’t willing to go the extra mile.

They film ridiculous situations, such as an attendant handing out books to customers waiting in long lines, and contrast them with the bright, efficient service a customer could expect from their company.

It gets a chuckle – but you’d better believe that when a weary traveler is eyeing the rental car company kiosks at the airport, an image of that book-toting attendant flashes through his mind.

Key #1: Exaggerate the norm.

Contrast exaggerated examples of industry ‘norms’ with how your company excels.

A restaurant chain that serves large portions could highlight the much smaller servings to be had at the competitor’s.

Wendy’s did this very effectively with the “Where’s The Beef'” campaign in the Eighties.

Be careful not to explicitly or implicity identify your competitors, or you’ll be hearing from some very angry lawyers.

Remember the Budwiser frogs'  How about the lizards'  Or the donkey that wanted to be a Clydesdale'  Each of these campaigns was phenomenonally successful, yet only tangentially related to the product at hand.

Each approach was slightly different.

Frogs croaking Bud – wis – er can be inheriently funny, especially if you’ve already had a few brews yourself.

It also appealed to the coveted young drinker demographic, as studies have shown an intense brand loyalty among drinkers, generally established in the early twenties.

The lizard campaign capitalized on the wry, sarcastic humor enjoyed by Budwiser’s target audience.

The donkey campaign tied into the traditional Clydesdale imagery, a strong if staid marketing tool.

Key #2: Know your target audience.

Jokes that appeal to one demographic may not work with another.

Gen Y shoppers have especially sharp funny bones, and may appreciate dry wit.

Tie in your classic marketing efforts whenever possible.

Geico and AFLAC have recently done very well with their talking animal ads.

By using the same animals over and over to reinforce the marketing message – after all, that poor duck could surely use some disability insurance of his own by now! – both companies have created a brand awareness second to none.

Ask the random person to identify a disability insurance company, and chances are that they’ll tell you about AFLAC.

Ask them about another disability insurance company, and you’ll be lucky if they can name even one.

Key #3: Create a character.

Create a ‘character’ as part of your brand image.

This character should show up EVERYWHERE – including television commercials, on the literature you distribute at the show, in your signage and graphics, and potentially as stuffed animals.

The Serta Sheep toys have taken on a life of their own, and each and every one of them goes out with the company name blazoned on the side.

That’s humorous marketing at work.

Consumers buy these secondary products because of the laugh-factor, and bring a constant advertisement into their home.

The influence on subsequent purchasing decisions may be minor, but it is in fact there.

Humor can be a great way to convey your marketing message.

Geico has done this very well with the “I saved money on my car insurance by switching to Geico!” series of commercials.

Exercise equipment salesmen, politicians, animated characters – all have been pressed into service to recite those ten words.

Using different settings keeps the audience engaged, while constant repitition drives the message home.

Key #4: Repetition counts.

Remember, consumers need to hear a message at least six times before they’ll recall it easily.

The trick is to keep the presentation fresh while the message remains constant.

Comedians world-wide will tell you that humor is a tough business.

It’s hard to tell what will make one person laugh and another roll their eyes in disgust.

However, if a joke falls flat for a comedian, they simply move on to the next joke and keep moving.

If you’ve invested tons of time and money in your humor campaign, you need to know these three things:

1. It must be funny.

Test the campaign on objective people.

Lots of objective people.

If the majority laugh, you’re golden.

However, if less than half the people get the joke, drop it.

2. It must be quick.

There are great funny jokes that take half an hour to tell.

That’s nice.

Inflict them on your relatives or when you’ve got a whole room full of trapped subordinates.

Customers aren’t going to give you that much of their time.

You’ve got half a minute tops to get them laughing.

3. It must reflect well on your company.

Ethnic, racial, sexual, and gender based humor has absolutely no place in the corporate world.

Perceived slurs – even if they are made in the guise of a joke – will travel around the world as fast as the internet can move, and suddenly your company will have all kinds of attention they don’t want.

