Generally I do not have the opportunity to see the finished product when it comes to the tradeshow graphics that we design and produce for our clients. Usually trade show graphics are shipped direct from production to the client.

We just completed a pop-up for a new client and they wanted to pick up the booth from our office. This morning I received the pop-up from production, exactly when they had said I would.

What an exciting moment, I was going to get to see the finished product of our work. I unpacked the collapsible pop-up from its carrying case and laid it out on the floor. Beautiful!

After being involved in the process up to this point, it was pretty amazing to see the final outcome. The client will be coming by this week to pick up the booth. I look forward to seeing their reaction when they see the finished product for the first time.

I can recall in my last days in college, way back when, thanking the stars above that soon I would say adieu to the formidable research paper and all tasks like it, the most hated by me being the position paper.

How naive I was. Within just a few days of my internship at an arts and entertainment newspaper, it became quite clear that I was no where near done with the research — one of the most critical aspects  of good writing.

Now at DDA, those handy research skills are still put to good use. In writing for websites, video scripts, brochures, etc., I am continuously switching topics and audiences.  The only way to make my writing as effective as possible, is to know my topic and my audience.

Big words, flowery descriptions, and lots of professional jargon is not going to impress the real client or consumer. Attention spans are short these days, and if you don’t have the exact information they are looking for written clearly and concisely, regardless if they are reading it on your website or at your tradeshow booth, they are going to move on.

So as a writer, that means a little bit of research and orientation to familiarize myself. Luckily, my reporting skills allow me to do this in the quickest, most efficient way possible.

I am constantly impressed on  a daily basis what the writing department is capable of. After receiving a request mid afternoon for editing and expanding upon copy on a very complicated medical condition and treatment for an interactive CD, Laura, the Head Writer, had the text complete within two hours. Not only complete, but well written, professional, and knowledgeable.

Taking just a small amount of time to take a step back and really think about to whom you are writing and what they would be most interested in hearing, and really knowing what it is you are writing on, is what allows us to switch gears and produce high-quality copy as quickly as we do.

This morning we have a kick-off meeting for a website we will be developing. It will be a highly-optimized site, with 35 pages of new content developed by DDA’s writers, specifically crafted to reach top rankings on search engines like Google.

It’s a common affair here at DDA — not just website development, or developing optimized copy, but a kick-off meeting.

For nearly every project we undertake, the first step is a meeting with the client to determine their goals and the direction of the project. It’s the first taste of a what will be a long string of client involvement.

Regardless if it’s a video, website, animation, brochure, or trade show booth, we are developing the product for our clients, which means their opinion and feedback is vital. We don’t move forward during any stage of development without approval.

This approach is indicative of so much of what DDA is and does — the fact that we were created with the needs of the marketing or advertising executive in mind; that each project is customized specifically to that client no matter how many times we have developed something in that medium; that we have a strong sense of pride in the work we create.

The other week we had a conference call with an existing client. Before finding DDA, this client had signed on with another company to do website development. We had undertaken a completely separate project for this client, but during the course of working together, it was apparent on both sides that there was a strong working relationship. As it turns out, the company this client signed up with for website development, did not treat them well, or more like not at all. After the initial meeting, this client barely heard a word again and had no clue as to what stage the project was on.

While we of course were more than happy to take on the website project, it was bitter sweet. They should have never had to go through that in the first place. There are so many companies out there that care little about the work they produce or their clients.

I am glad I work for a company that respects its clients and values their business. And as for my kick-off meeting this morning, I know that it’s just the start of what will be a long relationship.

Tradeshows can be a viable source for new business if you approach them the right way.

In today’s world, everyone is too busy for everything, so you need something catchy to get them to stop and lend you a couple of minutes. Attending a tradeshow with just sales people and a table does not cut it anymore. You need to give your sales people a “stage” to perform on.

An attractive booth can consist of various items depending on the environment you wish to create. First, you need to rent your space at a show. Obviously the larger space will cost more but it will also give you more space to layout your “stage.”

You must make your space more compelling and attractive than everyone else’s in order to get more attention and make your name unforgettable. Next, DDA can work with you on all aspects of getting your booth ready for the show, from designing pop-up booths, bannerstands, and vinyl banners to handling all paper work for the show and making sure everything makes it on-site on time.

Click here to see what DDA can do for your tradeshow.