Trade Show Presentation New Blood Needed

[GKitson]

Another opportunity to improve your professional skill set.

http://tinyurl.com/ldvwptf

SGIA will be in Atlanta Nov 4-6, 2015

See you at the show,

~Kitson

[GKitson]

As I said previously, I don't get to shows as much as I'd like to. Are the seminars still offered as a one size fits all? I know I've seen and heard the frustration of people saying the seminar was either way too basic, or way to intense. Is there a way to grade the seminars? Gold=Beginner/Small Shop, Silver=Medium Size Shop, and Bronze=Very Experienced. I realize it is all relative, but it might help people decide if a seminar is the one for them. I'm not trying to disregard Greg's posts, but throwing out a suggestion. I'm still trying to decide if there is a way I can contribute.

Dave,  Great comment regarding the "one size fits all" thing.  I have this mental image of an elephant trying to wriggle into a pair of OSFA pantyhose, it just does not work.

ISS had 100, 200, 300 & 400 level presentations like a college course assigned to their course descriptions however when you looked at the people in the seats and the presentation data the rankings are quite blurry.  They have since changed to introductory/advanced as their course descriptions because unless you have been to college you probably don't understand the 1,2,3 & 4 hundred thing.

One problem is when a class is defined as advanced one of two things happens, either very few sign up or beginners attend and drag down the level of the presentation with entry level questions,  Unless the presenter is very skilled every one leaves the room unhappy and the show sponsor does not get an adequate ROI to continue advanced presentations.

I like the shop size thing but defining it would be a challenge, I think of myself as a small auto shop and others consider me to be a medium or even large shop. 

On a 9 point scale I consider myself to be a 7 of 9 with 1-3 being various small shops, 4-6 being medium and 7-9 being large.  So MEG is a small - large shop if you get my description.  Dave I would consider BR to fall into the same category as a small large shop based on your technology and productivity..

Keep up the dialogue, next comment please...I love this stuff.

~Kitson

[TCT]

I think the "shop size" thing may not come into effect for every class topic. For example the Bottleneck class of yours Greg that I was just in, there were people that didn't have a auto all the way up to that lady that had 27. I think depending on the class subject and the mental capacity of the attendees a lot of things can be scaled in their head. If they can't scale and apply the concept to their shop there are bigger issues.

I think shop size would probably come into play a lot more if the class was a more of a workshop or Q&A style.

Great, thanks a lot, I went a head and broke my daytime TSB at work ban.... 

[alan802]

I just glanced at this and assume Greg meant Alan from Murakami.  I am able to share a lot of info at the workshops I do here but I'm not sure how that would translate into a much shorter time period and more people in the crowd.  We do a comprehensive course here that tries to touch on everything we can but going into detail on each subject is hard when the people attending are coming from broad experience backgrounds.  That's the hardest part about doing these workshops, trying to give the best information to everyone there when there are several people who have never seen a squeegee and others that have been printing for several years and have struggled with many of the common problems we see.  It seems that the presentations allow for a much more narrow subject.

[mooseman]

If I had the time and energy I would love to present on a topic like this......
FROM ZERO TO 365...MY FIRST YEAR IN SCREEN PRINTING.

The agenda would look something like this

UNCRATING YOUR DREAM
TRYING TO SWIM UPSTREAM
ALL THE STUFF YOU THINK YOU NEED AND WILL NEVER USE
EVERYONE TELLS YOU WHAT TO DO BUT NO ONE TELLS YOU HOW TO DO IT
MOTHER TOLD ME THERE WOULD BE DAYS LIKE THIS BUT SHE NEVER TOLD ME THERE WOULD BE SO MANY BAD SHIRTS
WAIT A MINUTE ......THIS LOOKS LIKE IT COULD ACTUALLY WORK
NEVER OVER UNDERESTIMATE THE LOVE / HATE RELATIONSHIP YOU WILL HAVE WITH YOUR CUSTOMERS
HITTING YOUR STRIDE....... I CAN PRINT MORE THAN ONE COLOR  ON A BLACK TEE SHIRT
WOW MY STUFF LOOKS PRETTY GOOD, MAYBE I SHOULD RAISE MY PRICES
I REMEMBER WHEN I WOULD TAKE A TERRIBLE JOB LIKE THAT
LOOKING BACK...WHAT A LONG STRANGE TRIP IT'S BEEN

[GKitson]

If I had the time and energy I would love to present on a topic like this......
FROM ZERO TO 365...MY FIRST YEAR IN SCREEN PRINTING.

