http://www.financealley.com en-us editorial@financealley.com Over half of all Americans between the ages of 15-34 consider themselves active social network users. They regularly visit well-known social networking sites, such as MySpace or Facebook, or log onto specialty social networks, like Ravelry (devoted to th... http://www.financealley.com/article_626891_15.html 08th September 2008 "This looks absolutely amazing!" The attendee was smiling, eyes bright, a wide grin. "If this is what I think it is, I'm pretty sure this piece of equipment will solve all of our problems." He turned to the booth staffer, a young woman at her very first ... http://www.financealley.com/article_621377_15.html 05th September 2008 There is good news in the world of tradeshow research: according to a recent study by Exhibit Surveys, an industry research group, a considerable number of new attendees are coming to tradeshows. At the same time, 39 percent of attendees report that thei... http://www.financealley.com/article_573845_64.html 10th July 2008 Seminars, workshops, boot camps and other educational programming is very popular, with the public and with savvy entrepreneurs. We're in an age where information is the ultimate commodity: our value is largely determined by how much we know and what we ... http://www.financealley.com/article_573110_15.html 10th July 2008 There's a lot of pressure on marketing departments today: a tightening economy and increasingly competitive environment means that every promotional effort must generate a positive return. Every decision has to be viewed critically, and that includes the... http://www.financealley.com/article_547754_64.html 27th May 2008 "You Tube? Best marketing tool EVER!" "If you're in business, you absolutely, positively have to be on MySpace." "All the best marketers have blogs...or podcasts...or streaming video on their websites..." Sound familiar? It seems as if a day d... http://www.financealley.com/article_546294_15.html 23rd May 2008 Achieving Riches in Niches means occupying a dual role: acting first as a skilled professional, you must also be a powerful, effective sales force. Not only do you perform the services your clients value, but you promote and market yourself as the best pl... http://www.financealley.com/article_524753_64.html 28th April 2008 Make no mistake -- you're in a rough spot. Exhibiting is a competitive environment. You're vying for attendee's attention, against companies that are larger, better-funded, with newer exhibits and cooler ideas than you've got. What this means is that ... http://www.financealley.com/article_523521_64.html 25th April 2008 Every moment at a tradeshow is important. This includes, of course, all of the time you're on the show floor. Add to that the time you're not actively exhibiting but are on or near the floor -- visiting other exhibits, grabbing a bite to eat, or en route ... http://www.financealley.com/article_195599_15.html 01st August 2007 One of the most important things any Nichepreneur can do is define their target audience. Ask yourself: Who is my ideal customer? If your answer is "Everyone", you've got some work to do! While it would be nice if every single person in the world wan... http://www.financealley.com/article_195484_15.html 01st August 2007 Tradeshow exhibitors have something in common with the rest of humanity: We’ll do what is easy, but avoid what those things we find to be or perceive as difficult. It doesn’t really matter what sphere we’re talking about: human nature dictates that ... http://www.financealley.com/article_177112_15.html 25th June 2007 Continual improvement is a goal for many exhibitors. Knowing that tradeshows can play an integral role in a company’s marketing campaign, they’re committed to doing the best job they can this year -- and a better one next year. To continually impr... http://www.financealley.com/article_177111_15.html 25th June 2007 Even though Nichepreneurs generally operate their businesses all on their own, it’s critical to remember that, to quote the old saying, “No man is an island!” I can’t tell you how often this has proved true, in my own career and in that of many of... http://www.financealley.com/article_176599_15.html 19th June 2007 I can’t even tell you the number of times I’ve talked with skilled professionals who can’t figure out why their career has stalled. “I don’t understand,” they say. “I’m working so hard!” Perhaps the answer is that they’re working t... http://www.financealley.com/article_166225_64.html 30th May 2007 Everything’s perfect. The display is beautiful, your team is well-trained, you’ve got fantastic giveaway items and the best pre-show promotion you’ve ever had. This is going to be the absolute best tradeshow ever. Are you sure? You might be the ... http://www.financealley.com/article_156394_64.html 08th May 2007 Having a realistic tradeshow budget is crucial for your exhibiting success. It’s imperative to include all of the costs associated with exhibiting in your financial plan, yet many exhibitors fail to take this crucial step. It’s almost impossible ... http://www.financealley.com/article_156393_64.html 08th May 2007 Cell phones have changed our world. With few exceptions, we can now talk to anyone we like whenever we’d like. The staccato symphony of ring tones accompanies us through our days: from the morning commute to the crowded restaurant at lunchtime, during m... http://www.financealley.com/article_135052_64.html 05th March 2007 At first glance, there’s no connection between Disney’s Winnie the Pooh and tradeshows. The same is true of Piglet, Tigger, and the rest of the gang. What could this cuddly group of childhood favorites possibly teach us about exhibiting? Surprisin... http://www.financealley.com/article_135051_64.html 05th March 2007 When September rolls around, parents all across the country gleefully take to the stores, loading up their carts with all the supplies their little darlings will need to make it through the coming academic year. After all, school is a really busy time, an... http://www.financealley.com/article_102242_15.html 16th November 2006 What makes one tradeshow exhibit memorable and another so-so? What can exhibitors do to get attendees talking after the show? What can motivate visitors who may have had no previous intention of visiting your booth decide that they definitely have to stop... http://www.financealley.com/article_102241_15.html 16th November 2006 Look at there at the show floor. Check out the attendees. They look ordinary enough -- but they have secrets. Dirty little secrets that they'd never tell anyone, not even under duress. Successful selling at trade shows depends upon two things. One is... http://www.financealley.com/article_81741_15.html 15th August 2006 