Want to be a smarter exhibitor?  Not just above-average, slightly ahead of the pack, but a full-blown trade show marketing genius?  Then follow these 6 (not so easy, but worthwhile) steps:

• Be Genuine
• Be Experimental
• Be A Nerd
• Go International
• Be Useful
• Drive Sales

Be Genuine

Trade shows offer a huge opportunity to gain exposure for your company’s brand image.  So make your trade show exhibit true to the heart of your brand.  Trade shows let you go beyond just your brand colors and taglines.  You can create an entire experience that helps your visitors connect to what makes your company genuinely different — and better — than your competitors.  Get prospects involved and engaged with activities that embody the best of your brand.  And set the stage for a deeper personal relationship between your company and your clients and prospects.

Be Experimental

Don’t get stuck doing the same-old, same-old, just because you’ve always done it that way.  Great marketers are always testing new waters — without throwing the baby out with the bathwater.  Experiment with new booth staffers, new training methods, new exhibit layouts, new promotional ideas, new booth sizes, new shows, and more.  Ask your peers what they’ve done to boost results, adapt their ideas for your situation, test, measure, and retain the best winning ideas.  Just be sure to set expectations with your bosses that you are not expecting to succeed on 100% of your tests, but need to keep experimenting or you risk being left behind.

Be A Nerd

I’m not asking you to start wearing pocket protectors or to fix your glasses with tape.  To be a trade show genius requires using more tools than paper and pencil.  It means going to school on new technology that is revolutionizing trade shows.  So go beyond knowing what Twitter is, to actually pre-scheduling a pre-show promotion campaign of tweets via a free account on www.hootsuite.com.  Learn how to take the Excel file loaded on the USB drive you get when you return the show’s rental lead retrieval machine, and import it into your company’s marketing database for quicker lead fulfillment.  Get the best content on your website adapted into an iPad app that lets your booth staffers better interact with attendees anywhere in your trade show displays.  Go ahead and get techy; it’s never been cooler.

Go International

There are 7 convention centers outside the U.S. that are larger than McCormick place, the biggest the U.S. has to offer.  What’s more, a new facility being built in Shanghai, China will be twice the size of the next largest existing show hall.  Moreover, 75% of the world’s economy lies outside our shores.  So pack your bags and go!  Just do your homework on the differences in exhibiting overseas, such as how attendees interact (more about relationship building), promotions (privacy laws make it harder to reach attendees directly pre-show), costs (show space may cost less, but travel and hotel costs cost more), and more.  We have done a lot of the homework for you – just click to request your international exhibiting white paper.

Be Useful

Increase your social intelligence by making yourself more useful to all the stakeholders of your trade show program.  Help your sales manager drive more sales from your trade show leads by finding out what questions booth staffers should ask to qualify attendees in your trade show booths.  Then your sales manager will be more willing to let you handpick your favorite booth staffers.  Provide answers quickly to your exhibit house account executive (such as approval on graphics files) and you’ll build up a reserve of goodwill you can call upon for help in an emergency.  And most of all ask your top management what are their main goals for exhibiting at trade shows – then measure and report how your program achieved those goals.

Drive Sales

Perhaps the smartest thing you can do for your trade show career is be known as a rainmaker that positively moves the dial generating revenue.  You drive sales by going to the shows where your buyers walk the aisles, pulling them into your trade show exhibits with enticing promotions, engaging staffers, and attention-getting exhibits, then giving the best leads to your sales force, and finally proving those leads generated sales through measurement.   Prove that you can profitably generate sales with your trade show program and you’ll soon be known as an exhibiting Einstein.

Stretch your exhibiting brainpower by pursuing some or all of these 6 ideas.  You’ll be seen as the genius within your company that knows how to get the most out of trade shows.

Find more smart ways to boost your trade show results in The Value of Trade Shows, a 24-page white paper that reveals why exhibitors and attendees value shows, and how exhibitors can get more out of them.  Click here to request your free copy. 

When you are planning, executing or following up for a trade show there is never a shortage of things to do.  We often have a long list of tasks with numerous looming deadlines throughout the whole trade show process.  How can we help tackle all of these items?  The most efficient way to get through a task is to delete it. That’s right, just delete it off of the face of the earth!

Now, I know what you’re thinking.  ”Wait! I can’t just delete things off of my To Do List!”  It is a difficult concept to accept, and it took me at least a year before I dared delete a task off of the sacred “To Do List” without have actually done it.  Trust me though, this applies to a lot more tasks than you think.  There is a lot of busy work with your trade show exhibit that can simply be deleted from your list.  Just take a minute to let some of this digest.  Ok, now that you’ve calmed down and the idea of just deleting something has crept into your mind you might be wondering, “How do I know what I can delete or not?”  The best way that I’ve found to determine if you can delete something is by using Randy Pausch’s Four Quadrant To Do List.

He breaks out his tasks into four quadrants.

