Posted January 9th, 2010 by Karl
Trade shows are an excellent way to get you business recognized and to build a bigger customer base. They are also very intense and you have to be on your feet for hours. During the entire time the trade show is on you have to appear to be enthusiastic and full of energy. This is easy to do the first couple of hours until the newness wears off and it can quickly turn into as chore if you are not prepared. Below you will find some tips to help you stay comfortable during the time you are at the trade show.
You have to stay attentive at all times and a person working a trade show exhibit has to have plenty of physical and mental stamina. The clothes you wear should be appropriate but also comfortable to move around in. Your shoes should be very comfortable and it is never a good idea to wear new shoes when you are doing a trade show exhibit.
To keep your energy level up it is a good idea to arrange it so your staff gets to take a break every couple of hours. You should make sure you eat something throughout the day to keep a high energy level. Short breaks throughout the event will keep you and your staff on their toes.
It is also important to stay hydrated during a show. Make sure plenty of water is available to you and your staff. Plan ahead and be prepared by bring along a survival kit. You should include items like, eye drops, Band-Aids, antacids, and safety pins.
Trade shows can be rewarding, on the other hand, they can also be grueling if you are not prepared. The key to success it to plan ahead and to make sure you are ready to spend hours working the trade show floor.
Posted November 4th, 2009 by Karl
There are more and more businesses finding out that doing a trade show is a good medium for bringing in new customers and also attracting media attention. The downside is that exhibiting at a trade show can be expensive due to the cost of space, marketing materials and displays costs. Not to mention, airfare, hotel costs and meals which could all take a toll on a small businesses budget.
There isn’t one particular item or thing that will guarantee a successful trade show. It is a combination of things that will give you the advantage over others who did not plan ahead. The first thing is to check out the trade show you are interested in attending and making sure it is one that your target market would attend.
You don’t have to have a big flashy display to attract potential customers. You will want to have a display that depicts your products and services in an attractive and professional manner. You also want to make sure that you have plenty of marketing materials to take to the trade show. To get the most out of the trade show you should send out mailings and fliers to customers and vendors before the show inviting them to come see you there. You should also make sure you promote the trade show on your website.
You can use promotional gifts or giveaways to attract people to your exhibit. You can also use drawings or prizes to lure in potential customers. One of the main keys to a successful show is to have informed and professional looking staff on the floor in your exhibit. You want people who are friendly and knowledgeable about your products to be able to close the deal. After the show is over you want to make sure you are following up on leads as soon as possible while the person is still interested.
As you can see there are many things that have to be done to help you have a successful trade show exhibit.
Posted October 2nd, 2009 by Karl
To have a successful trade show you need to stay up with the trends in your industry. Your trade show exhibit should have an effective combination of display, presentation and marketing materials to get maximum impact for your money.
You can help save costs by using, used displays and items from last year’s exhibit if you update them for your current shows. To get the most out of your display you want to create an impact using your message and product. It is best to keep your trade show exhibit simple. Another benefit of keeping your exhibit simple it is easier to alter to give you different looks at different trade shows.
To design an exhibit that will grab your target audience’s attention you need to have an effective way to get your message seen. First you need to decide what is the main message or theme of your trade show exhibit. Once you have the theme you incorporate it into every aspect of your exhibit and marketing efforts.
You want your concept to grab the trade show visitor’s attention. A good choice is one that stirs an emotional response in the trade show visitor, such as patriotism or nostalgia. You don’t have to have an extreme concept or a flashy exhibit to attract potential prospects. Some of the most successful trade show exhibits are subtle, pleasantly surprising or clever.
You want to stand out from the rest of the exhibitors and have your message shown loud and clear. Trade shows can be a way to successfully get your product or services recognized and build your customer base. You can have an attractive exhibit if you plan ahead and follow a theme or concept in all parts of your trade show exhibit. Just remember when it comes to your exhibit sometimes less is more.
Posted August 15th, 2009 by Karl
Two important things can determine whether you have a successful trade show or not. Those things are your products and your personnel. You have to have a good products and services and talented people to represent them. Today in the business world people are impatient; they don’t have all day to find what they are looking for.
This means that understanding your buyer is crucial. If you know what your target audience needs, wants and expects; then it is easier for you to be prepare and ready to meet their needs. When you offer special incentives or a discount this will make your prospects even more willing to do business with you.
When you offer special show promotions or deals make sure they are user friendly. A buyer might be willing to pay more to avoid having to do extra work to get the savings. If you make a buyer have to fill out a questionnaire, or go to your website and enter a promotional code they might consider going elsewhere instead of spending extra time.
Another thing that is important to remember is reach out to your clients before the trade show through email and direct mail marketing. That way it will give them incentive to come visit you at the show for special deals. Also remember to keep it simple when promoting discounts. People want to know exactly what the final price will be; they don’t want to spend time doing the math.
