Well, looking at the exhibitor info for IBS Las Vegas, it looks like the cheapest booth you can opt for is 100 sq ft of linear space (no corners or islands) at about $1700. That's just the booth. That doesn't include the mandatory insurance policy you have to have. That's before you ship a bunch of product, pay people to work the booth, put them up in hotels, or even get them to the show... Yeah. I can totally understand how it's not uncommon to rack up a $10K bill for a big show. So-- Nailpro doesn't have exhibitor info on the website, for those of you who know, how does the cost of exhibiting at a Nailpro show compare? Cuz Nailpro got into the tradeshow game with big talk about having several shows in many areas around the country-- and now they're down to one show in Sacramento each year, and we've all discussed that that show appears to be fading into obscurity none too slowly. At this point, they could hold it in a smaller venue-- possibly a conference room at a hotel or even one of the smaller rooms at the convention center. That should bring down the cost of the venue and at least you wouldn't be overwhelmed by all the empty space in the room! Heck-- they could hold the thing in a high school gym. Nailpro is already leasing the entire room at the convention center-- why not just give each exhibitor MORE space for the same money? It'll make the show look better and give exhibitors a chance to do some in-booth education-- and maybe we could actually SHOP the YN booth AND have room for the audience that the demos draw? As a matter of fact-- why is the YN booth kicking so much butt while everyone else is whining about the cost of being there? I've put a lot of thought into it and I'm not mad at the big shows. I'm not disappointed in them. I don't blame them. The shows are doing fine and the organizers are in it for a profit and they seem to be making one. I can't get mad at them for that. I'm mad at the nail industry companies who aren't budgeting for the shows. I'm mad at the nail industry companies that are refusing to get outside the boxes they built 30 years ago. Who are falling prey to the same excuse-mongering for not being able to compete that I see from the hoards of nail techs who are now working in other fields because "you just can't make money doing nails any more." The business changes. If anyone who works in the business expects to continue to be successful in it, they will be forced to change too. And that applies to our manufacturers and distributors as well. The more we discuss this issue, the more I see a lot of companies who haven't gone back to the drawing board and re-invented their tradeshow plan. For one thing-- yeah. It does need to be thought of as partially advertising. This is a chance to be SEEN and EXPERIENCED FIRST HAND by potential customers. Especially the young and new-to-the-biz who are going to tradeshows early in their careers. These are techs who are still looking for the perfect product that will solve their time and lifting problems-- veterans know that (for the most part) these are problems that are solved with education and experience, but here's a company's chance to grab those new techs and educate them...and sell them on that company's products for a lifetime. I sure don't see many companies making an effort to gnab this demographic through any other means. The local beauty schools aren't bringing in reps from several different manufacturers to lure the up and coming portion of the industry. The local suppliers sure aren't offering a plethora of brands to choose from. The advertising in the magazines gets lost among all the other ads, and I almost never receive mailings from companies who are trying to market directly to techs or the salons they work in. Tradeshows are an effective-- albeit expensive-- way to get your brand in front of this group. Also, how many companies have devised adequate means of tracking the business they get from a tradeshow that may not have purchased AT the show? Many of us have stopped buying at the shows just because it's about impossible trying to cart product home on plane! But we might go home and order from the company in the future BECAUSE of our interaction with that company at the show. Seems to me that companies aren't taking this type of business into consideration when they figure out the profits from being at a show. And why can't a company simply TAKE ORDERS from the show? Just take my order and ship it for me. So you don't have to haul truck loads of products around the country and I don't have to figure out how to get them home? Offer a deal on the shipping to make it worth my while. Point is-- you have to get creative in business and it seem OBVIOUS that the techs in the industry WANT to see these companies at the shows. So it strikes me as odd, and makes me a little miffed, that instead of hearing, "OH! We had no idea it was that important to you! Let us figure something out!" from our manufacturers, we seem to hear a lot of, "well you just don't understand...it's so expensive." I do understand. I run a business too. And when I say, "but your product is so expensive" to a manufacturer's rep or eduactor, they are quick with the "well, business is expensive, but you have to spend it to make it and you should respect yourself enough as a professional to make the investment in quality product and education so you can set yourself apart from the competition" speech. Back atcha, folks.
