A trade show takes a significant amount of a company’s marketing budget so it’s important to make the most of the opportunity. The payoff can be higher and quicker than many other marketing channels. Winning at trade shows depends greatly upon the work done in advance.

• Investigate the Show.  When you are choosing which trade shows to attend do a little homework.  Find out how long the show has been in existence, the past attendance numbers, the number of vendors, and the advertising planned by the show management.  If possible, talk with other companies who have participated in the past and get their reviews.
• Picking the Booth Space.  Ask early for a floor plan so you can see which booths are available along the center of the show floor.  You can have the best displays and products in the world, but if you are tucked away in a corner you may become the show’s best kept secret.  Don’t wait until the last minute to reserve your space; the best locations will go quickly.
• Advance Marketing.  Take advantage of advertising opportunities offered by the show management, but don’t leave all of the advertising up to them.  Make certain you let all customers & prospects know of your plans to exhibit at the show by pre-show marketing.  A drip campaign is often successful, using several channels, such as e-mail, direct mail, personal invites from sales staff & more.
• Get the Attendee List.  Most shows provide an advance list of registered attendees for the show.  Cross-check the list with your own database to find which customers are attending.  Then segment the list by company size, geographic location or assigned sales rep.  Use the list in your pre-show marketing efforts to drive booth traffic.
• Strategically Plan Your Exhibit.  Don’t try to cram every product detail on your trade show booth graphics – your brochures should contain all of that information.  Any trade show exhibit should quickly tell a prospective customer 1.) who you are, 2.) what you do and 3.) how you can help them.  Consider what needs to happen in the space to meet & exceed your trade show goals.  For more ideas on designing a trade show exhibit, check out my blog posts on “What Transforms a Trade Show Exhibit into an Experience” and “How to Get the Most Value from Your Trade Show Display Purchase”.
• Use Technology to Enhance Your Presentation.  Light, motion and color attract attention, so use this to your benefit.  Depending on your product or service, you may want to include interactive presentations, videos or live demonstrations in your trade show exhibit.  The more involved your visitors are, the more likely they will be to remember you later.
• Collect Information.  Have a system in place to get the names and email addresses of all your guests and follow up with every guest after the event.  There are many technologies available which collect more information than a traditional badge scanner.  At least get a clipboard to handwrite notes!
• Follow-thru!  When the show ends, your marketing campaign isn’t over.  79% of leads generated at trade shows are not followed up afterwards (ceir.org) — what a waste!  Follow-through by continuing the marketing campaign and ensure that sales reps keep in contact with prospects they’ve met at the show.

Are you winning when it comes to trade shows?  Get more of the most effective strategies and tactics exhibitors are using today to boost their results by reading the What’s Working In Exhibiting white paper.  To request your free copy, click here. 

If you are new to the trade show scene you may be experiencing some sticker shock, but the good news is that you don’t really need to break the bank in order to grow your business through successful trade show presentations. Here are seven tips to help you get the most from a limited marketing budget.

1.  Why buy when you can rent?  For many companies, and for many different reasons, exhibit rental is an attractive choice. Click here to learn more about the benefits of trade show exhibit rental.

2.  Use Light Weight Exhibit Materials.  Freight & drayage charge by the pound and you can save a significant percentage in shipping if your booth setup is made from light weight materials.

3.  Free Gifts?  These items can be a budget buster.  Does every attendee really need to receive something? (Think adult ‘trick-or-treaters’)  Whatever it is, make certain the gift relates to your business in some way so the customers will think of your business whenever they use the item.  Better yet, create an ‘exchange’ where attendees provide information by answering qualifying questions in order to receive the handout.  Or, offer this item as a follow-up, sent by FedEx to only the most qualified attendees.

4.  Save on Transportation Costs.  Operational costs – shipping, drayage, install and dismantle (I&D) – are often over-looked or under-estimated by new exhibitors. It’s not unlike new homeowners forgetting about personal property taxes and mortgage and homeowners’ insurances.  Lightweight, easy-to-assemble exhibits can add up to big transportation savings… so can these transportation tips:

• Know the weight of the shipment so you can verify the bill.
• Instead of shipping several small boxes, consolidate in one large box or shrink-wrap on one pallet.
• Make one shipment to the convention center.  Inbound shipments are charged a minimum rate (usually 100 lbs) regardless of actual weight.
• Specify your carrier for outbound shipments from the hall. If you don’t the drayage contractor can divert your shipment to another carrier resulting in much higher transportation costs.
• When scheduling labor avoid paying weekend and overtime I&D costs.
• Don’t scrimp on shipping containers.  It’s expensive to redo graphics if they get damaged during shipping.