You can give your trade show personnel printed sheets that they can use to highlight appropriate discounted prices and write in the total savings. Also make sure that your staff reminds the person of the deadline for the discount prices to give them a push to buy your product quickly before time runs out on the promotion.
All of the things mentioned above will help you to have a more successful trade show and will help to turn prospects into buyers.
Posted June 6th, 2009 by Karl
A big mistake is to believe the trade show management are going to drive a ton of customers to your trade show display when you set up on the day.
This will never happen – you may have a ton of attendees clamoring to get to your booth but it is not as a result of the trade show advertising and marketing – it is because you have done your promotional and marketing work yourself!
Many companies just do not get it when it comes to promoting themselves but it is basic and essential – just to ram the point home, here are some media resources you can use to get your name and trade show attendance broadcast to the world.
Email and Mailshot Your Clients and Prospects and the Trade Shpow Attendee Listing
The first step you can take is to mail everyone you are doing business with that you are exhibiting at the trade show. This includes your customers, prospects and suppliers (don’t forget them either) but you can also request from the trade show management for the attendee list and the other exhibitors too – contact them.
Email or snail mail it’s your choice but email is fast and cheap plus it lends itself to some of the other things we are going to cover here when you are promoting yourself at any trade show.
Press Release
The idea of a press release being issued for many businesses is usually greeted with a smile and a shaking of the head.
Forget that attitude – your business is exhibiting at a trade show – that is NEWS!
If you don’t think it’s a big deal don’t bother exhibiting because you attending a trade show is big news and how you get that out is using a press release.
They are short but not so simple documents to prepare so you may need some help from a professional but don’t expect to pay much for the work – $100-$200 will easily cover it. The press release will get your “news” out to the media at large and you should fax it straight to your local press (and your Chamber of Commerce can help with contacts too).
Social Media
Social media means the web and the Web 2.0 sites – not sure what these are? You’re going to learn fast!
These sites are free and should form part of a consistent and regular exercise as part of your promotional activities:
Twitter – announce what you are doing to the world as it happens
LinkedIn – the professionals online social networking site and an excellent professional resource
Zimbio – write articles and features on your business and publish them for the world to see
eZine Articles – another article site with millions of eyeballs using it but you may need a professional to help
PRLeap – submit your press releases here and gain access to every major media outlet in the world
Posted June 5th, 2009 by Karl
The key to success at any of trade show is careful strategic planning. If you want to maximize your return on your investment you have to be prepared and plan ahead. The first step is to know what events or conferences are happening in your area. You want to look for the type of events that your specific target market would attend.
You can talk to your current customers about which events they attend. You can ask other people in your network which trade shows have been successful for them. There are also trade show directories available. Another good source of information is your local chamber of commerce or other business organizations.
Once you have found the trade shows you are interested in you can request to see a past list of vendors or attendees if they are available from the show sponsor. Most of these shows have websites where you should be able to gain the information. You can use this information to see if the lists of past vendors are in the same industry as you are. This information will tell you if this is the right show that your potential buyers would be attending.
By looking at trade shows past events you will be able to determine if this show would draw in the type and number of prospects you want. Other key considerations include where the show is located, cost, and the sponsor’s reputation. Once you have determined which shows are right for your product you then sit down and write a detailed plan and checklist. If you are organized from the get go you can make sure the trade show is a success and brings in many prospects and new customers.
Posted May 14th, 2009 by Karl
I can’t help myself – I know this blog is about practical hints and advice on product promotion and matters trade show but there comes a time when you just have to let your hair down and say, “To Hell With It! I’m gonna have some FUN!!”
Do you really want to know what the best way is to get attendees to loiter around your booth – a BOOTH BABE!
Obviously it doesn’t work so well with female attendees, but then sometimes it does, but a class 1 method of grabbing attendee attention is a hot looking woman wearing very little:
Sex does not sell!
What sells is conversation leading to an agreeable deal and signatures on paper with a check in the mail.
That said, sex starts a lot of the conversations leading to a deal so who’s splitting hairs – perhaps it’s time for another babe pic 
Before the femi-nazis start mailing in with demands for my head on a stick think about this – the Booth babes I come across and have hired are smart cookies – they know what they are there for and they are great at working the crowd and guests. A good looking booth babe maybe what you are thinking when you hire them but in truth, sacrifice some of the looks for those that can hold a good conversation and are prepared to learn about your business so they can relate this to stunned attendees standing with a jaw on the floow and staring at some cleavage.
What the heck – here’s another babe pic and if you want more, check out Booth Babes – enjoy!
Posted April 10th, 2009 by Karl
While there are some signs of early shoots of recovery it is still important to keep a tight rein on the costs and expenses; you are still attending and exhibiting at shows while the competition has been sleeping and this leaves huge chunks of market share and customers up for grabs but you still have to be profitable and generate business which pays for itself.
Here we go back to basics when it comes to saving money and maximizing the results from your trade show efforts.
Do Your Homework before the Show
Going into a show without proper research into the market and those likely to be attending is a surefire way of throwing money away.
