The Corporate-Fx, Tradeshow Magic Group Blog
By: Scott Tokar, Corporate-Fx Magician and Founder
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Tradeshow potential is UP according to Exhibit Surveys!
Fri, May 17 2013 09:45
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Have you ever had trouble convincing your boss that tradeshow exhibiting is a fantastic return on investment? Well then, have a look at some of THESE statistics just released by independent auditing firm "Exhibit Surveys" on their 50th anniversary.
Total Buying Plans (Percentage of Attendees Planning to Make a Purchase) -
49% Nearly half of the attendees at tradeshows are planning to make a purchase based on something they saw during the show. And that is up from 34% over the past 50 years...
Net Buying Influences (Percentage Having an Influence on Purchases) -
84%Tell your Chief Marketing Officer: Most of the people at tradeshows have an influence on the purchases their companies make. They are the right people to reach! That is up 9% since 1963!
Time Spent o Exhibit Floor (Average Hours) -
9.1 Hours Attendees are spending more time engaging with exhibitors. 50 years ago it was only 6.4 hours!
To read more please visit the Exhibit Surveys web page (http://goo.gl/bZfRI)
After 50 years of research the take-away from this information was best said by Dick Swandby, the founder of Exhibit Surveys "...it still comes down to face-to-face communication with the right people, and that’s what has to be accomplished in every exhibit".
Happy "Golden Anniversary" Exhibit Surveys, and if the past 50 years are any indication to the growth and success in the tradeshow industry, we are now ready for the next 50 successful years!
VIDEO - Tradeshow Magician, Scott Tokar performs at EMCworld in Las Vegas.
Thu, May 16 2013 12:40
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We have just posted a new performance video of our own Corporate-Fx founder, Scott Tokar at the EMC World tradeshow in Las Vegas for Isilon.
Matching the magic not only to the message, but ALSO to the corporate culture and the exhibit theme was the challenge.
Matching the magic not only to the message, but ALSO to the corporate culture and the exhibit theme was the challenge.
This video is a great example of our true customization and crowd draw. Corporate-Fx was asked to incorporate Isilon's Superhero booth theme "Captain Scale-out". And believe it or not, we were able to accomplish this by presenting a comical head chopper illusion complete with volunteer cue cards and a Superhero comics "Strong Man"photo opportunity... Success!
It's kind of hard to explain, and that is why we made the video... Hope you enjoy it!
For booking information, please visit www.CorporateFx.com
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Scott Tokar added to EXHIBITOR FastTrack faculty.
Thu, May 2 2013 02:02
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It's time once again for the Exhibitor FastTrack, the accelerated learning conference for exhibit and corporate event marketing professionals.
Exhibitor FastTrak regional conferences present educational selections from the annual EXHIBITOR conference. The small group, intimate setting and blend of job levels create the perfect atmosphere for genuine networking, sharing of survival tactics and success stories, and generating excitement for ongoing education.
This year Corporate-Fx founder, Scott Tokar will be joining the faculty of the Chicago FastTrack August 20th-22nd, 2013. Scott will present his talk titled: "Gathering the RIGHT Crowd – Engagement Strategies that Attract, Retain, and Qualify a Target Audience "
Attracting a crowd is only half the battle. In this session Scott will examine an array of professional and home-grown “traffic stopping” techniques and strategies. Presenters, product demos, magicians and contests can increase visibility and mind-share on the show floor, but there must be purpose behind the promotion...
• Quantification and lead count
• Qualification - identify HOT leads
• Direct action steps in the exhibit
• Follow-through before, during, and after the show
• Increasing your booth-staff’s motivated participation
You can learn more about Scott's talk here: http://www.exhibitoronline.com/fasttrak/session.asp?ID=36
Exhibitor FastTrak regional conferences present educational selections from the annual EXHIBITOR conference. The small group, intimate setting and blend of job levels create the perfect atmosphere for genuine networking, sharing of survival tactics and success stories, and generating excitement for ongoing education.
