What People Think of Chef Anton…

What our corporate clients think…

Epic Aviation


"In the past, we have used various strategies to draw a crowd up to and including giving away a brand new car! However, nothing has been as successful as having your pool table right in the middle of our booth with you doing shows throughout the day."

—Michael G. Mooney – Vice President

Calgon Carbon


“I know there were a lot of skeptics, probably including myself, about the use of the trick shot artist at our booth, but I must say that I think it worked out great. I was very impressed at how Chef Anton was able to work in our sales points during his demonstration. Well done!”

—Bob O’Brien – Senior Vice President

Calgon Carbon


"The crowds that you were able to draw to our booth from the very first show to the very last show were so impressive, everyone noticed...including the Show Management who wrote a glowing review and included a photo in their e-newsletter."

—Jill Ricetti – Marketing and Media Manager

EMC Global Education


"We had over 1000 people watch the routine and listen to our message each day. 750 Qualified leads which are being converted into sales as we speak. We packed the booth every day for every session – there is no doubt that every customer who participated left knowing about our value proposition."

—Rod Gilbert – Market Development Manager

Iatric Systems


"The ROI in terms of increased traffic and retention of message far surpasses any other event marketing activity."

—Judy Volker – Marketing Manager

X-Rite


"We contracted an independent study of over 2,500 attendees and found that one week after the trade show was over, attendees had a 92% Retention Rate of Our Top Three Sales Messages."

—Heidi Bigler – Marketing Communications / Trade Shows

F&K Delvotec


"It is a delight to work with someone not only well vesred in his profession, but quick to learn about our high-tech products and, with that knowledge, broadcast our sales message in a pleasant way. Clients still talk about your sales presentation. No one believes me we only met weeks before our event."

—Ken Biggs – Vice President and General Manager

EMC Powerlink


"Chef delivered and reinforced our three key messages in a fun, entertaining, and engaging manner. Chef did a masterful job of incorporating those into his magic performance and antics, amplifying the actual impact."

—Steve Colombo – Senior Manager Marketing

USI


"We were very impressed with the quality and enthusiasm of your presentation and your ability to learn the USI message and incorporate it into your show was amazing."

—Melanie Murphy – Event Manager and Sales Coordinator

Halex Corporation


"Your ability to draw attendees into our booth, integrate our unique sales message, and help us generate qualified leads gives us a strong return on our investment."

—Sharon Orwin – Trade Show Coordinator

National Gypsum


"The traffic generated by your presentations far outweighs anything we have done before. Our qualified leads increased by over 300%."

—David Drummond – Manager Marketing Communications

SunAmerica


"Your creative sales tie-ins made our exhibition most memorable. Chef Anton is a wise investment."

—Terry Mullen – Director of Marketing

D.I.D. Corporation


"I am most impressed with your ability to learn the product (better than the sales group in some cases!) and incorporate the product features and benefits into a memorable presentation."

—Vikki Hunley – Director of Sales & Exhibit Services

GrapeCity Power Tools


"During and following our past conference in May, many industry experts wrote their recap blogs about the show and specifically mentioned our booth and referred to us as the best and the must see booth at the conference."

—Kevin J. White – Head of Marketing

Door Components, Inc.


"Your performance was so successful that I have literally postponed most of my marketing activities for the last year. Our business has exceeded all growth projections, and our factories are working like crazy to keep up with the demand."

—Tom Tewes – Director of Sales & Marketing

Shiraz Marketing


"You tackled a difficult assignment by having to learn, and then integrate the sales message for all 10 of our independent companies into your talented performance and you consistently pulled 150-200 attendees into the pavilion."

—James A. Burge – President

Trick Shots Franchise


"Your professionalism is unparalleled and your performance was beyond our expectations. You really packed them in."

—Lance D. Smith – President

Wastequip


"The energy of your presentations were consistent throughout the show and you spoke about our company with confidence and expertise. You represented Wastequip in a positive and energetic fashion and we appreciate the time you took to educate yourself about the industry."

—Christine McDaniel – Executive Assistant

Daleen Technologies


"Our company experienced a tremendous increase in traffic flow at the TeleStrategies’ Billing Systems trade show thanks to your creative trick shots and endless energy from the opening of the show to the very last minute before closing."

—Minna Waters – Events Coordinator

CoachComm


"I must admit, before I met you and ‘saw you in action’ I was more than a little skeptical, however your performances more than took that skepticism away."

