Smart Trade Show Strategy & Event Marketing ROI - Erica Modica, G2 Marketing and Events

Speaker A: Foreign.

Speaker B: Welcome to the Turn one Studio podcast. I'm, um, Elliot Custodio with Turn one Studio, and here we sit with local business professionals. Today's guest, Erica Modica from G2 Marketing and Events. Welcome.

Speaker A: Thank you.

Speaker B: First things first, what's G2?

Speaker A: Ah, ah. So I can tell you in a few different ways, but first, G2. The name means my daughters Gianna and Gabby. So when, yes. So when I started, uh, this business about 12 years ago, I wanted to name it something very close and dear to my heart. Um, and that would grow as they grow. Uh, but for us, we are an events marketing agency and we're kind of a one stop shop for all of our clients. It's probably the quickest way to put it without giving you the boilerplate.

Speaker B: Okay, so let's start with who your clients typically are. Not specific names or what types of clients do you work with.

Speaker A: So our clients range from small businesses up to top 500 fortune companies. Um, they're anybody that is in need for events assistance. So what I mean by that is anything from they need an event agency, they're doing a one off, they need site selection services, fulfillment services, booth builds. We kind of do it all. Um, and that's what makes us the one stop shop for everybody. Because there really isn't anybody, um, in the industry that is similar to us. So our clients are typically anybody that needs support.

Speaker B: Okay, so if I have a business and I want to be at a trade show, you're who I reach out to to get that started?

Speaker A: Yes, yes. So if you reach out to us, we would typically look at what you're trying to do. So we work with marketing teams, we work with sales, sales departments, we work with leadership teams depending on the type of event that you're looking to fulfill. So if there was a trade show specific, that would be on what level you need us. Do you need us to manage your 50 shows that your sales reps go to and they need to show up looking fantastic and they need to make sure that they find their boxes and that they have everything they need? That would be one area that we'd work in. We'd manage the fulfillment, the shipping, FedEx, UPS, all those types of different types of issues that are happening now, today. Um, but then also if you're looking to show up with an experiential style booth for more of your larger portables, like 10 by 20s to like your 20 by 30s, then we fabricate and we work differently with you from a design element for, based on your objectives.

Speaker B: That's Cool. And, um, so I know this is an impossible question because everyone's build is different, but on average, how long does it take to build a booth?

Speaker A: It depends. Uh, we try to do a lot more portable pieces now because the way the rates of the industry have gone up from material handling fees, from transportation fees and labor fees. So we do a lot more of the portable, um, and rentals than the actual build and purchase. But I'd like to say, on average, let's just say it's about six to eight weeks, um, and then a little bit more if we're looking to do a larger size booth.

Speaker B: So what does that mean, portable? It folds down?

Speaker A: Um, yes. So portable for us is we build event kits. And those event kits can be. So let's just say you're going to a show, um, and you're going to 10 shows this year, and you need a drape, you need a backdrop, but you want something backlit, something that you don't need labor for. Not just to have your typical retractable banners, which we can do as well. But a lot of people are showing up with back backlit now. That's kind of the new way to be seen, um, in the industry. So we'll work with you, create what you want, but then we keep it and store it. So for us, we're then managing all the shipping and the QC quality control on it. Like if a drape came back with a coffee stain, which happens, we know sales reps and marketers and anybody in between, um, but it may come back with a coffee stain and nobody tells you. So our job is to check it. We send it out for dry cleaning. We make sure that everything is perfect when you show up. Um, and part of that is because my team is event planners. So I always say it's for event planners by event planners. We would never want to show up and not have something that we need and look great. So that's the portable world. So it's anything that you can pretty much do on your own, you don't need labor. It can go via FedEx, doesn't have to be transported. Um, it looks great.

Speaker B: I was going to ask you about storage. So if we have a booth, we don't have to worry about on the off season, finding a spot for it in our office. You guys handle that?

Speaker A: Yep, we handle it all. And a lot of that is because I, uh, was on the other side of the house working for these types of companies and organizations. So for me, I know where the angst is. I know where as an events or a marketer or salesperson, the last thing you want to be doing is going into that one small closet they gave you in the office and have stuff, stacks of everything, and trying to find it and ship it and manage all those pieces. So we manage all of that for you.