This year Corporate-Fx founder, Scott Tokar will be joining the faculty of the Chicago FastTrack August 20th-22nd, 2013. Scott will present his talk titled: "Gathering the RIGHT Crowd – Engagement Strategies that Attract, Retain, and Qualify a Target Audience "
Attracting a crowd is only half the battle. In this session Scott will examine an array of professional and home-grown “traffic stopping” techniques and strategies. Presenters, product demos, magicians and contests can increase visibility and mind-share on the show floor, but there must be purpose behind the promotion...
• Quantification and lead count
• Qualification - identify HOT leads
• Direct action steps in the exhibit
• Follow-through before, during, and after the show
• Increasing your booth-staff’s motivated participation
You can learn more about Scott's talk here: http://www.exhibitoronline.com/fasttrak/session.asp?ID=36
More about Tradeshow Magic here: www.CorporateFx.com
A moment of great pride for a dad...
Thu, May 2 2013 01:33
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Once and a while a dad can boast, usually at times of great accomplishment... Well, it's time for ME to boast on behalf of my son...
I am proud to announce that my son, Lucas Tokar, has just become a Junior Member of The World Famous Magic Castle! I too was accepted as a member when I was a youth, and I personally owe my professional magic career to the tutelage of the Academy of Magical Arts (the magicians who reside at The Magic Castle).
And I'm also excited to announce that my son, Lucas is the first ever "Second Generation" Magic Castle Junior now that he too is a member! Does that make him a "Jr. Junior" or a "Junior II"?
I am proud to announce that my son, Lucas Tokar, has just become a Junior Member of The World Famous Magic Castle! I too was accepted as a member when I was a youth, and I personally owe my professional magic career to the tutelage of the Academy of Magical Arts (the magicians who reside at The Magic Castle).
And I'm also excited to announce that my son, Lucas is the first ever "Second Generation" Magic Castle Junior now that he too is a member! Does that make him a "Jr. Junior" or a "Junior II"?
The Wall Street Journal ran a front page article about the Magic Castle Junior Program on April 17th saying: "The academy accepts students aged 13 to 20. It doesn't advertise, and admits only students who pass an audition in front of a panel of accomplished magicians. About 50 young magicians audition for a spot each year; about a third are accepted."You can read the entire WSJ article HERE: http://on.wsj.com/ZpxCYj
Lucas' next goal is to perform at the Magic Castle during the "Future Stars" week. Even though the private club is strictly a 21 and over establishment at night, Future Stars is a week where the Juniors take-over the showrooms to show off their prowess and skills in the art of prestidigitation.
After that, Lucas says he plans on surpassing his dad in the Tradeshow Magic arena! Does that make me nervous? No way, I am probably the proudest dad in magic right now! Now, where did I put that straight jacket?
Watch out world, here comes The Magic of Lucas Tokar!
Scott Tokar is Lucas' dad and the founder of Corporate-Fx.
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Tradeshow magic with Cisco in New Orleans
Wed, Apr 24 2013 11:25
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This is the 5th year Corporate-Fx has drawn crowds with our tradeshow magic for Cisco Healthcare at the HIMSS convention.
And, every year we do our best to top Cisco's previous year's lead count and increase our audience's amazement level...
Well, I'm happy to report, Corporate-Fx did it again! Record crowds and an amazing illusion.
Or, you can see it on YouTube here: http://youtu.be/3IY8BNCvsFU
The video speaks for itself... Success!
(See the Corporate-Fx group video here: http://www.CorporateFx.com)
And, every year we do our best to top Cisco's previous year's lead count and increase our audience's amazement level...
Well, I'm happy to report, Corporate-Fx did it again! Record crowds and an amazing illusion.
See it for yourself! This is Scott Tokar presenting the Twister illusion.
The video speaks for itself... Success!
(See the Corporate-Fx group video here: http://www.CorporateFx.com)
Scott Tokar is recognized as a tradeshow industry expert at the Exhibitor Show.
Tue, Mar 26 2013 11:25
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2013 marks the fourth year in a row that Corporate-Fx’s CEO, Scott Tokar has served as faculty at EXHIBITOR Magazine’s “Exhibitor Show” in Las Vegas.