—Barry Bryant – Director of Marketing


As a marketing director and client of Tricks of the Trade, Inc., I am sending a letter to describe our work with Chef Anton and Tricks of the Trade, Inc. In my opinion, Chef brings a rare gift to events. Primarily, he is very humble and unassuming, but he has a remarkable ability to orchestrate […]

IBM


"He sold our product better than our top salesman."

—Valerie Trommers – Marketing Director

EMC Cloud


"He drew huge crowds and really worked hard to get attendees listening to the message, more importantly attendees stayed in the booth after the show for further conversations with our staff. I would highly recommend working with Chef Anton and look forward to working with him again in the future."

—Pam Corcoran – Event Marketing

ABC News


“Brilliant! Chef Anton's presentation is the most effective form of sales entertainment in the trade show industry.”

—Rob Fukuzaki

Mac Equipment


"I never knew you could fit so many people into a 10x20. To coin Roy Schneider, next year we are gonna need a bigger booth."

—Scott Fischer – Trade Show Coordinator

MTI Technology


“He exceeded our highest expectations. Our clients are still talking about him.”

—Amy Hernandez – Director of Sales

Polygram Home Video


“Thanks to Anton’s expertise, we had the most successful trade show ever. He even drew more people than Pamela Anderson.”

—Susan Tenner – Marketing Director

Expo Network


“He has a definite passion for what he does. His ability to convey our Key Messages is second to none.”

—John Pass – Expo Network

Elite Expo


"I've worked with Chef Anton for over 10 years. Heis a true professional, easy to work with, and genuinely a great guy."

—Jan Adolphs – Specialist

ACE


“Fantastic Sales Entertainer. Very professional. Your clients will love him.”

—Bob Portwood – VP of Marketing

Bridgestone Tires


“Without Chef Anton, the average attendee stayed in our booth for 90 seconds. With Chef Anton, the average attendee stayed in our booth for 22 minutes.”

—Siri Spreegle – Trade Show Coordinator

QuickScrews International Corp.


“Our findings were that over the last 10 years, our cost per qualified lead was actually 33% less on shows that Chef Anton worked with us.”

—Rick Gentry – V.P. Sales & Marketing

Alcoa


"In my 25 years, I have never seen a more focused or effective sales presentation. It is by far the most valuable form of marketing I have ever experienced."

—Richard Loyd III – Industrial Psychologist

Celebrity Endorsements…

0119fats

Minnesota Fats

“I can’t believe he hustled me!”
pryor_chef

Richard Pryor

“He stole my *#@% watch…twice!”
Heather and Me

Heather Locklear

“The paparazzi found us.”
Teri Hatcher

Teri Hatcher

“I may be a Desperate Housewife, but I desperately need Chef Anton at my parties.”
Jim Carrey

Jim Carrey

“For the first time in my life, I am speechless”
arsenio

Arsenio Hall

“You’re the man!”
malcom

Malcolm-Jammal Warner

“Whenever I need a celebrity to hustle on my television show, I call on Chef Anton”
crook and chase

Crook and Chase

“He’s a cross between David Copperfield and Minnesota Fats.”
Scott Baio

Scott Baio

“I watched him for hours. He is the best I’ve ever seen.”
Martin Sheen - Spin City

Martin Sheen

“Chef Anton pick pocketed me. If I were president, I would make that a capital offense.”
Charlie and Me

Charlie Sheen

“If he can teach me how to play pool…then he is a magician”
Roseanne Bar

Rosanne

“He stinks. I can beat him!”

 

Letters of Recommendation…

Calgon Carbon


Dear Chef Anton:   Thank you for making Calgon Carbon the talk of the show during the American Water Works Association Annual Conference and Exposition.  The crowds that you were able to draw to our booth from the very first show to the very last show were so impressive, everyone noticed!  Bob O’Brien, Senior Vice President of Calgon Carbon had this to say: “I know there were a lot of skeptics, probably including myself, about the use of the trick shot artist at our booth, but I must say that I think it worked out great.  I was very impressed at how Chef Anton was able to work in our sales points during his demonstration.  Well done!” The show management was also impressed, including the following photo in their e-newsletter.  Citing “visitors to the Calgon Carbon booth at the ACE11 Exhibitor’s Sneak Peek Reception were treated to a display of card and pool tricks.” Very well done indeed!  I can’t wait until our next show! All the best,   Jill Riceti Marketing and Media Manager

