Since 1988, we have produced over 250 consumer and trade shows: mall bridal and home shows, home, health & recreation shows, sports & vacation shows, craft shows, business & franchise shows, wine festivals, and other shows-- specializing in bridal shows, home improvement shows, and a business conference.

Our previous show, the North Texas Home Improvement Show was held at the Dallas Convention Center from 1990 through 1998 - nine years. We had built it to 250,000 square feet with 17,000 paid adults attending. After selling the show, the new company dropped it after two years. We had a non-compete for a few years, and I bought out my partner during that time. The home improvement shows and the bridal shows are the events that I really love and put my heart and soul in.

Currently, the Dallas Bridal Show and the Plano Bridal Show are in their 21^st year in 2010, and the Fort Worth Bridal Show is in its 13^th year in 2010. The Dallas Bridal Show is the third largest bridal show in the United States. The bridal shows are a different challenge--we have to advertise to a new bride every show.

We have learned so many things over the years -the most important being how to advertise in this market, who to buy, how to buy, etc. Our media relationships for these last 20 plus years has been very instrumental in the success of our shows. We guarantee an extensive marketing campaign for each of the shows.

The marketing avenues that we utilize for our consumer shows are; billboards, television, radio, media promotions, newspaper, websites, publications, press releases, email blasts, and more.

Some of the ways our company helps in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex is our Business Conference and the Exhibiting 101 seminar, along with mentoring many companies.

We want all companies to do well in any and all shows they participate in. We are already seeing some positive healthy competition because we are back in the market with the Home Improvement Show.

We really care and are here to help you build your business, whether you exhibit in our shows or other shows.

I am personally very excited to be back in the home improvement show business and have real passion for everything I do. My team and I will always do our best to do the right job in producing the best quality show for you so that you have the best opportunity to do great business from the shows. Let us know if you ever have any questions or concerns. Thank you for welcoming us back.

According to Wikipedia, "Marketing (or advertising) is the process by which companies advertise products or services to potential customers.

Another definition in Sales & Marketing-Five Books for Business is "Marketing is the art and science of selling to more people than you can talk to personally."

Ask yourself this question - What am I trying to accomplish? Think through this real careful in every way possible. When you love what you do, your goals and strategies will turn into the right actions because it is always on your mind and you are excited about everything. Your marketing efforts today will determine the outcome next week and next month.

There are so many important topics that are part of the marketing package. Some of those topics include: advertising, sales, quality, ethics, growth, cutting costs, profits, being organized, planning, creativity, being open to change, research, competition, image, leadership, and many more.

Marketing is about bringing that unique value to others and showing them that you really care. You create a solution that helps others with options and choices for them. The value is not necessarily based on price, but about the uniqueness of your product or service.

I personally have seen so many companies go out of business in the last 22 years because they felt like they didn't have money left over to advertise with. It seemed that they made everything else the priority. If you don't market your company and keep your name out there, you won't have anything left to market. Do something!

There are many ways to advertise your product or service. Pick the top four avenues that you feel confident about and work smart to perfect those as much as possible. Give them all some time. A one-shot marketing effort does not bring satisfactory results. Follow-up, Follow-up, Follow-up. Follow-up is one the main keys to smart marketing. Track your results with each of these avenues so that you know what is working. Then you can either change or add to as needed and as profits continue to increase.

Relationships make the different in everything you do. Even though you can't please everyone, do your best to build those connections that matter and do what you say you are going to do.

When you commit to the whole package of marketing, new opportunities will continue to be available which will bring new ideas out in the open. Have a plan, be flexible for change, and never stop trying. Marketing is a continual process that takes a lot of time and energy to stay on top of--Keep it alive!

Some people make marketing more complicated than it is. It's really very simple.

Smart marketing will equal profitable results.

Naomi Hulme, CEM

President and CEO