Speaker B: Interesting. So I know, um, through some other folks in the industry that I've, uh, spoken to, obviously when Covid hit and we couldn't do stuff in person, that was a real strike to the industry. Have we recovered since then?

Speaker A: Not fully.

Speaker B: Not fully still?

Speaker A: Yeah. Um, I would say that we've recovered to the point that we're back in person.

Speaker B: Okay.

Speaker A: And we're back live. But we haven't recovered, I would say, from the financial increases that we see across the board. So after Covid, everything went up by 30%. Right. No matter which way you were gonna slice and dice it. Now we've got fuel surcharges, everything's up by another 30%. So the increase keeps on going up. That we haven't actually fully recovered from the losses of COVID Right. You lost big money by not doing events or conventions weren't being used. Right. They're still trying in some way to make some of that back. So I don't know if it's ever going to level set again.

Speaker B: So those increases from supply chain issues back in the COVID time, they never receded? No. I guess if they got away with charging those rates, why change them? Okay.

Speaker A: Yep. Same with everything, right? You take a hotel room, you go away on vacation. February, uh, break. Right. We know it well. If you have children, right. You're going to go on this break and all of a sudden that same room rate that was $200 to go to Aruba is now 1500 dollars a night. Because they see the demand.

Speaker B: Right.

Speaker A: So it's the same, same concept.

Speaker B: What was your most exciting build?

Speaker A: Oh, I don't know. Building the whole company. Um, I don't know, because there's so many different pieces to it. I love the builds of the trade shows, but I generally also love, like the President's Clubs and the white glove service experience that we provide. Um, I don't know. I love it all. I guess I wouldn't be in this business if I didn't.

Speaker B: Yeah. Um, did anyone. Has anyone requested anything really wacky?

Speaker A: Nothing super wacky. Um, I'd say to date everything's more around experiential experiences. So I would say it's more looking at how to bring that into their booth or into their event or offset.

Speaker B: What's an example of that?

Speaker A: So I'll say for like a president's club or like a sales kickoff. Right. They don't want to just give you a regular swag or something to that. So we'll set up like, um, a place where you can try on different sunglasses. It's kind of more of a customized, personalized experience where, where they've actually painted their Nike shoes and they all got new shoes. But it was an experience for them. It wasn't just picking up a pen or a coffee mug. Right. Or something for them to use and put back on their desk. Um, at the trade shows, we're seeing a lot more of that experience through like social vending machines. Right. Like everyone seems to have a mascot lately. I don't know what's going on, but mascots are big.

Speaker B: Those are back in.

Speaker A: Those are back in. So, you know, we've got pandas, we've got bears. So people are looking at something that someone can come into the booth and do an actionable item, kind of stand there a little bit. And not using so much of food, because I think food's always been a thing at trade shows. Um, but trade shows now, because a lot of them, you have to purchase them from the show, so your expenses are a lot higher. So some people are looking at ways to bring things in. We've got caricatures, we've got it all.

Speaker B: That's true. So I could see that being exciting. Right. You get to come up with new ideas all the time.

Speaker A: Yes.

Speaker B: So if a business has not participated in exhibiting at a trade show, what are some tips they need to know to get started?

Speaker A: First thing is really look at your quick facts, which is something that most people don't realize. So when you go and you go to sign up for a show, you're signing up through an application. So you're looking at the space that you want. A 10 by 10, a 10 by 20 inline island, whatever that looks like. So, so understand first, like your openings and how you're able to get into the booth. Because understanding that will help you develop the type of experience you want.

Speaker B: Inside traffic flow.

Speaker A: Yep. And that's the big. I would say that's the biggest piece that a lot of people don't think about when they're just taking a booth. They're like, oh, I just took a space. They're not looking at where the entrance is, the bathrooms are, the meals are the. Right. That is a big piece to play. Um, and then after that, looking at your quick Facts, which is what comes from the show, is it's going to tell you your ceiling height, it's going to tell you your pounds, is going to tell you when you can set up, when you can dismantle all those pieces that could drive you batty if you don't know them. And then you show up and you're like, I didn't realize they won't accept my packages on this date. And they ship them back via FedEx. Like, things like that are things to take note of. And that's where we help support from the event planner side.

