Emilie Barta - I get paid to talk for a living!!

Voiceover for Ultralan

2009-10-07T13:41:00.003-04:00

I recently recorded a Message-on-Hold for Ultralan out of my home studio thanks to Holdcom. Check out my "audition" on their talent page...I like how they describe my vocal qualities: Sincere, Youthful, Vibrant, Contemporary. What do you think...accurate description?

Pretty in Pink Photo Shoot

2009-09-03T13:08:00.004-04:00

I had a print booking yesterday for the Veterans Administration at Steve Smith Studios in St. Louis. I modeled a track suit that will be sold in the canteens located in all of the VA facilities across the US. How excited was I to show up at the shoot and find it in my favorite color! Carol the Art Director picked perfectly!

Many thanks for a fun time with Steve and his crew. Enjoy the preview...I can't wait to see the finished product!!

10 Reasons Why it is Worth the Money to Have a Presentation in Your Booth

2009-08-04T14:31:00.004-04:00

When walking around the trade show floor, I am constantly amazed at how many exhibitors I see who do nothing to encourage attendees to enter their booth. Having a booth presentation is a strong way to make a statement, and encourage attendees to stop, look, and listen.

The possibilities are endless…presentation theater, game show, product demonstration, magician, booth tour, interactive competition, roving reporter, you name it…but they all do the following:

• create a “buzz” in your booth
• draw attendees out of the aisle and into your booth
• provide education and information to a large amount of attendees simultaneously
• prequalify attendees
• locate “hot leads”
• introduce attendees to company employees for more in-depth discussion
• maintain a positive environment in the booth
• motivate company employees throughout the duration of the trade show
• provide a positive first impression of your company
• take some of the pressure off your company employees

Just imagine accomplishing all of those goals with just one item at your next trade show…a booth presentation!

July 2009 Newsletter

2009-07-31T19:05:00.005-04:00

There are lots of NEW things in my life lately that I am excited to tell you about! I created a brand new website focused specifically on the trade show portion of my career; I presented for a brand new client (MAQUET) at a medical trade show (AORN) in Chicago; I worked for a new production company (Geomatrix Productions) for a new client (Citizens Financial Group) in a new city (Boston) for me; and I recorded a new radio commercial (Marcal Small Steps) at a new audio production studio (HSR-NY) for me in New York City.

Read all about it in my July newsletter!

How a Professional Trade Show Presenter Will Help You Succeed

2009-07-05T22:10:00.000-04:00

Mark and Sally Have a Problem
Mark from Marketing and Sally from Sales have many customers at the trade show that need their attention constantly. Their colleagues also want their frequent input on other issues, and they feel the need to walk the floor and check out the competition. They also feel a lot of pressure to get face time with others in the industry, and they have just been signed up for “booth duty.” On top of that, they just got the news that they are to do presentations on their product, 8 times a day!

“Great,” thinks Mark and Sally. But they are team-players and they will suck it up. It’s too bad the results from their presentations will be, ahem, mixed. After all, they’ll be thinking about all the other things they should be doing while they are presenting, which is not what they want to be doing. Mark and Sally are idea and implementation people, not crowd-pleasing spokespeople.

There is a better way.

Introducing the Professional Trade Show Presenter
You outsource the construction of your booth, the set up of the lights and electricity, and the delivery of your supplies and materials…so why are you making Mark from Marketing and Sally from Sales get up on stage in front of a live audience and give your presentation? After all, this is the first impression that your potential customers have of your company, so why not hire a Professional Trade Show Presenter? They are trained spokespeople who can provide measurable results to you for several reasons.

To start, the first and foremost responsibility of a Professional Trade Show Presenter is your presentation. They have been hired to represent your company, do your presentation, and get your message across to your potential customers. Why take Mark and Sally away from the reason why you invited them to the show in the first place…to sell? A good Presenter will represent your company proudly and positively from the moment they get on the airplane in their home base to the moment they get back home.

Here’s How to Take Pressure Off Your Audience
No attendee wants to feel like they are getting a sales pitch, especially as their first impression of a company and definitely not from the person who is eventually going to take their money. Mark from Marketing and Sally from Sales are the people the attendee is going to be working with in the future, so why not let a “Spokesperson” deliver your message and make the introduction? A good Professional Trade Show Presenter is able to craft your message to be informative and educational, without being self-serving. They are also able to generate enthusiasm in your booth and excitement for your product or service, without getting in the way of the business that is occurring around them.

