Getting closer to customers is something businesses strive to do every day, and now you can do just that with Point of Purchase Displays and Portable Work Stations. Both of these tools have their uses but though their function differs slightly, they share the same characteristics – they are cost effective, they are easily moved from venue to venue and they put you and your business right next to potential customers.

Anyone who has gone through a US airport or mall will have seen credit card sales people or cell phone agents or cable TV package offerings not from a retail outlet, but from a temporary kiosk or booth. In effect a mini trade show display, usually comprising of a “desk”, writing area combined with attention grabbing, promotional signage. These vendors are taking advantage of a significant retail fact – more than 70% of buying decisions made by US consumers take place within a retail environment – not on the internet, but in a retail store, mall or other shopping center.

Now this contrasts with a business problem – many products and services coming to the market are new and innovative, and getting them adopted by major retailers or even regional or local retailers can be an uphill struggle. Now with a Point of Purchase Display, you can take your new product direct to market for a fraction of the cost of getting your merchandise into a major retailing store, and certainly a lot less than investing in a shop itself!

The extremely low-cost alternative provided by Point of Purchase Displays and Portable Work Stations allows merchandisers to effectively “piggy back” on retail space already available in established outlets. As they take very low amounts of retail footage, you can gain access to retail traffic in the most expensive areas for relatively little money. In the battle to win customers, these booth displays deliver very high margins combined with very low risk due to the low cost involved. They are perfect for experimenting with new product launches and eminently suitable for moving your product and service offerings beyond the traditional retail outlets and closer to where potential customers hang out, for instance, at the airport!

The same design principals apply as with other business promotional tools – make sure you have an eye-catching design which will attract interest of your prospects, and keep your retail display fresh and inviting. Highlight your product and service offering by incorporating them into the design and display and make sure your brand takes prime position. The low cost of these displays allows you to keep up with fashions and trends, so don’t be afraid to treat these mini-booth displays as commodity items.

Make sure you consult with your trusted design partner and ask them about the options provided by Point of Purchase Displays and Portable Work Stations – the costs are extremely low, the opportunities are extremely high and with the flexibility and functionality, they provide exceptional value and a great opportunity to sell and promote your business in ways you only dreamed of.

With the growth and expansion of electronic and digital communication, print media is quickly becoming a lost art. It is with some sadness that we recognize that with this detachment from traditional publication, we are losing touch with what many people consider the humanity behind the written word. Everything from mail and advertising to literature and greeting cards has seen a drastic change in the mediums in which they can be most commonly found. With that being said, there is still something nearly indefinably more pleasing about holding something tangible and physical in one’s hand when trying to communicate with written language. Newsletters, for instance, were once a highly regarded and infinitely useful means of reaching the community, employees and even customers. With the right methods of publication and distribution, these handy methods of communication can prove just as useful and worthwhile an investment as any email or digital marketing campaign.

Hard-copy publication offers a personal touch to newsletter communication that is often lost in the transfer to electronic media. Every decision that goes into the design, printing and distribution of the document has an impact on the reader. Publishing a newsletter is far more involved than simply printing some events and information on a piece of paper with some clip art and making copies. Careful decision making and tailor-made craftsmanship can take a dull, lifeless rag and turn it into a vibrant and engaging way to reach any audience.

There are a number of ways to tailor a newsletter to a particular audience. Apart from letting the information alone communicate the message, the physical document speaks volumes about the motivations and resources available to the entity (be it individual or business) who publishes the information. For instance, a daycare center may choose to include a list of upcoming activities or recent announcements, but providing the information in a periodical printed on quality paper with colorful print and age-appropriate images can make a much more positive impression on the parents that will be expected to read it. The same can be said for a newsletter that is distributed to the employees of a large corporation. Rather than sending out a bland, half-hearted mass email, administration can provide copies of a professionally designed and well-produced document that provides a more personal touch to a world of business that can often leave employees feeling more like a number than a name.

