Trade Show Success: Learn From An Expert

Have you ever been an attendee at a conference and gone to the exhibit area? You know, where all those trade show booths are and the vendors are standing behind them, ready to espouse their company's benefits to you?

I have been to many; and have been on both sides. I have been an attendee many times and even more so, a vendor.

Watch the latest videos on YouTube.com

What baffles me is that when I am an attendee and walk the exhibit booth isles, I see much aloofness. Many of the vendors don’t even look up because they are talking to their co-worker, checking their Blackberry and/or gazing deeply into their laptop monitor.

I am quite sure that this is not what their boss envisioned when he/she paid thousands of dollars for the company to be there.

What do these vendors expect? That potential customer will make a bee-line for their booth? Good luck with that....

No, an exhibit hall vendor must be very proactive in getting the attention of all the prospects walking by. Odd are, they don’t know much about your company and if you give a smile and good morning, they will do the same to you. Then a simple, "Have you heard of what our company can do for you?" will probably buy you at least a minute to reel them in a bit more.

At a recent event, I walked around a bit to see what the other exhibitors were up to. It never fails to amaze me, but most of the exhibitors barely looked up as I walked past them. I blame them for laziness but also their boss for not being clear about the expectations of a trade show.

Here are some good trade show tips that I found to get the most out a trade show:

Don't sit - The tradeshow environment is a tough one. I know that. By the end of the day your entire body feels weak and numbed. I also know that the next day you’d rather have your legs amputated than stand on them, but buck up! When you’re sitting, you look lazy and less approachable. In that state, lead-generating opportunities will pass you by like grandma getting passed on the highway.

Talking with other booth staff - Remember, this is not the break room and you’re not at the show to talk with “Joe." Save the conversation for the hotel later. Otherwise, if you’re in the middle of chumming it up, show attendees will not even try to interrupt your conversation to ask for information. The same goes for the cell phone as well; if you need to take a call, excuse yourself from the booth.

80/20 - Remember the 80/20 rule – listen 80% of the time and talk 20%. Many people, when put in the show situation, tend to “throw-up” on the attendees. You’ve seen it, I’ve done it. It’s just wrong. For example, the attendee asks a question, “Does your product do this?” Then you reply, “The product does this and that and my company was founded in 1912 by a farmer and a goose. I started working with the company when Carter was president. Boy, it was a hot summer.” You did nothing but point out that you’re uncomfortable being there. Listen to the customer. Process what they want to know, then respond with pertinent information. Wait, then ask if your response adequately answered their question. If you’re nervous, take a breath or two before speaking. You’ll be glad you did.

Train your trade show team - Trade shows are unlike other sales environments. Limited time and attention of attendees requires quick qualifying, and lead generating tactics. Make sure your staff is prepared and has a clear goal for each day.

Call them while they're hot - Sales staff frequently make the mistake of contacting trade show leads, months after the show. Make sure your sales staff has extra time and incentive to follow-up with all leads within weeks of your trade show exhibit.

Booth Love - Effectively utilize display accessories, banners, graphics, lighting, booth design, and materials to heighten visibility and drive sales.

The bottom line - For a successful trade show, make sure you are as approachable and professional as possible. Remember that at any given moment, you will be on center stage. The customer is looking at your booth and asking themselves, “Do I need what they have?” Then they’ll look at you and decide, “Do I want to work with them?” That is not a good time to pick your nose.

You only get one chance to make a first impression. At a trade show, you are making that impression on someone at every moment. How will you and your company be remembered?

This post provided by David Mammano, founder NextStepMagazine.

Read more »

Posted in: trade shows

Create an Uncluttered Trade Show Display

When you're getting ready to attend a trade show, it's a good idea to spend some time thinking about how you are going to set up your booth. When preparing for a trade show, you have to find the fine line between an adequate display and one that is too cluttered. Many trade show participants make the mistake of putting too much stuff on display, which results in an exhibit area that is crowded and difficult to manage.

Think Visual Appeal When you are setting up your trade show booth, don't focus your efforts on trying to cram every piece of promotional material you own on the table. Instead, think about what you can do to make the design and setup of your booth have visual appeal to trade show attendees.

Keep in mind that your booth has to be attractive enough to entice people to approach you so that you have an opportunity to educate them about your company's products and services. Don't make the mistake of making your display look so overwhelming that attendees are turned off by your display or find themselves too intimidated to approach you.

How to Display Company Literature

You should definitely include some type of company literature on your trade show display. For most businesses, a general brochure is the ideal item to pass out at trade shows. You should bring a sufficient quantity of brochures to the trade show with you, but don't stack all of them up on your booth at the same time. Instead, put out just a few at a time, and replenish throughout the day as your supplies begin to dwindle.

How to Avoid the "Grab and Run"

Many people who attend trade shows take great joy in the freebies that vendors give away at their booths. It's definitely in your best interest to take some kind of novelty item with your company's name, logo, and contact information printed on it. However, as with your brochures, it's important not to put all of your goodies on the table at the same time.

