Corporate-Fx, Tradeshow Magic Group

The FIRST large tradeshow POST-COVID - My observations, Scott Tokar

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 23 Jun 2021 18:23:00 +0000

Tradeshows are back Post-COVID, a report.

This month's World of Concrete in Las Vegas was the FIRST major tradeshow Post-COVID-19... And, the Corporate-Fx tradeshow Magic Group was there!

Watch the YouTube Video HERE
The attendees were excited to engage and participate in the magic
WITHOUT masks or social distancing!

My observations from the floor - NO FEAR.

● Being from California myself (one of the most restrictive states), I was STUNNED to see only 1% of the crowd wearing masks at the tradeshow.

● The attendees were NOT CONCERNED about hand-shakes or social distancing. it was like we all woke-up from a 15 month nap and returned to business as usual.

● There were ZERO clear plastic "sneeze guard" barriers between booth-staffers and customers. The show aisles were wider than usual but this just gave MY CROWDS more room to congregate.

● The audiences WANTED to engage and participate. The Tradeshow Magic was more than a booth attraction, it was a welcome escape, a celebration of LIVE interaction!

● One booth near us brought MASK and HAND SANITIZER give-aways, but embarrassingly put them away after day one. No one wanted them and found them as almost an offensive reminder of the past 15 months. LESSON: Just bring the usual give-aways, instead.

● The show organizer had implemented a non-invasive temperature scanning camera at the hall entrance. No one was denied entry to the show and, apart from a few secondary temperature checks, and there were ZERO interventions for sick individuals due to COVID.

● NO BADGES = Difficult qualifying = EPIC FAIL. Entry to the show was via barcodes on cellphones with no badging to be seen. This was a terrible idea that was inconvenient for the booth staffers and actually required MORE face-to-face interaction to obtain a lead scan. Furthermore, it was impossible to easily distinguish fellow exhibitors from buyers.

● The companies that DIDN'T show-up were visibly absent and the attendees took notice. This is the new ROARING '20's. This is the moment to be SEEN... don't lose your marketing momentum to the competition.

● One exhibit next to ours was attempting to use a HYBRID Zoom/Live sales staffing approach. This was notably ineffective and almost resented (laughed at) by the prospects. If YOU can't be there in person to talk with someone who made the trip themselves, in-person, your booth will look out of touch...

For more information about Tradeshow Magic and Corporate-Fx

please visit our website at www.CorporateFx.com

A NEW Tradeshow Magic - Guinness World Record!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 07 Sep 2018 02:05:00 +0000

The farthest teleportation illusion was achieved by Corteva Agriscience, A Division of DowDuPont & Tradeshow Magician, Scott Tokar (both USA) in Boone, Iowa, at the Farm Progress Tradeshow on 28 August 2018.

Tradeshow Magician Scott Tokar not only helped to attract record-sized crowds to the DowDuPont exhibits at last week's Farm Progress Show, but he was also able to gain record-setting "buzz" and publicity surrounding the 2018 Dow-DuPont merger with the Corteva and Pioneer Seed brand names.

This was a unique way to help explain the recent Dow-DuPont merger, to introduce the new "Corteva" brand name to the farming community, and to highlight the two distinct exhibit properties at the show. Plus, it helped to highlight the "record yield" properties of Pioneer Seed and the Corteva crop protection products.

To read more, check out this news article from AgriMarketing.com (CLICK HERE)

Video! Infor #Tradeshow Magic at HIMSS '18

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 16 Mar 2018 18:25:00 +0000

Just posted! New tradeshow magic performance video by Scott Tokar of Corporate-Fx for Infor Corporation at the HIMSS 2018 conference in Las Vegas, NV.

"Infor is pleased that at HIMSS'18 we exceeded our goal of scans, with the help and no doubt due to Scott Tokar and Corporate-Fx".

SEE IT FOR YOURSELF, “Theater-Style” tradeshow magic video from the recent HIMSS 2018 convention in Las Vegas with Infor.

Learn more about our "Theater-Style" presentations in your exhibit here: http://corporatefx.com/Theater-Style.html

Now a "team" of seventeen! Corporate-Fx is still growing!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 05 Feb 2018 21:31:00 +0000

The vetted tradeshow magicians of Corporate-Fx reflect the statistics of the convention marketplace today.

Tradeshows, in general, are growing in 2018. More floor space, increasing numbers of exhibitors and higher attendance across a larger number of successful tradeshows is the trend.

According to statista.com, 29% of companies budgeted an increase in tradeshow spending last year... And if early bookings are any indication of growth in 2018, we are headed for another record-breaking year again.

(see goo.gl/KuzBUL)

Just as Tradeshows are growing, so is the Corporate-Fx Tradeshow Magic Team...

Corporate-Fx is now 17 magicians strong, and growing! When the Corporate-Fx CEO, Scott Tokar first introduced the tradeshow magic "team" concept in 1992 his goal was to provide CONSISTENCY in not only the magic performance quality, but in the MESSAGING and professionalism as well.

Back in the 1990's exhibitors struggled with the ability to find trained, professional tradeshow magicians. The main issue is that just about every local magician loves to claim that they are "tradeshow magicians" as well, and that they are "experienced" in the corporate exhibitor environment (even if they are not).

Truth-be-told, there is a HUGE difference between a "birthday party" magician and a "tradeshow magician", and back when we started there was no way of vetting the amateur from the full-time professional for an exhibit manager, they just had to trust their gut and hope not to be "fooled" by the clever marketing of every magician on the web.

