Marketing

Learning from a day at a major exhibition

27 February 2022 Stuart Nimmo

Stuart spent his Saturday at the Caravan, Camping and Motorhome Show at the NEC. However, probably spent more time looking at the stands than some of the contents.

The world of exhibitions certainly has changed. The need is still there, the challenges and environment are very different. However, scrimping isn’t the way forward. Even if you are taking small space, make the most of it. Not like one 3×3 shell scheme where 9 pull up banners and literature stands were rammed, but think through what your message is. Less is more as some say.

***Stretched cloth graphic panels at the back.***

Big themes are this year’s Caravan, Camping and Motorhome Show were the presence of printed fabric in use for banners and point of sale. Yes at this show the need for built stands is less, so the construction and thought processes and probably different. However, the presence of printed fabrics, not just in hanging fabrics, stretch displays panels, dividers and feather flags, was one trend that showed the shift in trends over the last few years.

***Hillside Leisure certainly created a good impression with this.***

The most outstanding one surely goes to Hillside Leisure for its stunning retro-themed stand. Where styling and design can create an impact that sets the tone of your business superbly. Utilising a stand designer to create such immersive visual experiences which tie together your branding, really shows this off as a pedigree in their marketplace. Plus it set the tone for the products, in the form of wonderful motorhomes.

For every highlight, you see cardinal sins against presentation, scruffy scrim banners loosely hanging on shell schemes. Firstly, if this was your business think about first impressions, that’s why you’re at a major show! The 11-second rule applies every time – people seriously make their minds up that quickly if they want to look and talk to you.

So even if you make a basic floor plan and wall plans and think through what you have, what your messages are and be concise, it’s all about attracting people to your stand! If you have a plan and objectives getting a design professional to input is then easy as this forms the brief. Simple inputs can make a big impression, as one Foundry business we’ve been working with recently has discovered, including materials and ease of doing.

If you are serious, exploring all the options around exhibiting at events should be considered. Talking to a stand designer like Wayne at Clarke Concepts will stand you in good stead for making informed decisions about maximising your impact and return on investment.

Canny tip… If you are utilising a smaller space nothing is stopping you from using the height to grab attention. A feather flag in these situations is a great tool for the job. Perhaps it goes with the territory with outdoor businesses maximising their display assets, but they worked well indoors, with plenty seen throughout the 5 halls.

The impact of environmental awareness is slowly creeping in. Great to see show signage now on thick corrugated stock which makes it fully recyclable. However, still, there is a lot more to be done to bring better environmental standards to exhibitions. Especially as some of the build practises need to incorporate more recycling and reuse, as the commercial standards or speed and time is money dictate how things are done.

As with any marketing opportunity like this is a major investment, making sure you get it right is so important. Savvy spending is an essential start if you’re new to exhibiting at events. However, if you’re a seasoned pro, the whole “plan implement review” cycle is still so important. When was the last time you properly reviewed? Things have shifted significantly over the last few years, not just with the pandemic but with technology and trends.

Why partner with us for your exhibition presence? A rounded approach, from stand to collateral and apparel, total solutions. We work with stand designers/builders, marketers, photographers, videographers and a lot more allied trades to bring together a rounded package, which will perform.

Outstanding shining lights of 2021

12 December 2021 Stuart Nimmo

Part 2 of our reflective blogs of 2021. The top 5 projects and the highlights of what we’ve seen in 2021. Projects that have caught our eye for the right reasons and ultimately will perform.

Starting at number 5, Julia Elvin, (personal private project) Christmas Cards, meeting the exacting challenges for Julia in 2020, was an interesting journey, this year we had a progression with this year’s Christmas Card, from original artwork, scanned, retouched, colour balanced and reproduced on some stunning James Cropper Vanguard board (Ivory Cream). Great to use British made products in our print.

In at number 4… Shy Burhan, Shipley based photographer, collaboration, engagement, consideration, inclusion were at the heart of the project we did for Shy in June of 2021. What can only be described as an exhibition catalogue, celebrating the works of a project Shy led. We produced a perfect bound catalogue, with beautifully sharp imagery. Supported Shy in creating the artwork, within an environment she understood and knew.

A significant project for number 3, a book on customer service, geared up for a specific audience and design to build trust and authority on the topic. The author was a definitive point of knowledge on the subject, and the trend for prospects to turn into customers is becoming harder as we get flooded with multiple channels of marketing noise, crying out for attention.

The second most noticeable project(s) of the year, has been the work we’ve done for Flat Stan First Aid, daring to be different, changing the game and engaging and taking on board ideas to progress. Simon’s leadership on actively listening, planning, implementing and careful review process, has allowed him to aim a bit higher in how he pitches and presents. The “how” has been at the key of this work, whether going slightly lumpy and physical with his marketing, addressing tone of voice for communications or thinking more strategically.

