So You Want to be a Trade Show Model? Part II...The Crowd Gatherer...

Over the next few blogs I will break down the job responsibilities and expectations of each Trade Show Model position from my point of view and experience.  I'll try to give tips and tricks to help you become successful in each.  

Keep in mind that you might also be wearing multiple hats at one show, which is completely normal.

The Crowd Gatherer:

Being a Crowd Gatherer is perhaps the hardest of all the Trade Show Model positions.  Not everyone is cut out to be a TS Model, and of that small number, only about 10% can be a good Crowd Gatherer.

It also happens to be my favorite of all the positions.

Main Job Responsibility:

We call it, “Butts in Seats.”

Job Description:

The most important part of your job is to fill a theater for your Presenter so that when he or she steps up on stage to Present, there is a full crowd.  Not a half-filled theater, not people milling about and stopping for a few moments to watch, but FULL. 

It’s a particular mindset that you have to get yourself into to be able to check your ego at the door and not take it personally when 95% of the crowd says no.  You need to be able to convince them that yes, indeed, they do want to hear what your Presenter has to say.  With a smile.

You typically have less than five minutes every half hour or hour to take an empty theater (5-30 seats) and fill it. 

Butts in seats.  Butts in seats.  Butts in seats. 

And when the Presenter starts, your job doesn’t stop, you keep going, having people join in and watch the show in progress. 

Scan badge, sit them down, next.  Scan badge, sit them down, next.  Seats are full, keep gathering, have them stand and watch. Your goal is a Standing Room Only crowd, every show, every day.

And don’t forget to smile.  Always.  Attendees don’t respond well to frumpy faces.

The Presenter:

The Presenter is hired for one purpose—to deliver the Client’s Message. 

I’ve worked for some of the best, from magicians and jugglers and other Specialty Entertainers to straight verbal Presenters.  And I’ve worked for some pretty awful ones too. 

The good ones will help you gather when they can, making small talk once you get the first few Attendees to sit down to help hold the crowd, or do little magic tricks on the side before starting the official show.  Some will even go out into the aisles with you and help call Attendees into the booth.  They are in effect doing double duty and deserve all of your respect.

The Presenter is the reason you have a job, and once you get comfortable with that idea, the rest is easy.  Coordinate your lunch with the Presenter.  If there are two CG’s you can actually take a full lunch, separately, of course.  If not, you go to lunch five minutes after your Presenter is done with the show, and get back five minutes before the next one starts.  Under NO CIRCUMSTANCES are you to leave your Presenter to gather a crowd or Present a show alone.  Sometimes this means you only get a couple of twenty minute breaks on a nine hour show day.  That’s the way it goes.  Don’t like it?  Well….tough.  Maybe Crowd Gathering isn’t for you.  It’s rare that this happens, but it can, so be prepared for it if it does.

How to be a good Crowd Gatherer:

Getting the First Attendee to sit down is always the hardest.  An experienced CG will learn how to spot the Easy Marks—the ones who will probably say yes because you are giving them swag, and focus on them first.  It’s almost an animal-like instinct you have to develop…Hunter and Prey.  Pick the weakest ones off first, work on the harder ones later.

A good CG can learn how to pick off three or four Attendees at a time, making the job a little easier and the theater fuller faster. 

You will probably have some sort of bribe to get them into the booth:  Swag such as t-shirts or other trinkets, prizes at the end of the show or day, free drink tickets, whatever.  Your swag is your weapon.  Use it wisely.  Don’t run out of swag halfway through Day Two or you will be screwed trying to get a crowd on Day Three.  A good CG can monitor the swag levels to make sure it never runs out until she wants it to.

Never ask Attendees if they would like to watch a presentation.  Tell them to watch it:

"Hi!  Come watch our Five Minute Presentation!  Have a seat.  Here’s a shirt."

Keep it simple and they will do what you tell them.

Learn to walk backwards in heels as you guide them into the booth.  A good CG never stands in place—she is out in the aisles, herding Attendees into the booth with open, waving arms and a huge, welcoming smile. 

Do what you have to do to get them to sit down.  Stand in front of them and block their path down the aisle.  There are no rules here, do whatever it takes short of promising them a million dollars and dinner with you.  I never consider a show a success unless Show Management pops into my booth to tell me that I’m being too loud or going too far into the aisle to get Butts in Seats.  Push the limits as far as you can without getting in serious trouble.  Smile at Show Management when they scold you and apologize.  Then go back to what you were doing.

Five Minute Presentation:

The Presentation is always Five Minutes.  Always.  I don’t care if the Presenter is going to talk for twenty, NEVER tell them anything other than it is Five Minutes.  They won’t sit down for twenty minutes, but everyone has five minutes to spare.

Yes, LIE!  They will forgive you once you give them their swag.  Just make sure you smile when you do it.

Want proof of the Five Minute rule?  Watch Leslie Chambers crowd gather for one of her presentations.  She is the Best in the business, and I learned from her.  One of the biggest compliments I have received was from a different Presenter who knew I was exhausted and on my last show of the day.  I knew I couldn’t let this theater only fill up half-way, so I reached into my Bingo Fuel Tank and kept going.  My Presenter said, “Wow.  You sound just like Leslie right now.”  Now THAT means you are doing it right.

