The Corporate-Fx, Tradeshow Magic Group Blog
By: Scott Tokar, Corporate-Fx Magician and Founder
Corporate-Fx magician, Mark Phillips for FireEye at the RSA tradeshow.
Fri, Mar 12 2010 08:43
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Last week was a BUSY week for Corporate-Fx! With both the RSA (Computer Security) tradeshow and the HIMSS (Healthcare Information) conventions going at the same time, we had just about every magician in our group performing! Clearly, tradeshow marketing is rebounding from the recession and exhibiting is again an important part of corporate brand identity, new customer acquisition and public relations.
Corporate-Fx is more than simply a "magician" with a pack of cards pulling crowds to a booth just for entertainment's sake... We strive to look, act, and sound like a regular employee of our exhibiting company with a tightly integrated sales message that makes sense to their convention attendees...
Here is an example of a tightly scripted presentation that Corporate-Fx magician, Mark Phillips wrote for the Computer Security firm "FireEye" at the 2010 RSA trade show in San Francisco, California.
You can learn more about CorporateFx magician, Mark Phillips here: http://ow.ly/1ieZv
You can see Mark Phillips and the Corporate-Fx team at the 2010 Exhibitor Trade Show in Las Vegas March 15-18 (http://ow.ly/1ifpb)
What is the Cisco magician doing to her at HIMSS?
Wed, Mar 3 2010 08:51
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Energy, excitement and education have made Scott Tokar and Corporate Fx an integral part of the Cisco presence in the Healthcare market.
Record crowds stopped by to see CorporateFx magician, Scott Tokar, "Breath Life into EHR With Cisco" by performing a mixture of "Aisle-View" and "Theater-Style" tradeshow magic. Scott drew a HUGE audience into the booth for a more detailed PowerPoint presentation by LiveMarketing.
Welcome to Trick "U"
Wed, Feb 24 2010 07:55
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After months of dreaming, planning, creating and editing, Corporate-Fx proudly introduces: "Trick University" at www.TrickUniversity.com
The goal is to help you to earn your magic degree in "AMAZING" by performing unbelievable tricks, effects, and stunts with ordinary objects that are all around YOUR everyday natural environment! We are starting our lessons with your office environment in our YouTube Podcast: "Cubicle-Fx" http://www.youtube.com/TrickUniversity
Our aim is to re-think, re-create, and re-purpose the art of magic, delivering illusions and effects that you can do with little or no practice... And we will try to do this with:
~ No goofy "Twinkles the magic clown" props.
~ No old "Uncle Albert" card tricks that last an hour.
~ No complex finger-bending sleights that are impossible to replicate.
~ No expensive gimmicks that must be purchased from some guy in a top hat.
~ No tuition, fees, subscriptions, or "PayPal" scams...
BUT... We need your support!
You can HELP us by commenting, and rating our content on YouTube, while helping us grow our student base by telling your friends about us on Twitter, FaceBook, Digg, etc...
The more people that watch TrickUniversity, the more content we can afford to produce...
We are 100% sponsored by corporate advertising and our sponsors would LOVE it if you actually visit their sites, act interested in their products, and if you could actually buy something from them, that would make Trick University look really good! Thank you in advance...
Specto Secretum Scientia...
Are you an "outboarder"?
Tue, Feb 16 2010 01:53
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The New York Times today ran an extremely interesting article called "The Convention Crashers". http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/16/business/16shows.html?pagewanted=1
The article focuses on vendors who set up shop in a hotel suite near a trade show site to promote their products without paying for official exhibit space on the tradeshow floor.
Since the economic downturn companies have been looking for a way to achieve the effectiveness of meeting customers and prospects in a live industry setting, but they have been reducing their tradeshow budgets... Obviously, "outboarding" a tradeshow reduces the show organizer's profit potential and floor space sales. What will the show organizers do, and how can they regain control? I highly recommend this article, it could be a sign of the next big change in the tradeshow industry...