Attention to detail, from the size and quality of paper used, to the choice of fonts, graphics and colors, and even the method of finishing and distribution makes a bold statement about the importance of the information included within the newsletter. Also, while it may seem more cost-effective to send out mass communications electronically, the costs associated with printing and distributing a hard-copy document may prove surprisingly affordable. Printers and publishers offer a wide variety of printing options, from top-of-the line, heavy stock papers to designers and editors that can make your newsletter worth every penny. Distribution and mailing services are also frequently included as one of the many available options to consider when producing a quality periodical.

So, while many would chalk up the traditional forms of communication up as a lost cause, there are still those who maintain that the cool indifference of the digital age is a poor substitute for the human touch of a quality production.

A trade show display can represent a significant investment for those pursuing this powerful marketing and sales strategy. There are a number of options available on the market, but which route you take will depend on a number of factors peculiar to your own business situation.

We’ll take a very brief look at the three avenues open to you with renting, leasing and buying trade show equipment.

Buying the Display

Outright purchase means you own the asset and this reduces your ongoing operating costs if you pay cash. The purchase will be taken to your balance sheet in your accounts and tax allowable depreciation will be deducted from your taxable profits for the business expense allocated over the life of the display.

Buying a display allows you to fully customize the display to your own requirements and you are always assured of its availability when you need it – after all, you own it! You are able to integrate your trade show marketing with your brand marketing to the fullest extent and there are no restrictions on where and when it can be used.

Buying a display will probably be the cheapest and most tax effective method of sourcing a trade show display in the long term.

Leasing the Display

An alternative to outright purchase is to arrange financing on the display and to lease the equipment (as opposed to renting it).

This will reduce your upfront capital cost of acquiring the display, and at the same time you can enjoy sole and exclusive use while still having a fully customizable display. For all practical purposes you own it fully until the final finance payment whereupon you will either acquire outright ownership or the equipment will be returned depending on the lease terms.

The cost of the asset may or may not be taken to the balance sheet and depreciated depending on the type of lease agreement. Typically, it is common for a lease agreement to be framed to allow this and so you get the tax relief on the depreciated amounts taken to company profits. In addition, the finance element of the lease costs are taken directly to the profit and loss account to be offset as a business expense in a similar way to any other interest paid on a business loan agreement.

This method will improve Return on Investment in the short to medium term for many purchasers, and can also provide the most cost effective method of acquiring ownership given the tax advantages available.

Renting the Display

It is possible to rent a trade show display, however you will be restricted in terms of customization and availability. This is an ideal arrangement to look at where you are either a new entrant to the trade show market, or are looking at experimenting with your trade show format or need additional but temporary display equipment.

The full cost of renting the display will be taken against your business profits for tax purposes and for short-term use this will provide the maximum ROI available.

Trade shows are huge events for many companies, and take a lot of time and planning to successfully pull off. The fact that these shows are such complicated undertakings means that exhibitors would be very wise to purchase some kind of exhibition insurance.

In fact, many times trade show exhibits are not even allowed to take place without insurance covering the building, products being sold, attendees, and so on. Trade show exhibits are often used by companies to promote new, innovative products that may not have been tested fully. What happens if the products malfunction and end up injuring someone, or even damaging the facility? The last thing you want to end up with after a big event is a lawsuit. Luckily, exhibition or festival insurance is available for purchase to cover any damages that may occur, and to give peace of mind to exhibitors, booth attendants, show attendees, and everyone involved.

Possible Dangerous Scenarios At Trade Show Booths

People usually aren’t consciously aware of all the possible dangers that can arise at any moment, especially at exhibits and shows. However, there is always the slight possibility that something catastrophic could occur, and for this reason, we purchase insurance. Consider the idea of an event specific to home improvement tools. If an exhibitor is demonstrating a brand new chain saw, he could risk cutting off his own finger. Should this happen, he’d probably drop the saw in shock and pain, and it could fall to the floor while still on and injure nearby attendees.

There are many business sectors that contain products that can be dangerous. For instance, what about trade show booths that promote knives and guns? While exhibitors are extremely knowledgeable about their products and know how to handle them safely, there is always the possibility that a show attendee could drop a knife on their foot, or even use it to hurt someone else. Even seemingly safe trade show exhibits that are interior design focused have their dangers; someone could accidentally knock over one of those new long-lasting, ‘calming’ scented candles and set the exhibit and the entire building on fire.

