Service

0:00 So the first question in an industry full of transactional vendors, how do we Steelhead stop being a line item and start being extension of the team that are overstressed marketing leaders actually crave good question.

0:18 Well, it start, it starts with not being a vendor.

0:22 So becoming a strategic partner.

0:25 I think, I think that's very important.

0:29 And the magic happens when both parties realize that.

0:33 And I think it really starts in design because if you think about it, they've got a lot of pressure, you know, trying to execute this event and that you can you can feel it.

0:49 It's almost palpable sometimes.

0:50 So I think if they can just tell you, all right, these, this is the strategy and these are the objectives, then let us handle everything from that point forward and then hold us accountable because events are super expensive.

1:07 People are expected to deliver on a number of different things and they shouldn't have to worry about any of that, you know, with a, with a real partner.

1:16 Allow us to challenge them, challenge traditional thinking, push a little bit.

1:22 Don't worry about any of the logistics planning, any of that sort of stuff.

1:26 And you know, just let us handle it.

1:29 You know, we've got a, we've got a quote in our large conference room, as you know, and it's by Warren Buffett and it says price is what you pay, value is what you get.

1:40 And I think that kind of sums up everything.

1:42 Yeah.

1:43 OK, cool.

1:44 I agree.

1:45 All right.

1:46 So we talk about show day reliability and supervised installs.

1:52 What's the most human thing our on site team can do to call calm client's nerves in those high pressure hours before the doors open to the show?

2:04 Yeah.

2:06 So first of all, be calm.

2:09 Be calm, be kind.

2:11 Let them know that you're going to handle everything.

2:14 Again.

2:15 There's a lot of pressure and you can feel the anxiety and pressure build up, you know, in the moments before a show opens.

2:23 The thing that we do though is, you know, say a show opens at 10:00, our team is going to get there at 6:00 AM.

2:30 So they're going to be there 4 hours before the show starts.

2:34 They're going to wipe, wipe down everything.

2:36 So the refrigerators will be stocked when they get their products are going to be out, monitors are going to be turned on, video's going to be running all of these things.

2:47 So I think you know, when when the clients do show up, like they've had a lot of pressure, they probably haven't been able to sleep at night.

2:54 And but when they get in there, they're going to go, oh wow, like this is this is really happening just like they said it was going to happen.

3:03 And then so you can do all of the pre show planning, you can do all of these things, but until you actually see it and feel it, I think that's really the only time that the nerves are going to be squashed.

3:15 Right.

3:16 Yeah, totally.

3:18 OK, great.

3:19 So the last question, we say that we design for moments rather than just design exhibits.

3:27 Beyond the flashy elements, what are a couple specific design elements that can create or foster like a genuine human connection opportunity inside a booth?

3:40 Yeah, I love this.

3:43 Also.

3:44 First of all, made for the moment is not something that you could do if you built a booth a couple years ago.

3:52 So I know that's not, I know, I know that's not the question that you asked, but you couldn't create a a memorable moment today when you built something and designed it a couple years ago.

4:05 So I know that's not the question you asked.

4:06 But one of the things that comes to mind is we love analog experiences because there's so much going on.

4:14 There's you're inundated with with video and audio and all of these other things.

4:20 And one of the things that that's top of mind for me and it's something you're really familiar with is the experience that we did at Exhibitor Live, right?

4:29 So what we did is we took a Polaroid cameras, which if you were, you know, a child of the 70s and 80s, like some of us, you remember those.

4:42 And so, you know, we brought in these analog cameras and we built this wall of smiling faces.

4:49 And you know, that creates connections.

4:52 It creates memorable experiences, things that are different, right, because you're competing for all of this attention in these spaces and and people are doing, you know, all these over the top demonstrations.

5:05 And so I think that's important.

5:08 The other thing is, you know, creating environments where people want to spend some time and, and, and be heard, right?

5:18 I mean, it's a time where you can go to a show and it might be the only time, sadly, it might be the only time all year that you get to spend this time with a customer.

5:28 And it's not all meant to be transactional.

5:30 Like they want to be heard, you know, get their feedback, you know, foster deeper connections.

5:38 And and so to do that, you know, you should create comfortable environments, think about hospitality, create comfortable seating, have them, have them stay a while, gather feedback.

5:50 And so I think, I think that's what people are looking.

5:53 That's why they go to trade shows, right?

5:55 It's not just all about finding the latest, greatest, greatest product, but it's also meeting with your reps, meeting with the manufacturers, you know, getting, getting educated and getting real feedback so that the exhibitor can then deliver on those promises.

6:10 But in order to do that, you actually have to hear from the voice of the customer.

6:14 So I think those are some of the things it's fun to talk about all the flashy stuff because there's a number of of things that can be done.

6:22 But I think at the end of the day, you know, create an environment that people want to spend time in, make connections, be memorable, you know, that sort of thing.

6:32 Yeah.