The agenda would look something like this

UNCRATING YOUR DREAM
TRYING TO SWIM UPSTREAM
ALL THE SUFF YOU THINK YOU NEED AND WILL NEVER USE
EVERYONE TELLS YOU WHAT TO DO BUT NO ONE TELLS YOU HOW TO DO IT
MOTHER TOLD ME THERE WOULD BE DAYS LIKE THIS BUT SHE NEVER TOLD ME THERE WOULD BE SO MANY BAD SHIRTS
WAIT A MINUTE ......THIS LOOKS LIKE IT COULD ACTUALLY WORK
NEVER OVER UNDERESTIMATE THE LOVE / HATE RELATIONSHIP YOU WILL HAVE WITH YOUR CUSTOMERS
HITTING YOUR STRIDE....... I CAN PRINT MORE THAN ONE COLOR  ON A BLACK TEE SHIRT
WOW MY STUFF LOOKS PRETTY GOOD, MAYBE I SHOULD RAISE MY PRICES
I REMEMBER WHEN I WOULD TAKE A TERRIBLE JOB LIKE THAT
LOOKING BACK...WHAT A LONG STRANGE TRIP IT'S BEEN

Mr Moose, that is a great start!  Assuming you make it to a computer today with all the doom and gloom on the weather channel for the north east lets analyze your proposal.

First, you have to have a great title to attract attendees, I like your topic name simple and inviting.
Second you need to disclose what you are going to be talking about in short easy to absorb sound bites, again great start.
Third, you must identify the 'Take Away' the attendees will leave your presentation with.  Some kind of an "Action Plan or List" for them to receive tangible benefits for the investment of their time.
Lastly, you have to connect with your potential attendee in some way, your "been there, done that, still doing it' resume will appeal to both entry level and growing decorators.  The best way to do that is with your speaker resume as you describe who you are, where you come from and why people should give you the gift of their time in a seminar presentation.

OK everybody, start typing, I want more......

~Kitson

[GraphicDisorder]

I just glanced at this and assume Greg meant Alan from Murakami.  I am able to share a lot of info at the workshops I do here but I'm not sure how that would translate into a much shorter time period and more people in the crowd.  We do a comprehensive course here that tries to touch on everything we can but going into detail on each subject is hard when the people attending are coming from broad experience backgrounds.  That's the hardest part about doing these workshops, trying to give the best information to everyone there when there are several people who have never seen a squeegee and others that have been printing for several years and have struggled with many of the common problems we see.  It seems that the presentations allow for a much more narrow subject.

What about doing levels of your workshops?  Never Printed/Rookie level then something for people that already print, but are doing it wrong or want to learn how to improve.

[GKitson]

I just glanced at this and assume Greg meant Alan from Murakami.  I am able to share a lot of info at the workshops I do here but I'm not sure how that would translate into a much shorter time period and more people in the crowd.  We do a comprehensive course here that tries to touch on everything we can but going into detail on each subject is hard when the people attending are coming from broad experience backgrounds.  That's the hardest part about doing these workshops, trying to give the best information to everyone there when there are several people who have never seen a squeegee and others that have been printing for several years and have struggled with many of the common problems we see.  It seems that the presentations allow for a much more narrow subject.

Alan,  I debated about using a list of names for fear I would alienate someone by not including their name, but I long ago learned the forgiveness is easier than permission thing.  You, Murakami Alan, and all the Alan's I don't know were included in this challenge of self exploration.

At the conclusion of the session I try to have people walk out of my classes with more questions than they came with rather than giving them lots of answers.  If they know the questions to ask as it relates to their operation they can find specific answers if I give them the general/specific questions to ask.  Remember, "You Simply Don't Know What You Don't Know"

Or otherwise stated, "Teach Them How To Fish...."

~Kitson

[TCT]

Now this maybe a real crap shoot idea so you guys are going to have to bare with me, this may not be so much of a ideal "class" possibly more of a  "buyers group". If someone starts this I want in and credit damnit!;D

Hearing the different responses from the other post I had up about a local warehouse closing that we use, it became evident to me two different people buy different ways and different people get different specials. This was also made extremely clear to me in my last visit to ISS Long Beach. I was talking with some larger shops about incentives and deals they receive.  I've asked for those same things from some of my inside sales people and the reply is "we don't do that" or "we will look into it". Obviously I'm not buying enough or asking the right way. Usually I end up footing the bill for this idea or it just doesn't happen. But obviously it does work because they do it for other shops. So I thought it would be some sort of a buyer's meeting of such where we could talk about deals that are available from vendors, ways to obtain those deals, sales marks needed to get some of these " perks". I don't know the exact structure you guys are smarter than I am, help me out. But the point is there are deals out there that a lot of us don't get and some of us do get and it's a matter of dollars sold or just asking the right way. Or even knowing that you can ask. I would love to not have to pay freight charges from California or Philadelphia all the time when I get hoodies.

