In our final installment from the blog of a trade show manager of a Fortune 500 company, some advice on hiring a trade show magician. He had seen 2 top pros, but hired someone else because they were less expensive.
"Don’t make the mistake I made by hiring someone who under charges and under delivers. Equally, be cautious of someone whose rate is astronomically out of whack with the competition. Although rate should be important to any prudent shopper, my advice would be - don’t make a decision based on rate alone. For what you spend on graphics, sponsorships, even carpeting, the magician is comparably cheap – especially considering the exposure he brings you.
The magician will be your gateway to show attendees. That person should be able to fit well within your corporate culture and represent you in a highly professional manner. Don’t get so enamored with the tricks or the idea that you forget your overall objective. Whether it’s lead generation, institutionalizing your name, creating more exhibit efficiency, or all of these, you’ll want to be assured you have an individual that can deliver the results you expect.
The following year, I was working for a different company. Once in place, the first thing I did was call the two individuals whom I first saw in Chicago. By the way, the names of these magicians were: Bill Goldman and Harrison Carroll, respectively. I mention this because my online research shows that they are still working. By the way, I am retired and have no vested interest in any magician or group. But I used both these fellows until I retired.
Below is a list of magicians who work exclusively in the trade show industry."
Naturally, I was pleased to be on the short list that followed, and I continue to be pleased that it still drives visitors to this site!