Down Time:

There is no Down Time.  Once the theater empties and everyone has their prizes and their badges are all scanned, you have other duties.  Set the chairs straight.  Pick up the leaflets and any trash on the floor.  Check in with your Presenter to see if everything is OK.  Bring the Attendees deeper into the booth and introduce them to the Sales Staff.  Stock swag for the next show.  Make sure your client is happy and has water, coffee, a drink, or whatever else might be needed.  Go and get what is needed.  Make sure your shirt is still tucked in and your hair is still straight.

Take a swig of water and fix your lipgloss.  Pop a breath mint in.

Breathe.  Smile.

Go do everything again.

Lather, rinse, repeat.

If you aren’t completely exhausted at the end of the day, you haven’t worked hard enough.

If the shows are only once an hour or so, you will fill your time between Presentations assisting the Booth Manager with whatever is needed, typically filling a Booth Hostess role.  That description is next time…

Life is Good.  Life is better when you have Butts in Seats!

So You Want to be a Trade Show Model? (Part I)

Part I:  Getting In…

So you want to be a Trade Show Model, do you?

Are you sure?

Many of my female friends have been asking what I do and how to cross over from the Promo/Brand Ambassador side of the Events Industry and into the Wonderful World of Trade Shows.

They think this job is all about standing in a booth, looking pretty and scanning badges.   Many think that making $300/day is way over what we should be getting paid and that anyone can do it.

Nothing could be further from the truth.

This job is not all about looking cute and giggling, though that does help.  This job is WORK, and hard work at that.  And after some shows I do, $300/day doesn't even begin to cover what we go through on the Show Floor.

So, how do you start?

1.  Resume

Landing that first job is like a Catch-22.  You have to have a resume to get the good jobs, but how do you get the resume without getting the jobs?  Simple.  Invest.

You have all seen my blogs about not working for less than you are worth.  I still stand by my thoughts on this.  You have to start at the bottom in the Trade Show Industry, just like any other career--unless you have someone willing to put her reputation on the line and refer you in, which many established TS Models won't do.  Staffing agencies like CSS and a slew of others regularly staff Conventions, especially the big ones in San Francisco and Las Vegas.  While the pay is low—generally $11/hr, it’s a great place to start.  The job is easy:  Stand in one place, hold a sign, smile, and direct traffic.  You won’t be on the Trade Show Floor itself, but it still technically counts as working a Convention.  The hours are long, so in the end you can clear several hundred dollars and you get to put a big name on your resume.  This also usually gets you a badge onto the Trade Show Floor so you can see if you really want to enter this World.  Do it.  Look.  Listen.  Observe.  Take notes.   Hang out with us after the show closes and hear us “Empty our Laundry Baskets…”  And then decide if you really want to make the leap.

Work a few Conventions and you start building some big name shows on your resume.  Work hard, and eventually, the bigger agencies will take notice.

If you want to start right away on the Show Floor, again, you are going to have to take a bit of a pay cut.  I started at the Winter Fancy Food Show several years ago making $20/hr and so can you.  Work a few Expos, Gift Fairs and Car Shows and you can get even more experience on your resume quickly.  A few agencies will staff Trade Shows for $17-$20/hr, but you are really going to piss off the experienced TS Models if you agree to work those rates.  Don’t.  You are worth more.  Once you get your feet wet and have proven that you CAN move up the ladder, then do so and don’t look back.

Once you build a resume, keep it simple.  One page.  Everyone knows the responsibilities of a Crowd Gatherer, Product Specialist, etc. so don’t waste room writing the description.  Just list the show, position, and Client.  KISS principle here.

2.  Pictures

Invest in a good head shot and full length, business style.  Smile, look pretty (or handsome) and keep the picture simple.  No one wants to see anything high-fashion with crazy hair, purple eye shadow, or that model pout that is popular.  If you are going to be hired to smile and get people in the booth, then present yourself to your prospective clients in that manner. 

Absolutely NO cheesecake, nude, implied nude or overly sexy shots!!  EVER!!  Unless you are applying to be a bikini model at a car show, then don’t send bikini pics!  True, you may have a rockin' body, but there are many conservative clients out there, especially in the tech and medical field, and they all have stereotypes about what “Booth Babes” are like.  Don’t present yourself as one.

Some agencies ask for a candid shot.  This does not mean you and your four closest promo friends in a picture handing out soda samples.  This means you posed by your booth with a warm and inviting smile on your face.  It would really suck if you sent a candid picture in with a whole bunch of people, and the Client hired your friend, wouldn't it?

3.  Wardrobe

You have a standard wardrobe for Trade Shows just like Promos.  Black pencil skirt with matching blazer.  White blouses.  Black dress pants.  And the most important wardrobe piece—comfortable shoes!!!  I’m NOT kidding!!  Your feet will ache from Day One, and there is no relief in sight, even on your lunch or break.  Bring a pair of black flats to change into for lunch, breaks, to and from work.  I buy my Trade Show Shoes ½ size bigger than I wear and stuff them full of shoe pads.  If your feet hurt, it will show in your face, and Attendees can smell a miserable Trade Show Model an aisle away.