Speaker B: After all these years, I've gone to a lot of shows. It still blows my mind how you can be there the day before and it's total chaos. And you think to yourself, they're never gonna get this show together in time. And then by 7am the next morning, it's perfect. I think if you haven't gone through that experience before, you take for granted how much has to get done in a very compressed amount of time. There are usually other shows that that, uh, venue is hosting beforehand.

Speaker A: Yes. And I think on the side of the marketer or the sales or the events, like working inside the organization, you have so many tasks to get done. Right. So you're looking at every project that you have. Right. And you're looking at your dead. And they could be as little as I need to get badges to, as big as I need to make sure the entire booth showed up or whatever it is that showed up. Right. So you're trying to manage the entire piece of it at the same time as trying to elevate inside the organization for leadership and for your executive team. Right. To present, to show that you've got everything together. So you're really the spoke to all of it. And I say it's a lot of work. Right. So for me, I look at it as we came in to be that arm to those individuals and to that organization so they can focus on leveling up inside their organization. Right. Where someone's helping you. They're looking at your budgets, they're monitoring your deadlines or looking at the tasks, they're working on show forms, they're managing all the gritty pieces that not everyone internally wants to do. Again, I go back to the closet. Nobody wants to go into that closet. I've been in numerous closets. And nobody wants to be digging for the promos and for whatever else they're finding. And that takes so much time that it does take you away from building the plan, the experience and being Able to show up differently.

Speaker B: So we have that plan set up. We're about to go to the show. The booth is handled. Now I have my sales and marketing team on prem to interface with those coming to the booth. What is available now, what are best practices and maybe what are some current technologies that would help us maximize that lead capture to help us plan for that in advance.

Speaker A: Leads, leads, leads. That's all we ever hear about. Yeah, um, but it is, listen, it's the reason why you go to shows. It's rare people say I'm going to a show just for my brand. Right, right. You're going there to prospect. That's the nature of it. But it really depends on the show itself too. Because your larger shows are going to have your lead capture. But all the data is only as good as what you put in. So if you're sitting there and you're using a, uh, captello or you're using a C vent or using whatever software CRM system to capture, you still have to be making your notes, you still have to be updating it. It still has to then go through whatever your channel is inside your organization for it to be clean data to go into your CRM system if it's salesforce or whatever you're using. And then you still have to follow up and make the call. So the capturing of the leads is the easiest part.

Speaker B: Sales is still sales.

Speaker A: Sales is still sales and what you do with it after. And because marketers are so closely related to those leads because that's nine times out of 10 how you're getting your budgets. Right. Based on that and what you're seeing, uh, through the pipeline and closed. You need to work together.

Speaker B: Yeah.

Speaker A: And that's the piece is that yes, you can show up. The booth can look amazing. You can pull a lot of traffic in. You can scan, scan, scan, scan, take business cards, use a QR code, whatever you want. But then it's what you do after.

Speaker B: Makes sense from a swag and take home perspective. Are there certain items these days that are better for retention than others?

Speaker A: I would say yes. Um, again, I'm going back to these mascots. I don't know, they're like all over the place. Um,

Speaker B: um.

Speaker A: And we're also seeing a lot more where people are doing something every year that's almost slightly different. So I'm gonna go with the rubber ducky concept. But um, we have done and we've seen in the past where every year they'll show up with a different duck style to match. Whatever. Let's just say you're in the nursing industry, right? Every duck is going to look different. One's going to have a stethoscope, one's going to look like a nurse. But every year. So people stop by that booth every year to pick another one up.

Speaker B: Created a collectible.

Speaker A: Yes.

Speaker B: Okay.

Speaker A: And that is something that a lot of people don't do. They do what the moment is, right? We're going to have our pens, we're going to have our pads, um, maybe we're gonna have something new or a big raffle giveaway. But having that consistency where people are coming back, they know they're looking for you every year is huge. You already got them inside your birth.

Speaker B: Mhm. Oh, I like that.

Speaker A: Yeah, I remember that one. Yeah. I'm telling you, you do trucker hats, whatever. It is something different every year. People are gonna come and they're gonna talk, they're gonna stop and that's all you want. You just wanna have a conversation.

Speaker B: So I know a lot of venues, a lot of events. If you exhibit at the end, they'll give you the registrant list. What's the most effective way to maximize the use of that?