By putting his reputation on-the-line, Scott Tokar took the risk that no one else was willing to do; he guaranteed that all of the magicians that were added to the Corporate-Fx banner-head would maintain the same high-quality standards, and represent each client with the class and professionalism that Fortune 500 companies expected from other marketing firms.

The tradeshow magicians at Corporate-Fx dress the part, speak on-script, present with authority, and represent the exhibitors with such skill that the magicians are commonly mistaken as a full-time sales staffers from the exhibiting companies themselves.

Fast forward to 2018... Corporate-Fx is growing, and we still strive to deliver the same high-quality vetted tradeshow magicians that lead to our growth up to this point... YOU, the exhibitor can still confidently trust in the consistency that only our tradeshow magic team can deliver...

So, now we are at 17 magicians, and we are looking for our 18th, but we will not add the next magician member until we can guarantee the same quality and professionalism that has gotten us here, to this point of success so far...

Oh, and please remember to welcome our NEWEST members to the Corporate-Fx team:

360° VR Tradeshow Magic Performance Video

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 01 Feb 2018 18:13:00 +0000

Corporate-Fx releases the first ever 360° VR tradeshow magic video on YouTube VR.

There is no special equipment necessary to view the interactive performance video, it’s viewable in any web browser or through the YouTube mobile apps for iOS and Android. For the BEST immersive experience, watch with headphones using your mobile device and Google Cardboard, Daydream View, Oculus Rift, or PlayStation VR.

You, the viewer, can use the embedded control icon to move the screen 360°, and the mobile VR experience gets even better as iOS and Android devices allow you to pan through the scenes just by rotating your device in-front of you!

The video was recorded last week in Las Vegas at the World of Concrete tradeshow with GPS Insight. Filmed live, in the booth on a Samsung Gear 360° camera and edited with the newest software from Apple in Final Cut Pro, this is amazing new technology that allows the viewer to actually be there, in the crowd, during one of Scott Tokar’s “aisle-view” tradeshow magic demonstrations.

You can experience the show for yourself on YouTube VR here: https://youtu.be/zkgJuYfn904

NEW - Searchable “Tradeshow Calendar” resource from Corporate-Fx.

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 01 Feb 2018 17:37:00 +0000

If you have ever tried to find new exhibiting opportunities in YOUR specific target market, you know how difficult it can be trying to use a search engine like Google to find new shows.

Corporate-Fx has recently partnered with B2B Communications to sponsor and host the definitive, searchable guide to tradeshows, trade-fairs and expositions worldwide.

Users may now search the “Corporate-Fx Tradeshow Calendar” by industry, region, city, date, number of exhibiting companies, net square feet of floor space, and year (currently through 2021). The calendar currently defaults to shows in the United States, but to expand the usability there is even a pull-down menu allowing the user to search 95 different countries from Algeria to Zimbabwe…

There are a total of 88 individual industrial categories including aerospace, agriculture, construction, computers, education, telecommunications, safety and wire, just to name a few.

The results of each calendar search deliver click-able links to official tradeshow websites and statistics including each organizers’ show sites so the user can see each show’s prospectus and marketing efforts for the coming years.

Hopefully, this new resource will become invaluable to our Corporate-Fx customers as they navigate through the maze of exhibition possibilities in the future.

You can directly visit this resource by clicking on the calendar icon on the CorporateFx.com front-page, or by visiting: http://www.corporatefx.com/calendar.html

Corporate-Fx welcomes tradeshow magician, Joe Skilton to the group...

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 17 Jan 2018 19:37:00 +0000

There are a few fresh new faces on the Corporate-Fx tradeshow magic group team.

Please welcome tradeshow magician, Joe Skilton...

Tradeshow Magician, Joe Skilton

Joe Skilton is an award-winning magician based in Los Angeles. He entertains at functions throughout Southern California, and at corporate events and trade shows nationwide.

Joe has been a full-time professional for over ten years. His world-class magic, charming style, and easy-going nature have made him one of the most in-demand magicians in Southern California.

There are a lot of ways to bring people to your booth, but without a doubt, Joe can attract crowds, deliver your message, and prequalify leads all while generating buzz and excitement.

Joe performs amazing trade show magic that will stop traffic at your booth. Once the crowd is gathered, Joe weaves your marketing message into his act. When the magic is over, you’ll see people come into your booth who genuinely want to learn more about doing business with your company.

Prior to becoming a full-time corporate magician, Joe Skilton worked at two world-renowned advertising agencies and spent three years in business-to-business sales.

To learn more about Joe Skilton, please visit: www.corporatefx.com/Joe_Skilton.html

Corporate-Fx adds tradeshow magician, Adam Wilber.

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 09 Jan 2018 00:04:00 +0000

There are a few fresh new faces on the Corporate-Fx tradeshow magic group team.

Please welcome tradeshow magician, Adam Wilber...

Tradeshow Magician, Adam Wilber

When Adam was six years old, he showed his first magic trick to his father and, at that moment, he knew that this was what he wanted to do for the rest of his life. That look of wonder and joy on his dad’s face triggered something in Adam that made him know, even at such a young age, that he was born to create, and perform, magic. Devoting not just his childhood, but his entire life, to the art of magic, Adam has become the GM of the most successful magic store of all time, www.Ellusionist.com and has gone on to create products, magic tricks, decks of playing cards, and illusions that are used by fellow magicians all over the world.

Recently Adam became part of a unique club of magicians that have FOOLED Penn & Teller on the CW Network's hit TV show Penn & Teller Fool-Us.

