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Functions
Sextant Communications
operates as a unique multi-dimensional marketing consultancy, the only company offering a complete range of exhibit and event marketing
consulting services owned and managed by Certified Managers of Exhibits (CMEs). Within the scope of the event and exhibit
marketing arena, it provides the following services:
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Consulting in the strategic planning of
event or exhibition marketing
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Exhibitor education and staff training
services in the exhibition marketing field
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Strategic
and tactical planning of operations and booth logistics
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Product
positioning
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Message
development
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Graphics
development
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Collateral
development
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Implementation
of operations plan
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Post
show reviews and critiques
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Strategic
development of show usage
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Rent
vs. buy options for acquisition of capital and expensed property and disposables items
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Extraterrestrial
activities (i.e. celebrity events, golf outings, etc)
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One
stop shopping
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Training
programs for booth staff people and managers
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Pre-show
promotion programs
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Exhibit
management computer software consulting and design
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Pre-
and post-show customer surveys
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Comprehensive
lead tracking and follow-up services
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The company serves two
exhibition market segments. First, it works with corporate clients. Second, it works
with association and for-profit exhibition producers. In this second context its
role is developing educational programs for participating exhibitors, essentially their
smaller company exhibitors that can not afford individual consulting services.
Most of the company's
work has been domestic, but programs have been developed and delivered world wide and for
USA companies using exhibits in international exhibit
marketing.
Scope
Within the constraints of
its market niche, Sextant provides full services. These
include:
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Analysis of current corporate exhibit marketing
practices and development of recommendations for flash-cut or gradual changes to maximize
return on exhibiting investments. This work
often includes interviews with corporate division managers as well as with corporate
marketing. The results impact on the overall
work process and establishment of evaluation systems of benefit in making participation
determinations. This work covers a vast
array, right down to providing new lead forms, work forms, forms management and other
support materials, including the drawing up of design requirements papers used in requests
for proposal for exhibit design and fabrication bids.
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Evaluation of trade show participation, especially
in context with the degree to which a company or each division should participate at
individual events. Often this requires
matching research to generate data on audience interests, comparing that with
product/division sales goals.
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Development, production and
delivery of training programs. For the most part these programs fall into one of
two categories: booth staff personnel training and management training on the work process
itself. Both initial and continuation
training programs are provided, including work forms for future use. In some cases we have also produced these programs
in video and audio tape formats, with supporting materials.
Continuation training includes provision of "train the trainer" programs,
with materials for internal use, and private label newsletter writing and production. The firm has also produced entire exhibit
marketing symposia, including outside speakers and logistics.
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Consulting and, if needed,
design of computer systems required in exhibit
management, including logistics management, budget administration, project tracking, lead
administration and results reporting, as well as field operations, with communications
from the show site to the home computer. For
the most part these systems are created to blend into existing corporate systems.
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Comprehensive market research and lead tracking and follow-up. This includes the design and implementation of
survey questionnaires, post-show lead data input with telephone follow-up and mail
fulfillment. Extensive reports are provided
on a consistent basis, determined in conjunction with the client.
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Recommendations on outside sources for specific products and services not
provided by Sextant Communications. These
include exhibit designers, producers, freight management, independent labor contractors on
site, plant and floral contractors, private meeting set designers, audio and video
producers and international logistics management. To
the extent that it is appropriate, we can suggest vendors on a geographic basis. In most cases clients work directly with vendors
suggested, but if needed we can operate as packager or facilitator.
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For a sample of references,
click on client list
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Outreach
Margit Weisgal and Edward Chapman, two of Sextant’s founders, are experts who have
written the leading books in the industry that help you do it yourself. Chapman’s
book, now in its second edition, was published by McGraw-Hill. Weisgal’s book,
originally published a division of the American Management Association, is a current best
seller in the field and is now available in paperback. Click on "Trade Books."