The most significant piece of 2021, Nick Shaw, Always Networks, Security book. Nick is a highly credible experienced professional in the world of data and online security, his career progression has given him exceptional experience and it shows. This was part of the enabler in creating a marketing tool, which worked not just on the levels as identified in project number 3 above, but to a higher level. The two-way engagement we had, sparking ideas to deliver, measures, controls, engagement monitoring tools, goes beyond what I call an “ink on paper” print house and makes us a partner delivering marketing support in a realistic SME business environment.

Overall, we love the diversity of what we do, the magic it creates, the journeys it enables for others to progress their objectives. So, if you need the magic of transforming your engagements with real people, with real meaningful physical touchpoints, we have some stunning ways and means. Oh and I should have included this project, for Lee at Fordies Detailing…

What have we learned from 2021?

5 December 2021 Stuart Nimmo

Calendar years often give us the point to review things, as one year closes and the new year looms, we all ponder and think on how things have worked, what we’ve achieved and importantly start to plan for the year ahead.

So, what has 2021 taught us? The overriding one is facing and meeting the challenge. Trying to evolve in a world of a pandemic has delivered more challenges than any of us would have thought we could have faced. Not just the change in how we do business, the old days of endless face to face are now supplemented with zoom and teams calls, which does have its benefits, but also presents new non-verbal communication messages being missed. Volatility has become almost a norm, with the dynamics of global markets playing out even more in local situations.

We’ve seen positives from 2021, environmental issues have significantly risen on the agenda. Responsibility around what we do is now, is a more profound part of decision making. I know from discussions with potential clients, this does impact decision making processes. This rightly leads on to the first of the hot factors of 2021;

“How” not “what”

We’ve been saying this for some time. The chains of communication have changed a lot, regardless of whether you are solely digital or a true marketing mix, with physicality and digital working side by side. When businesses have used a more carefully crafted approach, they have cut through the marketing noise, which has become more prevalent.

The noise

Not in decibels, but the sheer volume of communications using very similar channels. I accept this blog is within one of those channels and might be read more by bots than actual humans. So where are the decisions made? When digital communications, when so copious in quantity push intelligence as pure data, and decision-makers potentially struggle to harness appropriate knowledge? We come across some intelligent businesses who are riding the wave of innovation to grab attention to actively start building new genuine business relationships.

Relationships matter

This has long been spoken about, how people like people. It is true; however, the new world of 2021 certainly has elevated this to a different meaning. Collaboration, collective working, have evolved to see these as critically developmental for small businesses. Long gone are the days of the customer-supplier relationship, it’s more about working together than being hard-nosed and pushing. Equally the individuals who still pursue this have found their worlds shifting more. Respect is something that works both ways and is earned through behaviours on many levels, in which physical 1-1 relationships are king.

Reality of authenticity

This might seem an odd one, but this in my eyes has developed real credence during 2021. Faking it to make it, is probably dead. Authenticity, reality, being honest, truthful, values-driven create stunning meaningful relationships. I’ve seen a few interesting examples in 2021, first one, who earned serious respect, for wearing his brand values of who he is, what he does, is Lewis Ellis, so much so we asked him to be our guest speaker at our 2021 open house event. Blazon in his delivery, is down to earth, challenging in new refreshing ways, not to everyone’s cup of tea, but serious about cutting to the chase and creating action. Taking a different viewpoint on the reality of authenticity, Thomas McGowan, watching him redevelop his business, utilising time wisely to review, plan and implement has been a beautiful example of delivering true what you see is what you get philosophy, his branding and positioning are now very strong to move him forward with becoming more of the authority and inspiring person he is. So, taking a step back and reviewing how you present your personal brand will be well worth some time spent.

Local matters

This hits on so many different levels. Local is now where things are, the challenges of seeing big names from the high street disappear, made us realise how fragile they were. They were hanging on the brink before the pandemic and it didn’t take much to realign where the world of business sits. I’ve said for 3 plus years, it has been getting highly polar, small niche businesses deliver more in the way of service than any online web megalith of a business. The ethics of environmental factors of buying local and reducing good mileage is also a significant part of this. We now carry ranges of stock, which are British made, where we have minimised the journey of product manufacture into us, and thus onto our customers. Local also matters after discovering how much of the goods we used are reliant on containers moving them around the world. Was 2021 the point where globalisation had its reality check?

This blog is the first part of our review of 2021. We’d be interested to hear your comments and thoughts on what matters to you, if you found this on a social post, please tag comments appropriately. Equally, always open to having a chat.