Successful display companies know they won’t stay on top for long if they merely rely only on what’s worked in the past. You have to constantly be moving with the market, going with the flow, making the most of new opportunities, yada yada — you know the drill. Of course, the alternative is a lot less work, but that’s most likely to end in disaster.

“We’ve never put all our eggs in one basket,” says John Coleman, account executive at Avalon Exhibits, a company in New Castle, Del., that serves clients in a variety of industries. “The places that we’ve seen go out of business tended to have too many clients in one industry. When those markets declined for whatever reason, those businesses did, too.”

The display products industry has traditionally relied on trade shows, special events and museums for the majority of business. Identifying new niches within these markets — or opportunities in emerging fields — can ensure your business’s long-term success, even during economic downturns.