Hit the Floor RUNNING
One danger that both vice presidents warned against was the temptation to follow trends or fads when contemplating promotional items for conventions and trade shows. “Why do people go to the trade show?” asked Brown. “Well, they go, no matter what industry, for new ideas and for new approaches.” Customers do not want potential clients to be more interested in a booth gift than in the actual booth. Johnson added when it comes to trends, “we’re not really looking to jump on the bandwagon.” Trends and fads are dangerous because, according to Brown, they eventually lead nowhere and are hard to top. For Johnson, there’s too much uncertainty investing in trends given the time and money needed for a product; by the time a supplier has a product lined up, the trend may be over and customers have moved on to the next one. Trends may grab initial attention, but to keep people coming back for more, remember the reliable trade show giveaways. They’ve become reliable for a reason.
- People:
- Charley Johnson