Excalibur Exhibits Blog

[Posted on June 5th, 2013 by Peggy Swords]

If you plan on attending the Offshore Technology Conference in Houston, and are thinking about setting up OTC exhibits, then you need to consider enlisting marketing professionals to your cause.  For football they have the Super Bowl, for baseball it is the World Series, when it comes to the big game in the oil and gas industry, the Houston Offshore Technology Conference has been the reigning championship event since 1969, so you should arrive to the game geared up for the event and with your game face on.

Sure, you can grab three card chairs, a dozen flyers, and a folding table before heading on down to the Reliant Center in Houston, or you can call the professionals at Excalibur Exhibits to truly make a splash at the annual Offshore Technology extravaganza.

Excalibur custom rental exhibits are guaranteed to do just that.

Annual trade shows are your opportunity to truly shine within your industry.  With attendance numbers pushing past 90,000 participants however, the shear variety of OTC exhibits makes it difficult to stand out from the crowd.  Excalibur Exhibits is the industry leader in the full service trade show and event marketing field.  In addition to their award-winning displays, they offer unique promotional products and campaigns combined with creative trade show graphic designs.

Their complete suite of services is designed to provide real life marketing solutions for effective trade show attendance, and includes: award winning custom trade show displays, trade show management, and modular and portable trade show displays.  As such, beyond merely designing an award winning OTC exhibit, their crack assembly team will install, dismantle, ship, store, and warehouse your customized display, so all you have to do is prepare yourself all writing all the orders that will result from the event.  The team at Excalibur is expert at making the “big” impact in a crowded field.  Their professionalism transforms prospects into clients, and acquaintances into relationships.

Their high quality modular designs allow for a wide variety of display options that are focused on superior branding for your next OTC exhibit effort, and at a fraction of the cost.  Through their customization specialties, Excalibur Exhibits takes what would otherwise be simply an off-the-shelf modular display setting, and transforms it into a contemporary visual presence that is guaranteed to direct all eyes towards you and your business.  As they say, “you can only make a great first impression once,” so it makes sense to make the most of that first opportunity.

When it comes to designing OTC exhibits, the design team at Excalibur Exhibits leaves nothing to chance.  They stand ready to convert your message into a visual marketing statement that will reverberate with conference attendees long after the doors to the Houston Reliant Center have been closed and shuttered.  Call them today to get started on your customized display, and start gaining the benefits tomorrow at the next trade show event you attend.

[Posted on May 29th, 2013 by Peggy Swords]

The Beauty of Modern Trade Show Rentals

Trade show booths are a testament to a company’s ability to exhibit their unique brand in a way that stands out and gets attention. For many companies renting a booth would be more advantageous than actually owning the display. Not only is a company owned show booth more costly, but it also comes with its own set of hassles to deal with. Trade show rentals can relieve companies of this burden. However, many businesses wonder if a rental can go toe-to-toe with a booth that is fully owned. The answer to that question is a resoundingly enthusiastic, yes. Modern trade show rentals are a completely viable option for most exhibitors.

Customization

Top trade show rentals offer levels of customization that are unparalleled when it comes to design. The days of “one size fits all” rentals are gone. For companies that must have an innovative booth in order to keep pace with the competition, it is now possible to order a rental booth with full customization.

Today any company can have a booth created that perfectly reflects their business image. No one, except the client, will know that a booth has been rented. There are several layers of customization available as well.

Fabric Displays

One of the latest innovations in trade booth rentals is the fabric display system. These systems utilize tension fabric that attaches easily to lightweight flexible frames. It provides the highest quality of modular display portability. It also can be designed into numerous configurations.

Amazing Exhibit Design

Perhaps your company marketing team has come up with a particular design that they wish to see implemented. This design is original and would be a great way to gain your company more attention. Innovative rental companies now provide in-house rental exhibit design that rivals the best out there.

Your rental company can also work with whatever existing graphics you have and turn them into a stunning presentation. The rental company should be willing to consult with you about your specific requirements and then deliver what was promised.

Technology Included

Modern rental booths can include a monitor that plays video message loops featuring your company and products. LED lighting can set a specific mood, if necessary. Let the rental company know what specific social media you need to have as well. The right technology tools are important in order to get your message out quickly to attendees.

Time Savers

One of the biggest advantages of renting a booth is that it can save your staff lots of time. Instead of staff having to arrive early to participate in booth set up, they can spend that time finalizing their sales pitch. The rental company can hire outside labor to take care of all of the labor. All the staff has to do is show up and take their places within the display.
Going Green

More emphasis is being placed on lighter and more flexible show booth materials that create pizzazz without a lot of waste. Everything from walls, display counters, frames to flooring are becoming greener. These changes are beneficial to any vendor looking to cut unnecessary costs. Businesses are saving green by going green.