If you have a huge stack of pens, sticky notes, candy, or other items on your table, it's too easy for people to grab an item from your booth without giving you a business card or picking up one of yours. Put out only a few items at a time, and make a habit of handing goodies to people while smiling and asking about their business. This represents a much more effective use of your company's marketing materials than allowing random people to grab them and run away.
Get Ready for the Show

By following these simple tips for creating a clutter-free, marketing oriented trade show display, you're well on your way to enjoying your most successful event yet. Remember to be friendly and approachable, but don't be aggressive in trying to draw attendees to your display. Your well organized and clutter-free booth will encourage individuals who are good prospects to seek you out, resulting in a win-win trade show event for you and your future clients. A

This post provided by Mary G. White, M.A., SPHR who is the Training Coordinator Mobile Technical Institute & MTI Business Solutions (http://www.mobiletechwebsite.com), where she specializes in human resources, management, and marketing training. For free career and business development tips, see http://www.dailycareerconnection.com/ and http://www.dailybizsolutions.com/.

Good Marketing Tip #107

Read more »

Posted in: trade shows

Pre-show Promotion: The Single Most Valuable Step Any Exhibitor Can Take

There's a lot of pressure on marketing departments today: a tightening economy and increasingly competitive environment means that every promotional effort must generate a positive return. Every decision has to be viewed critically, and that includes the decision to participate in trade shows.

Show participation must, for many exhibitors, generate a positive, demonstrable ROI if exhibiting is to remain a viable part of the marketing strategy. This means taking advantage of every opportunity to maximize the return on show participation: before, during, and after the show. Many exhibitors do a great job at the show, but lackluster or non-existent efforts prior to and after the event sabotage their efforts.

For those marketing professionals who believe in the core value of exhibiting and the face-to-face relationship building that is part and parcel of exhibiting, this has placed renewed emphasis on the value of pre-show promotion. Pre-show promotion is the single most valuable step any exhibitor can take to help drive traffic to the exhibit, up the percentage of high-value, qualified leads, and ensure a positive ROI.

After all, to start and reinforce valuable business relationships, you have to have contact with the show attendees. They need a reason to visit your exhibit -- to pinpoint and find one booth out of the hundreds on the show floor. Pre-show marketing can provide that reason. This isn't exactly news -- and although the vast majority of exhibitors aren't doing any pre-show promotion, those companies that are, have been steadily increasing their efforts. How can your pre-show promotion stand out in a crowded environment? Here are three effective strategies to consider:

1. Smart E-Mail

E-mail is everywhere: almost everyone checks their e-mail several times a day. Yet few exhibitors are making use of this tool to promote their trade show participation. Mention any show specials you may be running, as well as events, classes, and seminars your organization is a part of. Use strategically timed e-mails to remind your clients and potential clients to visit your booth at the tradeshow. Mention any show specials you may be running, as well as events, classes, and seminars your organization is a part of.

Timing is crucial. You don't want to send your reminder emails too early, as they'll be overlooked. Sending e-mails too late isn't any better! Aim for three emails, one a month before the show, one a week before the show, and one a day or two before the show. Don't forget the signature line on your regular, everyday business email. Altering it to include a mention of your trade show participation is a subtle yet effective way to promote the event.

2. Trade Journal Inserts

Any time you conduct a direct mail campaign, you do so in the knowledge that the vast majority of your efforts go unseen. The lion's share of direct mailings are never delivered, much less read. Considered 'junk mail', it winds up in the trash, where it doesn't do you or your prospective attendee any good. Industry journals, on the other hand, are almost always delivered. They're also consistently read at a much higher rate than most direct mail efforts.

Some savvy exhibitors have begun promoting their tradeshow participation with trade journal inserts. These small postcard-sized advertisements are tucked into the journals before they're mailed, highlighting your organization's upcoming show appearances. This isn't a common strategy yet, so you benefit from being unique and targeted. A very cost-effective strategy!
3. Lumpy Mail

Lumpy mail has a funny name, but it's a powerful pre-show promotional strategy. Sending a mailing that is literally lumpy -- an envelope containing something -- generates curiosity in the recipient. One exhibitor actually sent potential attendees a message in a plastic bottle -- and got a great response rate. Consider what 'lumps' you could send to your attendees!

One strategic use of the lumpy mail strategy involves including a premium item the prospective attendee has to bring to your booth to exchange for another, higher value item. A variation of this is to send an item that is useless on its own -- one glove, for example -- along with the message that the missing component -- the second glove -- can be picked up at your booth.

This post provided by Susan A. Friedmann,CSP, The Tradeshow Coach, Lake Placid, NY, internationally recognized expert working with companies to increase their profitability at tradeshows. Author: "Riches in Niches: How to Make it BIG in a small Market" and "Meeting & Event Planning for Dummies." Claim your free copy of "Exhibiting Success" at www.thetradeshowcoach.com & www.richesinniches.com

Read more »

Posted in: trade shows