Attendees Have Problems Finding You
Attendees are oftentimes “lost” when they are walking in the aisles. The trade show floor is a very overwhelming, exhausting, and intimidating place, and attendees want to be invited into your booth. Otherwise they might just walk by and you might lose a potential customer. Mark from Marketing and Sally from Sales generally know how to talk about your product or service, but usually do not feel comfortable building their audience. A good Professional Trade Show Presenter has the ability to get apprehensive attendees out of the aisle and into your booth by connecting with them personally. And they continue to invite new attendees into the audience throughout the presentation without causing an interruption to your message.

Working the Crowd is Hard Work
Every audience for every presentation is different. Mark from Marketing and Sally from Sales may not know or may not have the time to analyze each and every audience and cater their energy level, volume, audience interaction, and level of seriousness appropriately. A good Professional Trade Show Presenter will never do the same presentation twice because they know how to “work the crowd.” They are not deterred if there is a heckler in the audience, if someone throws out a negative or inappropriate statement, if the competition is in the audience, or if audience members are asking questions. They are constantly connected with the audience and catering your message in the manner in which the audience will best receive it.

Make Sure You Don’t Miss Out on Your Hot Leads
Normally, the “hot leads” make themselves known when the presentation is complete. Mark from Marketing and Sally from Sales may not know how to be a good “event host” and make sure that everyone is being taken care of. A good Professional Trade Show Presenter has the ability to recognize an attendee who needs to make a personal connection with an employee of your company. They can spot the hot leads and make sure that they are staying in the booth without feeling like they are being “pounced” upon. And they can multi-task to ensure that no one walks away without having attention paid to them.

And Working the Trade Show is the Hardest Work of All
And finally, a person who works at trade shows for a living knows how to “work” the trade show better than someone who exhibits at one a few times a year. Mark from Marketing and Sally from Sales might know the ins-and-outs of their product, but they might not know the nuances of presenting at a trade show. A good Professional Trade Show Presenter excels at giving presentations at trade shows because it is their area of expertise. They are more comfortable with public speaking and with being in front of an audience, and since they are more relaxed, they are able to more easily deliver your message to your potential customers. Plus, they are familiar with the intricacies of giving your presentation multiple times an hour for multiple days, all with the same amount of energy and concern for your company’s image.

So let Mark from Marketing and Sally from Sales take care of their customers, their colleagues, their competition, and let them concentrate on selling your product or service. When it comes to introducing your product or service to your potential customers, leave that to the trade show presentation pros…the Professional Trade Show Presenters!

Announcing the Launch of ProfessionalTradeShowPresenter.com

2009-06-18T11:55:00.005-04:00

I am so pleased to announce the launch of my new weblog, a one-stop shop for all things relating to the trade show portion of my career! Now I can send potential clients to just one place on the web to learn all about my background and experience, watch me in action, see what people are saying about my talent, and read articles that I have written about the industry.

Take a look at ProfessionalTradeShowPresenter.com for yourself!

I am on the Radio!

2009-06-11T10:50:00.008-04:00

I recently recorded a radio spot at HSR-NY for Marcal Small Steps. It is playing in the NYC Tri-State Area; the Washington DC Metro Area; Boston; Albany, NY; and Maine.

It was so much fun hearing it on the radio when I was stuck in traffic one morning on my way to a booking in Stamford, CT. Talk about waking me up...hearing it was better than a Venti Latte!

Take a listen for yourself...

May 2009 Newsletter

2009-06-02T12:50:00.002-04:00

I have been all over the US and all over the web lately! I presented for Intel at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, and reported for Naylor CMG at both the National Association of Fleet Administrators trade show in New Orleans and the American Food Fair in Chicago. I shot a training video for Psychological Associates in St. Louis and recorded a voiceover for CarZen in New York City. And I recorded messages-on-hold for Yuma International Airport (Yuma, AZ), Granger Owings (Columbia, SC), US Lock (Brentwood, NY), and e-Games (Langhorne, PA) in my home studio. Plus I am now on Twitter and Facebook, and had lots of media attention at CES which is all over the web.

All of this and more in my May Newsletter!

13 Tips for a Successful Trade Show

2009-05-28T10:39:00.008-04:00

So you have purchased your booth space, had your exhibit house design and build your exhibit, contracted all of your services, booked your airline flights and hotel rooms, hired your Professional Trade Show Presenter and other trade show talent, and chosen which of your employees are going to staff your booth. So now all you have to do is show up at the convention center...right? WRONG!!