Scott Tokar
Corporate-Fx, Inc.
Exhibitor 2010 Welcomes Scott Tokar to the conference faculty!
Fri, Jan 15 2010 08:50
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Exhibitor 2010, the world conference and exhibition on trade show and corporate event marketing will be taking place March 14th-18th at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center, Las Vegas.
Now in its 22nd year, The Exhibitor Show is the fastest way to optimize your exhibit and corporate event marketing strategy...
Scott Tokar, of Corporate-Fx is the newest addition to the conference faculty for the popular learning track: Exhibits & Experiences!
Session R628: Aisle View, The Low Cost Live Presentation Option.
Scott Tokar, Corporate-Fx
Investigate a revolutionary presentation technique that allows down-sized exhibits to attract big budget audiences, communicate concise sales messages and convert crowds into quantifiable sales leads using only a 3' x 3' presentation space. In this session, we expose the secrets of large aisle-view crowds to maximize any live presentation style. We will examine:
· Lowering live presentation cost and space requirements.
· Overcoming fears of being trapped in a theater seat by
extending your reach to the trade show aisle.
· Regulations, management concerns and neighbor relations.
· Do-it-yourself and professional live presentation options.
· Lowering live presentation cost and space requirements.
· Overcoming fears of being trapped in a theater seat by
extending your reach to the trade show aisle.
· Regulations, management concerns and neighbor relations.
· Do-it-yourself and professional live presentation options.
Thursday March 18th from 10:00 AM to 11:30 AM
Click HERE to learn more
Tradeshows and a "Magical" New Year!
Tue, Dec 29 2009 10:04
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..."The '00s: Goodbye (at Last) to the Decade from Hell" (from Time Magazine, November 24th, 2009)...
Really? A decade from hell? Even in our worst economy since the great depression, looking back, this past year wasn't all bad...
Sure, we lost some good friends and clients to mergers, acquisitions and failures, but we also added several brand-new clients and members to our tradseshow magic group!
In December, all of the news organizations share highlights from "the year that was", I thought Corporate-Fx should do the same for OUR year...
The good news is that 2010 is pre-booking fast, and looking WAY better than the last year for the entire tradeshow industry.
Stay tuned in '10! Because there are some SUPER EXCITING projects from Corporate-Fx in 2010 coming to life in our first quarter...
CES 2009 "Demos that rock"
January, (Las Vegas): We did it once again! Even the trade publications listed the SanDisk Consumer Electronics Show "Theater-Style" magic presentation the "Super-Star of the South Hall".
Tech-EM said "If you're a CES regular, you'll recognize SanDisk's perennial presenter and magician, Scott Tokar. His show expertly blends improv comedy, impressive magic tricks, audience participation, product points and an easygoing, everyman appeal into a seamless 30-minute shot of entertainment."
Just look at that crowd! It speaks for itself...
Record crowds at HIMMS for Cisco!
April, (Chicago): Cisco's Healthcare magic presentation concluded this year with an escape from within a locked steel box on the tradeshow floor. Corporate-Fx explained how Cisco helps hospitals around the world "escape" the typical limitations of communications and information technology within the privacy regulations of HIPPA compliance.
Best of all, Cisco loved the show so much they asked to book the 2010 HIMSS show right there on the spot!
See you in Atlanta March 1st-3rd, 2010!
16 years of Sun Microsystems Magic!
October, (San Francisco): This year marked our 16th consecutive year at Oracle Open World with Sun Microsystems! The Corporate-Fx Magic Group must have been doing something right to earn Sun's repeat bookings again and again, all these years!
It has been an amazing ride to be Sun's official tradeshow spokesperson and magician. During the ramp-up of the famous "dot-com" boom in the early 90's, with the internet "information" explosion, along the technology stock "bubble" and "bust", and then back-up the IT-ladder in the 00's... And today, even with the looming acquisition of Sun by Oracle, Corporate-Fx has brought the fun, the excitement and the "buzz" to the tradeshow floor with brand new illusions and eager crowds chalanging us to out-do the spectacular of the last year's performance... And you can ask anyone, we always have!
