Our collaborative background is in the food ingredient manufacturing industry, so we've both attended many shows where food processing companies strut their stuff.
I wish I had a dollar for each time we've run across an exhibit where one of the main graphic images on the exhibit is something similar to the photo below.
A beautiful (and no doubt expensive) aerial photograph of the company's manufacturing facility located just outside ______ Indiana. A source of pride to the company and the local community alike.
As we would pass by graphics like these, they all began to look alike.
Then we started to ask ourselves, "doesn't EVERY food processor have some kind of a factory like this?"
What does the aerial photo really tell us about a given company?
We concluded that the only thing it truly says is, "Look at us. We make OUR stuff indoors". Hey guess what? If you're processing food, you'd better have a factory like this and make your stuff indoors, or nobody does business with you ---- it's "table stakes". It's what you need to start playing the game, not what you need to win the game.
So, when you decide to tell your story, don't settle for table stakes. Find your unique points of differentiation, and tell that story. Everybody probably knows you make your stuff indoors.
TSB
Good points! Your trade show graphics should definitely be personalized to make you stand out among the other trade show displays that are competing for the attendee's attention. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteOr how about those displays that are a giant listing of bullet points. I once worked for a VP of Sales who insisted we list every feature/benefit of our product. My Account Manager for the exhibit house I was using then wisely convinced him not to. Like he said, sometimes less is more....
ReplyDeleteDear Anonymous - I think I could write a book on that subject. Why DO product managers (especially) think they need to post every last detail about their beloved product?
ReplyDelete