The biggest reason that exhibitors have an unsuccessful show is because they just stand around and expect attendees to come to them. Trade shows have a lot going on in a condensed space, and you need to attract attendees to your booth. Here are some simple tips for a successful show:

A SMILE and a POSITIVE ATTITUDE are the best accessories you can put on in the morning!
Make sure to do PRE-SHOW MARKETING to drive attendees to your booth. The walk-bys are the icing on the cake.
You must give attendees a REASON to walk into your booth, otherwise they will just walk on by.
Make sure your PURPOSE for being at the trade show is crystal clear so that no attendee gets confused by your message.
You must WELCOME attendees into your booth and be a perfect "party host" once they are inside. It is all about the first impression!
Maintain your ENERGY LEVEL throughout the day, no matter how tired or hungry you are.
STAFF YOUR BOOTH with the employees who recognize the value of trade shows, shows up on time, will not wander away from the booth, knows the answers to the questions the attendees will ask, maintains a put-together appearance, and are not prone to losing business cards or information that will be needed back at the office.
Make sure that the staff of your booth has a UNIFORM APPEARANCE so that it is obvious to the attendees who works for your company and can answer their questions.
Don't think that you can do it all, because you can't. Make sure to OUTSOURCE functions to companies who represent your company image.
LISTEN to the attendees and give them exactly what they are looking for in the moment. Upselling can happen once the show is over and a relationship has been established.
Have a designated method for getting HOT LEADS to the appropriate sales person both on the show floor at back at the office. Never let an opportunity slip away due to disorganization.
Remember that you are REPRESENTING YOUR COMPANY from the minute you get to the airport in your home city to the minute you are in your car driving home. Many relationships have been started on airplanes or shuttles, in the cafeteria, or at dinner. And many more relationships have been destroyed during these same times.
And most importantly, HAVE FUN!!

Some of these tips may sound obvious, but I can't tell you how many times I approach a booth only to find one employee present, sitting with his/her back to the aisle, with a scowl on their face, hunched over their computer. These are the exhibitors that complain that they had an unsuccessful show and give trade shows a bad name.

Have a successful show!!

If You Call, I Might Answer

2009-04-30T13:30:00.003-04:00

Messages-on-Hold and Voice Prompts are so much fun to record! Especially after hearing someone say..."You sound like you could be a phone recording." I started doing them almost one year ago and am constantly surprised at what types of companies like the sound of my voice.

I have recently done recordings for the following companies in my home recording studio and just wanted to say THANK YOU. Check out the Voiceover Page of my website for more information.

Nassau Candy
Atlas Model Railroad Company
Reproductive Science Center of New England
Atlas O
Certain Communications

Tradeshow Marketing Podcast: Interview with Emilie Barta

2009-04-17T12:26:00.009-04:00

Tim Patterson of Interpretive Exhibits found me on Twitter and contacted me to see if I would like to be interviewed for his "Trade Show Marketing Podcast." UM...yes! Check out his company website or his blog for more information on how he can make your tradeshow a whopping success!

Take a listen to Emilie and Tim's podcast interview here.

TRADESHOW MARKETING PODCAST: INTERVIEW WITH EMILIE BARTA

What does it take to choose a professional tradeshow presenter? We talked with just such a person in Emilie Barta, a New York-based independent tradeshow presenter. Some of the topics we covered included: how can you find a good presenter? What kinds of questions should you ask? What results should you expect?

And from the exhibitor’s perspective, why should you even consider bringing in a ‘hired gun’ to demo your products or services? It all made for a lively and informative interview for our latest installment of the Tradeshow Marketing Podcast from Interpretive Exhibits in Salem, OR. You can find Emilie Barta online here.

You Can Now Find Me on Facebook

2009-04-10T11:53:00.006-04:00

You can now find me on Facebook! Just connect with me here and stay up to date with my accomplishments, find out where you can see me presenting at trade shows, and meet wonderful people that I work with along the way. You will also have access to my headshots, demos, snapshots of bookings, videos that I am in, and places where I end up on the web.

What a great way to stay in touch...see you on Facebook!!

"Cooking for Dads" found me at the Housewares Show

2009-03-31T17:01:00.004-04:00

I just returned from the International Home + Housewares Show in Chicago where I was the Spokesperson for the Tassimo Hot Beverage System by Bosch. This is the second year in a row that I have represented Bosch, and we had even more fun this year than last. The Tassimo is a single-cup "hot beverage" brewer...because it bews so much more than just coffee! Also hot tea, espresso, cappuccino, latte, chai latte, hot chocolate...and new this year, skinny cappuccino and latte macchiato. Over 40 different hot beverage choices in all. All you have to do is turn the Tassimo on, raise the lid, place your desired T-disk under the lid, close the lid, and press the button. That's it...no grinding, measuring, or worrying about the temperature of the water or the length of the brew. A quick and easy way to enjoy your favorite hot beverage...the hardest thing to do is figure out which beverge you want to make!!