Always have a manicure.  You are going to be shaking hands, scanning badges and touching iPads.  Your hands are your business.  Conservative polish or French Manicure only.  Your nail length should be just over the tips of your fingers, not glamorous!!  If you break a nail at work, put a band-aid on it, don’t just leave one naked little finger sitting there all stubbly while the others are lovely.  Learn to be ambidextrous and use the other hand until you can get to Walgreens and get a spare press-on or get to the salon.

Some companies will supply the Gawd-awful polo shirt.  Be prepared to tuck it in, and if it’s a man’s shirt and you are small, it’s going to be a challenge to cram all that material into your pants or skirt and not look four months pregnant.  I always wear pantyhose, tights, or some sort of spanx to not only give my legs and butt some support, but to tuck all the extra shirt-length in and compress it against my body so I can still try to look slim.

If you are allowed to wear your own outfit, make sure to coordinate your clothes with the colors of the booth.  Don’t show up wearing the competitor’s colors!  Bad move!

And for god’s sake—dye your roots!!  Three inches of black hair underneath platinum blonde ends just looks trashy.

4.  Market, market, market!

Apply for EVERYTHING!!  Be prepared to travel and not have your expenses covered.  Crowd Gatherers and Booth Hostesses are a dime a dozen for most Clients, and only some of the best will have their expenses covered.

You might have to take a “wash” on your first show or two just to get the Client’s name on your resume.  By wash, I mean make no money after expenses (which you write off of your income on your taxes).  Plan a vacation around it.  Have you always wanted to visit Chicago?  Well then book three-day show there, stay for five and know that you just got a huge show for a Fortune 100 Client on your resume.  That matters.  I took a few big hits in the beginning, and because I was willing to travel on my own, work my butt off, and prove myself to my Clients, some of my travel is now covered and my calendar is usually full months out.

Many people will try to make the transition into this world and fail.  It definitely is not for everyone.  The hours are long and grueling, the Clients can be unappreciative, and the Sales Staff can be annoying, demoralizing, and downright rude.  It happens. 

However, if you are able to get your foot in the door, working as a Trade Show Model can be one of the most rewarding and exciting careers anyone can have.  I feed off of the energy of the show and love the diversity of the Clients and the Product.  I know some of my Clients personally, and they are some of the warmest and caring people I have ever met.  And you just can’t beat setting your own hours and travel plans.

I can’t imagine working in any other field.

Life is Good.  Especially when you have found your calling.  

On Being Nice and Feeling Special...

(Note:  I apologize for all the hyperlink ads.  I'm trying to figure out how to remove them.  Sorry!!)

 

Everyone is talking about “Random Acts of Kindness” and “Pay It Forward” these days.  It seems that we have forgotten how to just be nice to people and do the right thing. 

Working in the Promo and Trade Show Industry, we shouldn’t have to be reminded to be nice to people or to do something that makes someone feel special.  Being nice is our JOB.  Making each person we see at an event feel special is the most important part of our job description.  The day I have to be reminded to be nice to people is the day I need to hang up my 7” stilettos. 

Last week I worked for a fantastic client, The New York Times, at MacWorld.  Our booth was crazy busy, as we were doing free “word portraits” where we snap a picture and through the miracle of computer technology, it turns the portrait into a series of words from the headlines that The New York Times has in their massive database.  You can click A Word Cloud Portrait for the story.

It was the end of the first day and we were closing up shop.  A group of three people came up to me and asked if I would do one more print.  The two women smiled that kind of smile that says, “I know you are closed, but please, please, please, make an exception for us.”  I looked at the young man next to them and knew I had to say yes.

One look at the young man, and I could tell that he fit in the “special needs” category.  I won’t go into the details except to say that my heart opened up and I immediately made the decision to do the picture.  As soon as I motioned the three of them to get in the remainder of the line, the women said, “No, just him.  We know you are closing for the day and don’t want to get you in trouble.  Everyone else was so mean to us today in all the other booths, and it is so nice of you to let him get his picture done, we can’t ask for any more of your time than is minimally necessary.” 

Minimally necessary?  To do something so small to take one minute of my time?  No.  That won’t do.  This young man is getting every last little bit of time that I have, because making him smile is now the Number One priority for my last ten minutes on-shift.

I snapped the picture and asked the women from what sections of The New York Times I should generate the Word Cloud.  They said Sports.  I was still learning the software and hadn’t had some time to really play around with it, so I figured that now was a good as any time to dive right in. 

“What kind of sports?  Any particular team?”  I asked.

“He loves basketball, particularly professional,” they responded.

Done.  I typed it in, pushed the enter button and let the iPad do its magic.

The software generated his picture with all kinds of various NBA teams, players, and coaches, and we decided to put the words in his favorite color, blue.

Two minutes later, the portrait printed, I handed it over, thanked them again for coming by the booth and got ready to start packing up.

The ladies gave the portrait to the young man, and he lit up like the New Years Eve Ball dropping in Times Square.  He seemed to recognize himself and the names on his portrait and started clapping and grinning ear to ear.

YAY!!  That was fun!  Woo-hoo!