—Jill Ricetti – Marketing and Media Manager

EMC Global Education


Dear Chef Anton;     WOW!! What an awesome experience having you in our booth at our 2005 Technology Summit in New Orleans.  Thank you for making this event the most productive event ever for EMC Global Education.   We have never seen such large crowds in our booth at any one time – it was amazing that you were able to bring people into our booth to hear our message, session after session.  It was a great benefit to have each person stay throughout the entire routine to hear the complete message.  As complicated as the messaging was – YOU NAILED IT – every time!!   Our Customers even asked “Is he one of your employee’s?”  They could not believe you were a for-hire professional entertainer.   Last year we thought we had a successful show - a cool golf theme with spectacular putting green complete with waterfall.  It drew in crowds and we thought it was successful; however, we really did not have the chance to communicate our core message in an engaging way.  This was our challenge for 2005.   So we decided to seek “Professional Entertainment” to deliver our messaging in an engaging way.   Through internal contacts we were referred to”Tricks of the Trade”.  After our brief discussions, and review of your website we agreed to hire you for our 2005 show.   I was truly amazed at how little work my staff had to do to develop the messaging and routine that you delivered.  You were able to GET it right the first time, which is something I have yet to experience in 10 years of working at trade shows!   We had over 1000 people watch the routine and listen to our message each day.   750 Qualified leads which are being converted into sales as we speak.  We packed the booth every day for every session – there is no doubt that every customer who participated left knowing about our value proposition.   You brought the messaging, entertainment and the theme of our booth together – My team was so impressed (so were our customers and members of Sr. Management) that we will be using you again for 2006.  Mark your Calendar – you set the bar high last year, looking forward to making 2006 even more successful!   The best marketing dollars are those that allow your message to reach your target audience and turn into results – You Delivered.   Congratulations!  You exceeded our expectations 10 fold!   Regards,   Rod Gilbert Market Development Manager EMC Global Education

—Rod Gilbert – Market Development Manager

Iatric Systems


March 14, 2013     I have had the pleasure of working with Chef Anton several times over the course of more than eight years.  I was first introduced to the concept of tradeshow ‘infotainment’ by our exhibit provider when looking at ways to not only increase booth traffic but also more importantly to convey a message in a way that would be memorable and allow for the nurturing of contacts.   My first thought was ‘a pool player?’ – not everyone is interested in pool and how will that draw a diverse audience to our booth?  I traveled to Las Vegas to see Chef Anton at another show and didn’t have to look hard to find him as there was a huge overflow of people around a small 10’ x 20’ space, all in a virtual trance watching the presentation.  I was not the least interested in the industry for that particular show but I walked away knowing the ‘three things to remember’ about the company.  The rest is, as the cliché goes, history.   I first worked with Chef Anton in 2005.  Not only did the show draw 100% larger crowds to the both than any other, but we contracted an independent study and found that within a three hour period, over 92% of attendees still remembered the three main points of our message.   Through the years I have utilized Chef Anton (with two different companies) with his standard trick shot show, magic only, and magic combined with another company as co-presenters.  I have found his flexibility to the changing needs of an industry or changing show strategy to be exemplary and the result is always beyond expectation.   I have been at an industry show where we’re not using Chef Anton and have people come up and say ‘is your pool player here?’  I even had an incidence of being in an elevator a year after the last show and have someone say ‘and three things to remember…’ and they did!  That kind of message retention is unheard of.   Chef Anton has always shown the utmost professionalism. He ‘gets it’ when it comes to understanding behaviors of his audience and knowing how to bring out the strength of the company he represents.  The ROI in terms of increased traffic and retention of message far surpasses any other event marketing activity.   Feel free to contact me should you require further information.   Judy Volker Marketing Director, Iatric Systems

—Judy Volker – Marketing Manager

X-Rite


Chef Anton’s “Bank on Color” trick-shot presentation at the PRINT ’05 trade show far exceeded X-Rite’s goals and expectations for a live presentation.  Without question it was the primary draw from the show floor into our booth. The unique combination of education and entertainment not only pulled individuals from all corners of the show floor, but retained an interested audience for a full 25 minutes.  As a result of his interactive, energetic, and informative presentation, X-Rite more than doubled the number of leads and attendees from other trade shows in this industry. His ability and willingness to memorize and understand the highly technologically filled script was phenomenal.  Chef Anton is truly dedicated to exceeding and delivering exactly what the customer/company expects at every show and will alter any aspect of his presentation instantaneously to best fit every situation. The high level of enthusiasm and professionalism is consistent from the very beginning until the very end of the show.  Chef Anton is a pleasure to work with and we have already targeted him for many of our 2006 shows.   Contacts: Heidi Bigler Marketing Communications/Trade Shows

