EXHIB-IT! Recieves Recognition

EXHIB-IT!  Receives This Week’s “Challenging Times, Thriving Companies” Recognition from the Greater Albuquerquer Chamber of Commerce

Congratulations to EXHIB-IT! Tradeshow Marketing Experts!

How do you ensure financial success during an economic down turn?  The same way you do in times of prosperity-- by having the right focus and following your vision and purpose.  EXHIB-IT! moved .2 miles from their prior showroom in February 2008.  This move was not planned and was necessary due to growth and change.  This move happened in a year that had so many unknown factors -- the questionable economy and the outcome of the Presidential Election in November.  Founder and CEO, DJ Heckes, recalls asking other business owners the first half of 2008 how their businesses were affected by the economic standstill and there was an overwhelming response from many companies that business had hit a halt for many months. She saw business owners worry about the future and question if they could make payroll and how to survive in this time. Instead of listening to the dreadful newscasts about the economy "doom and gloom" and taking to heart all the economic forecasts, DJ got busy and started writing her book and looked at ways she could help small businesses as an opportunity for growth.  This paid off for EXHIB-IT! in finding ways to differentiate her business in such a time of turmoil.  Many businesses were at a standstill or declining and there was so much confusion about being in a recession or the beginning of a depression.  Business owner DJ Heckes had felt this set back the first half of 2008 and then turned her focus on her business growth strategy and vision the second half of the year and grew 5.7% growth for second half of the year from the previous second half of 2007.  This growth does not sound like much, but many businesses were in a declining mode of 25-30% in her industry.

How is she doing this with so many businesses cutting back on marketing, tradeshows and the like?  Focus on the client is her answer and getting back to the basics of listening.  She knew that she could defeat this economic crunch by adding value for her clients in her business.  In 2008, EXHIB-IT! added more in house printing capabilities and also their new Studio e Design and Production Department with talented designers and staff to help small businesses thrive with their design and marketing services for their customers.  When EXHIB-IT! marketed these new areas in the fall of 2008, business started to grow.  In the first quarter of 2009, she can report 31.2% growth in the exhibit sales and design and marketing services.  She attributes this growth to many federal government sales this year, which usually do not occur until the summer months.  The federal government is pumping money into the economy and this is helping with their business growth plan. 

Even though Heckes reports that their Services Department of the company has not felt this same growth in Show Management and Show Partnerships in 2009, their overall company has.  EXHIB-IT! attributes their success to finding the right employees and putting them in the right seat and improving their internal systems and processes that are in place to be a true Best in Class Company.  This allows EXHIB-IT! to surpass their clients' expectations.  EXHIB-IT! will continue to focus on the Services side of their business to partner Exhibitors with the Right Trade Shows and share their knowledge to educate and train businesses on how to tie in their overall marketing strategies with their face-to-face events. DJ believes in making a difference for businesses when working with her company and her passion in educating and being a business advocate shines through in all that she does and her business growth.  EXHIB-IT! brings in about 30-50 attendees for FREE Monthly Marketing Seminars that are held on the First Tuesday of each month from 9:00 am - 10:30 am and they are booked with speakers through May 2010. 

Heckes says "If you can look at how and what your business can do to make a difference to your customer and communicate this in a way to achieve your objectives, then it is a win-win situation for your business and the customer."