by Ceri | May 10, 2012 | Showcases
When it comes to your showcase displays for your stand you want to be able to use them as effectively as possible. The whole idea behind the showcase is to highlight the items that are being stored inside there. If you are not sure what they look like, you would be looking for large cabinet displays with lots of glass and lighting to highlight the contents.
Exhibitions displays are a great opportunity for you to get your name out there and create enough exposure for your business so that you have customers coming to all the time. Not only do you give them the chance to come back, but you might even be lucky enough to make a sale right there on the spot. Either way, you are generating business and marketing your company in plain sight.
Showcase Displays Can be Used for Various Things
On a personal level, they are often used to highlight one’s own personal achievements or that of a family member. Trophies, ribbons, certificates and medals can all be put up on display in there and with great lighting you can really show them off in style. You might even want to put your priceless china collection up for everyone to look at or perhaps your daughter prefers to keep all her old teddies in there for memorabilia.
When it comes to the commercial applications though, things get taken to a whole new level. The lighting effects are modified to create an appealing look and feel to the product on display. Jewellery can be displayed underneath lights that make the jewels sparkle for the people looking at them. You can even add mini motion graphic displays into the cases so that it gives your viewer information while they are looking at your product.
Adventure products can have climbers high up on the side of a mountain and precision products can be demonstrated in their practical environment when you are unable to do it in the current display area. If you were at an auto exhibition and you needed to display the performance of shock absorbers, you would have to provide people with video footage so they can see how it all works.
Ideally, you want to be able to give them a physical demonstration so that people can see it working in action, but that won’t always be possible in an 8 by 12 stall that still needs people and furniture in it.
Allow People to Interact with Your Exhibition Displays
Displays should be more interactive if you want them to be interesting. That means you have to grab someone’s attention long enough to keep it and you have to do it quickly. People walking around an exhibition will probably spend no more than 10 to 15 seconds in front of your stall and if they don’t see anything they like, they will move right along to the next one.
If you can find display screens that are touch activated you can allow your visitors to run programs that display your products and allow them to interact with it in a virtual environment. They can change the colours of the item or add additional features to it if it is possible on that particular product. You might have video clips of how the product is used and show them the various applications.
When you have casings, they also offer the additional feature of security. If you need to keep valuable items on display and you can’t keep a constant eye on it, then at least you’ll feel more comfortable about it knowing that it’s neatly locked away where everybody can still see it.
So choose your showcase displays carefully and put some thought into what is going in there and how you want to display it in the best possible way.
by Ceri | Mar 15, 2012 | Events
Getting To the Nugget of the Mining Indaba
The Investing in African Mining Indaba is a yearly exhibition and conference focusing on mining development and capitalisation in Africa. With an 18 year history the Investing in Mining Indaba is the premier event for investing in African mining.
The world’s most influential investors and stakeholders attend this event at the Convention Centre in Cape Town. There are over six thousand five hundred representatives hosting stands with exhibition banner displays, forums and speaker sessions.
Events at the Mining Indaba
The annual Mining Indaba is a key forum for mining analysts, investment specialists, fund managers and governments to get together and make decisions pertaining to African mines. By sharing ideas and opinions, attendees can get the latest developments from leading experts. There are exhibition banner displays and many other interesting sessions to provide insight and information:
- Keynote Speakers – some of the leading authorities share their insight on the state of African mining. Amongst the more notable keynote speakers in recent years are Tom Butler, Dr. Barry Eichegreen and Dr. David Evans.
- Feature Speakers – along with the keynote speakers some feature speakers are invited to give their analysis and expert opinions on mining. Some feature speakers who have graced the Mining Indaba include Ibukun Adebayo (London Stock Exchange), Ben Aryee (CEO Ghana Mineral Commission), Mamdou Barry (World Bank) and Ian Benning (CEO ZYL Limited).
- Exhibition Banner Displays – There are many representatives from various companies and organisations with stands. Professionals are geared to provide information and share ideas on the latest trends and display their products and services. By showcasing exhibition banner displays they can illustrate the latest technologies and information pertaining to the mining industry.
- Securities Exchange Sessions – These are sessions designed specifically to assist delegates and sponsors with education in areas of mining. These areas include natural resources, capital markets, liquidity and diverse investment opportunities. Financial and legal experts take the floor and share information. The session ends with a Q & A and social networking.