Another fun thing about the show is that I was Twittering about Bosch, the Tassimo, and the Housewares Show and met some wonderful people because of it. If you are on Twitter, check out @cookingfordads, @vornado, @LeifheitUSA, and @TheVineTimes. I am so excited to have met them on Twitter and in person at the show.

In fact, Rob Barrett from Cooking for Dads put together this little video of me. Take a look at his shows on YouTube...he is such a great guy and I hope to work with him again soon!

Don't Cut Your Marketing Dollars!

2009-03-16T22:56:00.003-04:00

At the start of the Great Depression, Kellogg's and Post were neck and neck in cereal sales. Post slashed their marketing budget, while Kellogg's maintained theirs. When the Depression ended, Kellogg's had a market share dominance that they maintain to this day. (Source)

A perfect example of what NOT to do in tough economic times! When all of this is over, the buying population will remember the companies that stayed in front of them the entire time...through the bad times, as well as the good ones. Companies that slash marketing dollars and do not maintain their presence will fade away in the public's mind.

Don't fade away!!

I was Interviewed at CES!

2009-03-05T11:45:00.001-05:00

Marcelo Lewin of Pixel Heads Network interviewed me at CES for his show, ExpoZed. As he says... "Not sure the difference between netbooks, notebooks and laptops? Then listen to Emilie Barta from Intel explain when you should use a netbook instead of a laptop or notebook. A low cost netbook may be just what the doctored ordered for you."

Check it out...

Let's Go Bright Ideas!!

2009-03-02T11:48:00.006-05:00

Reprinted by permission of Ava Seavey, Avalanche Creative Services, Inc.

website: http://www.avalanchecreative.tv

blog: http://blog.avalanchecreative.tv

"As I read more and more about this so-called 'recession' I’ve come to the conclusion that it’s a self-fulfilling prophecy. The more the so-called experts and pundits talk about downturns, the more apt they are to happen.

I’m convinced that the one thing a recession or depression won’t impact are good ideas. They are always in demand. Especially ideas that will help people avoid recessions in the first place or get out of them.

If you’re in advertising the way to do that is to get consumers to make sure they include in their budget the money needed to buy what you are offering. If it’s a cigarette product make sure they want it because it’s going to help them quit ONCE AND FOR ALL! That’s what smokers want. If it’s a memory product be certain that they’ll demand it because it’s going to help them FINALLY HAVE A SHARP MIND AGAIN LIKE WHEN THEY WERE YOUNGER. If the memory product turns back the clock, they’ll want it.

Recessions are easy to beat with good ideas. People don’t want ad agencies or production people or creative geniuses. In recessions, they want killer sales people who can move stuff.

That’s us. Recession be damned. Let’s move stuff."

Best Dressed at the 2009 Academy Awards

2009-02-23T12:11:00.006-05:00

I always find it so interesting to see what the "fashion experts" and the media believe are the best dresses at an awards show. Because isn't it supposed to be "Best Dressed?" As in who has the most flattering dress to their figure, skin tone, etc. As in who has the most appropriate jewelry that fits their dress and their frame. As in whose dress shows off their personality. As in who is actually wearing the dress, rather than the dress wearing them.

And I find it a shame that the media only lets us see a select few of the celebrities and what they are wearing. In searching "Best Dressed" articles on the internet, I find the same stars and the same pics over and over again. There are so many more people and dresses out there!

In that respect, out of the People.com slideshow, my favorites are Anne Hathaway and Tina Fey. Who were yours??

CarZen Voiceover

2009-02-16T23:55:00.006-05:00

Thought you might like to "listen" to a video that I am quite proud of...

3 Knights Media hired me to record the narration for a video for their client, CarZen, which is the most efficient and powerful car research experience on the web. I was tasked with taking a 2 1/2 minute script and recording it in 2 minutes. Whew...I have never talked so fast in my life!!

My Favorite Super Bowl Ads

2009-02-02T10:36:00.005-05:00

Well first I have to say that overall I was disappointed with the majority of the Super Bowl ads this year. I don't understand why we have to resort to violence and people doing "ugly" things to sell a product. I much prefer "clever" ads...so here are my favorites:

Budweiser: Clydesdale Stick - I love Clydesdales, and yes I admit I might be biased being born in St. Louis and all. I thought it was so cute how the Clydesdale "one-upped" the dog.