I hope to see YOU at OOW, 2010. Mark your calendars for September 19th-23rd in San Francisco again!
2010 brings a whole new decade of optimism, renewal and hope... As our economy bounces back and business return to growth, I hope to see you on the road and at a tradeshow real soon! Make sure to stop by and say hello!
Until then, Happy New Year and so long '00's!
Sincerely,
Scott Tokar
Corporate-Fx, Tradeshow Magic Group
Really? A decade from hell? Even in our worst economy since the great depression, looking back, this past year wasn't all bad...
Sure, we lost some good friends and clients to mergers, acquisitions and failures, but we also added several brand-new clients and members to our tradseshow magic group!
In December, all of the news organizations share highlights from "the year that was", I thought Corporate-Fx should do the same for OUR year...
The good news is that 2010 is pre-booking fast, and looking WAY better than the last year for the entire tradeshow industry.
Stay tuned in '10! Because there are some SUPER EXCITING projects from Corporate-Fx in 2010 coming to life in our first quarter...
CES 2009 "Demos that rock"
January, (Las Vegas): We did it once again! Even the trade publications listed the SanDisk Consumer Electronics Show "Theater-Style" magic presentation the "Super-Star of the South Hall".
Tech-EM said "If you're a CES regular, you'll recognize SanDisk's perennial presenter and magician, Scott Tokar. His show expertly blends improv comedy, impressive magic tricks, audience participation, product points and an easygoing, everyman appeal into a seamless 30-minute shot of entertainment."
Just look at that crowd! It speaks for itself...
Record crowds at HIMMS for Cisco!
April, (Chicago): Cisco's Healthcare magic presentation concluded this year with an escape from within a locked steel box on the tradeshow floor. Corporate-Fx explained how Cisco helps hospitals around the world "escape" the typical limitations of communications and information technology within the privacy regulations of HIPPA compliance.
Best of all, Cisco loved the show so much they asked to book the 2010 HIMSS show right there on the spot!
See you in Atlanta March 1st-3rd, 2010!
16 years of Sun Microsystems Magic!
October, (San Francisco): This year marked our 16th consecutive year at Oracle Open World with Sun Microsystems! The Corporate-Fx Magic Group must have been doing something right to earn Sun's repeat bookings again and again, all these years!
It has been an amazing ride to be Sun's official tradeshow spokesperson and magician. During the ramp-up of the famous "dot-com" boom in the early 90's, with the internet "information" explosion, along the technology stock "bubble" and "bust", and then back-up the IT-ladder in the 00's... And today, even with the looming acquisition of Sun by Oracle, Corporate-Fx has brought the fun, the excitement and the "buzz" to the tradeshow floor with brand new illusions and eager crowds chalanging us to out-do the spectacular of the last year's performance... And you can ask anyone, we always have!
I hope to see YOU at OOW, 2010. Mark your calendars for September 19th-23rd in San Francisco again!
2010 brings a whole new decade of optimism, renewal and hope... As our economy bounces back and business return to growth, I hope to see you on the road and at a tradeshow real soon! Make sure to stop by and say hello!
Until then, Happy New Year and so long '00's!
Sincerely,
Scott Tokar
Corporate-Fx, Tradeshow Magic Group
Campus Management at Educause Denver.
Tue, Nov 10 2009 08:09
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Last week I had the pleasure once again to work with Campus Management Corporation at EDUCAUSE 2009 in Denver. This was Corporate-Fx's third convention with them this year.
"EDUCAUSE 2009 was an exceptionally strong show for us, the best I’ve been a part of in the five years I’ve been here. We expect meaningful activity in every sales territory as a result. Scott, you drew a crowd each hour and during the last presentation before the close at 4:00PM, we had an unprecedented 60-70 people in the booth. The sales team reported 3 solid leads from just this one session and we exceeded our (expanded) lead goal by 15%, fantastic results!" - Patsy Canning, Corporate Event Manager for Campus Management.