—Heidi Bigler – Marketing Communications/Trade Shows

QuickScrews International Corp


To Whom It May Concern:   We have used the services of Chef Anton at our trade shows since 2003 for both his Trick Shot Sales Presentations and his Magic Sales Presentation. In 2013, we had a very important product launch.  It was imperative to our future success that as many potential customers attending the show were able to see our products and most importantly learn what differentiates our company from the competition. Coming out of the recession, we did an analysis on our Return on Investment with t trade shows that utilized Chef Anton and those that did not.  Our findings were that over the last 10 years, our cost per qualified lead was actually 33% less on shows that Chef Anton worked with us. Using this data, I presented it to our company’s CEO and we both agreed that using Chef Anton was well worth the additional cost. Now after we have done the shows, we also realize there are intangibles that we did not calculate. -          Our prospects not only gain products knowledge, but also a feeling of well-being that would not otherwise exist. -          They are happy to look at our products and give is their full attention after Chef Anton works his magic on them -          The average attended spent over five times the amount of time in our booth as compared to shows without Chef Anton. -          Our new customer left the booth empowered.  Chef developed a custom magic trick for our giveaway.  The beauty of his premiums is in order for our customers to do the trick for their friends and colleagues, they have to do our sales message.  Absolutely brilliant marketing. We look forward to many future shows with Chef Anton leading the way.   Regards,   Greg Weiner President/CEO QuickScrews International Corp

—Greg Weiner – President/CEO

F&K Delvotec


Dear Anton:   It was a pleasure to have you represent F&K Delvotec at the recent NEPCON Show in Anaheim.  As you know, we are a conservative company, and therefore hesitant to outsource promotional contracts and especially from a purely entertainment point of view.  Thanks to your presentation that led us to believe otherwise, we had our most successful trade show ever.  We thought you would be interested to know:

  • Booth traffic increased from approximately 300 per day to over 2,500 per day!
  • Qualified leads increased by over 300%!
  • Our entire sales staff found their jobs easier through your own methods of sales promotion tailored to our product line.
It is a delight to work with someone not only well vesred in his profession, but quick to learn about our high-tech products and, with that knowledge, broadcast our sales message in a pleasant way.  Clients still talk about your sales presentation.  No one believes me we only met weeks before our event. To really cap off the success of the show, select customers, attending our hospitality dinner, were further delighted to find you working your sleigh-of-hand magic during the cocktail party…a real ice breaker! We plan to have you entertain our show attendees at our next event.  At your earliest convenience, please call me for an appointment and future booking.   Best Regards,   Ken Biggs Vice President and General Manager

—Ken Biggs – Vice President and General Manager

EMC Powerlink


I'd like to share my positive perspective and feedback relating to Chef Anton.  Chef has worked with EMC for a number of years.  Personally, I've worked with Chef and his company "Tricks of the Trade" for the last two-plus consecutive years, specifically as part of EMC World, our major user conference attended by thousands of EMC customers, partners, and employees. Chef was hired to work in our booth as part of the exhibit area at EMC World.  Similar to a traditional trade show environment, we were one of numerous exhibits on the show floor vying for the attention of the attendees.  Chef was positioned as our primary crowd-gatherer, professional performer and "draw." In the first scenario, we built a small theater area with a raised stage and seating, and Chef performed a Stage Magic Show.  We ran approximately 25 shows over three days, and every single show was packed with attendees (seated and standing room only).  Chef delivered and reinforced our three key messages in a fun, entertaining, and engaging manner.  Prior to the show, we put lots of effort into determining our key messages and takeaways, and Chef did a masterful job of incorporating those into his magic performance and antics, amplifying the actual impact.  Whatever the primary objective of the booth might be - e.g. build awareness promote demos, create leads - Chef will shape his performance to help you achieve them. The second year we drew on Chef's expertise at the 2-Time United States Trick Shot Champion of Pool.  He performed an hourly show encompassing amazing pool trick, with occasional magic --- all integrated with our key messages, gifts, and raffles.  Again, it created constant crowds, and a "buzz" around our exhibit that clearly stood out in the exhibit hall. Additionally, while on site in Vegas, on short notice, Chef was asked to do an evening dinner event with several of our high-level executives.  Chef "worked the room" performing magic for the VP audience, and did a fantastic job.  Chef clearly is a pro in terms of empathizing and connecting with various audiences. Lastly, when I returned from EMC World in Las Vegas this year, I wrote a final show report.  Below is how I characterized Chef's billiards show effort and the impact:

