Expose Designs doesn’t do subtle. They design and build large-scale exhibition stands for global brands across the world.
And not just any kind of stands. These are the kind of stands people stop mid-aisle to photograph. But, they aren’t long-term builds, either. Many are created for just a few days, then taken down and rebuilt for the next show.
“Clients are investing in their events more than ever and are trusting us to bring their vision to life,” said Craig McArdell, Head of Sales at Expose Designs. That level of ambition doesn’t stop with the final build. Behind the scenes, the sales process has to support long deal cycles, detailed handoffs, and multiple teams working together.
As Expose Designs continued to grow, McArdell wanted their internal systems to feel just as intentional as the work they delivered to clients.
Working with a familiar system that didn’t quite fit
Like many sales leaders, McArdell had spent years working in Salesforce. It was familiar, widely used, and generally got the job done. But for a smaller, fast-moving sales team, it started to feel less aligned with how the team actually worked.
“Salesforce is okay if you’re a large corporation or organization,” McArdell said. “But for us, it didn’t give the flexibility we needed, there was a high cost, and it wasn’t as user friendly as it should be.”
At the same time, parts of the sales process lived outside the CRM altogether. Outbound prospecting was tracked in spreadsheets, which made it harder to get a clear picture of pipeline health or activity across the team.
“Before we were using a lot of Excel spreadsheets, it was harder to see our pipeline in a really good way,” McArdell said.
Looking for something that worked the way they already did
Expose Designs is deeply embedded in Google Workspace, so McArdell knew any new CRM needed to fit naturally into that environment. That search led him to Copper. But, what stood out wasn’t just the integration — it was how quickly everything clicked once he got hands-on.
“It was very easy to set up and put processes in place that worked really well,” McArdell said. “I could also see the vision of how we would be able to use and set it up.”
Even though Expose Designs was still under contract with Salesforce, McArdell decided not to wait.
“As a business, to move forward, you have to be progressive,” he said.
Building a sales process that mirrors the real business
Once Expose Designs moved to Copper, the focus wasn’t on reinventing how they sold. Instead, it was on supporting how they already worked.
From leads to builds, all in one flow
The team uses Copper to collect and import lead data, manage outreach, and guide opportunities through a clearly defined pipeline.
“We’re collecting data, importing that data as leads, and using templates, and automation,” McArdell said. “Then it moves into our pipeline flow, starting with discovery.”
Their pipeline reflects the reality of the sales cycle: discovery, design, pricing, proposal, and close. Once a deal is marked “closed won,” it doesn’t disappear, it transitions into the project management phase.
“Once it’s closed won, it reopens into the project management desk and they manage it through to build,” McArdell explained.
Custom fields for profit, stand number, and event details ensure everyone (from sales to delivery) has the context they need without digging through notes or spreadsheets.
Automation that actually helps
As the team got more comfortable, they began layering in automation to reduce manual follow-ups and missed handoffs.
“We’re using automated tasks when we move from one section to another,” McArdell said. “It just makes sure things don’t get missed.”
They also leaned into Copper’s bulk email tools and activity tracking, which gave McArdell visibility into team activity without hovering.
“It’s not about big brother,” he said. “It shows areas where you can make improvements.”
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Adoption without the usual friction
Anyone who’s ever rolled out a new CRM knows the moment of truth isn’t the setup, it’s whether the team actually wants to use it. For Expose Designs, that part turned out to be refreshingly uneventful.
By the time formal training sessions came around, the team was already well into Copper and using it day to day. There wasn’t a big adjustment period or a chorus of complaints — people just got on with it.
“The team adopted it really, really quickly. It’s very user friendly and intuitive.” McArdell said. “I’ve had no pushback.”
That ease shows up in how the team works now. Instead of hopping between tools, most of their sales activity lives in one place. Emails, pipeline updates, and follow-ups now all happen inside Copper, which makes it easier to stay focused and keep momentum.
“You’re probably in Copper about 80% of the time,” McArdell said. And when questions pop up, they don’t derail the day. He often turns to Copper’s AI chatbot to get quick answers without breaking his flow.
“The AI bot, Penny, is brilliant,” he said. “It’s rare that I need to open a support case.”
For a team balancing new business, existing relationships, and complex projects, that kind of low-friction adoption matters. Copper didn’t feel like another system to wrestle with. It just fits into the way Expose Designs already works.
Now there’s even more clarity, confidence, and momentum
Expose Designs didn’t switch CRMs to chase shiny features. They did it to gain visibility and support growth across teams.
Pipeline activity, deal movement, and team effort were no longer scattered across tools or hidden in spreadsheets.
For Expose Designs, that visibility has laid the foundation for expanding Copper beyond sales into account management, project management, and eventually design and build teams—bringing the same clarity to every part of the business.
“When I suddenly came into Copper, I had sight of everything. I could see the Pipeline. I could see where things were,” McArdell said. “It was almost like someone turned the light on in a dark room. It was truly an ‘exactly what we needed’ moment.”
Want to see what clarity could look like for your team? If your sales process still lives across spreadsheets, inboxes, and half-updated tools, Copper might be worth exactly what you need. Try it now for 14 days free!
