When I used to think of elves I would usually come up with the image of either the Keebler Elves or Santa’s elves. When you are a kid Santa was always a topic of discussion, whether your family believed and celebrated or not, because everyone thought a guy who brings you toys is awesome. The image of Keebler Elves was driven by my love of cookies which could be turned into an entirely different post itself. Those images have now been replaced as I find myself a decorated member of the elusive tradeshow elves. The tradeshow elves come in many different sizes and shapes, and they all have a different role to play when it comes to getting any space show ready. Many of the elves, including myself, are more along the lines of a Will Ferrell elf in size and temperament, but we always get the job done in the end. If you ever get a chance to see a venue before we start our magic rituals, you will see why it takes a special group of dedicated people to turn an empty space into a wonder land full of products and services for all of the attendees to enjoy.
When you walk into a space 3-4 days before a show starts it looks like a big warehouse with four walls, exposed concrete, and way too big to fill up any time soon. Then show organizers come in and set up all the stations so that all the workers can get the information to literally and figuratively get the show on the road. Next the forklift drivers start appearing with huge wooden crates and materials delivered from a fleet of trucks that seem to never stop arriving. After all of the freight has been unloaded, myself and the rest of the set-up/construction elves start turning the building blocks and tools into booths to visit and products to experience. Up until the night before the show the whole room looks like a disaster area, but when you leave and return for the show everything is beautiful and ready to go. Overnight all of the trash and crates have disappeared, and the entire floor is carpeted and clean. I won’t stretch the truth and say that this process is always enjoyable or problem free, but it is needed and it always gets done, that’s why we’re asked to be the elves.
Tradeshows still play a vital part in marketing and networking for many companies, and NanoLumens is one of those companies. The internet is awesome to disseminate information and to purchase mass produced items, but custom display solutions are best purchased with a little more research. It benefits customers when they are able to talk to us in person, put a face with the name, and actually see and touch the technology. Plus, buying large scale displays is more like buying a house or car rather than a TV from the local electronics store; it takes research a looking at all the options/features one may desire because it is more like an investment than a single purchase. I like to see tradeshows as bringing some sample from the dealerships showroom to the customers in a temporary dealership so the clients can ask all the questions and come in contact with whatever is necessary to help with their investment decision. A huge toy store is erected almost overnight, so all of the kids can walk through and make their wish list which we take back headquarters so the engineering and production elves can have the toy ready for Christmas.
So the next time you want are interested in making a new investment, join NanoLumens at our booth at our next tradeshow so we can record your wish list. Before you make the trip, be sure to use our Buyer’s Manual to help you narrow down your research. We always welcome visitors to our main showroom in Norcross, Georgia, but if you would prefer; our next show will be the AIA Convention May 14-16th, 2015 at the Georgia World Congress Center (Booth #3065) in Atlanta, GA. If you make the trip, you possibly do both. We would love to meet you!