  • It created an excitement and energy we've rarely seen in the past.
  • It drew a very large number of attendees to our booth, constantly, over the three days.  Every show was filled.
  •  Key messages were delivered in a very entertaining and memorable fashion.
  •  It promoted demo activity at the various stations in the booth and helped stimulate interest and feedback.
  • It provided a nice means for us to reward our customers, with gifts and raffles.
  • It energized the EMC Staff, who has been working very hard and long on a new web site featured in the booth
  We strongly advocate for next year that we sustain our investment in the booth effort, and stick with the winning formula and key ingredients that made this year's show a success.  That includes an outside professional such as Chef Anton who attracted numerous customers and partners, delivered key takeaways, and provided everyone with an entertaining and memorable visit to our exhibit space.     All my best,   Steve Colombo   Senior Manager Marketing

—Steve Colombo – Senior Manager Marketing

USI


Chef Anton – What a great show!  We were very impressed with the quality and enthusiasm of your presentation and your ability to learn the USI message and incorporate it into your show was amazing.  We had our sales people asking if they could you on calls with them.  It was a very effective integration! We are so pleased with your show and the traffic generated to our booth, we would like to have you join us at our next trade show! The pool tricks are truly amazing.  It was a pleasure to work with you and look forward to working with you again in the future. Thanks again,   Melanie Murphy Event Manager and Sales Coordinator

—Melanie Murphy – Event Manager and Sales Coordinator

Halex Corporation


Dear Anton Thank you once again for so professionally representing the Halex Corporation at our largest trade show of the year Surfaces for the last two years. Your ability to draw attendees into our booth, integrate our unique sales message, and help us generate qualified leads gives us a strong return on our investment.  Our trade shows would not be nearly as successful without your professional sales entertainment. We look forward to a long-term mutually beneficial relationship.   Best regards, Sharon Orwin Trade Show Coordinator

—Sharon Orwin – Trade Show Coordinator

National Gypsum


Chef Anton Thanks for the hard work and effort you put into our last two trade shows this year. When we hired you, you told us you would increase the traffic in our booth and integrate our product information into your presentation. Well true to your word you came through on both accounts.  The traffic in our booths was up dramatically, especially at the CSI Show where the attendees were influencers of our business and not customers we have direct relationships with.  In addition, I received several positive comments from people who came by our booth regarding the depth of knowledge you displayed regarding our product line.  You came up with some very creative ways to incorporate this information into the wonderful trick shots you displayed.  The traffic generated by your presentations far outweighs anything we have done before. Our qualified leads increased by over 300%. We are extremely happy with the job you did for us this year and will be using your services again in the future. Thanks!   David Drummond Manager Marketing Communications

—David Drummond – Manager Marketing Communications

SunAmerica


Chef Anton Thank you for bringing your magic to the National Conference we just attended in Scottsdale, AZ.  It is my firm belief this conference would not have been as successful without your participation.  The entertainment you delivered at our booth brought the following:

  1. Audience participation and laughter (loved watching the watches disappear)
  2. A related sales message (no one will forget our dollar cost averaging rates)
  3. A lasting impression about our company.
  4. Booth traffic increased tremendously  (our leads increased from 150 to 700 per day)
This was the first time we have incorporated our sales message into your show and I thought it was extremely successful in creating awareness and leaving a lasting impression.  Your creative sales tie-ins made our exhibition most memorable.   Chef Anton is a wise investment. Thanks again for your participation.  We look forward to seeing you at our next show! Sincerely,   Terry Mullen Director of Marketing

—Terry Mullen – Director or Marketing

D.I.D. Corporation


Dear Chef Anton: Thanks for two fabulous show presentations!  The traffic generated by your presentations far outweighs anything we have done before.  I am most impressed with your ability to learn the product (better than the sales group in some cases!) and incorporate the product features and benefits into a memorable presentation.  Your thoroughness and creativity in pulling the presentation elements together are outstanding. I look forward to working with you on many more events.  Again, than you for making our job easier and bringing such success to our shows. Sincerely, Vikki Hunley Director of Sales & Exhibit Services