- Discussion on Sustainable Development – Member companies discuss the challenges of sustainability with regard to their core business practices. Areas of discussion include climate change and sustainability issues that Africa will face in the next 20 years. Business strategies are analysed and questions are asked on how it can be aligned to contribute to growth and development, while minimising the environmental impacts that are negative. Conservation and mining are also addressed and the biggest constraints are looked at and discussed.
- Gala Dinner – There is an annual Gala dinner which is highly anticipated. This limited attendance event is a way for delegates and attendees to mix in an informal environment. It is hosted each year at the lush and breath taking gardens of the Vergelegen Estate.
The Investing in African Mining Indaba is an event that is at the forefront of African mining. With the thousands of representatives and attendees, it is the pace to be if your business has any dealings with mining and investment in mining.
by Ceri | Mar 9, 2012 | Markex
Promoting at big exhibitions and conferences is a great way to get your product or brand out there – and Markex is an event not to be missed.
Exhibitors have the opportunity to man a stand and market their brand making use of the latest marketing material, like banners, podiums and stands. With the thousands that attend every year, it is a great way to grow your brand recognition, and get valuable product and competitor information.
What Is Markex?
For 26 years Markex has been a premier exhibition event in South Africa. Located at the Sandton Convention Centre, it specialises in sellers (as well as buyers) of corporate clothing, conference and exhibition venues and solutions, promotional gifts, design and décor as well as event planners and management.
2011 saw over 10,000 visitors attend the event. This is the ideal playground for business owners and entrepreneurs to take advantage of a captive audience. Exhibitions have a strong influence on buying decisions and result in many successful business deals and transactions.
Some of the main attractions of the exhibition include: The annual Road show of the Loerie Awards; USB Speakers Pavilion presenting top business speakers; Pendoring Awards promoting the best in Afrikaans advertising; and the Trade Section where wholesalers and resellers get a personalised setting to conduct business.
Get the Most Out Of Your Marketing
When at a trade show of exhibition you’ll be exposed to a lot of traffic. It’s key to attract them and convert that traffic into sales. Here are some pointers:
- Have Giveaways – Nothing pulls in a crowd like free stuff. Have giveaways or samples of your product. Once you attract the crowd, get them interested and make the sale. Be prepared to handle volume and don’t let any big fish get away.
- Competitions – Having a competition or lucky draw is always a good incentive for people to be interested in your booth. With every purchase give them an entry to a big draw prize. It keeps people interested and incentivises sales.
- Stand Out – Make sure your booth stands out from the rest. Have eye-catching banners and backdrops to attract the consumer. A well situated podium will let them know you’re available to answer questions.
When attending a trade exhibition like Markex, do the research and put in the effort to maximise your returns. It’s a golden opportunity to get your brand or product out there.
by Ceri | Jan 15, 2010 | Exhibitions
Which exhibitions are the best?
It doesn’t pay to display at as many exhibitions as you can if those exhibitions are not relevant to your target market. Save the money and do some planning first. Create a strategic marketing plan and identify exhibitions that will fit the plan perfectly. The next consideration will be budget. No use in exhibiting if you run out of cash because you overspent. Research how many people are expected at the specific events before signing up. You will not want to spend thousands just to get one or two customers who at the end of the day will only spend a few thousands. You want a solid return on your investment. It doesn’t mean that you should ignore the smaller exhibitions. If you are still climbing the ladder you will have a hard time competing with the multinational companies when exhibiting and may end up spending more than what you get back. It is essential to book events that will fit in with your marketing strategy, target audience, and your budget.
by Ceri | Jan 14, 2010 | Exhibitions
When thinking of exhibitions electronics lights come to mind, but what about all the other exhibition electronics that can add value to a display? Computers, flat screens, notebooks, overhead projectors, DVD players, mobi-pro displays with keypads, and more come to mind. Often overlooked as essential items, many exhibitors fail to realize the full potential of their exhibits because they have not optimised the usage of exhibition electronics. Scan Display offers a wide range of audio-visual equipment that can be rented for exhibition purposes to ensure more interactivity. This service is especially helpful when exhibiting in another town, province or country when it will simply not be cost effective to transport all your audio-visual equipment to the exhibit location.