Speaker A: It depends on how they give it to you. Uh, some will give you emails, some will give you phone, some will give you nothing. I see some, it's on you. Depending on what their opt in is. So from a lead capture standpoint, if they're allowing you to do lead capture, they're assuming that you can then contact them any which way you want. But if they are giving you the list, which is not always common anymore because people are so close to their privacy now, and let's face it, everyone's getting spammed left and right. Um, so everyone's being a little bit more conscious of it. Um, so if you are lucky enough to get it, um, I always say your email of course is going to be your most efficient way. But I, but it's not always going to be your most effective way because everyone's getting a thousand emails, texts people are ignoring because they're getting spammed 400 different times, right? So like I'm not even picking that up. They may pick up a phone call, right? They may pick up a phone call nowadays, but a lot of times now we go back to dimensional mailers.

Speaker B: Okay.

Speaker A: And I know it's like old school, but it is effective. It's. That's what counts, that's what it is. So I'm like the same way in hr, corporate culture, a new hire They're a, um, remote employee. You're gonna send them um, something. Right. But when you get something and you open it and it's tangible and we're all about instant gratification, but we're also about seeing it and you know, touching it.

Speaker B: There's a staying power with ink on paper.

Speaker A: Yes.

Speaker B: Yeah.

Speaker A: And I have found that that is definitely one of the most effective ways because they will call or you can call them after because now you've already walked in the door if it's somebody that you don't know at all and it's like a completely cold and you know they don't know you, you don't have a relationship with them. But yeah, the dimensional mailers are back. And um, we do a lot of those. We do a lot of those.

Speaker B: Very nice. What do you see on the horizon maybe within the next five years or so with this trade, the trade show industry of the exhibition, um, industry.

Speaker A: Well, I hope it keeps growing.

Speaker B: Of course.

Speaker A: That's the first thing. I um, think it's going to be more about how certain technology tools maybe overtake some of it. Like the expos are still manual. They are, you know, you're walking in, you are building, you are putting things together. It is very manual. And we had the virtual experience during COVID right. So I think everyone's had a taste of what both of those can be. Nothing takes away the in person experience. But I do think there's going to be more of that, um, different types of assets that people are going to use. Like we've gone from just, you know, a pillowcase that has no, nothing that's vibing on it. Then now we've got backlit, now you've got LED style counters that in the front. It literally can have an entire video. You've got video walls. I think we're going to continuously move more to the technology side. But we have been seeing a lot of organizations move further away from the larger spaces and start to take lesser space, but then be able to do an ancillary event or a focus group or something that's tied to it, outside of it that still gives them their communication and keeps their budgets down. That seems to be big lately.

Speaker B: That's interesting. That's interesting because it's always been my takeaway when I'm at an event. If I know nothing about this company and I don't know anything about this company, but this company has an uh, area the size of a city block. Right. That to me is the alpha company. That to me tells Me, that's a more established whatever, at least compared to this. And that's terrible. That's judging a book by its cover. But I don't know. That's always been an observation of mine. So I get that we can do more with less, but are we giving up the impression of size and scale and ability?

Speaker A: I would say ability, no, because I think it's how you position it. Um, you know, everyone wants to be the biggest guy in the room, and I totally understand that. But I think it's how you're positioning your White Glove experience. So if the goal there is to get quality leads and to get quality conversations, the larger booth is eating up a lot of your footprint, but also eating up a majority of your budget. So if your budgets are not that, you. Listen, not everybody has 5 million, $10 million budgets. Right. And these shows are very expensive to even just show up at without even doing anything else. Um, so you're changing your style. Okay, so you can still have a, you know, a 20 by 20 space, but maybe you're not putting all your bells and whistles into it. You're scaling it down slightly, and then you're doing a really nice White Glove event to the top 50 or 75 prospects that you want to be in a room with, and you're just reallocating your money to show a little bit more about where you're putting your love.

Speaker B: I like that. Uh, how did you get into this industry?

Speaker A: I don't know. Oh, gosh, now we're going to date. Me on age. Um, so honestly, I always had a love for marketing and events, like looking at brands and when you see a cool brand and you're just like, wow, that's amazing. Like when Starbucks came on the scene, uh, right. Everyone's like, what's the mermaid? Or it's very cool to watch. But for me, I was always into communications and marketing, so I just kind of went that path. And I know a lot of people go that path and then they think I want to go into events, but they don't always understand that events is a lot of operations.