Adam FOOLED Penn & Teller in Season 4

Adam performs magic for the people who have seen it all. When you're looking to entertain people from all walks of life. There is no better way to do so then a high-quality magician & mentalist. Adam specializes in hard-hitting magic and mind reading all done with a comedic undertone to make certain that your guests are laughing from start to finish.

To learn more about Adam Wilber, please visit: http://www.corporatefx.com/Adam_Wilber.html

Leads to love...

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 03 Feb 2017 16:44:00 +0000

See, tradeshows can connect people and build meaningful relationships!

It is so wonderful to be a small part of this wonderful love story... Congratulations to Ryan Driscoll and Whitney on your up-comming July wedding.

A blog about #tradeshow blogs.

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 11 Jan 2017 19:13:00 +0000

There are many wonderful sources to keep up to date on the latest in the exhibiting and trade show world.

Here are a few of OUR favorite blogs and news sites:

First is our own "#Tradeshow Tricks Daily" http://paper.li/CorporateFx

Next is the industry favorite Exhibitor Magazine: http://www.exhibitoronline.com/news/

And TSNN: http://www.tsnn.com/blogs

There are also several industry supplier blogs too:

Iconic Displays: http://www.iconicdisplays.com/wp/

Skyline Displays: http://www.skylinetradeshowtips.com

Classic Exhibits: https://classicexhibits.com/tradeshow-blog/

Apple Rock: https://www.applerock.com/blog

And another from other related sources:

Tradeshow Insights: http://www.tradeshowinsights.com

Do YOU have a favorite blog? Let me know and I will add it to the list!

The "Fall" season of trade shows.

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 24 Aug 2016 11:00:00 +0000

As the kids go back to school, and Walmart starts the Halloween decorating, it can only mean one thing... fall is here. And, if you are an uninitiated tradeshow manager, I want to welcome you to the busy season 2016-V2.

Ok, I know the last couple of months have been slow... so slow that the dog day's of summer may have lulled us into a sense of order and calm. Some actually begin to imagine that the hectic scrambling of prepping for, exhibiting at and following up after trade shows has somehow "magically" melted away and we are all caught up...

Well, there is a reason the trade shows seem to ease in the summer... it is vacation season. The resorts fill-up with family travel, and it seems to be more difficult to get someone to attend any conference in the "traditional" convention cities. In summer, the heat and humidity in New Orleans, Orlando, Atlanta, Dallas are simply unbearable... And Las Vegas? Whew! It can get up-to 100 degrees AT NIGHT (115 degrees in the day)... So needless to say, attracting an audience to these locations can be difficult...

But now it is Fall... pumpkin spice everything, the color of the leaves, sweaters, candles, and cool air.... Ahhhhh.

But then there is also: CTIA, MINExpo, IBC, Farm Progress, RSNA, SEMA, Educause, NACS, FABTECH, Global Gaming, Graph Expo, and ASIS. Plus: Oracle OpenWorld, VMWorld, CEDIA, ISC East, AAPEX, and the International Lingerie Show-Las Vegas too (ok, so not all of them are difficult to exhibit at...)

In addition to the ramp up of the fall trade shows, I am already starting to book our Spring 2017 shows, and I will be out there on the road with all of my fellow tradeshow life friends... So, if we are lucky enough to bump into one another in the aisles please say hi and maybe I'll buy you a pumpkin spice latte...

The "Fall" season of trade shows.

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 24 Aug 2016 11:00:00 +0000

As the kids go back to school, and Walmart starts the Halloween decorating, it can only mean one thing... Fall is here. And, if you are an uninitiated tradeshow manager I want to welcome you to the busy season 2016-V2.

Ok, I know there were a few shows in the past couple of months here and there, but unfortunately the dog day's of Summer lulled us into a sense of order and calm. Some actually feel that the hectic scrambling of trade shows have somehow "magically" melted away and we are all caught up...

Well, there is a reason the trade shows seem to ease in the Summer and that is because traditionally it is vacation season. The resorts fill-up with family travel, and it seems to be more difficult to get someone to attend any conference in the "traditional" convention cities. In Summer the heat and humidity in New Orleans, Orlando, Atlanta, Dallas are simply unbearable... And Las Vegas? Whew! It can get up-to 100 degrees AT NIGHT (115 degrees in the day)... So needless to say, attracting an audience to these locations can be difficult...

But now it is Fall... The Pumpkin Spice Starbucks, the color of the leaves, sweaters, candles, and cool air.... Ahhhhh.

But then there is also: CTIA, MINExpo, IBC, Farm Progress, RSNA, SEMA, Educause, NACS, FABTECH, Global Gaming, Graph Expo, and ASIS.

It is tradeshow season again...

I don't mean to stress you but there is; Oracle OpenWorld, VMWorld, CEDIA, ISC East, AAPEX, and the International Lingerie Show-Las Vegas too (ok, so not all of them are difficult to exhibit at...)

Anyhow, can you believe I am just NOW starting to book our Spring 2017 shows, and I will be out there on the road with all of my fellow tradeshow life friends... So, if we are lucky enough to bump into one another in the aisles please say hi and maybe I'll buy you a Pumpkin Spice Latte...

Scott Tokar at The Magic Castle 2017.

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 23 Aug 2016 22:38:00 +0000

As is tradition, Corporate-Fx founder and magician, Scott Tokar, will be appearing at the World Famous Magic Castle in Hollywood, CA this year.

SAVE THE DATE(s) December 5th - 11th, 2017 for the "Late" Parlor of Prestidigitation.

