The Corporate-Fx, Tradeshow Magic Group Blog
By: Scott Tokar, Corporate-Fx Magician and Founder

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Why 2012 has been the BEST tradeshow year since 2006!

Wed, Apr 25 2012 10:01 | Permalink

I'm more than optimistic... Why? Because tradeshow marketing as rebounded to it's pre-reccesion attendance and success!

For example, the ATA 2012 tradeshow on telemedicine has seen 20% growth: http://goo.gl/q25x7

And hotels, restaurants and meeting spaces are again full: http://goo.gl/H5pkT

Then, there is the growth in the exhibit building industry too: http://goo.gl/3wD3f

Need more proof? Just look around at your next tradeshow... New exhibits, larger booth space and an increase in hall/floor space is a direct indication of the health of tradeshow marketing...

What does this mean to YOU?

It's hard to find a BIGGER crowd draw than THIS...

With bigger, newer, larger, and flashier exhibits all demanding the time and attention of the attendees we are back to the days of doing something different and creative isn't just a good idea, it's a MUST!

Obviously, THIS is good for Corporate-Fx and Tradeshow Magic... As companies strive to attract more attendees to their exhibit it's clear that Tradeshow Magic is much more than a PowerPoint slide presentation or a talking-head... It's FUN! And thus, Corporate-Fx is seeing many new clients and a record Spring schedule in 2012!!!

Call me an optimist, but I can't wait for the Fall 2012 season...

Attract | Communicate | Amaze

Corporate-Fx

Exhibitor2012 "Tweeple's Choice"

Thu, Mar 8 2012 10:41 | Permalink

WE WON !!!

Corporate-Fx wins the Exhibitor 2012 "Tweeple's Choice" Award!

Corporate-Fx was the winner of the Twitter Voted People's Choice Award at this year's Exhibitor Show!

EXHIBITOR2012 attendees had the chance to vote for their favorite exhibit on the show floor via Twitter. "We wanted to create a fun way for all attendees to participate in a People's Choice Award-style contest honoring the creative, and innovative exhibits on the show floor," said Travis Stanton, editor of EXHIBITOR magazine. "But instead of old-school paper ballots, we wanted to usher this concept into the 21st century by hosting the competition on Twitter. We hope the voting process will generate show-related buzz, and create some friendly competition in the exhibit hall."

How did Corporate-Fx do it? We dominated the twitter quest to out "Hash-Tag" the big exhibits by doing what social media does best; we mobilized a grass-root and guerrilla style marketing campaign! Simply put, we went VIRAL and we won!

There is NO WAY a small 10'x10' pop-up display with only three staff members at the Exhibitor show could out gun the MASSIVE 50'x50' custom display houses staffed with full-time "paid" social media experts at the show... But on FaceBook and Twitter even a "little guy" like Corporate-Fx can have a GIANT FOOTPRINT... We leveraged our existing @CorporateFx Twitter following and the fans of our "#Tradeshow Tricks Daily"to get out the votes... And boy, DID THEY...

At the end of the twitter voting time-frame @CorporateFx was literally hundreds of votes ahead of ANY other exhibitor on the show floor, big or small! And, because we strategically waited to trigger the twitter deluge until the last evening of the show, we blind-sided the social media "experts" in the industry by sneaking up on them, and beating them at their own game!

THIS is what tradeshow social media is all about, extending your physical booth presence well beyond the 10'x10' space on the show-floor, and creating international BUZZ even when you can't afford the expensive 50'x50' space of the big-guys...

What did it cost Corporate-Fx to do? NOTHING really, only 5 hours of twitter time after the show, and we were watching TV while we did it!!! Isn't technology wonderful?

Here are the official Exhibitor Show Tweeple rules: http://goo.gl/pjHAz

Want to learn MORE about Tradeshow Magic and Social Media for Exhibitors? Follow-us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/CorporateFx or visit www.CorporateFx.com

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Thu, Mar 8 2012 10:37 | Permalink

Booth Basics Boot Camp

Lessons From The Trade Show Floor

We are so pleased to report that the Corporate-Fx sponsored class at the 2012 Exhibitor show was one of only two classes that were completely and totally SOLD OUT at this year's conference!

Corporate-Fx magician and founder, Scott Tokar shared some of the tips and tricks he has leaned over the past 20 years while working for hundreds of companies on the tradeshow floor...

By far, the most appreciated and talked about "tip" in the class was the booth space selection "V" diagram...

