Think like Disney.

There was never a greater promoter than Walt Disney. Everything he touched turned exciting, colorful, and was bursting with energy. The Disney legacy continues as Disney Corporation dazzles and entertains millions with its products, parks, and superb customer service.

What does Disney do that every trade show organizer should emulate? Disney injects a show business mentality into everything it does by creating an image that makes people smile and lets them know they're in for a first-class experience. Disney employees undergo rigorous customer service training and are famous for their courtesy, cheerfulness, and problem-solving skills.

So when planning your pre-show marketing strategies, remember to think like Disney. Everything you do to promote and implement your show must be first-class, creative, and professional. Train your show employees to provide enthusiastic and helpful customer service. Unpleasant experiences with trade show employees can ruin show biz experience you've worked hard to create.

Make your trade shows interactive.

When people manipulate objects they often form an attachment to them. They get an idea of how products work and are more excited about possibility of buying them. Thus, advise your exhibitors to set up audio-visual displays that attendees can easily operate -- they will feel like they are part of show experience as they connect with your products.

Put Internet to work for you.

You can interact with potential exhibitors and attendees through Internet, both in your pre-show marketing and during show. Experts believe that virtually all trade shows will incorporate Internet into their marketing strategies in near future.

At very least, you should have a professionally designed Web site that provides information about your show, allowing consumers to easily find out as much about your event as possible. Today's techno-savvy consumers are instantly turned off by Web sites that aren't interesting, easy to access, and informative.

Make your shows unforgettable experiences.

You can find ads like above everywhere--on telephone poles, in your newspaper, on television and on Internet. While you may find these ads appealing, proceed with caution. Not all work-at-home business opportunities deliver on their promises.

And its been our experience that nearly all of them are scams!

Countless work-at-home schemes require you to spend your own money to place newspaper ads; make photocopies; or buy envelopes, paper, stamps, and other supplies or equipment you need to do job. The companies sponsoring ads may also demand that you pay for instructions or "tutorial" software. Consumers deceived by these ads have lost thousands of dollars, in addition to their time and energy.

Here are examples of several types of classic work-at-home schemes:

1. Medical billing: Ads for pre-packaged businesses--known as billing centers--are in newspapers, on television and on Internet. If you respond, you'll get a sales pitch that may sound something like this:

"There's a severe crisis in health care system, due partly to overwhelming task of processing paper claims. The solution is electronic claim processing. Because only a small percentage of claims are transmitted electronically, market for billing centers is wide open!"

The promoter may also tell you that many doctors who process claims electronically want to outsource or contract out their billing services to save money. Promoters will promise that you can earn a substantial income working full or part- time, providing services like billing, accounts receivable, electronic insurance claim processing and practice management to doctors and dentists.

They also may assure you that no experience is necessary-- that they will provide clients eager to buy your services or that their qualified salespeople will find clients for you.

The truth: You will have to sell! These scam artists rarely provide experienced sales staff or contacts within medical community.

The promoter will follow up by sending you materials that typically include a brochure, application, sample diskettes, a contract (licensing agreement), disclosure document, and in some cases, testimonial letters, videocassettes and reference lists. For your investment of $2,000 to $8,000, a promoter will promise software, training and technical support.

And company will encourage you to call its references. Make sure you get many names from which to chose. If only one or two names are given, they're probably "shills"-- individuals hired to give bogus testimonials.

If at all possible, it's best to interview people in person, preferably where business operates, to reduce your risk of being mislead by shills and also to get a better sense of how business works.

Very few consumers who purchase a medical billing business opportunity are able to find clients, start a business and generate revenues--let alone recover their investment and earn a substantial income. Competition in medical billing market is fierce and revolves around a number of large and well-established firms.

2. Envelope stuffing: Promoters usually advertise that, for a small fee, they will tell you how to earn money stuffing envelopes at home. Later, when it's too late, you find out that promoter never had any employment to offer.