Maggie Franklin: Attitudes Salon; Visalia, CA "Visionary rebel dreamer; obviously way ahead of my time." Art of Nailz Maggie Rants [and rav...@nails Magazine Facebook --- On Mon, 3/1/10, Michelle Cordes <[email protected]> wrote: From: Michelle Cordes <[email protected]> Subject: Re: NailTech:: why support large trade shows when they don't support us nail techs? LONG To: [email protected] Date: Monday, March 1, 2010, 10:50 PM Wow... you folks have been busy... :) Look what happens when I don't turn on my computer for a day... LOL.... So, my turn to chime in. There are many factors to this situation to consider... First, I used to be an independent educator for a nail product company. One time, I convinced the company for us to be present at our local "big" trade show. I said I was not going to look like a fool traveling around a 3 state area talking about how great we are, and then have us not be at our only "big" show. I got my way... they rented the smallest booth, and flew the corporate office educator up here to do the show with me. They shipped product, paid for the hotel, and paid a small wage to us. I was told if it didn't make money, it was never happening again, and they didn't want to hear squat about it. I said deal. It was a long weekend, and the 2 of us flying duo ran our asses off, but we made a profit. A mighty small one, but a profit nonetheless. Even though I was no longer an educator by the next year, what I learned from this experience was this.... 1) The manufacturers look at shows as a sales event, not an advertising event. If there is not a profit, it was not a success. 2) We got it done with two educators but we hustled big time (those who know me, know I have no shortage of energy!). Luckily, my corp office educator and I worked really well together my entire tenure there. My feet hurt, my legs hurt, my back hurt... let's face it, there are many people out there now who don't have the work ethic to do that. They just aren't that invested. It's not just our industry, it's ALL industries. And more people working=more payroll= higher cost= see #1 above. 3) BUT, I stand by my insistence that we were there. I saw some regulars, we sold some tickets to an upcoming class, and we sold quite a few kits. I love that product, and it showed. THAT is how we made sales.... 4) This was the show that I met Scott Haken.... Flash forward 9 years to the Nailpro Show last November in Sacramento. Ticket prices were fair, I thought, and I paid for the class on Monday on business building. Arrived to...A half full show floor *sigh*. But the booths were busy. You dang near couldn't squish into the YN booth! I spent $200 at the show that I didn't mean to spend... and I'm HAPPY with the product I use... you could have spent waaaaaay more! The deals were okay, not great, but the classes/demos were good so I spent my moola. I had a great time, saw a lot, got re-energized about our industry... but left sad. There were many companies not there... and it's in central California for the love of pete! How many manufacturers are IN California?!?! And I was happy I drove- you can't take damn shampoo on a plane anymore, never mind nail products. But guess what... after all these years.... I got to say hi to Scott Haken... STILL workin' it. Some manufacturers hang in there; CND is at every show I have been to... You see, folks, I think we need to not be complaining to the trade show companies... they DON'T care about us. WE need to take the leadership we already lend to our industry to the next level. If I could, one little school division educator, convince a manufacturer to be there.... then YOU can too! Are you the "best" at something you do? Offer to do classes at your local show. Call your local distributor and offer to do a class. Be a guest speaker at your local beauty schools. Don't take no for an answer. Annoy them. Put your blood, sweat, and tears into our industry the same way we put it into our salons and WE will group-handedly raise the bar. The HRTE and networking events are fabulous, we didn't have any of that years ago... but clearly that isn't enough. Companies are operating for a profit... we are going to have to show them the money! Help them staff the booths with enthusiastic, passionate professionals and promote what you love. Let us, as leaders (that's why we're HERE right?), work together to make this industry exactly what we want it to be... This begs the questions.... SO, what do WE want? ***What I want is.... 1) 3-4 shows a year, around the country geographically, where nail techs can be catered to. Orlando seems to already be one, the Sacramento show seems to be good for the west coast if we could get the damn manufacturers there.... I will probably only attend one a year, but I will rotate it around if they are all good. So, where else? Orlando is June, Sacramento is Oct/Nov.... When else? 2) What defines a "good show" for us? Lots of nail booths? Good deals? Lots of classes? Presenters on the main stage? I would like to see lots of in-booth demos going on non-stop from lots of companies and good trial kits to spend a little and take it home to play... 3) How much are we willing to spend for a ticket and for what in exchange? At what $ point is it "worth it"? Metro area or in suburbia? I will spend about $500 in travel expenses and show ticket... so wherever that can get me... LOL.... Do you see what I'm saying guys? Let's sound off about specifics. If I was a manufacturer I would be frustrated too... we are looking like a bunch of ladies that are never happy no matter what we get but can't agree on what we want in the first dang place! Sounds like some of our clients... LOL.... sorry, had to say it. If we can figure out what we're yelling about, we can shout it out in one, loud voice... Food