Now in its 25th year, the EXHIBITOR curriculum offers more than 200 comprehensive sessions covering seven critical learning tracks. The sessions are taught by a faculty of more than 145 industry experts who complete mandatory Speaker Training. EXHIBITOR also offers the only professional certification program with academic university affiliation, and more than 3000 industry professionals currently are enrolled in the Certified Trade Show Marketer (CTSM) program.
This year, Scott Tokar taught two classes - Booth Basics Boot Camp: Lessons from the Trade Show Floor, and Gathering the RIGHT Crowd: Engagement Strategies that Attract, Retain, and Qualify a Target Audience.
“The best part about teaching at the Exhibitor Show is meeting with like minded tradeshow professionals and marketing experts”, Said Scott Tokar. “I get the opportunity to explain the difference between “epic fail” and “total success” on the trade show floor. We can discuss booth size, budget, location or a tightly integrated strategy and staff. And although I’m known in magic circles as THE “tradeshow magician”, it’s at the Exhibitor Show that I’m recognized more for the “Tradeshow” than the “Magician” part of my job”.
Scott Tokar will again be delivering his talk on Gathering the RIGHT Crowd in Chicago at the EXHIBITOR FastTrack conferance, Wednesday, August 21 (see http://www.exhibitoronline.com/fasttrak/city2.asp for more details).
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Magic is a global language.
Tue, Mar 26 2013 11:03
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People often ask me if tradeshow magic “works” in other languages and cultures. The answer is, without a doubt, “YES” (or - Sí, 是, Oui, Ja, Sim, Hanji, Ken, Да, Na'am, Hai, Kyllä, tak).
I have just returned from Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates once again and every time I go over seas I am astonished at the crowd-draw and warm appreciation for my art. In fact, I’d say that Tradeshow Magic is easier to perform outside of the USA because of the added uniqueness of the approach.
Typically, when I perform at the smaller tradeshows in the US (shows of 2000 attendees or less), I find that my exhibitor becomes the STAR of the show, as well as a repeat destination for visitors. It’s because magic is entertaining AND the other booths on the floor don’t have anything like it at a smaller show… Now magnify this unique effect with tradeshow magic in another country, magic as an advertising medium is typically unseen in other parts of the world, the exhibitor is almost guaranteed that they will become the most talked about and most visited stand in the expo hall.
I have seen this time and time again as I have now performed tradeshow magic in Taiwan, Ireland, Czech Republic, Germany, Scotland, Netherlands, Austria, Portugal, England, Paris, Denmark, Italy, and the U.A.E., tradeshow magic combined with a well mannered American accent seems to draw crowds like nothing else!
Is there a language barrier? Thankfully no. If the expo is international in scope English is usually the primary business language. Yes, the delivery and speech is slower and the vocabulary is simplified in performance, but the audience seems to follow along and understand perfectly well. After all, magic IS a visual language unto itself, and amazement can be accomplished without words… However, if the show is country specific, one must present in the native tongue. Thankfully Corporate-Fx has the ability to provide German, Japanese, Spanish and French and our native English as performing languages too!
As international markets open up around the world exhibitors are discovering that creative marketing works everywhere, and the age old adage “you can’t sell to them if they don’t stop to listen” is true in every culture. Tradeshow magic is a great way to ramp-up your marketing and appeal to any audience in any country. And that’s great news for Corporate-Fx, because we are planning on expos in Kuala Lumpur, Germany, and Amsterdam in the latter part of the year!
Tweet-peat! ~ Corporate-Fx wins at Exhibitor, again!
Tue, Mar 26 2013 09:21
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For the second year in a row, Corporate-Fx has won EXHIBITOR Magazine’s coveted people’s choice award, the “Tweeple”, by voting via twitter during the Las Vegas Exhibitor Show, (a Tradeshow about Tradeshows) March 18-20, 2013.
EXHIBITOR2013 attendees had the chance to vote for their favorite exhibit on the convention floor via Twitter. “For the second consecutive year, EXHIBITOR offered attendees a fun way to participate in a People’s Choice Award-style contest honoring the creative, innovative exhibits on the show floor,” said Travis Stanton, editor of EXHIBITOR magazine. “But instead of old-school paper ballots, we’ve ushered the People’s Choice concept into the 21st century by hosting the competition on Twitter.”