Firework displays are a traditional part of summertime celebrations. There's something about them -- the noise, the color, the pyrotechnic glory -- that resonates with crowds. According to some experts, fireworks as we know them got started in the 10th ce... http://www.financealley.com/article_81740_15.html 15th August 2006 You never get a second chance to make a first impression. It's a saying so true that it has become clich� -- a phrase used by suit salesmen and purveyors of shampoo -- but it's a saying that should serve as a motto for your booth staff. A trade show i... http://www.financealley.com/article_73966_64.html 19th July 2006 I hear it all the time: Tradeshows are a waste of time and money. We stand around, selling our hearts out, and what do we have to show at the end of the day? Nothing. Well, that's the result you should expect, if you're like most exhibitors, and negle... http://www.financealley.com/article_73149_15.html 17th July 2006 Let's face it. Participating in a trade show is expensive. There's no doubt about it. When you add up all the expenses associated with trade shows -- including registration fees, display costs, shipping, giveaway items, booth staff salaries and lodging, a... http://www.financealley.com/article_58264_15.html 29th May 2006 What's the most precious commodity in the world? Nope. Not gold. Not platinum. Not uranium. Not diamonds. The most precious commodity in the world is not something you can mine, or harvest, or hoard in safety deposit boxes. The most precious commodit... http://www.financealley.com/article_58238_15.html 29th May 2006 Market research is one of the most valuable selling tools a show organizer has. Up to the minute, accurate market data arms you with the type of valuable information you need to 'sell' your show to potential exhibitors, including who is attending your sho... http://www.financealley.com/article_50300_15.html 05th May 2006 Selecting a name for your new business is not easy. A name does more than identify your company. It tells customers who you are, what you do, and more than a little about how you do it. Your name differentiates you from your peers, peaks customer interest... http://www.financealley.com/article_50299_15.html 05th May 2006 Look at that throng of people crowding the trade show floor. People come from all over the country to walk these aisles, eager eyes flitting from booth to booth, scanning the exhibits for�what, exactly? Research shows that the vast majority � 76% -- c... http://www.financealley.com/article_41784_15.html 05th April 2006 There's a saying in the newspaper business: Advertising is expensive�but editorial is priceless! This simple phrase speaks to the fact that readers trust and value any information they read in an article or column far more than any data they glean from an... http://www.financealley.com/article_41783_15.html 05th April 2006 It might seem a little backward. After all, why would you want to waste time and energy worrying now about things that won't happen until the show closes? Doesn't it seem like putting the cart before the horse? It might seem that way, but the reality ... http://www.financealley.com/article_33473_15.html 06th March 2006 It happens more often than you'd ever guess � in fact, it might be happening at the booth right next to yours. Recent surveys of trade show attendees show that the most dissatisfied attendees are those who purchase something that they really didn't want. ... http://www.financealley.com/article_33472_15.html 06th March 2006 Booth staff selection is the single most important factor in your exhibiting success. More than graphics, signage, literature, giveaways, or any other variable, it is the people you put on the show floor that influence visitor's opinion of your organizat... http://www.financealley.com/article_26541_15.html 01st February 2006 Trade shows are all about promotion. You are strategically planning to present your goods and services to a specially targeted audience, in order to meet clearly defined goals and objectives. To maximize your success, however, it is imperative to make p... http://www.financealley.com/article_26540_15.html 01st February 2006 The early bird gets the worm. The same holds true for trade shows -- the most successful exhibitors are those who start planning at least 12 months prior to the next event. Exhibiting requires a great deal of time, money, and personnel. Make the most of y... http://www.financealley.com/article_22150_15.html 04th January 2006 When a show's a year away, it may seem like you have lots of time to get ready. But appearances can be deceiving. Twelve months is not long, especially with all the pre-show planning, training, and preparation you've got to do. Here is a checklist of sixt... http://www.financealley.com/article_22149_15.html 04th January 2006 One of the major objectives of any trade show exhibit is to create a lasting impression in the attendee's mind. After all, if a visitor can't remember you, how can he give you his business? You also want to create a positive impression, and unfortunately,... http://www.financealley.com/article_17316_15.html 27th November 2005 Doing business in the global marketplace requires exhibiting overseas. Participating in international shows helps establish your company's presence as a global player, and is perhaps the single most valuable tool in forging new, valuable relationships wit... http://www.financealley.com/article_17315_15.html 27th November 2005 Survey the crowd at any trade show, and one trend immediately makes itself apparent. Attendees are getting younger. The infamous Baby Boomers are preparing for retirement, and Gen X'ers have moved into upper management positions. Now we're exhibiting for ... http://www.financealley.com/article_15059_15.html 11th November 2005 Routine is comfortable. We like knowing what we're going to do, when we're going to do it, and what we'll be wearing while we do it. It's nice, safe and predictable. There are no surprises, no unforeseen contingencies, no upsets. There is also no grow... http://www.financealley.com/article_15058_15.html 11th November 2005 Trade shows are a bonaza of sponsorship opportunities. Talk with any show organizer, and they'll be more than happy to explain how you can make sure your company's name and logo are plastered all over the arena, on the program guide, over the hospitality... http://www.financealley.com/article_10500_15.html 01st October 2005 Which of the following do you expect to see on the trade show floor: A) A high-tech video display, showcasing exciting new products B) Signs directing you to a mini-seminar taught by industry experts C) A scantily-clad blonde bombshell, handing out ... http://www.financealley.com/article_10499_15.html 01st October 2005