5.  Offer Relaxation to Attendees.  Walking on concrete for hours can wear out the hardiest attendee.  Create a ‘relaxation station’ in your trade show booth offering bottled water and padded furniture (but keep the booth staffers from lounging too long!).  The smell of warm cookies and hot coffee will certainly attract attention.  This is cheaper than free gifts and could be a lot more effective, if tied directly to your brand message.

6.  Less is Better.  Keep your graphics short and simple – the billboard concept. Detail the benefits to the customer in discussions with your booth staffers.  This allows you to re-use graphics from show to show, rather than printing specific messages, which will add up.

7.  Cooperate with a Complimentary Business.  Before signing up for booth space check with another local business your size which offers products complementary to yours and see if they would like to share a booth space.  This might allow you access to a better location in the show at a reduced cost; and you both may gain leads as add-ons to one another’s products.

There are even more ways to stretch your trade show budget shared in the What’s Working In Exhibiting white paper. To pick up your free copy full of great tips and tricks, click here. 

The 10′x10′ booth space is the most common size in the United States (source: my unscientific survey of recent show floor plans).  Starting small might be a good idea because of limited marketing budgets or based on the number of attendees at a trade show.  Once you’ve gotten your feet wet and become satisfied with the lead generation and business growth potential, you’ll understand that it might be time to move up to a bigger trade show booth.  Here are a few factors to consider when choosing the ideal trade show exhibit size.

1.  Venue Considerations: Location and audience.  What is the expected total number of attendees?  Is this a trade show that highlights your particular industry or is it more generalized (vertical vs. horizontal)?  A larger trade show booth will attract more attention, but it’s a good idea to compare all costs to lead potential (ROI).  Take a critical look at the floor plan as well.  Larger booths are typically located in the center of the trade show hall and in the main walkways where most of the traffic takes place.

2.  Demonstrations and workstations.  Would attendees benefit from product demonstrations?  If so, you’ll need a booth big enough for to highlight the product, visible from all sides & comfortable for a large group of attendees.  If you expect to meet privately with individual clients, you’ll need a comfortable conference room or space.

3.  Staffers.  Once you’ve set a goal of how many leads to generate, you’ll know how many attendees booth staffers will need to speak with in order to produce those leads.  Then you can decide how many staffers it will take to speak with all of those attendees — rule of thumb average: 8-15 per hour for good qualification and depending on the time of day.  So, consider the size of space in order to hold this number of staffers & attendees. Remember, for a 10′x10′ booth, you’re typically max’ed out of space with 2 staffers and 2 attendees (25 sq. ft. each).

4.  Invest for Less.  If #1, 2 or 3 above apply to your situation or, if your current size booth is too crowded you will not be as effective in attracting attendees, conversing, presenting and generating leads. But, cost can be a barrier to increasing your size, however the payoff to your bottom line can be huge.  Make a smaller investment by designing a Custom-Modular Exhibit or consider a Custom-Rental solution.

Find out how you can help lower operating costs and provide greater flexibility by using a custom modular trade show exhibit.  Click here to request your free copy of  The Trend To Custom Modular Exhibits white paper. 

Success at a trade show requires finding a way to capture the attention of the largest number of attendees.  Nothing can catch the eye like light, sound and motion.  If you want to make the most of your trade show opportunity you need to tap into the technology available.  Here are some effective options that clients often consider:

1. Pre-Show Technology.  Before you even set up your trade show booth you will encounter technology options offered by the trade show organization.  Investigate what’s available and take full advantage of those items that can maximize your effectiveness.  Shows typically offer exhibitors with sponsorship opportunities on their web site, email lists &  addresses of attendees, and contact / meeting technology that allows the attendees to look at all the business profiles and contact exhibitors  in advance for appointments.

2. Interactive Activities.  It’s a lot more fun to touch and feel something than to passively observe a product in action.  If you want your trade show exhibit to be the show stopper you can use interactive technology to give your prospects an opportunity to be entertained and informed.  The type of device you use will vary according to your product line.  Touch screens allow companies to gain attendees interaction and help them to quality or disqualify them as a potential customer.  Games can be incorporated in a number of ways, such as a prize game like slot machines, Plinko boards, Toss-N-Win games among others, but make sure the game is tied to your product offering.

 3. Video Loops.  An attention getting video will use vivid imagery, music, color and movement.  The video should eye-catching while being concise and to the point.  Make sure the material is up-to-date — don’t use one from last year that has out-of-date products featured.  Many trade show exhibits can hold monitors of all sizes, even portable displays, like the Skyline Mirage with Monitor Mount or Stratus Table Workstation.