Laughing is a lot of hard work, isn’t it'  But once you’ve found the right balance, you’ll have an advertising campaign that will draw the crowds into your exhibit – and more importantly, toward buying your products and services.

Article Tags: Trade Show, Disability Insurance

Small Unit, Big Impact Making A Splash With Table Top Displays And More


In the minds of most convention designers, bigger is better. The larger your exhibit is, the easier it is to see and the more people will visit. The more imposing your storefront is, the easier it is to notice and the more attention you'll get. Although these observations may be valid, they neglect the influence of a well crafted smaller unit. When used properly, a table top display at a convention or sidewalk signs on the street can have as much influence as an expensive, large storefront renovation or a custom exhibit.
Make Every Inch Of Table Top Display Space Count 
When you have limited exhibit space, you are forced to pare down on the text and images that you showcase. While this may seem like a negative outcome, it is actually positive. By stripping down to the essentials of your message, you communicate more effectively with your visitors. They will look at your sidewalk signs and know exactly what they'll get if they walk into your store. If you had more room, you'd be less able to focus their attention. 
As a consequence, you should spend a lot of time designing the space you have. Some people find it helpful to create scale models and try out different configurations of text and images. Small spaces can easily be overcrowded, and testing out the layout before you actually have the unit made will prevent costly mistakes. 
Position With Care
A small unit can be easier to overlook than a large one. To remedy this, you need to be careful about where you place it. Don't let it be overshadowed by other nearby sidewalk signs. Ensure that your table top display is substantially separated from those around it, so that they don't all blend together. Do everything you can to differentiate your table top display from your neighbor so that your stand is the immediate focus.
Make Use Of Bright Colors And Contrast
The human eye is naturally drawn to certain color combinations. For instance, red combined with white will naturally enhance our focus even before we've decided to look at it. Determine what colors will suit your company, and then see whether any of the colors you've picked are known to be particularly dynamic and arresting. Never pick colors simply for the sake of catching peoples' eyes -- you'll end up with a neon table top display with shiny metallic writing. It'll be eye catching all right, but nobody will be able to read it. Bright colors must always be used with something dark to contrast. It makes it easier to see, easier to read, and easier to remember.
Giveaways Are Great 
Give a flyer. Have printed information about your product readily available for anyone who asks so they can pick up literature and take it home. This kind of giveaway is inexpensive and can be done at almost any event. When your table top display is small, you want to ensure that you leave a big imprint on visitor memory. While the literature might not contribute directly to creating that memory, it will make it much easier for the visitors to think about your company after the convention.
If you are able, you can also do an actual giveaway. Many companies have had success with giving away small trinkets at their table top display, or with offering a raffle. You don't have a lot of space, but if you use it wisely, you're almost certain to see good results. 

Article Tags: Sidewalk Signs

How To Write A High-Profit Autoresponder Series!



It's the truth!

A strong autoresponder series can instantly double the conversion rate of your existing sales letter!

No kidding! I've created autoresponders for sales letters that have instantly pushed a 2% conversion to a 4% conversion with a snap of the fingers.

Yet everywhere I turn I see great sales letters that could do so much better if they simply added a strong autoresponder and started following up with prospects over and over again on complete auto-pilot.

You have a sales letter right now, or you're getting ready to have one. Either way, you'll spend hours polishing it or spend hundreds to have a copywriter work on it, all with the hope of increasing the sales and profits it produces.

And while that's smart business -- without an autoresponder -- you'll never kick your conversion rate up as high as it can go.

So you might wonder, what exactly makes a great autoresponder series that takes those somewhat interested and turns them into rabid "cash in hand" buyers' It's
actually a painless process...

With autoresponders, I usually use 7 messages. Studies have proven this to be the most effective number for follow-up without completely annoying those that keep getting message after message from you.

Now with these 7 messages, you have a lot of room to talk about your product.

So what I like to do is break apart each of the messages into separate buying types I know will be interested in my product.