[Posted on May 22nd, 2013 by Peggy Swords]

Having a booth at a trade show can make or break a business. And one of the most critical differences between a successful trade show experience and an expensive disaster is having a trade show booth design that stands out.

A trade show is usually promoted within a narrow topical field. Yours probably won’t be the only booth promoting your product or service, which is why it is crucial to set aside sufficient time to create a successful trade show booth design. Busy show visitors may be rushing to see "everything" within a narrow time frame, and you will only have a few seconds to attract their attention. Booth design is critical.

Booth Design is Key

Improve trade show success by defining goals and objectives, and plan your booth accordingly. A common objective is to "make sales" or "take orders." You’ll need more than a box of samples and a stack of order forms. How about a creative display showcasing a new way to use the product? Demonstrations add interest and action to any display. Giant-sized products or animated displays can serve as effective attention getters, while focused lighting can direct the visitor’s eye to the featured product. Varying display height will attract more attention than simply placing products flat on a table. If promoting a service with vertical photo displays, add visual interest by using color and black-and-white photos with varying sizes and placements.

Use Color and Style to Your Advantage

There is an aspect to trade show marketing that many exhibitors overlook. Besides your formal communications with show visitors, your booth, staff, and printed materials also convey subtle messages through color and style. Does your product or service demand a professional image; a casual, creative image; or an altruistic, caring image? Many banks and financial planners use green and gold to suggest financial success. Blue helps convey trust, while purple is often associated with artistic types.

Contact Info Plus

Another common objective is to disseminate contact information through a combination of printed materials and advertising specialties. However, many trade show visitors collect tote bags full of information and goodies and never follow up. Encourage follow-ups with a limited-time special offer flyer. Boost response by printing the flyer on a color that will stand out in a goody bag, and let the visitor know about it.

Many exhibitors like to obtain contact information for future follow up. One of the classic methods to accomplish this is the door prize drawing. Prominently displaying the prize and making it easy for visitors to register will assure optimal response.

Staffing the Booth

An integral part of an effective booth is the staff member in attendance. While dress, appearance, and image are important, the critical factors are attitude and interest. Sitting back on a low chair reading a book or playing a game on the iPhone screams "don’t bother me!" while a higher stool makes it easy to get up and interact with booth visitors. If appropriate, you may wish to include one or more chairs for visitors to interact.

And interaction with interested visitors can accomplish several objectives. You may be able to identify and pre-qualify potential customers. You can solidify relationships with existing customers. And you may obtain helpful feedback and suggestions from potential customers and fellow show exhibitors.

For many businesses, a single successful trade show experience can provide the foundation for a successful season. Design your booth for success!

[Posted on May 15th, 2013 by Peggy Swords]

There’s nothing worse than walking into an event and seeing a drab, uninspiring exhibit that doesn’t do anything to communicate a company’s identity. First impressions count for a lot. And, if visitors to your exhibit are not impressed, they won’t be interested in developing a further relationship with your company. This is why Excalibur Exhibits refuses to allow clients to be seen with failed rental exhibits concepts. Our opinion is that rental exhibits do not have to appear cheap and dull. Instead, we go all out to create an exhibit that will knock everyone’s socks off. Getting you more attention is what we do best.

Prominent Branding

When someone walks up to your exhibit the first thing they should notice is the company name. The next thing they should notice is the company image. These two things should be in perfect harmony throughout the entire exhibit. This is where our years of professional expertise in rental exhibits come into play. Good branding isn’t simply about splashing a name across a panel. It is about prominent presentation that is impossible to ignore. Our team knows exactly how to place branding in just the right spots for maximum impact.

Exquisite Design

Clients are often amazed when we show them examples of our rentals. They cannot believe that these exhibits are not pricey permanent fixtures. Yet, they are truly rentals. We have a fantastic design team that will take information about your company and create a stunning design.

We do highly customized rental exhibits that are specifically tailored to the type of event. If your event has specific requirements for sizing and accessories, we can incorporate that into the design. We also work hard on ensuring your rental is aesthetically pleasing to all of the senses. There will be nothing ordinary about your exhibit or displays. That’s exactly what we want people to experience – something extraordinary.

Communication

Because your exhibit is confined to a limited space, it must do a lot of silent communication to people walking by. During the consultation we’ll discuss what message you wish to get across to prospects. We can use certain visual elements such as display monitors to draw the eye to a video presentation. If you are displaying products, we will feature them in ways that create visual interest. Whatever you wish to communicate we’ll make doubly sure that the message comes across crisp and clear.