4. DVDs and Flash drives.  After you draw the viewers into your trade show exhibit you need to have something more than a key chain to offer qualified prospects.  Be prepared to follow-up your conversation with promise to mail or FedEx a DVDs or flash drives that contain relevant product presentations to give to anyone who shows more than a passing interest.  The combination of video or an interactive digital piece is a complimentary marketing tool to printed materials such as brochures.

5. Social Media.  A newer addition to the trade show technology toolbox, social media, can be a cost effective marketing medium.  Many people use smart phones — sites like Facebook, Twitter and Foursquare allow exhibitors and attendees connect before, during and after trade shows.  Post updates about your trade show exhibit & show experience on your Facebook Fan Page.  Follow Twitter hash tags for the show to find & interact with attendees.  Create a check-in for your booth space for attendees to create an interactive experience.

6. iPads & Tablets.  While these items are also new trade show technology additions, they can be added to your booth experience as more than just a giveaway.  Create an app for attendees to download on their tablets.  Use iPads to demo your web site or share product photos.  Create a testimonial video with a satisfied customer, which you can share during a conversation.  Take notes and develop a digital lead card for booth staffers.

Learn about more challenges and opportunities with technology that face you and your peers at trade shows  by reading The Evolving Role of Exhibit Marketers white paper.  To request your free copy, click here.  

Do you believe your company can get more bang for its trade show marketing dollars if you employed a different strategy?  If so, the next step is to convince your boss that you need a new approach.  But be warned; no one is going to be at all interested in hearing that there is a problem with the status quo unless you are able to present an alternative.  Here are some steps you can take to make certain you find the best strategy for your next show.

Analyze Your Choice of Shows 

One major factor of an effective marketing strategy is choosing the best trade shows that attract your target audience.  What kind of trade shows has your company attended in the past?  Do you market in industry-specific shows, general shows or a combination of both?  Gather the statistical data from the events you have attended and see which shows have been most effective in garnering new business.  Part of your strategy may include recommendations regarding increasing or changing your venues.

Scope out the Competition

The next step is to find out what your competition is doing.  The goal is not to imitate, but to determine what the current presentation trends are and which ones draw the largest crowds.  Spend some time visiting the trade show booths that command the most interest and analyze their strategies.  Do they use interactive media?  What kind of lighting is employed?  Is there a video feed?  How are their graphics arranged and displayed?  Do they have demonstrations or is product available for the customers to handle?  Are these booths run by a single vendor or are they a co-op between complimentary businesses?  Take notes and look for any factors these booths have in common.

Apply the Data 

After you have gathered your information apply the concepts and techniques you have observed to your particular company and products.  Try to employ strategies that will reach your visitors through sight, sound and touch if possible.  Map a layout of your proposed trade show display and make drafts of any new handouts, graphics, or other marketing materials.

Prepare a Budget & Project Payoff

Every company has limits on marketing funds, and your new strategy will not make it off the boss’s desk if it cannot be accomplished within the budget constraints with higher results.  Find out how much money is available and then determine how to project results.  Take all of this data and put it into a business proposal format.  Present the new strategy along with the reasons why they changes will improve the visibility and effectiveness of your trade show exhibits.  This information, combined with a workable budget, should be all of the persuasion you need!

A new strategy is one way to revamp your trade show marketing.  For more tips and ideas on how to boost your results and stretch your budgets pick up the What’s Working In Exhibiting white paper.  To request your free copy, click here.

Do you want attendees to remember your exhibit long after the event is over?  If so, key into something educators have discovered; the more senses you engage in your booth experience the more people will remember your message.  People are classified as visual, audio or kinesthetic learners and all three types will be at your trade show.  Here are some ways to turn your trade show exhibits into an experience for everyone who visits:

Trade shows are an investment of both time and money for companies of any size.  Many exhibitors search for ways to increase the return on their trade show investment.  When was the last time you or your company measured its results from trade shows?  Not recently?  Never?  Don’t worry!  There are many ways to increase effectiveness from trade show exhibiting and they all begin with a plan.

1. Find the right show
How do you know if your trade show will be successful?  That depends on what you are measuring.  The first step to achieving better results from trade shows is to find a show, then set measurable and attainable objectives.

There are many ways to find shows and decide whether or not your target market will be at the event.  All it takes is a little research.  Call the show organizer and ask for statistics from previous shows such as number of exhibitors, total number of attendees, costs, etc.

2. Make a strategy
Now, decide what it is that you want to achieve.  The measure of achievement should be based on your goals.  Do you want to make sales at trade shows to measure your return on investment, or just gain leads for your database to measure your return on objectives? These are the core ideals to identify so that you can begin measuring your results.