Thinking that I was done for the day, I packed up my things and grabbed my coat.  As I was leaving the booth, an older woman came over to me, grabbed my hand and nearly in a whisper said, “That picture you just took was for my son.  I’m sorry I couldn’t make it over here to do the picture with him.  He has Downs Syndrome and the only thing that he can really recognize and focus on is basketball.  He loves basketball!  Thank you so much for making our day!  You really made us feel special!!”

She gave me a little squeeze and went back over to her son.

Definitely worth it.

I thought about it for a few days, and wondered if I had really done anything special to deserve such a big Thank You.  No.  Not really.  I did my job.  I did what I love to do, which is smile at everyone I see and make each person who visits my client’s booth feel special.  Feeling special is not just for those I think are deserving, or who are extra polite, or who beg me with three “please, please, pleases” so that I say yes.  You don’t take the time to make some people feel special because you identify that they have a disability, need extra time, look like they had a bad day…whatever.  You try your best to make EACH person you come in contact with feel special, well, because each person IS special.

But what really got to me was me wondering why everyone else was so mean to these people?  Why is it so difficult to see that each person needs to be respected and treated like an individual, a human being, and yes—special.  After all, each of us is unique in our own little ways, and each of us likes to feel special, so why has it become so hard for us to recognize that need and act accordingly?  Do we not remember The Golden Rule?  It truly saddens me sometimes to see how far we have strayed from being truly genuine to each other and treat those around us like we would like to be treated. 

Doing the right thing or doing something nice for someone else isn’t something that you should have to be reminded to do.  It should just happen naturally.  And in my business, as the all-too-important First Impression of a company, it is your JOB.  EVERY person who walks by the booth is special.  EVERY person deserves a smile, a nod, and your respect.

Sometimes I think we have lost what it means to be human.  

Sigh…

Thank you to The New York Times for giving me the opportunity to not only have a blast at work making money at a really cool gig, but thank you for the opportunity to make someone’s day.  Because at the end of the day when the lights are turned off, the carpet is rolled up, the boxes are packed and shipped…at the end of the day, all that really matters is that I made someone smile.  And, boy did he ever!!  I’ll never forget that day.

Life is Good!  Life is better when being nice just happens…

Happy 2013!! Are you ready for it?

Let’s hear it for 2013!!  The year of the Trade Show!  LOL!

As always, the New Year starts with the biggest Trade Show of the year, CES.  Over 120,000 people will be descending on Las Vegas in the next day or two.  Lines will be long for shuttles, taxis, restaurants and even the bathroom!  This show will test you in ways you can’t imagine.  Be as prepared as you can.

All the vets in the business will be at CES and judging from the Facebook Groups, a lot of newbies are making their debut too.  Everyone will be there—and everyone will be watching to see how you do.  Make sure you do your absolute best and set the stage for a fantastic year.

Here are some tips and tricks to think about as you pack today:

Things to pack:

• Every kind of pill you can think of—Advil, Motrin, Vitamins, Water Pills, Allergy and Cold Pills, Beano, Airborne, Imodium, Gas X, Rolaids and Tums.  You aren’t going to be on your normal eating and drinking schedule so keep your insides prepared for Travel Food and the Travel Bellyaches that follow.  You know your feet are going to hurt in those heels after Day Two.  Since the show itself is four days plus a few rehearsal days, bring lots of Advil.  I throw a week’s worth of pills in one little bottle and keep them in my purse.  Besides, if you can rescue your client’s hung-over body on Day Three, you’re a hero.

• Snacks.  Forget grabbing a snack at LVCC.  I’m not paying $2.50 for a bag of chips and another $3.00 for a soda.  Both are terrible for you and your wallet.  You will spend your entire break time standing in line instead of resting and eating.  Pack a box of something healthy in your suitcase and each day throw one in your purse to nosh on while you take your break.  Dried fruits, nuts, granola bars can all be purchased in advance and kept in baggies.  Add a protein shake or a piece of turkey jerky and an apple, and you have an economical and healthy lunch.  That beats standing in line for 25 minutes for a $6.00 piece of crappy pizza. 

• Change of shoes and socks.  Your feet will hurt.  Even the seasoned pros will have aches and pains.  NEVER wear your floor shoes to and from work.  Instead, change into sneakers or flats for the hike from your hotel room to your booth.  I guarantee that you will walk at least a mile each day to and from.  Spare your feet and bring something comfortable.  It doesn’t hurt to bring a spare pair of heels to switch in and out during the day, provided there is room to store them in the booth.  I can tuck a heel in each pocket of my coat, and the travel flats slide into the inside pocket.  Don’t forget shoe inserts too!  That extra ¼ inch of padding is well worth the $6.

Things to do—or not to do:

• Keep your alcohol consumption to a minimum.  Yeah, right, it’s VEGAS you say!!  Well, you aren’t here for a vacation or Bachelorette party, you are here to work.  Alcohol will make your 8-hour Day Three feel like a 16-hour Day Seven.  It will show on your face if you have been drinking, as your eyes will be bloodshot, your face will be puffy and those dark circles will stand out.  Don’t do it.  A glass or two of wine with dinner or in your room is fine, but shots of tequila at the bar with the Client is an absolute no-no! 