—Vikki Hunley – Director of Sales & Exhibit Services

GrapeCity Power Tools


I am pleased to write this letter of recommendation for Chef Anton.  I hired Anton for our past 2 major developer conferences; DevConnections in Las Vegas and TechEd in Atlanta.  We promoted his skills as the 2-Time Untied States Trick Shot Champion including his unique magic trick repertory. Anton’s skillful approach to grab the attendee’s attention and most importantly, keep their interest was brilliant.  His command of the audience was second to none as we were constantly 6-7 rows deep in our booth during his presentations. During Anton’s work with us, I admired him for his many valuable qualities, and regarded him with evermore professional respect.  He showed expert talent as well as being a team player.  Anton was always punctual – usually the first one at the booth, reliable, and focused yet easygoing with a fresh sense of humor.  He was keenly devoted to his work, yet being a real people person and entertainer, he was also extremely enjoyable to be around. Anton demonstrated from early on that he understood what our sophisticated business is all about.  He was well organized and thrived under very chaotic conditions at times.  He kept a sharp eye on his proficient presentation and realized too that entertaining the customer while soundly delivering our corporate message is what makes the difference when these attendee’s finally have to make important decisions on products such as ours. During and following our past conference in May, many industry experts wrote their recap blogs about the show and specifically mentioned our booth and Chef Anton.  Of the 200+ exhibitors, our booth was commonly referred to as the best and the must see booth at the conference.  Much of the accolades were resulting from Anton’s impressive performances. In closing, let me say I have no hesitation in recommending Chef Anton for any trade show, corporate event, or any significant gathering that you may need to grab the attention of a very key community.  I feel confident he would be an asset to your organization. Sincerely, Kevin J. White Head of Marketing

—Kevin J. White – Head of Marketing

Door Components, Inc.


Dear Chef Anton Being a West Coast manufacturer, the Baltimore show was well out of our normal market area.  The reason for going was to introduce Door Components, and our new company Door Components Interior Systems to the East Coast. Let me tell you, it really worked.  Although the show was well over a year ago, we are still reaping the rewards. As we discussed on the telephone, that show and your performance was so successful that I have literally postponed most of my marketing activities for the last year.  Our business has exceeded all growth projections, and our factories are working like crazy to keep up with the demand. I guarantee that when we start our next marketing program, Tricks of the Trade will definitely be a part of it.  Thanks again, I look forward to working with you in the future. Sincerely, Tom Tewes Director of Sales & Marketing

—Tom Tewes – Director of Sales & Marketing

Shiraz Marketing


Dear Chef Anton On behalf of the GLC Group, I want to thank you for a job well done in our pavilion at this year’s Fire Rescue International Conference in New Orleans, LA.  You tackled a difficult assignment by having to learn, and then integrate the sales message for all ten of our independent companies into your talented performance in a relatively short period of time. Your delivery was smooth and to the point, and you consistently pulled 150-200 attendees into the common area of our 9,800 square foot pavilion every 15 minutes.  Many of the principals of our member companies also mentioned that they very much appreciated your enthusiasm and work ethic by providing continuous performances without a lunch break even though you were encouraged to take one.  Not to mention that you are a very pleasant person to work with. I would be happy to recommend your services to anyone who is planning an event or trade show exhibition.  Thanks again! Regards, James A. Burge President Shiraz Marketing, Inc.

—James A. Burge – President

Alcoa


I had the pleasure to seeing your presentation for the first time at the N.A.H.B. Show in Atlanta for Alcoa.  I have been in the construction industry for the past 25 years and I have never seen a stronger or more focused sales presentation than what I saw you do in Atlanta.  I was very impressed with how it held the interest of the audience and presented the product line in a relaxed but repeated fashion. After your presentation was over, I followed a couple that had been there.  I was curious to see how much of the information presented was retained.  After forty five minutes, I stopped them and asked them a if they minded answering a few questions for me.  I was amazed at the level of product information they had retained after this period of time. In my 25 years, I have never seen a more focused or effective sales presentation. It is by far the most valuable form of marketing I have ever experienced. Sincerely, Richard Lloyd III Industry Psychologist

