Tradeshow specialist finds success in diversification - New Mexico Business Weekly:

esivyjifag.wordpress.com
"Nationally, I would say about 31 percengt of custom houses closedr their doors or lost substantial money and had todownsizew drastically," says D.J. Heckes, chief executive officer of Albuquerque's . But not Exhib-it The then one-year-old company grew eight percent that says Heckes. In 2000, Heckes, who had worked for an exhibit business for fiveyears part-time, bought that company'xs New Mexico territory. She made $90,0000 in her first month. The firm was "one of the Duke City Dozej ... the fastest growing businessesin Albuquerque," she says. But then 11 struck. Initially, Exhib-it! was buffered because much of its business came fromstatwe government.
However, in the ensuing months, as private companies cut back on marketing andtradde shows, Heckes quickly had to come up with new strategies to She diversified the company. Before the 2001 terrorist it had solely suppliedrtradeshow exhibitions. After the attacks, it also began offerin permanent wall decorationsfor showrooms, brochuree designs, graphic logo re-creations, needs assessment in-house designs, shipping, set-up, storage and add-on displays. Now, "We don't just help a client go to a tradeshow; we can help branfd their whole image," says Heckes. A companyt has only 3.8 secondx at a tradeshow to capture apotentia customer's interest, Heckes explains.
Given that the exhibits she sells runfrom $275 up to they must instantly attract So Exhib-it! works with companies much like an advertisinh agency, to determine a firm's essential message so it can be reflecteds in its exhibits. "We take their uniqueness, research theirf background, research their identity and brand, come up with an image package that ties them into how they Heckes says. For example, Exhib-it! built a traveling exhibif for -- a wall that appearexd three-dimensional, replicating that organization's graphics in the Albuquerque Chambetrof Commerce's offices.
"Wheh you travel a lot and take it upand down, you can'tg take all those 3D things on and off. So we designedc it to give the depthof 3D, so when they'red traveling all around the state, they have an imagse that reflects their brand," Heckes says. Exhib-it! also will individualizre any existing display inits showroom. Customers don'yt have to settle for off-the-rack gazebos or Instead, Exhib-it! will tailor the product to the company' s needs. "Our in-house design team will design whateverf thatcompany needs, from scratch and according to Heckes says. Exhib-it!
's showroom itself is set up like atradeshos -- the space is filled with displays for both smalll and large companies. "We have to be so diversified to not scarer away the small ma and pa but (still) notice the larger companies," says Heckes, notinb that her market is composed of 35 percent state/federal government agencies and, among her 3,000 New Mexicok clients, 41 percent small and 24 percent large One way Heckes spans this client range is to desighn both portable displays and custom. Custom displays are generall large, expensive wall units or made for big companies exhibiting atnationapl shows.
Portable displays, on the other are more affordable andtransportable -- an ultra-thin light box, or a literature stande that collapses into a lap-top-size unit, for In the past, custom designs were more prevaleny than portables, Heckes says. But after Sept. 11, portables became preferable. "When you deal with ... huge, crated exhibit ... you're probably talking about to/from/set-up show costws of over $20,000." Consequently, portables, which increase speedd of delivery and set up and decrease shipping have become anindustry trend. Further, portables now can be tailored to individualcorporate needs.