Speaker B: Right?

Speaker A: Yes. We can all make things pretty. If I heard from one more person. Can you make it pretty? Can you make it pretty right?

Speaker B: Make it pop.

Speaker A: Make it pop right. Make it pop now. Make it pretty was then. Make it pop now. But you get into also this operation mindset. So I think what events and marketing gave me was that I was able to use all different sides of my brain. The creative side, the operation side, um, the logistics. Like, you're just able to use all pieces. And then I took my first job for a media company and in marketing and we started doing a ton of events and we would have like SNL comedians come. Like, we'd fly. All the secret level executives. Oh yeah, we'd fly. And now being in your 20s at that time, that was the coolest thing for me. So I just started to find a passion and a love for it. It was like you could do all this behind the scenes, but then you actually get to see it explode, whether it's on stage or in the venue or. And then you got to see everyone's experiences and how they felt about it. And to me, having an attendee walk away with a wow moment was amazing. And then I just stayed in it.

Speaker B: That's awesome.

Speaker A: Continued to go to different industries and different companies. And then for me, I was kind of on the other side. So I was like, hm, I feel like I'm always in a mix that I need to go to 400 different vendors to get my job done when I was, uh, an employee on the corporate side. And I was like, there's gotta be a better way, right? There's just, there has to be a better way. And for me, I was like, okay, I'm going to the ad agency, I'm going to then the digital agency, I'm going to the booth build. I'm going to research and find the venue. Right. I'm going to all these different components and I'm spending so much of my time when I could be leveling up inside the organization, but I'm focusing so much on the task. Mhm. So I then decided at that point in time, let me give a run at this. I know what I want to see and I know what I think the industry and individuals need because I was one of them. And here we are 12 years later.

Speaker B: What's next for G2?

Speaker A: Um, for us right now we definitely have our footprint on the event side and the conferences and really the white glove experiences and the trade show and the fulfillment. But for us, it's really attacking a little bit more of the booth building side and the portable assets. Um, because for us, we become an extension of our client. So it's easier for them and streamlined for them to come to us that we can be their person for all the pieces. Um, and just pulling that together more for them. And honestly, most of my clients are not in New York.

Speaker B: Oh, okay.

Speaker A: And they are not Long Island. I live here. Born and raised in Queens. Um, and everybody for my company has been word of mouth. And wherever I worked, which was Citi, so everyone was everywhere. So what's great is that everything has been referral and fantastic. I've got footprints in Kansas City, Boston, California, but I don't have any true partners in my own hometown. And I feel like what we do and what we can provide for them and we're local, would be just a great next step for us to get more involved.

Speaker B: Yeah. And there's plenty of industry right here.

Speaker A: Yes.

Speaker B: So before we wrap up, what do you like to do for fun?

Speaker A: Fun? Um, if I say I like to drink wine, is that a problem?

Speaker B: If you find it fun, it's not a problem.

Speaker A: No, I. Honestly, no, I. I would say for me, honestly, it's watching my daughters. One is dance. She's competition dance. So I sit there all the time and that is where I spend my downtime.

Speaker B: Oh, that's nice.

Speaker A: I love watching her. And then my older daughter, she works at a camp and she loves working with children, so I love watching that. But for me, personally, honestly, I like to go to dinner.

Speaker B: Okay.

Speaker A: I like to try new restaurants. Um, I like to go to dinner with friends, with my husband, with family. Um, I like to get out because I think that when you're working day to day, your mind is always on work and how to make it better and how to maximize your growth or whatever it is that you're looking to do. For me, that gets me out of my element. Give me that and some dancing. Give me a good wedding. Right. That's where I'm 100% at.

Speaker B: I love that. How can folks get ahold of you

Speaker A: so you, um, can contact me directly? Um, it's a very long email, so if I say it, we'll type it

Speaker B: out underneath as well.

Speaker A: Okay. It's, um, Erica Milio, two Marketing and Events. Um, you can also reach me via my website, um, at G2Marketing and Events.com, um, and would love to connect with anybody and everybody.

Speaker B: Fantastic. Thanks for coming on the show. Really appreciate it.

Speaker A: Thank you very much.