Hulu: Alec in Hollywood - Yes, Alec Baldwin MADE this commercial. Who else in Hollywood would be willing to say TV Star and put finger-quotes around it?

NFL: Super Ad, Usama Young - "And now I am in the Superbowl." "Son, it is only a commercial; now get me a snow cone." What a great father-son relationship!

Budweiser: Clydesdale Circus - Good old-fashioned romance...good to know it still exists!

Coke: Heist - The animation on this was so amazing...and good, clean fun.

Audi: Chase - What can I say? I drive an Audi!

Which were your favorites?

Psychological Associates Training Video Shoot...in the Snow!

2009-01-28T23:24:00.004-05:00

It seems like I can only get a job in St. Louis when it snows (i.e. my last Anheuser-Busch video shoot where we had to shoot super-fast because the AB campus was closing early and forcing employees to leave due to a blizzard) so I hope it is a long, long winter!

Today I shot a training video for Psychological Associates and had a blast with Arbor Group (production company) and Bad Dog Pictures (crew). So many thanks to Deeds Rogers Bonham for referring me for this position...not only did I get to play the boss, but I was not allowed to smile the entire script! That is, until I snuck one in on the last line. If you know me well, you will know just how much "acting" I was doing today!!

And look at the sweet things Deeds said about me: "As a Director, I like working with Emilie because she always does a great job...and I can say that because I have hired her several times. She always 'gets' her character, and she takes direction very well. Plus she has a look that can go from a corporate boss to a blushing bride, and many characters in between. What a great talent!"

January 2009 Newsletter

2009-01-23T15:25:00.003-05:00

People have told me that I have a very distinctive and recognizable voice...and that voice kept me busy the last part of 2008! I was selected by Sierra-at-Tahoe Resort to voice their latest message-on-hold; did a voice prompt for Win4Charity; and recorded a voicemail greeting for Brinker Photography. I also voiced a call-in promotion for Levi's Jeans. And my voice was chosen for the Avatars for Tomson's Construction, Airline Job Advantage, and E-Bid Now. I did manage to get out of the voiceover booth to join NaylorCMG in Las Vegas for InterBev as their Reporter.

Read all about these bookings in my January Newsletter!

My 1st AP Photo

2009-01-19T00:38:00.002-05:00

Another first at CES 2009!

This is the first time (at least to my knowlege) that an AP photographer has taken a photo of me. My hands are plastered all over the internet and the world! (I guess that's why they call it the World Wide Web) And every photo...no matter what the title of the article or what website has posted the photo...has the same caption: Emilie Barta of Intel demonstrates a Lenovo netbook at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas on Jan. 9. I googled "Emilie Barta" + "Intel" and found 461 websites that picked up this photo...wow!

Here it is on USAToday!

My 1st Quote in a Written Publication

2009-01-12T11:46:00.009-05:00

So I never anticipated just how much attention my little netbooks were going to get at CES. I have done a lot of press before, but this was the first time that I had ever been interviewed for an article in the sense of the writer doing their research through me. And it is the first time I have been quoted!

I really appreciate how Jorge Labrador got all of his facts straight about the netbook...at least the ones that came from my mouth! And it was awesome that he listed me as "a presenter for Intel," so it does not look like I am an actual employee of the company. I just wish that the photographer had taken a picture of me that actually looks like me...talk about bad lighting, angle, etc. - YUCK!!

Check out the article for yourself!

I Was on All the NBC News Programs

2009-01-10T23:56:00.005-05:00

I had voicemail messages very early in the Las Vegas (Pacific Time Zone) morning that I was on The Today Show and the Evening News with Brian Williams...how exciting! I only wish I had seen the camera because I would have played to it...but Lester Holt did a great job of using a quote of mine as a transition into the netbook segment. I start at about 1:43.

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Intel at CES

2009-01-08T12:12:00.001-05:00

Intel selected me as one of their Presenters for the 2009 Consumer Electronics Show, and I was responsible for the Netbook area. Along with all of my product knowledge and my unscripted presentations, I got to run the "Netbook vs. Notebook Challenge." It was a fun interactive game to see which contestant knew which application was best for a netbook and which was best for a notebook. And they were scored by how quickly they answered as well as getting the answer correct. Talk about competition!

The Today Show and NPR named the netbook one of the small, affordable items at CES, so I got a lot more attention than I bargained for. I'll post the ones that I find out about when I find out about them...