I think one tough part would be if this was done and it was at a show there would probably be some backlash from vendors saying hey we don't want this or what have you. So there would be that to consider. It also would have to filter the people that got in there so possibly a pre class questionnaire with volume of sales, or number of employees, years in business, I don't really know again this is just an idea. That way the people that say do over a half million(or pick a number) dollars a year in blank sales they'd probably be in the right buying range do something like that. I don't know just spitballing here anybody can hop on. It could be more than blank garment sales too. There is a HUGE range of what people pay for the exact same ink. Some people get free goodies for using a particular product exclusively.

Sperate thing here-
A questionnaire along with the registration for classes might also help filter who goes to which class. Yes anybody can lie on the questionnaire that's fine, but then they're only doing themselves a disadvantage by going into class that's going to be over there head or going to class that is all "beginner" info and be repetitive(even though I think you can almost always pull something new out of a class you have taken or beginner/review info). But that would also be more work on the side of ISS promoters they would have to go through the questionnaire, and determine which of the 3 tiers a attendee belonged in. Then there is the dreaded whining "I got my feelings hurt because I was considered a beginner"(my solution would be to ban the whiner from the show then, but I have been called extreme...) Who knows, maybe not a good idea but Greg you asked for more ideas!

[Gilligan]

The marketing class was kind of cool in that they were forcing Mark out of ISS that year, so he was a little bitter and a lot more candid about things.

He touched upon some things like what you are  talking about Alex and bashed a few other markets and such... he had nothing to lose.

[GKitson]

Now this maybe a real crap shoot idea so you guys are going to have to bare with me, this may not be so much of a ideal "class" possibly more of a  "buyers group". If someone starts this I want in and credit damnit!;D

Hearing the different responses from the other post I had up about a local warehouse closing that we use, it became evident to me two different people buy different ways and different people get different specials. This was also made extremely clear to me in my last visit to ISS Long Beach. I was talking with some larger shops about incentives and deals they receive.  I've asked for those same things from some of my inside sales people and the reply is "we don't do that" or "we will look into it". Obviously I'm not buying enough or asking the right way. Usually I end up footing the bill for this idea or it just doesn't happen. But obviously it does work because they do it for other shops. So I thought it would be some sort of a buyer's meeting of such where we could talk about deals that are available from vendors, ways to obtain those deals, sales marks needed to get some of these " perks". I don't know the exact structure you guys are smarter than I am, help me out. But the point is there are deals out there that a lot of us don't get and some of us do get and it's a matter of dollars sold or just asking the right way. Or even knowing that you can ask. I would love to not have to pay freight charges from California or Philadelphia all the time when I get hoodies.

I think one tough part would be if this was done and it was at a show there would probably be some backlash from vendors saying hey we don't want this or what have you. So there would be that to consider. It also would have to filter the people that got in there so possibly a pre class questionnaire with volume of sales, or number of employees, years in business, I don't really know again this is just an idea. That way the people that say do over a half million(or pick a number) dollars a year in blank sales they'd probably be in the right buying range do something like that. I don't know just spitballing here anybody can hop on. It could be more than blank garment sales too. There is a HUGE range of what people pay for the exact same ink. Some people get free goodies for using a particular product exclusively.

Sperate thing here-
A questionnaire along with the registration for classes might also help filter who goes to which class. Yes anybody can lie on the questionnaire that's fine, but then they're only doing themselves a disadvantage by going into class that's going to be over there head or going to class that is all "beginner" info and be repetitive(even though I think you can almost always pull something new out of a class you have taken or beginner/review info). But that would also be more work on the side of ISS promoters they would have to go through the questionnaire, and determine which of the 3 tiers a attendee belonged in. Then there is the dreaded whining "I got my feelings hurt because I was considered a beginner"(my solution would be to ban the whiner from the show then, but I have been called extreme...) Who knows, maybe not a good idea but Greg you asked for more ideas!

Alex, 

The buying group concept is well established in the industry although I will warn you that you have to be very careful when organizing any event or group that collaborates on information as it relates to purchasing and/or selling price.  Not that it is not a great idea but you have to be very careful.

This is an area where networking concepts such as the 'not yet dead' KPI model could prove a starting point. 

~Kitson

[3Deep]

Heck just take this post with you...very entertaining what I've read thru and some good topics to speak on.
darryl

[GKitson]

Hey T-shirt Guys and Gals,

If anybody wants to talk about the ins and outs of writing/speaking for Impressions/ISS and you are going to be at ISS AC this weekend contact me at greg@mindseyeg.com and we can talk about the details.

If you wanted I would be happy to introduce you to Marcia, Jamar, Jeff, Sydney and the people who decide editorial spin for both entities.

I arrive Thursday late afternoon and don't have dinner plans for Thur night yet, we could talk around a green felt covered table at one of the recreational establishments.

Think about it,

~Kitson