—Richard Lloyd III – Industrial Psychologist

Trick Shots Franchise


Today will be always be a memorable day for us because, thanks to your unique presentation, we closed our first franchise sale.  We have several very good memories along the way to this point in our franchise journey but none of them compare to your presentation in our booth.  You really packed them in. You may recall we had your presentations filmed and we will present you with a copy of that film when it becomes available.  I have seen it in the production stage and I know this video will make a nice addition to your collectibles. Your professionalism is unparalleled and your performance was beyond our expectations.  We will be pleased to be one of those who will recommend you to others so if you ever have that need let us know. Thanks for all of your help.   Yours truly,   Lance D. Smith President Trick Shots Franchise

—Lance D. Smith – President

Wastequip


Dear Chef Anton, I am writing you to thank you for your representation of Wastequip at this year’s WasteExpo held in Las Vegas, Nevada. Your performances had been seen at the World of Concrete Show by Jerry Samson, our Vice President of Sales and Marketing.  He was very impressed by your abilities and felt that you would be a nice addition to our booth space. The energy of your presentations were consistent throughout the show and you spoke about our company with confidence and expertise. You represented Wastequip in a positive and energetic fashion and we appreciate the time you took to educate yourself about the industry. Our CEO, Bob Rasmussen, was able to watch you and thought you were amazing.  It is obvious that your performance is entertaining; every show attracted a large enthusiastic crowd into our booth! I am glad you gave us first right of refusal to book you for next year.  We must have had at least a dozen people ask where we found you and ll of the particulars about booking you.  We wouldn’t hesitate to recommend you anyone else, if we didn’t want you for ourselves first! We look forward to having you in our booth in Atlanta next year. Thanks again for a job well done and we look forward to working with you in the future. Best regards, Christine McDaniel Executive Assistant Wastequip

—Christine McDaniel – Executive Assistant

Daleen Technologies


Dear Anton: Our company experienced a tremendous increase in traffic flow at the TeleStrategies’ Billing Systems trade show thanks to your creative trick shots and endless energy.  Our CEO and entire staff was impressed by the way you customized your presentation to incorporate our specific message.  We saw a significant increase in leads due to the attraction you created from the opening of the show to the very last minute before closing. We appreciate your dedication to this show and look forward to working together on future trade shows. Sincerely, Minna Waters Events Coordinator Daleen Technologies  

—Minna Waters – Events Coordinator

CoachComm


Dear Chef, Where do I begin?  First let me say thanks for an absolutely phenomenal job!  We could not be more pleased with the way you lived up to and exceeded our expectations.  Not only did you entertain everyone who visited our booth, but you also educated them about CoachComm and our products.  I’ve never seen a ‘trade show entertainer’ that did both so well, usually you can find someone to entertain or you find a ‘spokesperson’ for your product, but with you we got both! I was also amazed at how you were able to continually draw a crowd.  I noticed several times that you would start with only a few people standing around.  In just a matter of minutes our bleachers were full and people were standing 4 or 5 deep all the way around your pool table.  I would say we averaged 125 to 150 per show and I believe we topped 200 for several performances! I must admit, before I met you and ‘saw you in action’ I was more than a little skeptical, however your performances more than took that skepticism away.  We will certainly call you in the future and would be honored if you used us for a reference with your future clients. Thanks again for a great job! Sincerely, Barry Bryant Director of Marketing CoachComm

—Barry Bryant – Director of Marketing

X-Rite


Chef Anton’s “Bank on Color” trick-shot presentation at the Print ’05 trade show far exceeded X-Rite’s goals and expectations for a live presentation.  Without question, it was the primary draw from the show floor into our booth. The unique combination of education and entertainment not only pulled individuals from all corners of the show floor, but retained an interested audience for a full 25 minutes.  As a result of his interactive, energetic, and informative presentation, X-Rite more than doubled the number of leads and attendees from other tradeshows in this industry. The most impressive part of your show was your ability to instill our corporate message in a memorable fashion.  We contracted an independent study of over 2,500 attendees and found that one week after the trade show was over, attendees had a 92% Retention Rate of Our Top Three Sales Messages. His ability and willingness to memorize and understand the highly technologically filled script was phenomenal.  Chef Anton is truly dedicated to exceeding and delivering exactly what he customer/company expects at ever show and will alter any aspect of his presentation instantaneously to best fit every situation. The high level of enthusiasm and professionalism is consistent form the very beginning until the very end of the show.  Chef Anton is a pleasure to work with and we have already targeted him for all of our future shows. Respectfully,   Heidi Bigler Marketing Comunications / Trade Shows X-Rite