Check the demographics of the trade show attendees from prior shows (management will have this) and look at who is going to be attending for the forthcoming show as well – again trade show management should have this but it is not always straight forward to come by – dig your heels in and insist, you’ve earned the right to this information by renting their space when many others have stopped.
Take the Time to Prepare
An ounce of image is worth a pound of performance but everything is for nothing if you haven’t prepared the way beforehand.
A major trade show will take your team some 12 to 18 months of prior preparation for it to come off as successfully as you intend. Smaller shows take less time and if you have been around the block a few times you will quickly learn what is and is not important to generating maximum results from the show.
Always set enough time to prepare and train up your team so everyone knows what to expect, what their job is and ultimately who is responsible for delivering results which must be measured and assessed.
Management should be Top Down
The sooner senior management are involved and taking ownership of those parts of the process which are important the better for everyone. Trade show displays are a great way to generate exposure and sales but they also require thorough planning and appropriate allocation of resources; the sooner senior management authority is brought to bear the easier everyone else’s job becomes and this saves a great deal of time and trouble for no cost.
Pre-Show Marketing
Do not rely on the trade show management to do your marketing for you; make sure you email and mailshot your prospect and client banks with the information and fact that you will be exhibiting as well as inviting them to come see you there. Don’t hold back in letting the press know you will be there too – exhibiting at a show is usually worth a short piece or two in the local press as well as trade journals – a press release will cost you some paper and fax time.
Post-Show Follow Up
Too often trade show teams breathe a sigh of relief at the end of a show – end up in the hotel bar and celebrate with a party and a few pats on the back about a great time and some great contacts and sales.
Bad move and this costs millions every year to American businesses.
Once the trade show has ended your job has only just begun – now is the time to be getting on top of your team and making sure the follow up calls are initiated and meetings promised during the trade show are actually carried out and take place. More money is to be made after the trade show than during the event itself but this is commonly ignored or not done well by exhibitors.
Posted March 15th, 2009 by Karl
The recession continues to claim victims and headlines but moving into Spring there are now some clear shoots showing signs of recovery.
I had a turbulent time in Las Vegas with PMA 2009, the world’s premier consumer electronics show and enjoyed the atmosphere and vacation style-whirlwind while picking up a ton of contacts and potential customers to follow up.
PMA 2009 was not as heavily attended as previous years and it was also notable that many of the digital camera launches I normally associate with PMA were not present – for those who don’t know, I’m involved in the digital camera and consumer electronics market – but there are other reasons aside from cost-cutting exercises amongst exhibitors at work here.
First off, PMA is not having it’s crown remain in place unchallenged – PMA management and the event face very strong competition from overseas particularly the Far East and in the summer there will be a huge trade show in Australia closely followed by another in South Korea which reflects the dominance of the Far East in generating new electronics for the mass market.
Given most of the product launches normally associated with PMA are going to be bought in the Asian-Pacific market it makes sense that is where they get launched, not to mention it is also where most of these products are now made.
Still, there I was for a few days performing my stint and after the end of the show we had the final round up as the calls out to prospects and contacts has been concluded and we are up on our Like-for-Like numbers from the show last year – well before the recession actually struck.
Our increased success this year is due in part to a recovery starting to bud but also, we are gathering new business that has been left untended by our competitors who have withdrawn or restricted their activities in the market.
Only time will tell whether we are actually in recovery (certainly there are other positive indicators such as new home sales showing positive numbers) but at the same time, it is clear we are in an excellent position to take advantage of business that simply has nowhere to go to because so many of our competitors have done the swrong thing to begin with – cut back everything without thinking of the impact.
Posted February 16th, 2009 by Karl
Tossing and turning with budgets just as we kick off the first part of the year is never my idea of fun – I tend to formulate a plan and then stick to it but in this instance the way the markets are moving in such a state of flux, I just had to look at a couple of things again.
Prices have been dropping like the proverbial rock and not just for trade show space but the whole kit and support that goes into getting my teams from A to B with sales orders along the way.
The “Beast” is what my sales manager has nick named the new display unit we squeezed out of the budgeting exercise we had ticked off and agreed late last year – originally we were not going for new, our second team was getting the older units from the lead team.
The I had some sales information waved at me by Dennis; for some reason he’s gone all pastel and ambient lighting on me and seemed to be developing an unhealthy obsession with an alumalite hybrid display from one of our main suppliers, Exhibit Deal.
The bottom line is I cracked and we ordered a 10′ x 20′ trade show display which looks like Dennis is going to be taking his next date to – all subdued lighting with a clean, crisp finish – we had the display up today and I have to admit it does look pretty sexy.
I’m not someone who gets his head turned by a pretty face though and what really did make me change my mind was the price tag: we closed on this unit for less than $25,000 and I am being made to eat some harsh words.
The point to drive home here is that now is the time to look at what you need with regards to capital investment in your exhibition kit – you are simply not going to get a cheaper deal on any aspect of your exhibition strategy than at this time!