Magician Scott Tokar at The Magic Castle in Hollywood, CA

The Parlour of Prestidigitation recreates the Victorian experience of the "parlour" (living room) magician. Two different performers appear each night Scott’s shows will be at 10:15PM, 11:15PM and then again at 12:30AM. Because of the size of this theater, it is recommended that you get in line at least one-half hour before your desired show.

The Magic Castle is the private clubhouse for the Academy of Magical Arts, Inc, a very special organization devoted to the advancement of the ancient art of magic. The purpose of The Academy is to encourage and promote public interest in the art of magic with particular emphasis on preserving its history as an art form, entertainment medium, and hobby. Beginning with a charter membership of 150, the Academy has grown into a world-renowned fraternal organization with a membership of nearly 5,000.

The Magic Castle IS a PRIVATE CLUB. But, do you want to know a "secret"? YOU HAVE CONNECTIONS! There are a limited number of spots on Scott Tokar's VIP list AND Scott also has a limited number of full-benifit "guest passes" to enter. IMPORTANT, there are strict rules and a dress code at The Magic Castle, and typically guest passes MUST pay a door charge and dine at the Magic Castle, Reservations for dinner are required, and it is suggested that you call at least several weeks in advance for week day reservations or at least six to eight weeks in advance for a Friday or Saturday evening...

Please contact Scott Tokar for details and guest passes...

How I read it, EXHIBITOR Magazine's 2016 Economic Outlook Survey.

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 11 Apr 2016 19:23:00 +0000

FACT: 83% of companies plan to maintain, and/or increase their tradeshow exhibit’s promotional activities this year (http://ow.ly/10xyro)…

There is no denying it, the US economy has been strengthening these past few years and the corporate meeting and tradeshow markets clearly reflect this. According to Kiplinger, the US GDP for 2016 will increase by 2.3%, and consumer spending will be the main engine for this growth (http://ow.ly/10xveD).

So, what does this mean to YOU, the tradeshow exhibitor in 2016? As the economy continues to grow, and other companies continue to increase their tradeshow marketing dollar to attract new sales, what will YOUR company do?

Did you know that 35% of the exhibitor’s budget is spent on booth space alone, with an additional 13% being spent on “show services”? This means that 48% of your tradeshow budget is spent on just physically being there on the tradeshow floor… But if everyone is spending the same percentage of the budget on “being there” what is the most cost effective way to stand-out and differentiate yourself from your competition in the marketplace?

Did you know that exhibit promotions make up only 6% of a company’s total spend on a tradeshow floor? According to the EXHIBITOR Magazine 2016 Economic Outlook Survey, 19% of the respondents have figured out that an increased spend in exhibit promotion may be the answer…

And the clincher in all these numbers, 13% of the respondents are looking forward to an increased tradeshow budget this year! So, it looks to us like the world of tradeshow exhibiting is in for another GREAT year!

Congressional Resolution 642, "Magic is art".

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 30 Mar 2016 12:30:00 +0000

Recognizing magic as a rare & valuable art form & national treasure.

Magic is an art form with a power and potential unlike any other. The purpose of Congressional Resolution 642 is to help preserve, protect, and promote the art of magic for generations to come - with equal artistic respect as dance, jazz, music, and film.

This resolution has nothing to do with government funding.

As a visual art, magic transcends any barrier of race, religion, or culture — and as an art form, it deserves the same respect as any other with a vibrant and diverse community of creators, performers, fans, and enthusiasts.

SIGN THE PETITION

Whereas magic has not been properly recognized as a great American art form, nor has it been accorded the institutional status on a national level commensurate with its value and importance;

Whereas there is not an effective national effort to support and preserve magic;

Whereas documentation and archival support required by such a great art form has yet to be systematically applied to the field of magic; and

Whereas it is in the best interest of the national welfare to preserve and celebrate the unique art form of magic: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the House of Representatives—

(1) recognizes magic as a rare and valuable art form and national treasure; and

(2) supports efforts to make certain that magic is preserved, understood, and promulgated.

Visit the website https://hr642.com to sign the petition.

Read HR642 for yourself here: https://www.congress.gov/bill/114th-congress/house-resolution/642/text

Scott Tokar, Tradeshow Magic podcast!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 29 Mar 2016 19:06:00 +0000

Have you ever wanted to pull the curtain back to see the "Wizard" in his real environment?

Well here is your personal invitation to see the wizard in his natural environment! This week Corporate-Fx founder, Scott Tokar is the featured guest on the Two Magicians. One Mic. podcast.

The audience for this podcast is actually other professional magicians, but Scott's subject matter is all trade shows and well worth the listen!

Direct Link:
http://twomagiciansonemic.podomatic.com/entry/2016-03-29T05_00_00-07_00

iTunes:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/two-magicians.-one-mic./id585938741?mt=2

SoundCloud:
https://soundcloud.com/twomagicianspodcast

Website:

www.twomagiciansonemic.com

ExhibitorLive round-up and review.

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 28 Mar 2016 18:56:00 +0000

We had a wonderful time this year at ExhibitorLive in Las Vegas! It is always great to catch-up with industry friends, clients and attendees. Definitely a great year!

One of our favorite visitors to stop by the Corporate-Fx exhibit this year was David Copperfield himself!

David Copperfield and Scott Tokar at the Corporate-Fx exhibit.

We tried to get him to join the Corporate-Fx tradeshow magic group but he declined, saying he was too busy with a hit magic show at the MGM Grand hotel, go figure… None the less, it was an honor and a privilege to say hi to a living legend in magic.