For instance, there are a lot of different types of people that would use my copywriting services. One might have an interest in my services because of my prices. Another might be thinking about hiring me because they like my writing style. And yet another may be debating about using me because they like the way I keep writing until they're thrilled with the copy.

Now that's 3 different reasons that people might buy from me. I can think of a few more too. So what I would do with each of my 7 messages is pick one type of person -- think about what's stopping them from buying -- and write one message directly to them.

For instance, my first message in my autoresponder might be written to the business owner that likes my prices. In this letter, I would go through the reasons my prices give him or her better bang for their buck. I would talk about nothing else. Every word of this one autoresponder message would be about my prices and why they're getting a good deal.

And then, with my next autoresponder message, I might write to the business owner that likes my guarantee. I would go into deeper detail about it. Explain it so that he or she has no questions. I would sell the guarantee I offer, and nothing else.

And I would continue on like this, message after message. Each message would have a very specific goal -- to convince a certain prospect that they should buy from me while knocking down objections and diminishing their buying resistance.

Of course, some prospects will have multiple reasons for not buying from you. But if you find the 7 - 10 main reasons they won't act, and address them with individual messages, you'll instantly notice an increase in your conversion while knocking down individual objections on complete auto-pilot.

Want To Add Visual Punch To Your Trade Show Display Embrace The Power Of A Banner Stand

Are you using a semi-dated trade show display and wish you could jazz it up without a complete exhibit overhaul' Do you completely adore your customized trade show booth design, but just wish it had a little something extra to grab the attention of passersby at the next event' Two words can solve both issues easily: banner stands. In fact, no matter where you currently fall on the satisfaction spectrum with your trade show booth, the addition of a banner stand can prove a powerful exhibit tool.

Banner Stands: Understanding The Features And Benefits
 
Essentially, banner stands offer lightweight company signage and include custom font, logos, photos, and various other relevant advertorial missives. These extremely portable promotional tools come in a variety of retractable and non-retractable designs with an endless selection of colors, sizes, and shapes to best accessorize already existing trade show displays.

When selecting the best material for your company's promotional signage, it's important to keep factors such as usage, location, and overall visual punch in mind. Vinyl signage is usually brighter and visually sharper, making it a great choice for outdoor events and functions. Vinyl also offers an easy-to-clean surface. However, over time, a vinyl design may suffer from unsightly wrinkles and folds that could detract from the optical impact.

Fabric also makes a great choice for material. With its usually matte finish, fabric can work in a host of lighting environments without glare to ensure potential clients can easily read your company's message. However, fabric signs can fade over time and can be tougher to clean than their vinyl counterparts.

Placing Your Banner Stands For Best Effect

Organizations looking to utilize a banner stand to garner the attention of the crowds at an industry event can do so in a variety of ways. Some businesses may strategically place the signage at a calculated distance from the exhibit location itself. With a customized and attractive layout and promotional messages, the sign can pique the interest of the crowd milling about and encourage them to specifically seek out the company's trade show booth for more information.
 
Conversely, other companies may opt to set the sign up in close proximity with the rest of the organization's trade show display. This approach uses the sign as an important piece of the complete promotional puzzle. In short, putting the signage with the company exhibit can deliver a collective marketing visual to encourage potential clients to engage with your company's staff members and find out more about what your business does.

Perhaps the best incentive for using a banner stand is its cost effectiveness. Price points come in a wide range based on size, layout, material, and customization specifics. However, most companies can enjoy the benefits of an advertorial sign on virtually every budget. Partnering with a reputable trade show booth distributor can help ensure you receive a professional, effectively designed product that will help your company maximize its marketing message at your next event.

Article Tags: Trade Show Booth, Visual Punch, Trade Show, Banner Stand, Show Booth, Banner Stands

6 Ways That Blogging Can Save You Money



6 Ways That Blogging Can Save You Money
Copyright © 2005 Tinu AbayomiPaul

Even though I’ve had several personal blogs for years, I’ve only been officially business blogging since 2003. So in going back over expenses for the last quarter, you can imagine my shock when I realized that my overall business costs were down about 19%. What saved me so much money' Surprisingly, blogging.