• Drink as much water as you can.  You are in the desert where the humidity levels are rarely over 4%.  Coffee, soda, and alcohol will dehydrate you even more.  Convention and restaurant food contain lots of salt, which will make you thirsty.  Bring your own water container and drink as much as you can throughout the day.  Keeping yourself hydrated can also help you from losing your voice.  If you are staying in a hotel and have to pay those absurd Resort Fees, then go to their Fitness Center and sit in the steam room for 15 minutes to rehydrate your eyes, sinuses and skin.  You already paid for it, so use it.

• Leave early…for everything.  Plan ahead.  Make a schedule.  Remember, there are an extra 120,000 people in town this week.  Travel times will triple.  A fifteen minute walk from The Strip to the LVCC will now take at least 40 minutes.  Consider walking to work and then taking the shuttle home.  Know the route in advance so you can plan your travel time.  Study the maps to know where everything is—from the shuttle route to the Expo floor.  Know where the restrooms are so you can go quickly and have time to stand in line.  Change into your flats when you go on break or lunch, because it’s likely a five minute walk to anything, and you can be comfortable and quick when you are in flat shoes.

CES can be intimidating and almost overwhelming to the unprepared or inexperienced.  With a little advanced and smart planning, you can easily navigate your way through the crowds and lines.  It’s time to shine for your client and your agency—don’t forget to smile!!

Life is Good.  Be prepared and it is even better!

WHO Did You Just Send Your Resume To? Are You Sure??

Emily Lewis is a genuine Trade Show Model who wants to get you great deals on designer shoes.  Ummm….no.  Crystal Jennings is a working Hollywood Actress who can guarantee you work if you buy her online training classes.  Nope….  Paula Sharp lost 75 pounds in one month by taking a diet pill which you can get for ¼ the price if you send your credit card info right now.  Calling BS on that one too.

So why do you believe Jenna Johnston when she says she has a great job for you at CES for $400 a day??  Do you KNOW Jenna Johnston?  Probably as much as you know Emily, Crystal or Paula.  If you can see those three are scamming you, why can you not see through Jenna’s bologna?

This is not one of my usual blogs.  This is hardcore.  This is truth.  And this may save your job, ass, or even your life.  Pay attention.

Do you know what email harvesting is?  Companies pay a good sum of money for a grouping of thousands of new emails, especially within a specific demographic.  On a Facebook page with thousands of members who all want to work, it’s like shooting fish in a barrel.  All someone has to do is pretend to be a recruiter, post some great job and rate that no one can resist, and wait for the emails and resumes to come in.  Next thing you know, you are getting ten times the spam that you are used to, and why?  Because you sent your information to someone when you didn’t know who was on the other end.  It’s a great way to make a few extra hundred bucks in the slow seasons.  All you need is a Facebook page or five, some sappy get-rich-quick story, and people will hand you money.  Oh, and don’t click on that link that Jenna the Recruiter sent you or you will get a virus or get hacked.

If this was a dating site and not a job page, would you send your personal info to some potential mate that you could not find a little background information on?  If he refused to tell you where he lived, or where he worked, but said he was a really nice guy, would you just say, “Well, he said he is nice, so let me just send him everything about myself anyways…”  NO!!  You wouldn’t.  You would delete him from whatever files you had and tell all your girlfriends that he was a psycho.

So why do you do it here on Facebook?  Are you so desperate for work that you are willing to sacrifice your own safety sending out personal and sensitive information to complete strangers—all for the CHANCE to get a gig?  Where the hell is your common sense?

Seriously.  When you send your information to some Yahoo or Gmail address, who are you sending it to, and what are you sending??  Your full name, location, pictures, physical description, and job history.  If your address is on your resume, get if OFF of there right now.  Stop reading this blog, and go fix your resume.  This is dangerous.

Oh, then the “recruiter” might write you back and ask how old you are.  So you give up your birthday.  If she didn’t get your address before, she might send you a generic form, asking you for your address, birthday, Social Security, signature…etc.  Oh, and since many of the young BA’s and TS Models aren’t married yet, your emergency contact is usually your mother.  Pretty easy to find her maiden name.  Bingo.  You just got your identity stolen.

And you had better hope that the only thing the person on the other end of that Gmail wanted to do was steal your identity.  Because now he or she knows where you live, work, your Social Media habits—because you probably added Jenna as a “friend” on Facebook without knowing if she was even a real person—so he or she knows your everyday habits like who you hang out with, where you work out, where you shop, where your family lives, etc.  Jenna might have something else in mind to take from you than your credit.  Jenna might meet you outside your house one night and take your life.

This is worst case scenario, but one that you need to be aware of and have drilled into your head on a regular basis.  If you haven’t been watching the news lately, there are some seriously crazy people out there who will do horrible things to each other for no apparent reason and involve YOU whether you asked for it or not.  So STOP doing things to set yourself up!!  I've been in the middle of one psycho shooting this month, I’m pretty much done for…well…the rest of my life, thankyouverymuch.

OK, the “Mom” part of me is done with the lecture.  Now let’s move to Business Jen.

So let’s say that these people who you are sending your personal information to aren’t psycho killers, identity stealers, crazed exes looking for revenge, etc.  Let’s say they really do work in the Promo Industry.

