October 7, 2009

Voiceover for Ultralan

I recently recorded a Message-on-Hold for Ultralan out of my home studio thanks to Holdcom. Check out my "audition" on their talent page...I like how they describe my vocal qualities: Sincere, Youthful, Vibrant, Contemporary. What do you think...accurate description?

September 3, 2009

Pretty in Pink Photo Shoot

I had a print booking yesterday for the Veterans Administration at Steve Smith Studios in St. Louis. I modeled a track suit that will be sold in the canteens located in all of the VA facilities across the US. How excited was I to show up at the shoot and find it in my favorite color! Carol the Art Director picked perfectly!

Many thanks for a fun time with Steve and his crew. Enjoy the preview...I can't wait to see the finished product!!

August 4, 2009

10 Reasons Why it is Worth the Money to Have a Presentation in Your Booth

When walking around the trade show floor, I am constantly amazed at how many exhibitors I see who do nothing to encourage attendees to enter their booth. Having a booth presentation is a strong way to make a statement, and encourage attendees to stop, look, and listen.

The possibilities are endless…presentation theater, game show, product demonstration, magician, booth tour, interactive competition, roving reporter, you name it…but they all do the following:

• create a “buzz” in your booth
• draw attendees out of the aisle and into your booth
• provide education and information to a large amount of attendees simultaneously
• prequalify attendees
• locate “hot leads”
• introduce attendees to company employees for more in-depth discussion
• maintain a positive environment in the booth
• motivate company employees throughout the duration of the trade show
• provide a positive first impression of your company
• take some of the pressure off your company employees

Just imagine accomplishing all of those goals with just one item at your next trade show…a booth presentation!

July 31, 2009

July 2009 Newsletter

There are lots of NEW things in my life lately that I am excited to tell you about! I created a brand new website focused specifically on the trade show portion of my career; I presented for a brand new client (MAQUET) at a medical trade show (AORN) in Chicago; I worked for a new production company (Geomatrix Productions) for a new client (Citizens Financial Group) in a new city (Boston) for me; and I recorded a new radio commercial (Marcal Small Steps) at a new audio production studio (HSR-NY) for me in New York City.

Read all about it in my July newsletter!

July 5, 2009

How a Professional Trade Show Presenter Will Help You Succeed

Mark and Sally Have a Problem
Mark from Marketing and Sally from Sales have many customers at the trade show that need their attention constantly. Their colleagues also want their frequent input on other issues, and they feel the need to walk the floor and check out the competition. They also feel a lot of pressure to get face time with others in the industry, and they have just been signed up for “booth duty.” On top of that, they just got the news that they are to do presentations on their product, 8 times a day!

“Great,” thinks Mark and Sally. But they are team-players and they will suck it up. It’s too bad the results from their presentations will be, ahem, mixed. After all, they’ll be thinking about all the other things they should be doing while they are presenting, which is not what they want to be doing. Mark and Sally are idea and implementation people, not crowd-pleasing spokespeople.

There is a better way.


Introducing the Professional Trade Show Presenter
You outsource the construction of your booth, the set up of the lights and electricity, and the delivery of your supplies and materials…so why are you making Mark from Marketing and Sally from Sales get up on stage in front of a live audience and give your presentation? After all, this is the first impression that your potential customers have of your company, so why not hire a Professional Trade Show Presenter? They are trained spokespeople who can provide measurable results to you for several reasons.

To start, the first and foremost responsibility of a Professional Trade Show Presenter is your presentation. They have been hired to represent your company, do your presentation, and get your message across to your potential customers. Why take Mark and Sally away from the reason why you invited them to the show in the first place…to sell? A good Presenter will represent your company proudly and positively from the moment they get on the airplane in their home base to the moment they get back home.


Here’s How to Take Pressure Off Your Audience
No attendee wants to feel like they are getting a sales pitch, especially as their first impression of a company and definitely not from the person who is eventually going to take their money. Mark from Marketing and Sally from Sales are the people the attendee is going to be working with in the future, so why not let a “Spokesperson” deliver your message and make the introduction? A good Professional Trade Show Presenter is able to craft your message to be informative and educational, without being self-serving. They are also able to generate enthusiasm in your booth and excitement for your product or service, without getting in the way of the business that is occurring around them.


Attendees Have Problems Finding You
Attendees are oftentimes “lost” when they are walking in the aisles. The trade show floor is a very overwhelming, exhausting, and intimidating place, and attendees want to be invited into your booth. Otherwise they might just walk by and you might lose a potential customer. Mark from Marketing and Sally from Sales generally know how to talk about your product or service, but usually do not feel comfortable building their audience. A good Professional Trade Show Presenter has the ability to get apprehensive attendees out of the aisle and into your booth by connecting with them personally. And they continue to invite new attendees into the audience throughout the presentation without causing an interruption to your message.


Working the Crowd is Hard Work
Every audience for every presentation is different. Mark from Marketing and Sally from Sales may not know or may not have the time to analyze each and every audience and cater their energy level, volume, audience interaction, and level of seriousness appropriately. A good Professional Trade Show Presenter will never do the same presentation twice because they know how to “work the crowd.” They are not deterred if there is a heckler in the audience, if someone throws out a negative or inappropriate statement, if the competition is in the audience, or if audience members are asking questions. They are constantly connected with the audience and catering your message in the manner in which the audience will best receive it.


Make Sure You Don’t Miss Out on Your Hot Leads
Normally, the “hot leads” make themselves known when the presentation is complete. Mark from Marketing and Sally from Sales may not know how to be a good “event host” and make sure that everyone is being taken care of. A good Professional Trade Show Presenter has the ability to recognize an attendee who needs to make a personal connection with an employee of your company. They can spot the hot leads and make sure that they are staying in the booth without feeling like they are being “pounced” upon. And they can multi-task to ensure that no one walks away without having attention paid to them.


And Working the Trade Show is the Hardest Work of All
And finally, a person who works at trade shows for a living knows how to “work” the trade show better than someone who exhibits at one a few times a year. Mark from Marketing and Sally from Sales might know the ins-and-outs of their product, but they might not know the nuances of presenting at a trade show. A good Professional Trade Show Presenter excels at giving presentations at trade shows because it is their area of expertise. They are more comfortable with public speaking and with being in front of an audience, and since they are more relaxed, they are able to more easily deliver your message to your potential customers. Plus, they are familiar with the intricacies of giving your presentation multiple times an hour for multiple days, all with the same amount of energy and concern for your company’s image.

So let Mark from Marketing and Sally from Sales take care of their customers, their colleagues, their competition, and let them concentrate on selling your product or service. When it comes to introducing your product or service to your potential customers, leave that to the trade show presentation pros…the Professional Trade Show Presenters!

June 18, 2009

Announcing the Launch of ProfessionalTradeShowPresenter.com

I am so pleased to announce the launch of my new weblog, a one-stop shop for all things relating to the trade show portion of my career! Now I can send potential clients to just one place on the web to learn all about my background and experience, watch me in action, see what people are saying about my talent, and read articles that I have written about the industry.

Take a look at ProfessionalTradeShowPresenter.com for yourself!

June 11, 2009

I am on the Radio!

I recently recorded a radio spot at HSR-NY for Marcal Small Steps. It is playing in the NYC Tri-State Area; the Washington DC Metro Area; Boston; Albany, NY; and Maine.

It was so much fun hearing it on the radio when I was stuck in traffic one morning on my way to a booking in Stamford, CT. Talk about waking me up...hearing it was better than a Venti Latte!

Take a listen for yourself...
video