Flexibility

Let us know exactly what you need and we’ll bend over backward to make sure it becomes a reality. We are flexible when it comes to graphics, special lighting, custom colors, logo printing, technology, and accessories. We have expertise in rentals for trade shows, corporate centers, and educational displays. There is no need to feel that you can’t have something just because it’s a rental. We enjoy a challenge, and if there happens to be something we can’t do, we’ll find an alternative that works just as well.

Top Quality Rental Exhibits

Excalibur Exhibits is always striving to provide our clients with professional quality displays with unique customization. Not only are we able to design your exhibit, we can also provide you with show management expertise and logistics. We have a solid reputation in building, managing, and maintaining amazing exhibits.

When you are in need of a top-flight team of rental exhibit experts, contact us anytime to discuss your specific needs.

[Posted on May 8th, 2013 by Peggy Swords]

Participating in a trade show with a portable exhibit is a traditional way to promote businesses, introduce products, build brand awareness, and develop a marketing list. While online marketing efforts are becoming increasingly popular, they will never fully replace industry trade shows because Internet marketing does not include any aspect of face-to-face communications.

If you are looking for an effective way to reach out to your target market or you are in the process of developing a new product, now may be the time to invest in portable exhibits so that you can have your very own booth at the next industry trade show that takes place. Find out why portable exhibits are a wise investment and are worth the advance preparation necessary.

Why Are Portable Exhibits So Popular?

Trade shows take place across the country. While one event may take place right down the block, you may see an opportunity in another event that is a few cities away. Because trade show events are so widespread, portable exhibits are becoming increasingly popular. Those responsible for planning booths and managing the exhibit find that it is much easier to make an impact with the attendees when they create a booth that can easily be transported to multiple shows.

Various Benefits of Portable Trade Show Exhibits

You participate in a trade show to advertise your product or service, expand your reach, and develop brand marketing. When you set up your booth, your primary goal should be to make your booth stand out. After all, if you have a boring booth, it does not matter what products and services you offer because no one will take the time to hear your marketing message. With portable booths, you can plan and develop a unique and effective display that you can use to drive traffic to you, and you will not need to re-create the booth for each event. Here are just some of the many benefits of having a portable application for your booth.

Storage and Transport

Portable exhibits are designed for simple assembly and can easily be taken apart for storage. You will not need a large room dedicated to storing your exhibit or a large commercial vehicle just to transport it to the venue. If you want to keep both your storage and your transport costs down and you plan on participating in more than one trade show event, a portable exhibit is the ideal choice.

Unique Designs that Will Command Attention

The entire purpose of the booth is to leave a lasting impression with your audience. While professionalism matters, design is just as important if you plan on commanding attention. Portable exhibits come in a variety of designs so that prospects and attendees are drawn to your booth. Focus on leaving the best impression possible after you focus on how you are going to command attention. After all, you cannot leave an impression if you do not get the opportunity to speak with attendees.

Multiple Uses

Portable exhibits are durable. They can be dismantled, stored, and then assembled again. By making a single investment, you will be prepared to participate in several events so that you earn a return on your investment.

Are you ready to build your book-of-business? Review a list of upcoming trade shows, secure your booth, and find a portable exhibit that will accurately showcase your brand. Turn your vision into a reality with the right exhibit and be resourceful by planning for the future.

[Posted on May 1, 2013 by Peggy Swords]

Trade shows and conferences can be important venues for marketing your company, meeting potential clients, creating familiarity with new products, and making contact with other corporations in your industry. Some trade shows include multiple acres of display booths and thousands of businesses all competing for the attention of attendees. To make your business stand out from the other exhibitors, it is essential to utilize innovative custom exhibits to capture the attention of people as they approach your exhibit.

Finding the Right Balance

The purpose of custom exhibits is to entice people to stop and learn more about your business. It can be challenging to find the exact combination of information and design to reach the right people in the right way. Too much information is hard to process at a glance, while too much color and artwork can obscure your message. It is important that your custom exhibit present an accurate snapshot of your business that will attract potential clients, customers, or business contacts while at the same time informing them about your business and how it can help them.

Trade Show Basics

A great trade show display should always include the company logo, a brief description or mission statement, and interesting artwork to catch the attention of someone passing by. Space for promotional literature, product samples or demonstrations, capability for multi-media presentations, adequate lighting ,and storage are also important components of the most effective trade show custom exhibits.