This year, Corporate-Fx founder, Scott Tokar had four classes at ExhibitorLive. And once again the reviews and response has been overwhelmingly positive.

Scott Tokar teaching tradeshow success at ExhibitorLive!

NEW this year was the ExhibitorLive Scavenger Hunt and Crowd-Sourced Success Lab. This two-part, peer-driven session was a hands-on lab. That allowed the participants to locate, photograph and share cutting-edge exhibiting techniques on the tradeshow floor itself.

We discussed and evaluated: Location strategies, booth graphics, design & layout, staffing, give-aways and traffic builders, booth size and Memorability, just to name a few topics.

Scavenger Hunt "finds"

Once again, for the fourth year running, Scott’s Booth Basics Boot Camp: Lessons from the Trade Show Floor class was almost SOLD OUT! The class explored the difference between “epic fail” and “total success” on the trade show floor? We discussed booth staff training and exhibitor etiquette, local, national and international differences in exhibiting, sales engagement techniques that help maximize lead counts, visual and physical barriers that restrict interaction with attendees and how to make your booth and brand memorable.

Bottom-line, the exhibit industry is in a new renaissance after the great recession. Attendance was up this year at Exhibitor Live just as we have seen across-the-board in every industry in the tradeshow world.

Here is to continued success in 2016 and beyond!

Introducing, Paul Gertner

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 25 Feb 2016 01:44:00 +0000

It is with the utmost respect and excitement that Corporate-Fx announces the addition of tradeshow magician, Paul Gertner to our corporate magic team!

Learn more at: http://www.corporatefx.com/Paul_Gertner.html

Paul Gertner, Corporate-Fx Tradeshow Magician

Paul Gertner – Magic Innovation Expert

Paul Gertner has stopped trade show traffic for over 1000+ clients, in 25 countries, for more than 35 years. Companies such as Pitney Bowes, Siemens, Westinghouse, Johnson & Johnson and Babcock & Wilcox have used trade show magician Paul Gertner to attract a crowd and deliver their corporate message. His ability to seamlessly weave your business message with his powerful sleight-of-hand magic have clients bringing Paul back again and again—some for 30 years in a row.

Paul Gertner is also recognized by his peers as one of the leading sleight-of-hand magicians in the world today. He has twice won the Close-Up Magician of the Year Award and Lecturer of the Year for his original inventions from the Magic Castle in Hollywood. Paul has appeared three times on NBC’s The Tonight Show, on NBC’s World’s Greatest Magic, HBO Magic Moments, on CBS, ABC’s That’s Incredible! and in shows and on television in over 25 different countries. His original magic has won First Place Awards at FISM (The Olympics of Magic),, First Place at International Brotherhood of Magicians, First Place at the Society of American Magicians, and First Place at The $10,000 Las Vegas Sleight-of-Hand Challenge winning the very first Siegfried & Roy Gold Lion Award. Paul has also consulted with David Copperfield and he was a personal magic teacher of the late television star Johnny Carson. Recently Paul received the very prestigious Melbourne Christopher Award for his lifetime contributions to magic throughout his career.

Paul also teaches magicians around the world and his book Steel & Silver and his DVD series are sought after by magicians for their original ideas. For keynote programs Paul’s innovative and critically acclaimed one-man theater show BRAINDROPS: Mind Reading, Magic & iPads, is a show about our addiction to technology in which all the magic is performed with iPads, iPhones and other devices. BRAINDROPS will make you Think…Twice!

For booking and more information please contact Booking@CorporateFx.com

NPR's Marketplace feature on tradeshow magician, Scott Tokar

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 06 Feb 2016 22:53:00 +0000

NEWS FLASH - Corporate-Fx founder, Scott Tokar was featured on NPR's Marketplace Morning Report by American Public Media on Friday February 5th, 2016.

As part of the series "Pro Tool", Marketplace looks for those must-have devices in any line of work, be it a pair of scissors, notebook, or bicycle.

The next item in the series? A deck of cards.

Professional: Scott Tokar, tradeshow magician.

Pro Tool: Bee Stingers playing cards.

Why it's a Pro Tool: "It's got an Escher-like back design, a very good register -- so each card is intricate in its cut -- and the cut feels really good, too, in the shuffling."

The web story added some fun GIFs of Scott's shuffling and decks.

The full Marketplace story by Katie Long can be found here: Pick a card, not just any card.

Exhibitor Live 2016.

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 15 Jan 2016 12:00:00 +0000

Once again Corporate-Fx founder, Scott Tokar will be teaching several classes at Exhibitor Magazine’s “Exhibitor Live” The 28th Annual Training Conference for Trade Show Exhibit and Event Managers and Marketers from February 29th - March 2nd 2016, in Las Vegas, NV.

This year Scott will facilitate the first ever “EXHIBITORLIVE Scavenger Hunt! Crowd-Sourced Success Lab” where students will experience crowd-sourced education in a two-part, peer-driven session with a hands-on lab. The class will locate, photograph and share cutting-edge exhibiting techniques by participating in a scavenger hunt on the tradeshow show floor it self. Then participants will focus on how to evaluate an exhibit and learn to recognize, observe and evaluate: Location strategies, Booth graphics, Design & layout, Staffing, Give-Aways, Traffic builders and Memorability just to name a few topics.

