ow long? The American made displays are still the highest quality of the portable products. If it is foreign made, who’s American made product did they copy?

2. How does it set up? If they can describe the set-up process accurately they probably know their product line. How long does it take and what tools are required? The

Portable tradeshow display sales, up until about 3 years ago, involved a sales person representing a tradeshow display manufacturer bringing a portable display to your place of business. He would spend about 1 hour showing how the display sets up, tears down and discussing the types of graphics options you have, among other tradeshow related information. With the advent of the internet, as well as the natural maturation of the popup display product, the "sales demo" has become a thing of the past.

The internet has allowed about anyone to become a distributor of somone's cheap, foreign-made portable tradeshow display. This is not all bad because the cost of displays is now about 1/3 of what they were in the days of the “sales demo.” Now you either order using a secure server over the web, or call an 800 number to talk to an expert about their best priced product.

Here's the rub. If you've had experience with this you'll know the salesman is making everything up fairly quickly. If you've never done this before you won't be able to tell truth from the baloney.

Here are a few quick questions to ask, and answers that will let you know fairly quickly whether you want to take a chance with the company you’ve contacted.

1. Where is the product made? If it is in the USA, by whom, and for how long? The American made displays are still the highest quality of the portable products. If it is foreign made, who’s American made product did they copy?

2. How does it set up? If they can describe the set-up process accurately they probably know their product line. How long does it take and what tools are required? They

show related information. With the advent of the internet, as well as the natural maturation of the popup display product, the "sales demo" has become a thing of the past.

The internet has allowed about anyone to become a distributor of somone's cheap, foreign-made portable tradeshow display. This is not all bad because the cost of displays is now about 1/3 of what they were in the days of the “sales demo.” Now you either order using a secure server over the web, or call an 800 number to talk to an expert about their best priced product.

Here's the rub. If you've had experience with this you'll know the salesman is making everything up fairly quickly. If you've never done this before you won't be able to tell truth from the baloney.

Here are a few quick questions to ask, and answers that will let you know fairly quickly whether you want to take a chance with the company you’ve contacted.

1. Where is the product made? If it is in the USA, by whom, and for how long? The American made displays are still the highest quality of the portable products. If it is foreign made, who’s American made product did they copy?

2. How does it set up? If they can describe the set-up process accurately they probably know their product line. How long does it take and what tools are required? The

cost of displays is now about 1/3 of what they were in the days of the “sales demo.” Now you either order using a secure server over the web, or call an 800 number to talk to an expert about their best priced product.

Here's the rub. If you've had experience with this you'll know the salesman is making everything up fairly quickly. If you've never done this before you won't be able to tell truth from the baloney.

Here are a few quick questions to ask, and answers that will let you know fairly quickly whether you want to take a chance with the company you’ve contacted.

1. Where is the product made? If it is in the USA, by whom, and for how long? The American made displays are still the highest quality of the portable products. If it is foreign made, who’s American made product did they copy?

2. How does it set up? If they can describe the set-up process accurately they probably know their product line. How long does it take and what tools are required? The

quickly. If you've never done this before you won't be able to tell truth from the baloney.

Here are a few quick questions to ask, and answers that will let you know fairly quickly whether you want to take a chance with the company you’ve contacted.

1. Where is the product made? If it is in the USA, by whom, and for how long? The American made displays are still the highest quality of the portable products. If it is foreign made, who’s American made product did they copy?

2. How does it set up? If they can describe the set-up process accurately they probably know their product line. How long does it take and what tools are required? The

ow long? The American made displays are still the highest quality of the portable products. If it is foreign made, who’s American made product did they copy?

2. How does it set up? If they can describe the set-up process accurately they probably know their product line. How long does it take and what tools are required? They should have had experience setting it up and know this.

3. What are the components of the product made out of ? Once again, if they know this they probably know the display market in general. If their product is more expensive, it is usually in the quality of the components, which they should know. They should also know why one type of material is better than another in the tradeshow environment.

4. What competitive products are out there to compare to? If they don’t know their competition, than how can they know theirs is the best?

5. What is the warranty? How does it compare SPECIFICALLY with competitor’s warranties?6. How many shows have they attended, what is their experience in the tradeshow industry?7. Who are their customers? This is very important, as their customer base will tell you a lot about their success. HOW LONG HAVE THEY BEEN IN BUSINESS? (Which is perhaps the most important question of all.)