—Heidi Bigler – Marketing Communications / Trade Shows


As a marketing director and client of Tricks of the Trade, Inc., I am sending a letter to describe our work with Chef Anton and Tricks of the Trade, Inc. In my opinion, Chef brings a rare gift to events. Primarily, he is very humble and unassuming, but he has a remarkable ability to orchestrate open and meaningful interactions with clients and potential clients. His unassuming nature gets people intrigued but his talent more than fascinates the audience. Chef holds them captive and then has them craving more. It’s a true treat to watch him work his magic. We have contracted with Chef for many occasions and events and our working relationship with Chef spans 10+ years. His methodologies and presentations are extremely engaging and he always has a unique way to provide valuable corporate messaging and product benefits. Most importantly, Chef conveys our messaging in a fun way that always brings huge crowds to our booth. If you are looking for a unique way to engage attendees at a show or to provide corporate entertainment on any level, you simply could not find a better solution than Chef Anton and Tricks of the Trade, Inc. We love working with him and we plan to continue utilizing Chef’s amazing talents and his ability to connect with our target audiences.

EMC Cloud


Chef Anton is a true professional who knows his business.  He was a pleasure to work with during the planning phases. He guided our content providers to narrow down our messaging to key bullet points which he used to customize his signature trick.   He arrived on site and was extremely easy to work with, very flexible and able to work in a non-typical trade show booth. He drew huge crowds and really worked hard to get attendees listening to the message, more importantly attendees stayed in the booth after the show for further conversations with our staff. I would highly recommend working with Chef Anton and look forward to working with him again in the future.

—Pam Corcoran – Event Marketing

Epic Aviation


Dear Chef, I wanted to express my sincere appreciation for the valuable part you played in making our trade show appearance a stunning success. EPIC is an aviation fuel company and we displayed at the National Business Aircraft Association (NBAA) convention in Orlando, FL held October 30 - November 1, 2012. This is a very large convention with thousands of trade show booths and fierce competition to attract the attention of the attendees. In the past we have used various strategies to draw a crowd up to and including giving away a brand new car! However, nothing has been as successful as having your pool table right in the middle of our booth with you doing shows throughout the day. You could always tell you were about to begin one of your shows because a crowd would begin to form even before you arrived. The true test came the last day when many other exhibitors had abandoned their booths, and the crowd was very thin. However just one hour before the convention closed, you put on your last show to another large and enthusiastic crowd. It was amazing. However, you had another trick up your sleeve that I think was one of the best; Your running dialogue during your trick shots and card tricks was interspersed with positive and promotional comments about our company. It was smooth and clever how you fit our name and our core values into your commentary. I hope we are able to work together again and would be very proud to recommend your serves to other exhibitors seeking to make their trade show experience the best it can be. Best regards, Michael G. Mooney V.P. & Chief Risk Officer EPIC Aviation, LLC

—Michael G. Mooney – Vice President

Quickscrews International Corp.


We have used the services of Chef Anton at our trade shows since 2003 for both his Trick Shot Sales Presentation and his Magic Sales Presentation. In 2013, we had a very important product launch. It was imperative to our future success that as many potential customers attending the show were able to see our products and, most importantly, learn what differentiates our company from the competition. Coming out of the recession, we did an analysis on our Return on Investment with trade shows that utilized Chef Anton and those that did not. Our findings were that over the last 10 years, our cost per lead was actually 33% less on shows that Chef Anton worked with us. Using this data, I presented it to our company's CEO and we both agreed that using Chef Anton was well worth the additional cost. Now after we have done the show, we also realize there are intangibles that we did not calculate.

  • Our prospects not only gain product knowledge, but also a feeling of well-being that would not otherwise exist.
  • They are happy to look at our products and give us their full attention after Chef Anton works his magic on them.
  • The average attendee spent over five times the amount of time in our booth as compared to shows without Chef Anton.
  • Our new customers left the booth empowered. Chef developed a custom magic trick for our giveaway. The beauty of his premium is, in the order for our customers to do the trick for their friends and colleagues, they have to do our sales message. Absolutely brilliant marketing.
We look forward to may future shows with Chef Anton leading the way.   Regards, Rick Gentry V.P. of Sales & Marketing Quickscrews International Corp.

—Rick Gentry

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