Tradeshows Moochers

When was the last time you actually bought a golf umbrella, a ballpoint pen, or a letter opener? Why should you buy them when you can go to any tradeshow and get them for free? How many of the visitors who came to your booth, came for the freebies? How many of your promotional  items went to qualified buyers?

There is a group of people I call Tradeshow Moochers.These are the people who go to every booth to get the “give-aways”,  food, or to participate in “fish bowl” drawings.

Tradeshow Moochers are not interested in your company or your products and services; they are only drawn to your booth because they want your “free stuff”.

Food is the Tradeshow Moocher's primary source of energy and chocolate is the preferred delivery mechanism. “Fish Bowl Drawings” are another favorite target of the Tradeshow Moocher.

Fish Bowls are generally used when the company wants to build lists of who attended the tradeshow. If that’s your purpose, there are more effective and less costly ways to build your list.

Again it builds traffic, it causes people to stop at your booth, but are these people stopping because of their interest in your products and services or because they just want a piece of chocolate or the prize?

From "How To Be A Tradeshow Superstar" by Michael T. Curtiss, CEO Thunderbird International Group

For additional information on how to be a more successful tradeshow exhibitor go to TradeshowMentors.com

Holy Horology

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Museums-East Bay Through August 8

AFRICAN AMERICAN MUSEUM AND LIBRARY AT OAKLAND The Oakland Public Library's museum is designed to discover, preserve, interpret and share the cultural and historical experiences of African Americans in California and the West. In addition, a three-panel mural is on permanent display.

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Among the tables of crafts, antiques, food, raffles, yard sale items, books and LPs that took up a portion of the town common last week for the Berkley Happy Hearts clubs flea market were two much smaller tables the size of card tables, really that held rare coins.