OK.  Where?  And for whom? 

Anyone who refuses to state who he or she works for has an agenda—one that does not have your best interest at heart. 

Sure, you may get a job, you may make some money, but who was this person really who got your information?  I call them Resume Pimps.  They pose as Recruiters, tell you that they are helping a friend staff a show, or work for an agency, but never tell you who they really work for.  Why?  Because they are getting a cut of your money, just like a pimp.   These Resume Pimps package the girls together and sell it to an agency for a fee—a fee that gets taken out of your pay should you get booked.  If they weren't taking a cut, they would gladly release the name of their employer so that you could verify employment.  Yup.  That’s a pimp. Of course, they might be a real agency trying to land a contract and say that you have worked for them on jobs in the past.  When they can present 25+ of the top talent in the country as their own, chances are they will catch a Client’s eye and possibly get the gig—event though NONE of those 25 have ever worked for the agency.  Doesn't seem fair, does it?

Want to know where your money goes?  Let’s do the math…

Let’s say an agency bills a client $400-$500/day for a Crowd Gatherer.  That’s a pretty fair rate.  So a true agency will take their 20-25% or so cut and you get $300-$400 depending on how much effort that agency had to put into securing the gig.  That is totally fair, and you should expect to pay that much to a good agency who has you working constantly.

Now let’s say that there are several hands in the cookie jar.  Some of the larger corporations out there will hire a “Experiential Marketing” conglomeration to produce their entire event.  They still get billed the $500 per Crowd Gatherer.  EXCEPT…that EM company then hires a Staffing Agency to find CGs for them.  Subtract another 25% because the Staffing Agency has to make their cut right?  We’re down to $280 and change.  Now, Jenna the Pimp—I mean Recruiter—is out there “helping a friend find girls for a gig” who is also going to take another 25% off of your pay for a commission.  Now we’re looking at $210.  Let’s round it off to $200, because it’s a nice, even number.  That’s 60% of the money that the Client paid for you gone already. 

The more fingers that touch your resume, the more money will be taken out of your pay.  And YOU are the one doing the work, while they sit there on their computers and farm out your resume.

Oh, then let’s throw in my favorite:  Well, you are new with our agency, so we start our new employees at $200/day, and after a few shows, you can be making $250!!  Seriously?  My friend is doing the exact same gig as I am, has only done five shows total, but me, with 100 shows on my resume is making less?  For the same job.  For the same Client.  For the same hours.  Sorry.  I don’t think so.  I keep getting flashbacks of fighting for Women’s Rights in the Corporate World and the whole getting paid 72% of what a man makes.  For the same job.  For the same Company.  For the same hours.  Tell me how this is justified again??  And we women are doing it to each other?

If you are OK with 60% of your money going to other people, then by all means, send your resume out to everyone and anyone.  But if you aren’t, then play it smart.

Do some research.  Look up that person’s Facebook page.  Are their “friends” people you know personally, or just other agencies?  If you do have mutual friends, write them and ask for a reference.  If no one that you know personally can verify of this person’s existence, then DO NOT SEND YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION to that person.  And I mean really KNOW, not just are Facebook friends.  From recent personal experience, some of these people are completely psycho and have multiple Facebook accounts even though it is the same person.  It makes Glenn Close from Fatal Attraction look appealing.  Every time I expose one of these frauds, I expect to come home from Vegas and find a bunny on my stove.

Google the agency’s website.  Look for Client Testimonials, not just a page of shows or big names.  Browse through their talent.  If you have been in the Trade Show business for a few years and don’t know anyone on their pages, chances are that company is a fake.  Even I can design a halfway decent website and capture some pictures of good looking people.  If you do know one or two people, write them and ask for a reference.  I make no secret of what agencies are out there that I like working for, and anyone who wants to know what I think just has to ask. 

I know this blog has been a little harsh, but it is so easy to get caught up in Cyberworld and the presumed safety that you are among nothing but friends.  I wish that was so.  You are not.  There are people out there who do not have your best interests in mind, and on one level or another, they will take advantage of you.  But, you can take precautions to protect yourself, and it starts with knowing exactly who is at the other end of an email you send when looking for a job.

Be smart.

Be safe.

Life is Good.  Make the most out of it.

It's Trade Show Season....What's in YOUR Wallet?

It’s Monday morning in San Francisco.  Another Trade Show Season is upon us with the opening of VM World.  For most of us, it’s steady work for the next six months.  For those who are really good, it’s insane, non-stop work until after Easter.  The difference is in how you prepare.

You are good at what you do, but how are you incorporating your Client’s needs into your full presentation?  You need to be the nurturing, care-giving, flat-out ass-saving Knight in Shining Armor whenever and however your Client needs you to be.  You need to prove to your Client that you aren't just a "Booth Babe" but an integral part of the Trade Show Support Staff.  In other words, you have to be able to pick up the ball, should the Client drop it, by foreseeing anything that could be missing or go wrong.

Soooo….

What’s in your wallet? 

A good friend and occasional work associate of mine, Ken Newman wrote a blog about keeping an  Emergency Trade Show Tool Kit with you for each show you work.  As someone who has been a Professional Presenter as well as Producer for umpteen years, he knows his stuff.