Essentially, this method of booth space selection theorizes that the MOST trafficked floor space can be found in the middle-rear portion of an exhibit hall, and by drawing a straight line from the hall entrance door to the back corners of the building, you can pick a space that will be seen more often as attendees move through the exhibit floor. This is because most attendees will travel from one booth to the next on appointments (or to reach a snack bar or restroom), and while they move about the floor they will traverse the middle section more frequently...

Thanks to the Tradeshow Coach, Susan Friedman for teaching us this trick many years ago...

With the success of the class at the main Exhibitor Show look for it in the Summer and Fall "FastTrack" seminars from Exhibitor Magazine as well...

Scan me!

Wed, Nov 30 2011 05:03 | Permalink

QR Codes are showing up EVERYWHERE these days!

What is a QR code you may ask? It's a way to instantly share digital information with someone using the camera on a smartphone...

If you have an iPhone or an Android phone simply look in the App Store for "QR Code" and you'll find many scanner applications.

If you see a QR Code (such as the one above) scan it to receive the information... Websites, email addresses, SMS numbers, even twitter addresses can be encoded/decoded through a QR Code.

An now, you will see them in tradeshows to send people information about a product, company or even contest entry! Check out the Chiquita Banana QR code above!

Imagine the tradeshow implementations that the QR code could lead to, and the paperless delivery of information with this new technology!

Generate your own QR code HERE: http://goo.gl/q043h

For QR code scanner applications check out these links:

iPhone: http://goo.gl/IH2lq

Android: http://goo.gl/ynlPM

Blackberry: http://goo.gl/rfOf2

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12 Questions with a Customer: Scott Tokar, Corporate-FX Tradeshow Magic Group

Sun, Nov 6 2011 05:53 | Permalink

12 Questions with a Customer: Scott Tokar, Corporate-FX Tradeshow Magic Group

Click on the link to read an e-Voice highlight...

Corporate-Fx favorite, Steve Cohen on the cover of MUM

Wed, Nov 2 2011 01:01 | Magic, show, magician, MUM, SAM, trade, steve cohen, millionaire's magician, Chamber Magic, Tradeshow, Corporate-Fx | Permalink

Many of the Corporate-Fx clients have grown to love the exquisite magic of Steve Cohen, "The Millionaire's Magician". And every step of the way we have said that Steve is destined to become a star...

As part of our exclusive tradeshow magic group, Steve Cohen has performed in Amsterdam, Lisbon, and in througout the United States.for some of Corporate-Fx's best clients such as; Sun Microsystems, Agfa, Unisys, IBM/Tivoli, Viewlocity, Enterprise DB, Surf Control, as well as for ING Direct.

The Society of American Magician's "MUM" (Magic Unity and Might) Magazine, November 2011

Over the past few years, Steve has been busy performing in his HIT New York show "Chamber Magic" at the Waldorf Astoria as well as appearing on Television shows such as Martha Stewart and "Late Night" with David Letterman.

And now, on January 12th, 2012, Steve Cohen will be performing his NEW one man show "Theater of Wonder" at New York's famous Carnegie Hall!

The entire tradeshow magic group at Corporate-Fx is indeed proud of Steve and his accomplishments over the years... Hang on to your seats, because Steve Cohen is now officially a "Star"!

Steve Cohen's Corporate-Fx tradeshow magic bio can be found at: http://corporatefx.com/Steve.html

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Drawing a crowd for Idera.

Mon, Oct 17 2011 07:59 | Permalink

Just a quick post to share these wonderful Tradeshow Magic photos of the Microsoft Sharepoint tradeshow in Anaheim...

"How can you explain your company's value proposition if nobody stops to hear it in the first place". - Scott Tokar, MIMC

Attracting the RIGHT crowd! Exhibitor 2012 Seminar

Tue, Oct 11 2011 08:00 | Permalink

Join Scott Tokar of Corporate-Fx and discover engagement strategies that attract, retain, and qualify a target audience.

http://vimeo.com/30168025

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iPhone App!

Mon, Oct 10 2011 12:55 | Permalink

There is an app for that!

The Corporate-Fx Tradeshow Magic Group now has an iPhone App!

Now you can see our latest project photos, blog entries, and view information about the Corporate-Fx team with ease!

Download the App HERE:

http://app.cat/corporatefx/

Booth Basics Bootcamp @ Exhibitor 2012

Fri, Oct 7 2011 09:45 | Permalink

What is the difference between total success and epic fail in a trade show? Join Scott Tokar of Corporate-Fx at the 2012 Exhibitor Show in Las Vegas to find out.