How can you save money with your blog' It's pretty simple, so I'll be brief.

Attract search engine traffic without paying the big bucks

If you want Google, Yahoo and MSN to pay attention to you, blog.

It doesn't have to be a whole new site, just add a directory to your existing site and start blogging. Most blog software solutions are either cheap or free.

And you can find out most basic blog information online for free (really, sometimes just typing your question into Google will do it.) by people who've actually done it. For less than $100, you can build a small library of blog tips and secrets, written by successful business bloggers.

Instead of buying links, get one-way links from blog search engines and directories, as well as getting your RSS feed content displayed at other sites.

Linking is a great way to get search engine attention and click traffic. Some people get links by trading; others by including their links at the end of freely distributed articles. Others pay to be listed, or to get linked.

In each of these scenarios, some type of trade takes place, money, free content, or a link back.

When you blog, you'll find plenty of search engines and directories that are willing to list you free of charge. For the most part you won't need to link back - you'll get a one-way link from site favored by search engines, often using text that you select yourself.

If 90 or more of these free, legitimate links back to your site is worth your time, then get you blog in motion.

Not only that, if you update frequently, other sites may want to display your RSS feed content on their sites. To encourage them to do so, put a link on your page with instructions on how to do so. Ever since I put one on the front of my site, various feeds from my main site have turned up in the most unexpected places.

Cheaper way to study your audience.

As your blog gets more popular, you may start to find that on any given day, you have a representative cross-section of prospects and clients at your site. If you have a question for them, you can just... ask.

True, you can post a link to a survey in your newsletter or on your site, but these are not as interactive as the ability for your audience to comment. They will comment, and you can reply to ask them to expand, or clarify. Conversation gets going and before you know it, a bond is formed, a much stronger bond than occurs in a one-way conversation.

Cheaper (and faster) way to start a resource or authority site.

Five years ago, if you wanted to start an authority site, your best bet was to build a portal with a specialized directory at its core. Three years ago, you were better off starting a forum with a resource section attached to it. Last year, your top bet was a feed-enabled content management system, especially as more parts of content management systems began to have content feeds related to them. (I have 12 feeds for each of my PHP-Nuke based sites, though they don't work as well with Google Tap.)

Now, if you want to be the expert, you want to start a blog.

If you're blogging consistently, you have a hub of information collected that will inspire return traffic. You have a collection of links to articles, sites, and tools. You can constantly write up your own opinion editorials on each of these items, as well as fact-based analysis of news and events that can help your audience make better choices.

As blog software matures you can now categorize, and alphabetize your links, and with the ability to ping multiple sources as well as leave trackback links to other sites, you can send your readers through a ring of related, freshly updated information that ultimately leads back to you.

Spend less money on advertising as your blog becomes more popular

I can’t promise you that you’ll never spend another red cent on advertising costs. However, the amount of free advertising you get from having your blog link or RSS feed listed in dozens of search engines and directories, and popping up in feed readers is not to be underestimated.

You’ll probably still want to do some ezine advertising when your new ebook or software release is debuted. But you may not need to buy as much advertising or purchase as often.

Then there is the fact that many newsletters that are also published to RSS feeds have wider reach. I’ve found that it’s worth the extra money to appear in both versions – ask your favorite publisher for details. For publications that allow this, it’s normally only 20% extra

Save money by retaining visitors

You’ve probably heard a thousand times that it is easier to sell repeatedly to an existing client than it is to find a new one. So how do you get that visitor to come back, and possibly buy again'

A constant stream of new information on a particular topic work is enough to keep people buying a daily newspaper, subscribing to a magazine or viewing a television series.

Frequent updates can work the same way for your site.

With bloggers being named People of the Year by Time magazine last year, if you’re not blogging in 2005, you’re going to be left in the dust by other sites in your industry that do. It doesn’t have to take up a lot of extra time, and the time it does takes is made up for in the money you can save.

Article Tags: Search Engines, Other Sites