3. It’s about the people
According to the Center for Exhibition Industry Research (CEIR.org), 85% of the success at trade shows depends on the booth staffers.  The size of the trade show exhibit, the literature and the promotions are all secondary.  If a staffer leaves a poor impression with a prospect, no key chain or coffee cup will turn that impression around.  Therefore, it is important to train all staffers about your expectations as to what they should accomplish at a trade show.  They need to learn how to qualify prospects in a short amount of time.  If an attendee does not fit your criteria as a potential client, quickly and politely dismiss him or her.  When a prospect does fit your criteria, the staffer needs to know what to do next – set an appointment, send literature, schedule a conference call, etc.

4. Promotions need to be memorable
How many key chains or pens have you picked up at a trade show and where are they now?  They probably ended up in a trash can at the hotel and that means the promotion was not effective.  A promotion should be a memorable accent to your message, but not be overwhelming.  Pre-show mailings or e-mail campaigns can tie into promotions at the show to remind attendees to stop by your trade show booth.  Purchasing the attendee list prior to the show to select your top percentage of prospects is another great investment.  Don’t forget to contact your current clients that will also be attending.

5. Make a follow-up system
CEIR has found that 79% of leads generated at shows are not followed up on.  How can you prevent this from happening at your company?  It again starts with pre-show planning.  Create a plan for following through on leads.  It is important to determine how the information will be distributed, to whom it is distributed and how that information will be used to advance the company’s overall goals.  It is important to create a follow-through plan to utilize this new information and follow-up within a week before the contact at the show loses its effectiveness.

Trade shows require planning prior to, during and after the event.  The only way to ensure a higher return on your trade show investment is to plan all stages of the show.  Selecting the best show to exhibit at is the first step.  Booth staff training is a must for companies at all levels.  Proper follow-up should be part of the staff training.  Through a few focused steps, you can increase your return on investment!

Learn what other exhibitors are doing now to create their own trade show success, with the 32-page white paper research report, What’s Working In Exhibiting.  Get your free copy now by clicking here.

A crowd of potential clients can visit you at your trade show booth, a lot more than your sales people can visit in a day.

I often hear this question: “Help, please!  My trade shows are under attack from management!  What is the value of meeting a customer or prospect on the trade show floor versus in their office?”

Trade Shows Work

An estimated 110 million people attend more than 4,000 shows in the United States and Canada every year (courtesy: tradeshowsandevents.com).  How many clients or prospects can your sales reps see per day?  Maybe 3-4 or 6-7?

Consider a 20 total hour show with 10,000 attendees.  You have the potential to visit with up to 500 people per hour.  Even if you only meet with 5% of those attendees, you’ll end up with the opportunity to connect, face-to-face, with 25 people per hour.  To achieve the same level of success, one sales rep would need 20 weeks!

The Numbers

Trade show exhibiting, it’s a great value.  Consider the following numbers, provided by CEIR.org:

• For the past 10 years, an average of 81%-83% of visitors have some kind of buying power.
• The average visitor spends 9.2 hours at a 2-3 day trade show.
• 86% of your visitors will be new contacts.
• 77% of visitors will remember your company for up to 10 weeks.

• Cost per lead from show averages $212.00.
• Cost per lead from field averages $308.00.
• Cost per sale from a show averages $705.00.
• Cost per sale from the field averages $1140.00.
• That’s 38% less for a sale from a trade show lead!

How to Use This Info

I suggest you share these numbers with your management and accounting teams.  Then couple the information with your own statistics & measurement results, so that you can help everyone understand the importance of your trade show marketing program.

I’ve always admired Mark Twain. Some historians credit him with writing the first Great American Novels.  However, many people are not aware of his business endeavors and investments.  Twain was a very wise man and once said, “Many a small thing has been made large by the right kind of advertising.”  In the 21st Century, where our world constantly changes and we face an uncertain economy in the months ahead, Twain’s statement holds true.  We can especially relate his thoughts to the trade show world.  It is important to understand how to evolve your trade show marketing program and after reading this article, you’ll know 5 ways to successfully exhibit in a down economy.

 1.) Evaluate your show schedule; don’t stop exhibiting.

Peter Starkel, from RemarkableBrands.com, describes “a well known reality in the marketing world [is] that you grow market share in a down economy and grow sales in an up economy.”  Starkel’s statement is especially accurate for trade show exhibiting.  It may be tempting to cut shows or minimize booths space in uncertain times, but now is the time to invest marketing dollars to build your market share.  So, don’t stop exhibiting, rather use metrics to evaluate your show schedule.  If you currently don’t have a measurement system in place, contact me for a list of commonly used measurement tools, such as cost per lead, return on investment, budgeting, visual reach, cost of live presentations and many more.  By implementing a trade show measurement system, you’ll be able to review your show schedule and determine which shows provide the best potential for an increased return-on-investment.

