Anthony Riniti on Tuesday, May 13th, 2014 Comments Off on 5 Tricks of the Trade to Double Your Trade Show Impact

EMC World – 2014

1. If They Can See Me, They Will Stay

Investing in a couple of plasma screens and a videographer will be the second best investment you have made. On average, we can gather 75-100 people around a pool table. However, after the people get 5-10 rows deep, they will no longer be able to see the show. If they cannot see, they will not stay.

The solution is to mount a camera or hire a camera man who can “shoot” the show and then project it on plasma screens above the crowd. This small investment can literally double the size of your crowd because now 20-25 rows of people can see. Plasma screens or other projectors are inexpensive to rent and will make a tremendous impact on your crowds. Highly recommended.

2. If They Can Hear Me, They Will Stay

Your customized show is funny and informative. The entire show is 100% based on your company’s product benefits and sales message. Your attendees must be able to clearly hear what is being said otherwise they will not stay.

We all know that crowds draw crowds and one of the easiest ways to start a crowd is my unique combination of choreographed music and witty patter. The jokes and by-play at the beginning of the show disarms the audience and builds rapport.

It is imperative to have your speakers mounted as high as possible to ensure clear communication. We offer our PA System as a simple solution, and with a some creativity we can even blend it into your structure.

3. Pool Table on Main Aisle

Location. Location. Location. The correct placement of the pool table is critical for the success of this show. The pool table must be visible from the main aisles. If the pool table is hidden by signage or displays, the crowd may not come into the booth to see what is happening. Ideally it should be placed with one long side parallel to the main aisle or caddy corner to two main aisles.

People are always hesitant to enter into the booth. They feel safe standing on the outskirts or in the aisle. Once the show starts, I will compress the crowd and bring them into the booth. They will not do this by themselves. Once a crowd has begun to form, then additional people will come into the booth.

4. The 3 C’s: Credibility plus Celebrity equals Crowds.

If you saw some guy building a card castle, would you stop? Probably not. But if you learned he was the world’s leading expert, you would be intrigued. The same applies to pool.

Over 40 million Americans play pool at least once a week; however, few if any have ever seen a professional trick shot exhibition. You are giving them an opportunity to experience something truly unique and memorable. It is imperative to play up my credibility of being the Two-Time United States Trick Shot Champion of Pool and celebrity status of appearing on national television.

5. Scheduled Show Times

A large 4-color poster announcing the show times will help to build your customer’s anticipation. The shows will occur during the top or bottom of each hour. We will supply you with JPEGs or flyers for you to personalize with your company name, logo, and pertinent information. This is ideal for pre-show promotions as well as around the booth. With a little creativity, virtually any sales message can be tied into a creative pool cliché.

Anthony Riniti on Sunday, April 20th, 2014 Comments Off on Case Study – Exhibitor Magazine – April 2014

As seen in Exhibitor Magazine – April 2014

Live presentations have moved beyond PowerPoint and dry product pitches. See how these six exhibitors used live performers to capture attendees’ attention and communicate key messages.

Trade shows have a tendency to reduce normally level-headed professionals into a pack of 6-year-olds with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. The shiny new products, bright lights, and fancy exhibitry can quickly distract attendees from what matters – your product message.

So how do you combat the sensory assault on the show floor? One way it to turn to live presentations to capture attendees’ attention and tell them about your brands’ attributes. But to make these presentations more than just staffers reciting dry PowerPoint slides verbatim, hour after hour, many exhibitors hire professional presenters and entertainers.

They can not only help drum up a crowd, but also teach attendees a thing or two about your company’s product. And although the acts vary from break dancing to card tricks, all successful performances have one thing in common. They weave the product message into a presentation, and don’t just tack it on as an afterthought.

Looking for ideas to create your own entertaining presentation? Then take a cue from these five examples that got it right.

Pool-Table Pitch

Bridgestone America Tire Operations LLC, aka Firestone enlisted Chef Anton of Tricks of the Trade, Inc to perform billiard stunts at the 2013 Mid-America Trucking Show in Louisville, KY.

Chef Anton began each roughly 28-minute performance/sales pitch hybrid by clearing all the balls with a single shot and paralleling that feat to how the decreased rolling resistance and long tread life of Firestone’s tires can also knock truckers’ problems out with a single shot.

Once Anton had formed a rapport with his audience, he asked for a volunteer for his most daring stunt. While blindfolded, he shot a ball out of the attendee’s mouth, which struck a tire that rolled across the pool table and into a pocket. Those brave enough to risk their pearly whites were given a branded ball as a memento.

As a grand finale for his act, Chef created a five-foot tall stack, using 33 balls in total, and shot them all at once. And while he has performed the signature trick for other clients, this time it involved a product-centric twist. Instead of standard billiard triangles for the stack’s foundation, Anton substituted pieces of Firestone’s tire tread to demonstrate the product’s strength and durability.

Chef Anton performed his tricks every hour throughout the three-day show, and attracted upwards of 250 attendees each time. Moreover, attendees spent an average of 22 minutes in Firestone’s exhibit compared to the national average of 90 seconds.

Ultimately, Anton’s knock-out shot helped Firestone sweep its competition, too.

Exhibitor Magazine Cover

 
Exhibitor Magazine Introduction

Exhibitor Magazine Case Study