Types Of Insurance And What They Cover

You should definitely purchase insurance to cover any of the above scenarios should they occur. It is important to have insurance that covers you as the exhibitor, the attendees, the trade show booths’ props and displays, and the building hosting the show.

When deciding on an insurance policy, it’s crucial to check that the policy covers everything you want it to. Oftentimes, companies offer both single event policies and annual event policies. Usually, these policies protect you from general liability, liabilities related to property damage, and losses or destruction of trade show exhibits, displays, and props. Some policies also cover medical expenses of event participants, event cancellation, or weather insurance. It is critical to find out what each policy you are considering covers, if there are any lapses in coverage, and if temporary guests and employees are covered.

When participating in trade show exhibits, it is essential to purchase insurance to cover any damages. New products on display could fail and cause injury, and you will want your company to be covered in case of emergency.

Trade show season is ushering in, and by now, preparations for your exhibit should be under way. These dedicated industry events offer your business much exposure and will help you to expand your network. Especially if you are interested in bringing your brand outside the US, trade shows give you an opportunity to meet possible franchisees or distributors or alternative manufacturing hubs to enable you to keep your operating costs down.

Participating in trade shows is no joke. You not only pay for the floor space, but you will also be spending on marketing materials such as trade show giveaways, brochures, and flyers. Moreover, if the trade show is held abroad or in a different state, you must set aside some funds to cover plane tickets, hotel, food, and transportation.

The rewards of your trade show participation depend on whether the show brings you good prospects, if it enhances your expertise, and helps you find cost-effective suppliers. Here are some ways to make sure your next trade expo will be rewarding:

* Check out the competition. Take the opportunity to see what other suppliers and companies are doing and learn from them. What are they doing in terms of R&D? Are they becoming more creative with their design? Are they using environment-friendly materials?

* Find out advances in the industry. Trade expos gather the movers and shakers in the industry. These include suppliers of materials, packaging, machines, and tools.

* Learn about new industry policies. Trade expos feature forums and talks to inform industry players of new certification, quality assurance tests, export policies, and other relevant developments. Manning the booth may take up a lot of your time, but remember that trade expos are an opportunity for you to know firsthand of industry developments. If you want to stay ahead in the business, it helps to know many things.

* Send out samples via direct mail before the show. If you have clients near the area who might want to see you, why not send them some trade show giveaways imprinted with your booth number and the trade expo details so they remember to look you up when they’re at the expo?

* Hand out samples or giveaways during the trade expo. Be realistic. You will not be able to show your wares to everyone who visits the show. Buyers and guests will not have the time to check out all the halls, but you can make sure they know about you by handing out samples and giveaways at the entrance or at the buyer lounges. Interested suppliers will know how to reach you as long as they have something with your contact information on it.

To the educated observer, body language gives helpful clues about a person’s mood and attitude. This can be useful in many situations, and is especially helpful at trade show stands. Exhibitors can interpret attendees’ body language to determine how they might feel about different products and services at trade show stands, and exhibitors themselves need to be conscious of signals they might be sending off with their own body language. Being aware of all of these will result in a better trade exhibit experience.

General Body Language Rules

Most people know that crossed arms can indicate that a person is disinterested or not listening, but what about other signals? Generally, body language cues are fairly easy to interpret. However, one must remember that body language can be subjective; while gestures may typically indicate certain emotions, they are not true for every case.

Facial gestures can be quite telling at trade show exhibits. Rubbing the eyes is seen as deceitful and may indicate the person is lying and wishes to avoid eye contact. Hands or fingers covering the mouth may also indicate dishonesty.

How To Read The Body Language Of Attendees

Attendees that approach trade show stands slowly and lean in the exhibit’s direction usually are interested in what exhibitors have to say. Direct eye contact also signals interest. Once speaking with sales representatives at exhibits, attendees who rub their palms are generally seen as eager to find out more information. Those who touch their face are often mentally evaluating the booth’s products and services – it’s recommended to let them take their time and not press the conversation at this point. Open arms are also a good sign, one that exhibitors should interpret as an invitation to continue engaging with the visitor.