And then there are women who do this kind of work.  Not to take anything away from Ken, but let me list what I have in my bag when I go to work.  I guarantee that each item on this list I have needed at least once, and on several occasions I have saved the show because for some reason, I magically produced spot cleaner out of my purse, or a 4G thumb drive, or even a small can of WD-40.

What I have with me when I go to work… 

Simple Cosmetic Stuff:

• Eyelashes, Eyelash glue and Eyelash comb
• Tweezers
• Tampons
• Toothpaste, Toothbrush, Dental Floss and Dental Pics.  Bring extra clean Dental Pics for the client because they always munch on snacks when doing booth duty and never check their teeth.
• Small Hand Mirror to make sure that you NEVER have anything in your teeth.  Even if you have a mint, check your teeth.  Consider taping a small locker mirror to the inside of the storage door so you can check yourself throughout the day.
• Band-Aids
• Nail glue and nail tips.  
• Nail file, polish, and polish remover.  NEVER have a bad manicure at a booth.  That is grounds for dismissal.
• Deodorant
• Washcloth for deodorant—the first day you will probably have to change into a branded shirt.  Chances are you will get deodorant on the shirt.  Paper towels will leave all kinds of white noodles on your shirt, where a washcloth or small gym towel will not. 
• Plastic baggie for the wet washcloth.
• Clean panties.  If you have to ask…
• Contacts, contact lens solution and drops.  It’s dry as hell on the TS Floor.  You need to be able to see your leads and read their badges from miles away.
• Anti-bac lotion and spray.  Bath & Body Works has great Anti-bac to keep you moisturized and germ free.  Spray can be found as swag.  Use it on your booth's horizontal surfaces. 
• Baby powder.  It can get hot as hell on the TS Floor.  Heat rash isn’t pretty and itches.
• Q-Tips.  Are you presenting?  Well you need to clean your ear before you stick in your earpiece.  And Q-Tips are great for make-up touches in a pinch.
• Alcohol wipes.  On the ear?  Well, just in case you need to swap something with a fellow presenter, it had better be sterile!!
• Extra batteries for your ear, extra earpiece just in case, and why not throw the surgical tape in there too so you can keep it in place.  If you are a CG and are able to whip out materials for your presenter that he/she might have forgotten, you are now not only a hero, you are next to god.
• Cellulite cream—shrinks the arm flab.
• Prep-H—while you might think it is for the Client, it takes the bags out from underneath the eyes, especially when you have to work the Client Party as well as the show.
• Hair essentials like hair spray, brush, bobby pins, ponytail holder are given.  Have hair extensions?  Bring an extra clip because if you don’t, yours will break.
• Humid outside?  Try BIOSILK to calm the frizz and pack a mini-flat iron.

Now that you have yourself prepared, let’s stock your wallet for the things that the Client needs:

• Airborne, cough drops, throat lozenges, and any other throat medication that will not make you sound like Kathleen Turner by Day Two.  Clients always forget this too, so have plenty in fruity flavors.
• Chapsticks.  Neutral flavors.  Have about four new and sealed ones in your bag, as your Client will need one because it is so dry.  Be a savior and offer a fresh one, as you know you will pick up five or six more as swag as you are walking around.
• Scissors
• Lighter and/or matches.  You better not smoke, but your Client might.
• Universal tool kit—you can’t carry a Swiss Army Knife on a plane, but little keychain tool kits are TSA friendly.  They have a regular and Phillips Screwdriver as well as a few other tips that make booths go together without having to spend precious time looking for a Freeman Representative.
• Two jump drives, at least 2G.  Your Client will inevitably forget something like all the literature for you to distribute.  Save the day by jumping in and transferring files to your drive and running to FedEx/Kinko’s to print it out.  The other jump drive has your resume, headshots, and demo reel on it for the booth next door that sees how spectacular you are and wants to hire you for their next show.
• Pocket spot stain remover.  Eating in the booth is a no-no, but when your Client does it and drips mustard on his white business shirt, you are a hero.
• Spork or two.  Again, your Client will want to eat in the booth and have a yogurt, and forget the utensils.
• A list of phone numbers for your favorite local restaurants in the area.  Sure you can Google it.  But it’s easier if you just hand over a list and let the Client pick.  Then make the reservation because you know the staff and get free drinks for your referrals.
• Corkscrew and bottle opener.  Somehow beer will show up in your booth.  Your Client doesn't have time to find catering to open an import.  Luckily, you have that taken care of.
• Multiple electrical outlet adapter.  There are never enough electrical outlets for all the phones, laptops, etc.  Turn one plug into four with ease and you will stop pecking-order from establishing in the booth to charge cell phones.