Custom Exhibit Design

Custom display packages can be as simple as a single background panel designed to sit on a table with a matching cover. Larger, free-standing displays generally include a back panel, one or more sides and even flooring to give the impression of entering a separate space. An exhibit’s panels are generally one of the most eye-catching parts of the display. These very visible features may be made of heavy paper, paperboard, or fabric and printed with your business logo, attention-grabbing artwork, and a variety of information pertaining to your business or your products. For a more traditional look, monochrome panels in a range of colors are also available.

Exhibit Extras and Accessories

Accessories that may be utilized to complete a custom display include modular towers, computer stands, tables, chairs, counters and podiums complete with smaller scale versions of the booth panels. Podiums and tower units have the added benefit of providing additional storage space for literature, product samples and other items that are best kept out of sight. Good lighting is also important to any exhibit and may include individual lights mounted directly on the display or on overhead fixtures.

Rent or Purchase?

If your company only participates in one or two trade shows a year, renting an exhibit may be your best option. This is especially true if you want to make a big impression at the shows you do attend but don’t want the hassle of storing a large display for most of the year. If trade shows are a regular part of your company’s marketing strategy, purchasing a sturdy, easily assembled custom exhibit would be a wise investment.

Attractive yet affordable trade show displays are available to fit the needs of any business. To really stand out among your competitors, find out about the many custom exhibit options that are available before striking out to your next trade show.

[Posted on Apr 30, 2013 by Peggy Swords]

Trade shows can be a huge investment of time, energy, and money. Fortunately, with the investment of these resources comes the potential for great rewards in terms of sales, contacts made, and exposure of your company to media and other opportunities. Compounding these benefits is the fact that in recent years the number of trade shows across the country has exploded into not only a wider number of fields, but the number within those fields. Bottom line: Trade shows are booming. For all of these reasons and more, business owners and managers owe it to themselves to use Portable Exhibits that are eye-catching for both their attractiveness as well as their ability to help carry out the idea of the firm’s sales message. Without carrying out this purpose, a presence at a trade show is wasted effort.

The Importance of the Exhibit

There are perhaps few tools that help support a company at a trade show better than Portable Exhibits, both for where it is located on the trade show floor as well as the make up of the display itself. Not every company can have a prime location, or even afford to have much area on the floor, but especially with exhibits that are modular, anyone can have an attractive and eye-catching display, and as a result, the other factors can, at least in part, be overcome.

Regardless of the size, design, or location of a company’s exhibit, the entire focus should be on getting attention. This is the reason why firms not only jockey to get the first picks of the trade show floor, but they spend considerable time, expense, and research designing an exhibit that will assist them not only in getting the attention of attendees, but attract them to their location and hold them once they are there.

Even after the client or potential client is at the exhibit location, the company mission is only partially complete. Unless the exhibit enhances a staff’s ability to make a sale, it has failed in its job. Not one inch of the exhibit’s floor space should be wasted in the effort to give sales personnel the facilities they need to sign the customer. This might mean demonstration space or just a place to talk. Regardless, accommodations for the purpose should be allowed in the exhibit.

The Flexibility Offered by a Portable Exhibit

The flexibility offered by a portable exhibit is especially good for this purpose. Also, to include modularity in this mix, there can be little that will top the capabilities that you will have to establish a presence at virtually any trade show. A portable exhibit is easier than standard exhibits to move to and from the destination, not to mention assembling once they are at a location.

Planning is the key to having an attention-getting exhibit that is efficient and effective at promoting a company’s presence at a given trade show. Getting to this point is a combination of factors such as experience, talent, and money. Fortunately, when all of this is effectively combined, it will result in an attractive booth that will get attention and serve your purposes for many years to come.

[Posted on Apr 25, 2013 by Peggy Swords]

The Offshore Technology Conference, or OTC, was founded in 1969 with the aim of providing a forum for advances in the areas of resource exploration, offshore drilling, extraction and refining. The idea grew out of a wish to combine the knowledge embodied in the disciplines of both engineering and science. As technology in the last century grew to meet the demands posed by drilling in ever more inhospitable locations around the globe, this sharing among disciplines in the spirit of cooperation was vital to the further advancement of the drilling industry. The very first event was held at the Albert Thomas Convention Center in Houston; as interest grew, the convention moved to the Astrodomain Complex and finally, to the Reliant Center where it is currently housed. Below is a review as to why it is necessary to invest in OTC rental exhibits in order to stand out in this renowned show.

Access to a Large Audience

With an average annual attendance of more than 80,000 people from over 100 countries and a ranking as one of the top trade shows in the United States, the OTC is an ideal setting to showcase recent innovations in the fields of technology and science, as well as detailed information on the latest methods of environmental protection. It is a full 10 football fields in size, with space for indoor and outdoor exhibits. Since 1969, the convention has brought almost two billion dollars-worth of revenue to the city of Houston. In recognition of the OTC’s significance as a meeting of industry minds, more than 2,500 companies choose to collaborate in the event, making the need for unique OTC rental exhibits necessary in order to stand out among other competing companies.

