Member Spotlight

Exhibiting the Power of Small Businesses In More Ways Than One

For DJ Heckes, tradeshow and small business marketing go hand-in-hand. Not only is DJ the President and CEO of EXHIB-IT! Tradeshow Marketing Experts and a NAWBO New Mexico member, she is also a new author, small business marketing guru, the 2009 Top Performing CEO in New Mexico by the New Mexico Chamber of Commerce and a strong force in the small business community.

DJ’s company, EXHIB-IT! Tradeshow Marketing Experts, encompasses her passion for marketing and strategic communication. EXHIB-IT! is a full-service tradeshow marketing company partnering with businesses and organizations from around the country to help them market their products effectively and maximize their sales efforts. DJ wanted to build a business that combined her love of interior design and her knowledge of effective marketing. “I married the two and applied it specifically to tradeshows,” says DJ.

EXHIB-IT! has been providing tradeshow displays for a wide range of customers for more than 11 years. The company caters not only to New Mexico-based businesses, but also to larger businesses. “My clients range from incomes of half a million dollars to multi billion dollars,” says DJ.

EXHIB-IT! has also tailored its business n recent years to meet clients’ environmental considerations. “Approximately 20 percent of our product line consists of `green’ or sustainable materials. I am hoping to grow this even more within the next few years so that our clients can both update and reuse the materials we provide to them,” says DJ.

Recently, DJ has been working to market her new book, Full Brain Marketing for the Small Business. The book itself caters specifically to small business owners and focuses on the left and right brain model to describe the elements of marketing. “Small business is about people,” says DJ. She ultimately wanted to help other business owners optimize their marketing campaigns. “My fellow NAWBO members wanted a small business roadmap. They want to understand how to reach their audiences and market themselves in such a way that allows them to build their businesses,” she says.

DJ has been an active NAWBO member in the New Mexico chapter for approximately seven years. She previously served on her local chapter’s board. She sees NAWBO as a great opportunity to network and learn from other women business owners. “Being a NAWBO member is about listening and working with other women and forging collaborative alliances. It is equally important to align yourself with other like-minded women,” says DJ.

In addition to being a NAWBO member, DJ is also a driving force in the business and local community. She is actively involved in the New Mexico American Marketing Association as well as at the national level. She also takes time to volunteer with the New Mexico Scholars Program, working to keep kids in school.

For more information on DJ and EXHIB-IT! Tradeshow Marketing Experts, visit www.exhib-it.com.

For more information on her book, Full Brain Marketing for the Small Business, visit www.fullbrainmarketing.com/DJ_Heckes.