Think you are packed yet?  Nope.  There are a few more:

• Snacks.  You will get hungry and not have time to get lunch.  Corazonas Oatmeal Squares can fit in your bag, are healthy and tasty, and have a long shelf life.  Oh, and they are cheaper than Cliff Bars and other filler snacks.
• Business cards—both yours and your agency's card.  Know when to hand out each one.
• Three pairs of shoes.  One pair to walk to work in, the others are to rotate throughout the show.  You will break the heel in your Jimmy Choo’s half way through your first presentation, so have a back-up.
• Two umbrellas and disposable ponchos.   During hurricane season your Client probably forgot to pack an umbrella.
• Pack of tissues or emergency TP.  You will run to the bathroom on your three minute break in between shows and use the stall that has run out of TP.  Murphy’s Law of Trade Shows.
• Benadryl
• Safety Pins.  Broken bra straps aren’t fun.
• Backup pair of earrings.
• Long sleeved, unbranded black or white t-shirt.  Convention halls are freezing on the first day in the winter, and you need to be warm and happy!
• Extra socks.  Change them throughout the show.  The dirty ones go in your Ziplock bag.
• The usual assortment of medications:  Advil, Tylenol, Tums, Pepto, Immodium, Midol, Vitamin C, etc.  Have enough for everyone.
• Pens in all colors, highlighters, paper clips, and a few stamps.
• Phone chargers for both iPhones and Androids.  Your Client will forget his in the hotel room, and you will kill your battery using your phone as a hot-spot for the internet for the booth.
• Any adapters that will convert from PC to Mac and back again.  
• AA and AAA batteries.  If you have a presenter, you may just have saved his butt too if his back-up died.
• Dollar bills and quarters for vending machines, tips for errands, etc.  No one ever has smaller than a $20 when the show starts, and someone needs a buck for a soda.

I'm sure the list will get longer as Trade Show Season continues, but I thought I would share some simple essentials that will help YOU be a hero at your booth.  A few saves for your Client, and you have gone from a simple "Booth Babe" to an invaluable part of the Trade Show Support Staff.  You are prepared and you are irreplaceable.  And you have a contract for next year waiting.


Have a fabulous Trade Show Season everyone!  And remember...


Life is Good.

Why should I pay you $300 a day when your friend will work for $15/hr?

It's the same old argument, Trade Show after Trade Show.  And I'm finally bent enough to blog about it.

Dear Fellow Co-Workers:

Please STOP doing MY job for $15/hr.  My minimum rate is $300/day to be a Crowd Gatherer, which is approximately $40/hr.  That you are willing to lower not only my standards, but the rest of the Industry's standards to work the SAME job as I do for just over minimum wage is insulting.

True, you might not have the same experience as I do--yet--so you may need to take a job paying $250/day just to get your name out there enough to demand the same pay as I get, but $250/day is three times more than what you are accepting now.  Have some dignity.

Stop it. 

Do you realize how much your booking agency takes from you when you agree to work for $15/hr?  Do the math.  I get $40, you said yes to $15.  They are charging the client the SAME rate.  Do you think you should be the one laughing because you are working and I am not?  NO.  The hiring agency and the client are laughing at YOU because they just got your services for basically nothing.  And now you have to work three times as many days to equal my salary.  So while you are working seven days a week trying to pay your bills, I work three and am putting money in the bank.

You deserve better.  Especially those of you who I refer into this business.

And please don't use the excuse, "I would rather be working for below market rate than not working."  Bullshit. 

• Would you date a man who beats you or cheats on you just because you don't want to be lonely and dating an abuser is better than not dating?  No.  You would tell that man to get out of your life and come back when he has learned some respect.

• If a waiter brought your dinner to you in a nice restaurant and it had bugs and hair in it, would you just sit there and eat it?  No.  You would send it back and demand the meal that you are paying for.

• When you are shoe shopping and like a pair of shoes, do you buy the size 6 that doesn't fit because the store is sold out of your size?  No.  You walk out of the store and go to another that might have the perfect fit.

So please tell me WHY YOU TAKE JOBS THAT DO NOT RESPECT YOU???

Let's quickly go over some myths in the business:

1. It's the slow season, so any work is better than nothing.  No.  There is no "slow season" in marketing.  I am just as busy in January as June.  Be flexible in the jobs you work, and you will always be working.  Note I said the JOBS, not the pay!! 
   
2. I'm new in the business so I have to start somewhere.  Wrong.  Would you accept a "regular job" for below minimum wage because you are new?  Nope.  Then don't do it in this business. 
   
3. I can work for less than I normally do because they pay in cash right after the gig and it's close to my house.  This one kills me.  A gig is ALWAYS close to SOMEONE'S house, so why are you so special?  And the reason you are paid in cash is so that the company does not have to make a paper trail and report your earnings to the government--saving THEM time and money.  Again, they win and you lose.
   

You deserve better.  You deserve respect.  And you deserve pay equivalent to your talent.  When you take a job for $15/hr, you tell the world that you have little talent, no respect for yourself, and don't deserve better than what you are getting.


And when it comes time for me to hire you, do you think that I'm going to offer you $300/day when I know I can get you for $15/hr?  Nope.  I might give you $20/hr just so that you feel good about yourself, but I'm still going to be pocketing an extra $100 a day off of your hard work.  And if I can get you to do my job of looking for two other people to work the gig too (because you won't charge me a referral fee), I'll be able to stay home and watch Dr. Phil on TV all day, because you and your friends are making my $300/day rate for me, and I don't have to do a thing.

Think about it.

Here is another good article about why you should just say NO to bad pay:  How To Get Paid What You Are Worth

Life is Good.  At least for me, because I respect myself.  So should you.