Also NEW for 2016, Scott will be teaching a class titled; “Stop the Traffic: Trade Show Engagement Methods that Work” From graphics and layout—to gimmicks and presentations—the goal at a trade show is to stop a prospect so they will pay attention to your brand. But attracting a receptive crowd is only half the battle. Attraction only matters if it leads to ENGAGEMENT. The course will examine professional and do-it-yourself traffic-stopping strategies that ENGAGE attendees and cause them to REMEMBER a brand long after the show is over. Leave ready to create promotions with PURPOSE. Our discussion will include: Audience quantification versus lead count, Prospect qualification, How to identify HOT leads, Action steps for visitors in the exhibit, Lead follow-through, Motivated participation in the exhibit and Promotions.

Additionally, Scott will teach his now famous “Booth Basics Boot Camp: Lessons from the Trade Show Floor”. Due to the popularity and recurring high marks, this class typically is at capacity and has SOLD-OUT in the past. The class teaches the difference between “epic fail” and “total success” on the trade show floor? From booth size, budget, location and a tightly integrated strategy and staff. Attendees will learn where to start. This is a wonderful opportunity to focus on: Booth staff training and exhibitor etiquette, Local, national and international differences in exhibiting, Sales engagement techniques that help maximize lead counts, Common errors in booth design and execution, Booth layout, traffic flow and space selection advantages, Visual and physical barriers that restrict interaction with attendees, Sponsorships and hosted events that add value to an exhibit, and how to make a booth and brand memorable (for all the right reasons).

You can learn more about these classes here http://www.exhibitoronline.com/topics/search.asp?searchterm=Scott+Tokar

Hope to see you in Las Vegas!

A pack a day habit. Playing cards

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 14 Jan 2016 20:48:00 +0000

“How many decks of cards do you go through?” You are not the first to wonder about that.

First of all, I personally never use a “trick deck”, that would be silly for a professional magician. Cards that have a “secret something” may be good for one trick or maybe two, but a standard/regulation deck of cards allow me to perform hundreds of effects for hours of entertainment and variety.

My personal brand preference is the US Playing Card Company’s Bee back Stingers edition, or the newer Aristocrat decks of playing cards. These card are just like the Poker Sized Bee’s, Bicycles, and Hoyles you would buy at Walmart or your local drug store, but these are cut with a bit more precision at the factory, the paper stock is a bit more stiff, and the coating is more luxurious and durable. To me, after handling playing cards for eight or more hours each day I can sure feel the difference in these higher quality decks from the standard consumer brands. Sure, they cost a bit more but I can tell instantly by feel the difference between brands and qualities of cards.

Many of my magic tricks require a signed, torn or stapled card, and every time a card is destroyed it technically ruins the entire deck, but that doesn't mean I have to stop using the deck all together.

There are 52 cards in the deck, 54 if you add the two jokers, and a typical Bee or Bicycle brand deck is roughly around 1.5 cm thick. Typically the deck looks and feels too thin after a loss of 10 cards or so. It begins to feel wrong in my hands and some card players may notice the deck is a little “short” from standard…

While working a tradeshow, it is not unusual for me to perform fifteen or more shows (or business presentations) in a day. So I guess you could say I have a “pack a day” habit…

Want to know a magic secret? I recycle. Once a deck is short 10 or more cards, I separate each card by the value and suit and I reconstruct a “new” deck every so often from the left overs. However, this gives the deck a weird feel and it must be broken-in or conditioned through a repetitive shuffle sequence I usually do while watching TV in the evening after working in an exhibit.

I also use more than one deck when I work… Normally, I will have one deck that can be destroyed in performance, and one deck that has been conditioned and shuffled from a brand-new box. If I have to perform more precision sleights, shuffles and flourishes I will use this “new” deck.

So, the next time I ask you to “pick a card, any card” you will now know a bit more about the card you are about to pick… Oh, was it the three of clubs?

Road warrior tricks from a trade show magician.

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 27 Apr 2015 18:26:00 +0000

Pick a favorite - Let’s face it, business travel isn’t glamorous anymore, oh how I yearn for the days when people would get dressed-up to fly and an airplane was more like a limousine than a Greyhound Bus… Those days are long gone, but don’t give up on comfort, it still exists for those “special” customers, and your goal as a road warrior is to become “special”.

What is the BEST airline to fly for business? None of them, they all suck. Unless that is if you are an “elite” traveler. With early check-in, upgrades, and early boarding being a “Platinum” flyer gives you a taste of civility on today’s airlines. The secret is to pick ONE airline and stick with them, sometimes this requires forgoing that convenient nonstop flight from the “other” airline to fly through a hub like Dallas, Denver or Atlanta. But, by building-up your milage and loyalty on a single airline you will achieve Gold, Platinum and Executive status quicker.

In-time, with American Airlines Advantage program you can also earn PERMANENT life-time status by reaching one million or more actual flight miles… Once you have secured your status it may be time to “challenge” another carrier. United Airlines will allow you a one-time matching of status so you can fly United to meet their status level in style. However, United now requires that you qualify in both milages AND dollars spent to reach silver, gold and premier platinum in 2016 so be careful in this endeavor.

TSA “Pre” and Global Entry - The BEST perk in traveling has to be TSA Pre-Check, it is like they have turned-back the travel clock to before 9/11/01 at the security line. With Pre there is no need to remove your shoes, jacket, or computer from your bag. You will rarely be asked to get a full-body imaging scan AND the lines for Pre are always much shorter! You can apply for TSA Pre by visiting http://www.tsa.gov/tsa-precheck filling out the forms, appear in person and pay $85 for processing.