Negative signs to watch out for at trade show exhibits include clenching the fists, backing away from the sales representative, and crossing not only the arms but also the legs, if sitting. Sudden gestures and shifts in positioning can indicate increasing or decreasing interest. Avoiding eye contact signals disinterest, while rolling the eyes usually suggests a superior attitude.

Exhibitors Should Watch Their Own Body Language

To encourage as many visitors as possible to trade show exhibits, those manning the booth should be sure to not cross their arms, roll their eyes at anything, or rub their eyes when speaking with potential clients. They should of course make direct eye contact and smile at the attendee. Exhibitors should avoid looking down at the ground, as this makes it easy to miss non-verbal cues from visitors that signal interest.

Other habits to avoid include leaning on the trade show stands’ table or other equipment, hobbling anxiously from foot to foot, and generally appearing nervous by moving around restlessly or jingling change and whatever else might be in their pockets. By staying aware of body language cues at trade show exhibits, booth representatives can interpret attendees’ attitudes and correct any negative vibes they may be sending out.

Dear Forward-Thinking Acupuncturist,

A couple days ago I went to get some acupuncture done for this killer stomach problem I’ve been having. This pain was terrible! Every time I felt my stomach start rumbling I sprinted to the bathroom! This was when I decided to go get some acupuncture and herbal treatment. And here’s what I noticed…

If you’re not implementing a monthly continuity plan for your service then you’re relying on the patient to just keep coming back whenever something is bothering them. What you want to aim for is getting them to pay a certain amount of money per month to get “X” amount of treatments per month.

This creates an automatic flow of income that’s a sure-fire way for you to get paid each and every month. And depending on what you’re charging per treatment, your monthly fee could be at least $300 or even $400 per person for just 2 to 3 treatments per week.

Let’s do the numbers.

If I pay $75 per treatment and want to get 2 treatments per week I would be paying $600.00 per month! If you break down how much your patient would actually be saving if they take you up on your offer for a monthly plan and talk to them about preventive care then you’ll find that more people will be willing to just pay a monthly fee and get the financial part out of the way.

Plus, in their eyes, you’re giving them one heck of a deal!

This works wonders for people already coming to you on a somewhat regular basis, even if it’s just once a week.

Does that make sense?

Direct mail is one of the most popular marketing tools of today. However, despite its widely known results, still many business owners and marketers don’t know how to optimize the use of direct mail. The key is to how you reach out to your target market. Direct mailing services can help you find out which market is the right one for you.

One of the direct mail tools that most business owners use is the business cards. By using business cards to draw in clients, your prospects won’t just be delegated to looking at your cards; but they would actually be reading them because they’re interested in your business.

Hence, the need for a business card printing that can draw clients in. Here are steps to do just that:

1. A card that grabs attention.

The first step to secure that your business cards are effective is to have them grab the attention of your target clients. They should have a certain X-factor that makes people want to glance at them no matter how busy they are or how occupied. Definitely, a business card that is eye catching starts with the color or image found in your business card. You can also go further and choose to utilize unique business cards with unusual designs and layouts. A vertical orientation on your card can also make it different from the rest of the standard horizontal ones. A folding layout and even an unusual shape – all these things will definitely add to your design that would make it a stand out from the rest of the crowd.

2. A card that captures their interest

It only takes three to five seconds for your target clients to take in your message. Within that time, you should be able to capture their interest – enough to make them want to know more about you and what you do. In business card printing, this means having to add special features such as an unusual image or content that spells out how you’re different from the rest. This would help your recipients remember you and develop that special feeling that would make it easier for them to want to know you.

3. A card that provides a good foundation.

Why should they engage in business with you? That should be the main premise of your message. It may be in your statement or in your slogan – the bottom line is tell them right away the benefits of getting to know you and your business. The point here is to paint an optimistic picture of your work atmosphere so they would trust you and rely on you for their needs.

4. A card that makes the recipients act on the offer.

A business card would never be effective unless your recipients act according to how you want them to act. Hence, the need for a strong call-to-action. “Call now!” “Visit our website!” “Come in to get a free consultation!” A call-to-action that makes them move right away will prove to be the best marketing tool that can generate leads for your business.