Our goal was to perform a fun and educational "Theater-Style" tradeshow magic presentation and then turn the crowd over to the guest speaker on the stage for a more traditional (but well attended) industry talk.
Typically, a power-point driven "industry expert" type talk would only draw 8 to 10 attendees (with the promise/bribe of receiving a T-Shirt at the end of the talk). But, each time we started our show with trade show magic the entire exhibit was full with eager and attentive prospects! And a full exhibit with excited and eager prospects has a way of standing out on the tradeshow exhibit floor...
Oh shoot... Why am I trying to tell you this? Let me show you what our customer had to say to us in an email we received today!
And to top it all off, even the trade publications and bloggers were delighted with the crowd draw and reported it as the "Hottest exhibitor on the convention floor":
"Campus Management – having customers demo their live systems at the Campus Management booth was HOT. And even as the trade show floor was being broken down, it was standing room only for Campus Management's presentation “Managing Your Brand Using Social Media”. - From edu1world.org Market Pulse.
w00t! Campus Management Corp. at NACAC
Wed, Sep 30 2009 01:33
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w00t! ~ a commonly used word on the internet. It's used to express joy during success or victory, or to indicate that you've found something.
This week, at NACAC (The National Association for College Admission Counseling) conference in Baltimore, Campus Management Corp used the word w00t for the first time!
The first day included the evening cocktail hour on the tradeshow floor, and by the time the hall closed, CMC had exceeded the expected lead count for the entire show!
NACAC is the type of tradeshow where one quality sales lead could make the show a success. And once again CMC exceeded their expectations on-site!
What a great sales team to work with, and what an awesome product for higher education institutions!
To learn more stop by and see me perform with CMC at Educase See the CMC website at http://www.campusmanagement.com
Customer feedback from Amsterdam
Sat, Sep 26 2009 11:40
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Kudos...It's always nice to hear "Great job" right after a show... But, I always wonder if the complement was said in the heat of the moment after being amazed by a magic trick or if it was truly deserved in the long-run.
Well, one full week after the show I just received these wonderful snippets in an email from Alex Kostenko, the Events Manager for Isilion Systems... Talk about Kudos, I'm blushing!
"The show was slower this year due to the economy, but the traffic at our booth has never been busier, thanks to your incredible magic!...We are more than halfway to reaching our lead goal for the entire show just after the FIRST DAY of the event! and ...You make my job so much more easier and fun and you make me look good!"
There are only so many ways I can tell a potential customer that Corporate-Fx works... And, it always sounds like we are "blowing our own horn" especially when we say it about ourselves... I just thought it would be nice to share with you the feedback from a real customer!
Thanks Isilon! I look forward to working with you again too! (You totally made my day)!
Scott Tokar
Corporate Fx
European audiences know how to appreciate trade show magic!
Tue, Sep 22 2009 10:24
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I just returned from Amsterdam last week where I was performing for Isilon Systems at the IBC (Broadcasting) convention. And I must say, I simply love the European audiences!
Sure, magic attracts big crowds in the USA, but in Europe my crowds are HUGE!
Maybe it's because my style of tradeshow magic is so unique there... Or perhaps it's my American accent... I'm not sure, but I can report that the IBC attendees truly love magic, and they stayed in the Isilon exhibit to savor the entire experience (sales pitch and all)! In fact, EVERY exhibitor that saw me perform asked me for my business card... WOW, I'd love to see that in the US!
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Question: Have you ever sat through a 3 hour French dinner? Had time to savor every morsel and enjoyed the company you are with? Well, this is the way my magic was received at the IBC tradefair! AWESOME! Did I say I LOVE European audiences?
The best part of MY experience??? Isilon promptly ordered desert (they immediately booked me for their next tradeshow)! Sweet!
Pack up those playing cards, because now I'm off to Baltimore, MD for my next show! The NACAC for Campus Management Systems!
Scott
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