With such an impressive resume, it is no wonder that vendors flock to the OTC in such great numbers. Therein lies both the beauty and the drawback of the convention – while it is an excellent forum for vendor and client exchanges, it is also a venue with thousands of exhibits all vying for the attention of attendees. In such a supercharged, competitive climate, the need for a graphically appealing display that educates prospective clients is essential.

Advancements for Future Generations

Realizing the importance training the next generation of science and technology students hold, members of the planning commission for the OTC created a forum for high school and college students as well as young professionals just starting out in relevant fields. Workshops, programs and a special “education day” provide valuable resources for educating the next generation of industry members.

The Importance of an Eye-Catching Exhibit

The key to a successful presentation is in choosing a rental exhibit company that is known to deliver results with eye-catching, customized designs that allow vendors the flexibility to change details of the exhibit for each trade fair they attend. With customizable rental booths, vendors can highlight aspects of their product or service according to that particular audience and change it for successive audiences. Often a vendor’s booth is the first impression a prospective client has of a product or company; an on-point message, sleek branding and a clear idea of what a product entails must catch a prospective client’s attention before it is drawn away to another exhibit. Exhibit rental companies have the industry experience necessary to effectively market a company’s brand in the small window of time as a client passes a trade fair booth.

Renting exhibits is also an extremely cost-effective way to maintain a booth. Rather than paying for the labor required to construct and break down a display, as well as transportation or storage between shows, an exhibit rental company takes care of all of these logistical details, making engaging the services of an exhibit rental company a wise choice for those wishing to market their products at the OTC show.

[Posted on Apr 18, 2013 by Peggy Swords]

The Offshore Technology Conference (OTC) trade show in Houston, Texas, is one of the largest professional conventions in the United States. With an average annual attendance that can exceed 80,000 the conference and its associated trade show are excellent advertising venues for a company engaged in any aspect of the offshore petroleum industry. Well executed, attention-getting OTC Exhibits will help your company stand out among the thousands of vendors and exhibitors that flock to the OTC each year.

About the OTC

The first OTC trade show was held in 1969. Attendance at the annual event grew steadily throughout the 1970s as the American oil industry boomed and reached a peak of over 100,000 attendees in the early 1980s. The OTC is Houston’s largest convention and since 2003 has been conducted at the Reliant Center, a convention facility with dozens of meeting rooms and over 700,000 square feet of space for business and trade exhibits. The trade show draws in nearly 2,500 businesses from all areas of the petroleum industry including drilling, transport, production and environmental, and countless OTC Exhibits.

OTC Sponsors and Supporters

The OTC is sponsored and supported by nearly two dozen of the biggest names in engineering, science and the petroleum industry including the American Society of Civil Engineers, the American Petroleum Institute, ASTM International, the American Institute of Chemical Engineers, the American Association of Petroleum Geologists and the Petroleum Equipment Suppliers Association.

Exhibitors at the OTC

Trade shows are an effective marketing and business-building opportunity because they allow a business representative to make personal contact with many interested parties and prospective clients. A good trade show exhibit is always important but when faced with several acres of possible competitors and other businesses vying for attention it is all the more important to have an intriguing, eye-catching display that will capture the attention of those passing by. The best displays usually have an eye-catching business logo, ask a question or offer something to people who stop to take a closer look.

Some displays distribute product samples, include an activity to encourage interaction or even hand out a snack or drink to encourage someone to stay and find out more about a product, service or organization. While many companies use the same basic design at every trade show other companies create a new display for each event to highlight a new product or a different aspect of their business. Many businesses also find it to be cost effective to hire a professional company specializing in exhibit design rather than producing their own exhibit.

More Tips for OTC Exhibits

Make sure your booth is staffed continuously during the trade show. At a large multi-day event like the OTC this can be challenging but having competent, knowledgeable personnel available throughout the entire event is a key factor for a successful exhibit.

Encourage visitors to your exhibit to sign in with names, the entity represented, email address and phone number as a way of adding to a potential client database. If possible note which visitors seem really interested in your product or service and which are just killing time between technical presentations.

Have brochures, samples, handouts and business cards to put something with your company? name on it into the hands of potential customers.

If your business is involved in any aspect of offshore petroleum production and is looking for a way to reach potential customers and clients there isn? a better place to advertise than the OTC. With a well planned exhibit your business can find big opportunities at one of the biggest trade shows in the country.