How do you inform as many people as possible about all the products and services your business offers? Sure, you keep active on social media, send email blasts, and ask current clients for referrals. But why does promoting your business take as much time as manufacturing the products or performing your services? And of course, owning multiple brands doesn’t simplify the process—as Hardware Resources can attest.
Trade shows are highly effective for reaching and spreading the word to the right prospects. Most people attending trade shows, whether the industry is Aerospace & Defense or Food & Beverage, go to discover new products or learn about the industry. A solid trade show strategy is centered on three things: people, products and learning.
Craig Spence, Director of Trade Shows at Hardware Resources, thoroughly understands this key strategy. He says his goal for any show (and they exhibit at a combined 52 shows a year) is to “meet and talk to as many people as possible.” Very simple. Very effective. The best part is at trade shows, you know your impressions, viewers, and visitors are not bots like the ones liable to scan your website.
However, the International Woodworking Fair (IWF) is not like every other trade show Hardware Resources attends. Next to the Kitchen and Bath Industry Show (KBIS), this is the largest show to stage the latest in cabinetry, flooring, furniture manufacturing, doors, windows, machinery, and engineered products. Hardware Resources desired to shine a light on all four of their brands for IWF.
Simplicity became the theme of their exhibit so the products could speak for themselves
Craig Spences’ trade show philosophy shines through in the exhibit. Each hub needed to be easily accessible for people, compliment the beauty and quality of the products, and invite prospects to learn by asking questions.
One display hub showcases the latest LED technology offered by Task Lighting. Another presents the newest hinges and knobs from North Point Cabinetry. To cap it off, a hanging sign rests over the exhibit with the logos of every brand under the Hardware Resources banner.
For Hardware Resources, constructing their booth in-house was no longer a viable option
Apart from adequately showcasing four different brands, Hardware Resources also faced another problem: their expanding facilities were being used to produce their line of products. In other words, they could no longer build their exhibit in-house.
Understandably, searching for an exhibit house takes time. Craig Spence says, “Up until about a year and a half ago, we were constructing our own booth. We began looking for exhibit builders—there are lots of them out there. We interviewed everyone there. We felt like we could be part of that Trade Group family.”
Craig Spence values response time, professionalism, and quality work in a trade show partner. “It was a good fit hanging out with the warehouse people. The people and atmosphere from development staff, sales staff, to construction staff were a good fit. I needed to feel confident I could pick up and call someone and they were going to take care of our needs.”
The Trade Group is a full-service trade show and event marketing company. We will work with you to create an exhibit or event that brings in leads and helps you achieve your business goals. Contact us here or give us a call at 972-734-8585.
