Dick Wheeler asked:


Once you have decided that your company needs a presence in an upcoming show by having a trade show exhibit, it is important to understand the ins and outs of trade show booth selection. In order for the exhibitor to choose the appropriate trade show display, it is necessary to know the distinction among the five basic types of trade show exhibits.

It is makes good sense, then, to do your homework before you select a trade show display. The trade show industry identifies exhibits as either custom, custom modular, pre-owned, portable or rental. Each trade show display type suits a specific need depending on show requirements.

The top option is the custom trade show booth which is built from scratch with exacting booth space specifications in mind such as width, height and depth. With the custom build, you can have a one- of- a kind, eye-catching trade show exhibit that incorporates new design elements, materials and AV components that enhance your company’s powerful image. The custom trade show display can be the right choice when announcing a major breakthrough product or when you need to display your company’s dominance in its field.

The next trade show display option is the custom modular trade show exhibit which offers the dramatic trade show exhibit imaging without the higher cost of the custom trade show display. Its highly flexible components allow you to reconfigure the design or size of your booth from one trade show to the next. The custom modular trade show booth has interchangeable components such as back walls, counters, display pedestals and exterior panels. It uses lightweight structural materials such as aluminum, Plexiglas and high-grade fabrics. The benefits of the custom modular trade show booth are its simplified assembly, space-saving packing, and lower shipment and handling costs. This type of exhibit is a good solution for the exhibitor who wants a very high quality of design yet requires size flexibility and affordability.

Another option is the pre-owned trade show display that saves your company when you face a time or budget crunch. You can cut your trade show exhibit design time and construction costs by more than half when you select a previously owned trade show booth display. Professional trade show display companies have impressive inventories of top quality pre-owned exhibits for sale or rent. They often own exhibits that their clients have formerly used. You can find numerous options depending on size, design, scope and price similar to trade show display rentals. Be sure to select an exhibit configuration that fits your booth space and then modify the graphics and structural elements to conform to your staffing, image, communications and traffic requirements.

Yet another trade show exhibit option is the portable trade show booth. It is extremely easy to install and dismantle due to its skeletal frame that has attachable laminate panels which clip together offering multiple structural styles. It is lightweight and highly portable and is able to meet a variety of trade show display configurations while offering a distinctive creative image. Accessories such as bridges, counters, alcoves and backlighting can enhance the versatility of the interchangeable portable trade show display systems. The portable trade show display system can convert from tabletop to island trade show exhibits easily. It adapts to a multitude of trade show display situations with minimal effort. The ease of transporting and assembling is the key to the portable trade show exhibit. Cost-saving portable trade show displays are an especially suitable option for the first-time exhibitor and for appearances at smaller, regional shows.

Another way to go is to rent a trade show booth rather than purchasing one. Renting can be the perfect solution for an occasional island trade show exhibit; when you need to supplement your regular trade show exhibit; when you have a trade show booth scheduling conflict; or when a simultaneous trade show appearance requires you to exhibit at more than one location at the same time.

By selecting the appropriate type of trade show booth for your next show, you will be able to establish a trade show exhibit that will convey your company’s identity that fits your precise needs for any given trade show appearance. This is true wherever you have your custom trade show exhibit, custom modular exhibit, pre-owned trade show display, portable trade show booth or rental trade show exhibit– whether at the Las Vegas Convention Center, the Moscone Center in San Francisco, the Santa Clara Convention Center or the San Jose McEnery Convention Center.



Lawrence

FX Trading Guide asked:


Managing Risk in Forex Trading

Forex trading is often regarded as risky. Is this perception true or false? How does this affect our decision to trade currencies? What can we do to reduce our risk and avoid one of the majority of traders who lose money from trading.

Before we make a decision on how risky forex trading is, let’s define what risk means. Risk is simply the variability of investment returns. If you graph the value of an investment portfolio over time, a low risk investment such government bond should have a smooth curve, while a riskier investment would have a more jagged curve.

The fact is that most beginning forex traders lose money. Is this a characteristic of the currency markets, or is it to do with the traders themselves?

To answer this question, we need to understand what factors contribute to risk. To an extent, risk depends on the market. If the market rapidly moves up and down, then that can contribute to variable returns. In this respect, forex markets are not more volatile than many other investments. Unlike stocks, it is impossible to manipulate currencies. The market risk of forex is comparable to other major markets.

One factor that magnifies risk in forex trading is the level of gearing, or leverage used. Typically professional traders use up to ten times gearing. That means for each dollar of their own money, they control a position of ten dollars. Many small traders using gearing of up to two hundred times, and this can rapidly magnify both gains and losses. It is best to have enough capital to be able to trade without using excessive gearing to avoid massive exposure to market risk.

One other risk is that of liquidity. This is the ability to get in or out of the market at a fair price. Recall the recent losses suffered by hedge funds trading mortgage securities – the markets suddenly became illiquid, and they could not sell their positions at a reasonable price. In contrast, the forex markets turn over more than $1 trillion per day and are the most liquid markets available. This is not to say that there are not sudden movements from time to time, but traders can always get into or out of the market. Forex liquidity risk is low.

However market volatility andliquidity are only part of the risk equation for forex trading. Most risk comes from the individual trader’s approach. These factors are controllable by the individual. This is why some traders consistently win, while others consistently lose. The trader chooses when to participate, the timeframe to trade over, which currency to trade, and how much the market should move before liquidating a position.

It is better for the trader to select their own risk parameters, based on careful testing of a trading system against the market. That way, you can know exactly when to enter or exit the market, how much you want to risk per trade and can select a risk level that you are comfortable with. This gives you a level of transparency that you don’t get when you hand your money over to “an expert” to invest, or buy a “sure fire winning system” advertised on the Internet.

You should test your parameters against the market over a period of time using paper trading before committing real money.

In conclusion, forex trading is not more inherently risky than other forms of investment, but the new trader must understand the impact of leverage, and clearly define entry and exit criteria, how long a position should be open, profit and loss targets (which should reflect the volatility of current market conditions).

For more information and free tutorials on forex trading, visit www.fxtradingguide.com



ARDIN Cicilia Hong