They are regular contributors to industry publications. Margit and Ed co-authored the
"Advanced Trade Show Skills" column in Ideas, the journal of the Trade Show Exhibitors
Association. Chapman writes "The Corner Office" column in Exhibit Builder
Magazine. A selection of these columns, organized by subject, is available on this
site. Click on "Published Columns."
People
Sextant’s personnel
are the only consultants in the exhibit consulting field who have done the job they teach. Each of the principals has created, managed and
run exhibit marketing programs prior to joining Sextant.
Thus, they bring hands-on experience and expertise for their clients’ benefit. Some are Certified Managers of Exhibits through
the Trade Show Exhibitors Association and are the only accredited consultants and
trainers.
Margit B. Weisgal,
CME (Baltimore, Maryland)
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The
firm’s president, Margit B. Weisgal, CME, has
been an entrepreneur most of her career, owning a sales promotion firm prior to joining
Sextant. She is a national award winner for
her pre-show promotion programs and 5-time winner of speaker-of-the-year honors from the
Promotional Products Association International (PPAI).
Listed in the National Who’s Who in
Executives and Professionals, Ms. Weisgal delivers many of Sextant's live educational
programs and leads our consulting team. She
writes numerous articles, is quoted in mainstream publications such as Business Week, and her book, Show and
Sell: 133 Business Building Ways to Promote Your Trade Show Exhibit, is now available
in paperback. She is a Senior Adjunct Professor of
Marketing and Management at the University of Baltimore and is Coordinator of the
Entrepreneurship Program at Maryland Institute College of Art. |
| Thomas E. Fitzgerald CME (Palm Springs, California) |
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Thomas E. Fitzgerald,
CME, former Chairman of the Board for the Trade Show Exhibitors Association, does
strategic planning. He began his career in
the field of commercial electronics. From
1956-1975 he had various engineering assignments during his service in the USAF and then
with Philco-Ford Corp., RCA, and Memorex. In
1975 he entered marketing communications with Memorex as Manager of Operations for
Marketing Services, responsible for all trade shows, customer events and sales incentive
programs for the company. In 1978 he formed
Focus Communications Group, a marketing services supplier to the growing businesses in
Silicon Valley. As the company grew, he
served as Senior Vice President of Operations, President, and Chairman of the Board. It was acquired in 1983.
Until 1998 he was with Amdahl Corporation in various
marketing communications positions with total responsibility for their national and
international trade shows and all special events. Tom’s
strengths are in strategic planning and tactical execution of special events marketing,
and sales. He, too, brings a strong network
as well as West Coast presence. |
| Micky Morgan (Princeton, New
Jersey) |
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Micky Morgan wears many hats at Sextant, among
them our business manager. She has been in sales and marketing for over 20
years, responsible for new client development, account management, and meeting sales and
marketing objectives for a variety of companies in the B2B arena. Micky is the developer of the Relationship
Builder™ system of new business development and the inventor of a patented invention
pertaining to effective online story-telling tools. Expert in the area of business development
and the development of new business relationships, Micky is an entrepreneur at heart -
researching and developing new business strategies, alliances and business plans. She most recently spent nine years in Web-based
marketing, developing systems for lead generation that result in qualified leads for
consultative sales. Her specific areas of
expertise include: business development; new
product definition; product development and positioning; business plan development;
marketing development; trade show planning consultation; and exhibit sales. Micky brings a well-rounded 21st
century approach and perspective that keeps our clients moving forward with innovation and
business growth. |
Method
Each of these people posses solid skills in all of the disciplines.
However, each has individual strengths. Regardless of who you talk to they share client
problems and collectively create solutions.
Margit Weisgal acts as the company’s primary contact. She is the
key speaker and trainer. Tom Fitzgerald’s emphasis is in analysis and strategic
planning, process management, design, graphics, production and field management. In
addition, we have experts in fact finding, analysis, launch and strategic planning.
Email
Contact Margit Weisgal:
Phone: 240-472-4420 Fax: 530-504-7437
E-mail: margit@sextantgroup.com
Or click here for Contacting Sextant to send formatted Email
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