Many of the exhibitors had various virtual outreach efforts planned before and during the show. EXHIBITOR Magazine encouraged pre-show mailers, microsites, webcasts, Facebook posts, YouTube videos, and other promotional outlets as adequate justification for votes. And that is precisely what the magicians at Corporate-Fx did. “We encouraged our enthusiastic and dedicated followers on Twitter, FaceBook, LinkedIn, FourSquare and within our own newsletter mailing list to tweet for us, and they did”! Said Scott Tokar, CEO of Corporate-Fx. “I think a big part of it was leveraging our readership of our popular “#Tradeshow Tricks Daily” web newspaper (at http://paper.li/CorporateFx), everyone seemed to get involved and the number of tweets from the US and abroad were impressive, to say the least”.
In addition to winning the popular vote, the Corporate-Fx 10‘x10’ space was constantly filled with eager tradeshow attendees that increased the impact and reach of the exhibit. “It was the tradeshow magic that stooped the crowds so we could deliver our value proposition and sales message. And that’s a good thing, sort of a proof-of-concept, because after all, tradeshow magic IS our product, and we are glad to show everyone that it works”!
About Corporate-Fx, Tradeshow Magic Group
The industry's leading provider of professional tradeshow magicians, world wide. "Custom-scripted" magical presentations deliver a crafted message to trade show attendees, resulting in a quality lead count that is GUARANTEED. Corporate-Fx is headquartered in Foothill Ranch, California with representation in the USA and globally. Videos and testimonials can be found at http://www.CorporateFx.com and at http://youtu.be/AaeYAmcfjp8.
About Exhibitor Media Group
The leader in trade show and corporate event marketing education, Exhibitor Media Group publishes EXHIBITOR magazine - best practices in trade show marketing. EXHIBITOR also produces EXHIBITOR2013, the trade show and corporate event industry's top-rated educational conference; EXHIBITORFastTrak regional accelerated learning conferences; EXHIBITOR eTrak, live online educational sessions; and GRAVITY FREE, the World's Only Multidisciplinary Design Conference. EXHIBITOR is the founder and sponsor of CTSM (Certified Trade Show Marketer), the industry's only university-affiliated professional certification program. EXHIBITOR'S web site, www.ExhibitorOnline.com, is the trade show and event community's most comprehensive online resource.
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NBC's TODAY Show visits The Magic Castle.
Fri, Jan 11 2013 05:10
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As posted earlier, The founder of Corporate-Fx, Scott Tokar, will be appearing at the world famous Hollywood Magic Castle on January 21st - 27th, 2013.
And this morning NBC's TODAY show visited the club to get a "behind the curtain" peek...
Scott Tokar will will be the LATE PARLOUR performer appearing at 10:30pm, 11:30pm and 12:00 midnight.
The "Parlour of Prestidigitation" recreates the Victorian experience of the "parlour" (living room) magician. With out a doubt, this is the BEST setting to see Scott's show, it's a little bit of close-up and a little bit of stand-up with a whole lotta FUN!
Scott Tokar became a Junior Member in 1982, and he received the coveted Junior Achievement Award in 1985/1986. Scott was again awarded in 2000/2001 with an Award of Merit from the Magic Castle for his dedication to the Magic Castle and the continuing support of the Juniors Program.
The Magic Castle IS a PRIVATE CLUB. But, do you want to know a "secret"? YOU HAVE CONNECTIONS! There are a limited number of spots on Scott Tokar's VIP list AND Scott also has a number of full-benifit "guest passes" to enter. IMPORTANT, there are strict rules and a dress code at The Magic Castle, and Guest passes MUST pay a door charge and dine at the Magic Castle, Reservations for dinner are required, and it is suggested that you call at least one week in advance for week day reservations or at least six to eight weeks in advance for a Friday or Saturday evening...
And this morning NBC's TODAY show visited the club to get a "behind the curtain" peek...
To celebrate the Magic Castle's 50th anniversary, The entire week of January 21st-27th, 2013 will be filled with former Junior members of the Castle that are now adults and full-time working magicians!
Scott Tokar will will be the LATE PARLOUR performer appearing at 10:30pm, 11:30pm and 12:00 midnight.