The better deal is to apply for the Global Entry program - with Global Entry US Citizens can speed through US immigration and customs too by using ATM-style kiosks instead of standing in long lines for the next available agent. And, as a Global Entry participant you are automatically enrolled in TSA Pre as well! You can apply for Global Entry by visiting http://www.cbp.gov/global-entry/about filling out the forms, appear in person with your US passport and pay $100 for processing.

The “right” credit card can add some status perks too. You may ask “why in the world would someone spend $300+ per year to carry a credit card”? Take a look at American Express Platinum as a road warrior you can earn back that fee by using it in the right way… The Platinum Card comes with complimentary airport lounge access to Delta Sky Clubs, and Airspace Lounges and you can enroll in Priority Pass Select program at no additional cost. PLUS you can receive up to $200 a year in statement credits when incidental fees, such as checked bags and in-flight refreshments, are charged by the airline to the Platinum Card Account. Remember that $85 or $100 fee I mentioned for TSA Pre and Global Entry? Amex Platinum will refund that as well! If you use it the American Express Platinum Card is the go-to card for road warriors.

Airline lounges are more than just a “perk” they are a life-line. When a system-wide airport delay begins to stack-up and flights are canceled (think snow storms and hurricanes) the masses will stand in line at a ticket counter to change their flights, but not me, I head right for the Admirals Club for shorter lines, and better trained staff to help me get around the SNAFU with style! Oh and I have the “perk” of free WiFi, drinks and snacks too!

Back to the credit card perks again, with the Citi / AAdvantage Executive World Elite MasterCard you have Admirals Club membership AND free checked bags even if you are not a Platinum Advantage level yet! Yes, it costs $450 per year, but the Admirals Club membership alone would cost you $400 to $500 anyhow (and with the card you will also earn milage credits too)!

Credit card perks aren’t just for airlines though, you can Upgrade to Hyatt Gold Passport Platinum Membership and get free hotel nights every year just by using the Hyatt credit card: https://creditcards.chase.com/credit-cards/hyatt-card.aspx

Two MUST have travel companions for my commute are my Bose QuietComfort 20 Acoustic Noise Canceling headphones (http://goo.gl/RC6QKk) and an almost unlimited supply of current magazines on my iPad with NextIssue (https://www.nextissue.com). The Bose headphones give you an escape pod like quality so you can cocoon in your seat without the din of the cabin and Next Issue gives me all the reading material I could ever want!

Lastly is my connection to my office and home through my T-Mobile connected iPhone 6. With T-Mobile I can connect my SMS and Voicemail to the in-flight GoGo WiFi Internet for FREE! That means if my office or family needs to txt me in the air I am always connected! Oh, and as a frequent international traveler T-Mobile is hands-down the BEST GSM travel phone you could ever ask for… With T-Mobile I get FREE international SMS, 3G Data for email and web, and my GSM calls back to the USA cost me only 20 cents per minute! See http://www.t-mobile.com/simple-choice-international-plans.html for details!

See www.CorporateFx.com for more tradeshow magic

How To Ruin Your Event - Guest blogger, David Deeble

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 06 Jan 2015 17:40:00 +0000

How To Ruin Your Event -

There’s lots of ways to ruin an event. Let’s talk about ruining the entertainment portion, especially if you have gone with comedy.

With any type of live entertainment there is a relationship between the audience and the performer. And nowhere is this more pronounced than with comedy entertainment which, when performed at the highest level, is much more like a dialogue than a monologue. The audience might be able to chat amongst themselves and still enjoy a rock band, but not so with, say stand-up: to be successful the craft requires an audience that is totally engaged.

A professional, experienced and talented comedian knows when an audience isn’t with her and will prattle, prod and engage an audience until she knows they are focused and only then will he get to the heart of her act and the business of making them laugh.

But how, you may ask, can I make a comedy entertainer’s job as difficult as possible?

Let’s say you’re a professional event planner or someone who is otherwise responsible for planning an event for your company. You’ve done your homework and found an comedian who is accomplished, a pleasure to work with and perfectly suits your needs. Now the question is, what can you do to thwart this his remarkable talents and years of experience and make everyone in attendance uncomfortable at the same time?

Here are a few simple things you can do to ensure that the delicate, essential bond between an audience and a comedian is tenuous at best or, better yet, never established in the first place.

Schedule The Entertainer Immediately After A Break

The room is pumped. The most-popular, hardest-working guy or gal in the company has just received his well-deserved award from the CEO and the energy in the room is at its peak. Whatever you do, don’t harness the audience’s energy by immediately introducing to the stage the entertainer you’ve budgeted a sizable sum to procure. Instead, have the CEO, emcee or whoever has the floor to announce a break “of about 15 minutes”. That should be enough time for the room to deflate, the energy vanish and allow the stragglers to head back into the room and settle into their seats while chatting with their fellow fellow employees about golf plans for the following weekend.

Seat The Audience At Round Banquet Tables

For the love of God, you’re not going to ensure that all the seats in the audience are facing the stage, are you? No, no, no. When an entertainer walks on stage you want roughly half the audience facing the back of the room. That way more people will be able to tell when the line for the open bar is down to only a few people. You might also consider leaving the doors in the back of the room open, allowing those seated with their backs to the stage to “people watch” the smokers, stragglers and maybe even catch a glimpse of that woman from the coat check with the ineffable aura about her. Ideally, you want these people who face the back of the room to be completely unaware of what is going on on the stage. Think muzak.

Serve Food During The Show

When a world-class comedy entertainer and a mediocre salad go head to head, the salad wins every time. Anything requiring utensils is best – after all, people are capable of enjoying a comedian with finger food like popcorn just as they are capable of enjoying a movie. Of course, it never hurts to have hard-working servers bustling from table to table pouring water, grinding pepper and sending that steak back to the kitchen until it’s done right.