When is the last time you called 10-15 of your top customers to ask what shows they attend and why?  This exercise provides another measurement tool, which not only continues to build relationships with your clients, but also allows you to target or segment messages to specific markets.  You may begin to find other niches which would be profitable to pursue.

2.) Find areas to eliminate waste.

The green movement is not only good for the environment, but also for your trade show marketing program.  Through the measurement system described in the first tip, you’ll both evaluate your show schedule and find ways to eliminate cost.  For example, have you considered combining shipments to lower your drayage cost?  Or, have you shipped promotional items and literature to a staffer’s hotel room to eliminate drayage?  When is the last time you completed & submitted show forms before deadlines?  All of these small details add up, but can be a goldmine for cost savings.  If you’re short staffed, consider hiring an outside vendor to assist in completing these tasks.  Your cost savings might pay for their services and will allow you more time to focus on sales & marketing strategies. 

We all know that larger & heavier items cost a lot more to ship.  This theory is no different for your trade show exhibit.  If you’re still shipping a heavy, dinosaur of an exhibit, stop right now and start using a lighter, custom-modular solution that fits in smaller, fewer crates.  The cost savings in shipping alone may pay for the exhibit over the course of your show schedule and you’ll have the flexibility to update graphics or even add rental properties to increase your presence at shows.

3.) Train your booth staffers.

You already know that trade show floor space is some of the most expensive real estate around.  Have you also considered the actual amount of time your staffers spend with prospects at shows?  It isn’t much, is it?  Here is another area to eliminate waste: booth staffer training.  Do your staffers understand the expense required just to get them to that show?  Or, are they busy checking e-mail on their BlackBerries and making calls to family & friends on their cell phones?  By making them aware of this cost, you can then set goals for them to accomplish, helping him or her to become more effective.  Additionally, they’ll build confidence to reach out and engage prospects.  After practice, the advanced staffers will know who to not only engage, but when to disengage with a prospect that does not fit your target.  You can then send the best, most effective staffers to more shows and they’ll increase leads or gain better leads.  If salespeople staff your booth, why not even make it a competition to select staffers?  Again, you’ll get the best staffers and, after all, what sales person wouldn’t want to see more prospects in a day at a trade show, than just a few through field sales calls.

4.) Plan, plan, plan.

It’s always great to see a child unwrap a gift.  The joy is always short-lived when it comes time to assemble the toy with a set of unclear instructions.  Exhibiting without a plan is no different.  I’m not only talking about pre-show plans, but also at-show and post-show planning.  Without a clear understanding of goals and responsibilities, how will your team know whether or not they’re effective? 

Pre-show meetings should be the most-detailed, setting realistic goals, pointing out areas to avoid mistakes, training staffers and assigning responsibilities to follow-through after shows.  At-show meetings should not only be the shortest, but also focus on keeping up the rhythm and finding more opportunities while at the show.  Many exhibitors unfortunately skip the post-show meetings because, after all, there is a lot of work to catch up on when you get back to the office, not to mention all the new work generated at the show.  Post-show meetings should be detailed enough to quickly & effectively follow-through on leads.  The more time that passes without acting upon your new opportunities, the lower the chance you’ll have to turn prospects into clients. 

5.) Be the best.

Both the 1972 Miami Dolphins and 2008 Detroit Lions set National Football League records.  The difference is that of being the best (the NFL’s first perfect season) and being the worst (the only NFL team to lose all 16 regular season games).  While both teams undoubtedly worked & practiced very hard, the differences are quite obvious.  One team made a conscious decision to be the best by getting the best coach (Don Shula, the most successful head coach in pro football history, won a total of 347 games), the best players (six future hall-of-famers played for Miami in the 1970s) and did not lose sight of their goals.  At a trade show, you not only have one competitor, but a lot, even hundreds of competitors.  All of these companies have the same goal: attract prospects to their booth space, get their information and set up the next steps to make a sale.  How will you be better than all others so that you can get prospects to your space first and setup your steps to securing their business?

The choice is yours and now you’ll have to make a decision.  Will you use these 5 tips to exhibit successfully in the down economy?

Learn even more ways to exhibit successfully in a down economy.  Click here for your free copy of the Successful Exhibiting Strategies in Uncertain Times White Paper, which includes 16 proven methods for exhibiting better in a down — or up — economy.