The "Parlour of Prestidigitation" recreates the Victorian experience of the "parlour" (living room) magician. With out a doubt, this is the BEST setting to see Scott's show, it's a little bit of close-up and a little bit of stand-up with a whole lotta FUN!
Scott Tokar became a Junior Member in 1982, and he received the coveted Junior Achievement Award in 1985/1986. Scott was again awarded in 2000/2001 with an Award of Merit from the Magic Castle for his dedication to the Magic Castle and the continuing support of the Juniors Program.
The Magic Castle IS a PRIVATE CLUB. But, do you want to know a "secret"? YOU HAVE CONNECTIONS! There are a limited number of spots on Scott Tokar's VIP list AND Scott also has a number of full-benifit "guest passes" to enter. IMPORTANT, there are strict rules and a dress code at The Magic Castle, and Guest passes MUST pay a door charge and dine at the Magic Castle, Reservations for dinner are required, and it is suggested that you call at least one week in advance for week day reservations or at least six to eight weeks in advance for a Friday or Saturday evening...
Please contact Scott Tokar for details and guest passes...
Tradeshow Seminars by Corporate-Fx
Mon, Dec 10 2012 02:30
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Once again, Corporate-Fx founder and CEO, Scott Tokar will be on the teaching faculty of the Exhibitor Show in Las Vegas from March 17th-21st, 2013.
Last year Scott's sessions were a huge hit! And the Booth Basics Bootcamp Class was SOLD-OUT!
This year Scott will again be teaching TWO sessions:
What is the difference between “epic fail” and “total success” on the trade show floor? Size, budget, location or a tightly integrated strategy and staff? Where do you start? What are the basics? In this session you will learn:
• Booth staff training and exhibitor etiquette
• Local, national and international differences in exhibiting
• Sales engagement techniques that help maximize lead counts
• Common errors in booth design and execution
• Booth layout, traffic flow and space selection advantages
• Visual and physical barriers that restrict interaction with attendees
• Sponsorships and hosted events that add value to an exhibit
• How to make your booth and brand memorable (for all the right reasons)
Attracting a crowd is only half the battle. In this session we’ll examine an array of professional and home-grown “traffic stopping” techniques and strategies. Presenters, product demos, magicians and contests can increase visibility and mind-share on the show floor, but there must be purpose behind the promotion...
• Quantification and lead count
• Qualification - identify HOT leads
• Direct action steps in the exhibit
• Follow-through before, during, and after the show
• Increasing your booth-staff’s motivated participation
Convince your boss that a traffic building promotion is the right thing to do.
Last year Scott's sessions were a huge hit! And the Booth Basics Bootcamp Class was SOLD-OUT!
This year Scott will again be teaching TWO sessions:
Booth Basics Boot Camp: Lessons from the Trade Show Floor.
What is the difference between “epic fail” and “total success” on the trade show floor? Size, budget, location or a tightly integrated strategy and staff? Where do you start? What are the basics? In this session you will learn:
• Booth staff training and exhibitor etiquette
• Local, national and international differences in exhibiting
• Sales engagement techniques that help maximize lead counts
• Common errors in booth design and execution
• Booth layout, traffic flow and space selection advantages
• Visual and physical barriers that restrict interaction with attendees
• Sponsorships and hosted events that add value to an exhibit
• How to make your booth and brand memorable (for all the right reasons)
And,
Gathering the RIGHT Crowd – Engagement Strategies that Attract, Retain, and Qualify a Target Audience.
Attracting a crowd is only half the battle. In this session we’ll examine an array of professional and home-grown “traffic stopping” techniques and strategies. Presenters, product demos, magicians and contests can increase visibility and mind-share on the show floor, but there must be purpose behind the promotion...
• Quantification and lead count
• Qualification - identify HOT leads
• Direct action steps in the exhibit
• Follow-through before, during, and after the show
• Increasing your booth-staff’s motivated participation
Convince your boss that a traffic building promotion is the right thing to do.
For more information on attending these seminars, please visit: http://www.exhibitoronline.com/exhibitorshow
Get updates via SMS by texting "follow CorporateFx" to 40404
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