Arrange For A Large, Empty Space Between The Stage And The Front Row

Nothing is more conducive to an attentive, engaged audience like seating them as close to the stage as possible. There’s an intimacy to this seating arrangement that mimics the openness and rapport of an private conversation. This is why you want a large empty space surrounding the stage. Many venues place a small stage against the wall of a large banquet hall and surround it with a large, empty dance floor: this is the ideal way to ensure your money and reputation go to waste. Nothing sends the the audience the signal “You have nothing to do with this performance” quite like seating everyone no less than a metric mile of the edge of the stage. This way audience members can chat with each other throughout the show while feeling – wrongly – that it has no impact on the overall performance.

The above are just a few basic, feng-shui examples of how to ruin the entertainment portion of your event. The truth is, there are almost as many ways to ruin it as there are second-rate entertainers to ruin it for you.

(This story was originally published on David Deeble's own blog at: http://blog.daviddeeble.com/2013/02/18/how-to-ruin-your-event/

Special thanks to David for the permission to repost these tips)

Is that REALLY the tradeshow housing bureau calling?

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 30 Dec 2014 20:32:00 +0000

They called me again… I guess it is because I work a tradeshow just about every week of the year. But, each time I seem to receive the same misleading call on my toll-free number. It goes something like this:

“Hello, this is the housing bureau calling about your hotel reservations at the *xyz show. I see that you haven’t made any arrangements with us yet, and I want to ensure that you have the rooms you need for your booth staff.” (*xyz - replace with your next tradeshow name here).

All of the above statements are “true” I guess, but at the same time all of the statements above are dishonest, misleading and designed half-truths… Being a magician I can pick up on these techniques very easily (Example: Do you really think you ever freely select a “random” card from a magician? No.)

First is misrepresentation, maybe the name of the company that is calling really is named or DBA (doing business as) “The Housing Bureau” or something like the “Show Lodging Bureau”, but these companies ARE NOT associated with the tradeshow that they reference… In fact, these companies are no more connected to the actual tradeshow they mention than say Travelocity or Expedia is attached to the show. These are THIRD PARTY travel agents, hotel booking agencies, and boiler-room calling operations.These companies are NOT with the tradeshow they reference. They got your phone number from a third party purchased show list. And THAT is the problem.

NEVER start a business transaction that begins through dishonesty. Think about it, if the transaction STARTS with dishonesty and misrepresentation, there is a good chance that this dishonesty will continue throughout the business transaction to follow… Think credit card fraud, fly by night, etc.

When you book a hotel room, other people profit… If you book the Hilton via Expedia, BOTH Hilton and Expedia are making money off the transaction. You see, the actual lodging options directly affiliated with the show you are attending help the show itself profit (just like Expedia). But often the profit the tradeshow gets is leveraged in discounted their meeting facilities and services for the show itself. If you don’t book your room through the approved show site, the tradeshow itself will not get credit for the room booking… And, if the show can’t profit from the hotel room bookings the cost of running the convention will go up… The cost of your floor space, the meeting rooms, and related services will go up for the show NEXT YEAR and these costs will be reflected in your exhibiting and attendance fees in the future…

Often the official rates for these hotel rooms from the show site have been negotiated to compete with Expedia and Travelocity in the first place, so often the deals are virtually the same.

Of course, there are times when the room blocks are booked to capacity via the official show site, but then use your own search engines to find the deals on your terms. In this situation I can highly recommend visiting kayak.com to compare rates and availability.

But always START with the official show lodging and then look on-line for yourself. Do NOT give these boiler-room scam artists that are calling you your business, and certainly don’t give them your credit card info. If the hotel room you booked via their boiler-room turns out to be over-sold you need to know you are dealing with a reputable business that will be there tomorrow when you call to complain…

And lastly, I hate robo calls and boiler-room cold calls! I never met the boiler-room hotel booking people in the first place, and I never initiated a relationship with them, so if I do business with them I am just encouraging more of these telemarketing calls in the future…

When I get a call from these boiler-room “housing bureaus” I always ask if they are the official show lodging agent and how they got my number. Often they will fess-up and let you know that they are not. I ask to be removed from the call-out list and I hang up. Legally they can not call you again (See http://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0108-national-do-not-call-registry).

 So, the next time you get a call from the The Housing Bureau” or “The Show Lodging Bureau” beware, the transaction consequences are probably not in your favor….

Read more about tradeshow magicians at www.CorporateFx.com

Slight of Hand TV commercials - Scott Tokar

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 29 Dec 2014 23:31:00 +0000

A few years back Corporate-Fx founder, Scott Tokar appeared in several slight-of-hand magic TV commercials for Freeway Insurance in the Los Angeles market place.

While sifting through some DVDs we found all five commercials and posted them to YouTube.

It is wonderful to see these award-wining slights in action! See magic works wonders in any commercial, tradeshow or convention!

Floating Money: http://youtu.be/j0oQCG0itQw

Silver Sponge: http://youtu.be/JVRqdWlX9aU

Aces: http://youtu.be/IRAQZ2RUrXI

Shadow Coins: http://youtu.be/wNT-IbxvMMY

$1 to $100: http://youtu.be/KYuWUZKgofg

All commercials were produced by Morningstar Entertainment, Inc. and the Voice over talent is by Robert Gunton.

More fun at http://www.corporatefx.com/Blog.php