for thought. Michelle Cordes, Licensed Nail Technician The Nail Spa @ Steel Magnolias Salon "The spa for your hands and feet since 1997" Bremerton, Washington www.myspace.com/thenailspa From: Maggie in Visalia <[email protected]> To: [email protected] Sent: Sun, February 28, 2010 7:15:21 PM Subject: Re: NailTech:: why support large trade shows when they don't support us nail techs? Problem is, I'm willing to bet our frustration has NOTHING to do with the show or show organizers. Our nail industry companies have every bit the same opportunity to exhibit at these shows that companies from the hair and skin industries have. For reasons that range widely, more and more nail industry companies are choosing NOT to participate at these shows. It's not the SHOWS that we need to take our torches and pitchforks to-- it's the companies that we want to see at the shows. Start writing letters and let these companies know you miss them at the shows. I've told my TT rep numerous times when he calls just before or just after a big tradeshow that I am "saving my money for the show" or that I "have to recover from" the show I just went to. Then I demand to know why they don't do any westcoast shows? Then I make a disapproving Wookie noise and tell him "that sucks." I admit, TT hasn't shown up at a west coast tradeshow because of this yet, and I have not-- as yet-- switch products... but I keep seriously considering doing so. I don't get why nail companies are so busy complaining about the cost of tradeshows when it seems that hair companies still find the expense worthwhile? Maggie Franklin: Attitudes Salon; Visalia, CA "Visionary rebel dreamer; obviously way ahead of my time." Art of Nailz Maggie Rants [and rav...@nails Magazine Facebook --- On Sun, 2/28/10, Jill in Ky <[email protected]> wrote: From: Jill in Ky <[email protected]> Subject: NailTech:: why support large trade shows when they don't support us nail techs? To: "NailTech" <[email protected]> Date: Sunday, February 28, 2010, 6:00 PM That's the burning question.........why give your money, time, and effort to support a system that mainly caters to hair? Why do techs continually go out of their way to attend large trade shows, then come back and complain about the few nail classes and nail booths? My philosophy is that anyone can work without hair, but try letting them work without hands and feet! Perhaps we need a "bus boycott" or a "restaurant counter boycott"? What about our rights as nail techs to be treated equally with respect? Or perhaps respect begins by respecting oneself first? After all these years of routinely being referred to as "the nail girl", are we content to own that title? As a small business owners, we routinely support businesses that treat us right. If we're treated rudely or indifferently by a company, then we do not give them our repeat business. Why should choosing a location to receive nail tech education be any different? The grassroots efforts by nail techs to create networking events are gaining momentum, with new ones popping up all over the country, mainly because nail techs are frustrated by the steady decline in nail education at the large industry shows (with the exception of the Orlando show and kudos to Debbie Doerrlamm for organizing the corresponding nail tech BBQ). So if you're contemplating going to a large trade show, please consider supporting the networking events, too! What large trade show gives you lunch? None! You feel lucky to find a spot to sit on the floor to eat your $5 pizza slice with drink your $4 soda. No floor sitting at the Smoky Mountain Event, with all the comfy chairs and massive oak tables! Wander out thru the wall of french doors onto the tree-shaded balconey overlooking the stream, or rest in an adirondack chair in front of the Event Center while you eat your lunch and visit with like-minded nail techs (see photos on my Facebook page showing techs doing just that). When was the last time you received a goodie bag of nail products at a large trade show? Never! You're shocked just to get a sample, and then it's usually of a hair product. What a let down! Ever win a door prize at a large trade show? Nope! With only 100 guest reservations accepted, your chances of winning one of the many fabulous door prizes are extremely good. Everyone at the 1st Smoky Mountain Event went home with a prize, and the majority of the people at the 2nd Event did, too! Getting tired of milling through the crowd at a large trade show, trying to find the few nail booths? At the networking events, it's ALL about the nail techs. Nail techs' are the divas, so we celebrate our uniqueness by only featuring nail products demo'd by the rock stars of the nail world! Why support an industry that doesn't support you as a nail tech? Curious to see how you can make a difference? Support your nearest nail tech networking event now! Jill Wright Spa for Nails 728 Chestnut St. suite 200 Bowling Green, KY. 42101 (270) 799-3637 www.jillsnails.com [email protected] http://www.facebook.com/profile.phpid=1073352006 www.linkedin.com/in/jillwrightntnesmokymtns -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "NailTech" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/nailtech?hl=en. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "NailTech" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/nailtech?hl=en. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "NailTech" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/nailtech?hl=en. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "NailTech" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/nailtech?hl=en.