1. Important and Due Soon

2. Important and Not Due Soon

3. Not Important and Due Soon

4. Not Important and Not Due Soon

As you can see, this is a quick and clear cut way to define the tasks that you need to get done and when.  You will be amazed at how many of these tasks will fall into the third and forth quadrants, which more often than not can and should be deleted.  Check out Randy’s Quadrant and try it out.  Then, if you are feeling bold, go ahead and cross off one of those tasks that are in the 3rd or 4th quadrant and see what happens.

We are trying to focus our efforts on to what is important and urgent.  Too often we fill our days with busy work that is really not productive, but it makes of feel like we are getting things done.  This system refocuses us to direct our efforts to what is important.  When you apply this to what needs to be done with your trade show display or exhibiting plan, you might be surprised at how quickly you meet your goals.

And yes, there is an App for that, but you can also use a pen and paper.

For more ways to be your best exhibitor, read the What’s Working in Exhibiting white paper.  This 32 page guide gives you almost 100 tips about most effective strategies and tactics exhibitors are using today to boost their results and stretch their budgets.  Click here to request your free copy.

Trade show exhibiting is an ever-changing, ever-evolving world.  To explore the new developments in the industry, we polled Skyline dealers throughout North America asking them one question: “What do you think the biggest trend in trade show marketing will be for 2012?”

Increased Use Of Social Media

From Facebook to interactive webinars, the growth of social media is the top trend for 2012.  Pre-show promotions using Twitter, Facebook, and Linkedin and at-show promotions rewarding those who “check-in” at the show are already growing in popularity.  Exhibitors want prospects to be able to access data at events and have giveaways associated with their social media plans.  Drawing traffic to your trade show booth and brand through social media is certainly a trend that will continue throughout the year and beyond.  Rick Bengermino, from Skyline Maryland says, “I think clients want to have more interactive elements to engage prospects.”

Greater Integration Of Technology Into Exhibits

The tablet and iPad craze will be built into more trade show exhibits for an exciting visual aspect in 2012.  Incorporation of these devices will allow exhibit staff to demonstrate new products, one-on-one with attendees, anywhere in the booth.  Shipping and storage costs will begin to decline due to the ability to now display products without actually bringing them to the show.  All of these benefits will allow staffers to reach more attendees and capture more leads.  Most recently, trade show exhibitors have seen integration of the tablet with CRM programs.  The major benefit being it gives quick access to the best leads and the ability to create a customized fulfillment plan.  Jodi Maitlen of Skyline Oklahoma agrees, “An overall greater inclusion of technology on the show floor” will be the ticket to success.

Exhibit Design Continues To Evolve Towards Modular

Booth size will start to change and continue throughout the year.  More exhibitors are venturing beyond the standard 10×10 booth into 10x20s. A turn to modular booths is becoming popular due to the need for customization and versatility.  “We are going to see exhibits change into more of a set of elements as opposed to one big structure,” according to Erik Streight, from Skyline Houston.  Jim Cummings, from Skyline Ottawa adds, “2012 may see a move towards differentiation, customization and unique designs.” Comfortable seating and lounge spaces will also be a key aspect in booth design.  Lightweight displays that are easily set up and mobile will be a must-have item for many exhibitors.  Added to that will be the use of lightweight stretch fabric, LED and backwall lighting, video monitors and interactive elements to engage prospects.

Exhibitors Seeking Best Value

Purchases in general are on the rise and the size of the clients’ booths continue to go up.  Pricing is becoming very competitive as exhibitors are looking to get the most bang for their buck.  The economy is getting better but in the past few years people have gotten good at spending as little as possible for the most value.  They will continue to look for the best deals along with low asset management costs.  “Clients are still stretching their dollars and want more flexibility for each penny,” according to Jody Myers from Skyline Exhibitor Source in Knoxville.

Justify Return On Investment

Of course, all of these trends would mean nothing if there was no way to justify the spending.  Focusing on ROI and measurement are at the top of the list for many exhibitors this year.  “You’ve got to set objectives and measure against them,” says Scott Price from Skyline New Jersey.  “You must focus on ROI to justify investments made in trade show marketing,” agrees Alex Litynsky from Skyline British Columbia.  If all of these new and revisited methods are generating traffic and gathering great leads you will know you’re going in the right direction.  If you’re not seeing the results, it may be time to incorporate some of these trends and build a new plan.

These trends look awfully similar to trends you’ve seen over the last few years!  That’s because they’re trends, not fads.  These trends will continue to shift how exhibitors use trade shows for years to come.

For more ways the trade show marketing world is changing, read the The Evolving Role Of The Exhibit Marketer white paper.  This guide will explain new challenges, opportunities and much more for today’s exhibitors.  Click here to request your free copy. 

In an election year, politicians are hard to avoid.                   TV, radio, direct mail, and even our telephones are all being used to tell a story.  Since we cannot avoid politicians, what can we learn from them that we can apply to our trade show efforts?  After all, these are some of the best marketers in the world.

1. Backgrounds are important:  Politicians go to great effort and expense to create as good an environment as possible for you to hear their story.  Your trade show display is no different.  It should carry the look and feel consistent with your brand image and message.  It should create an environment that allows your story to be told.
2. We make a living by the words we choose:  As a marketing sales person, I live by that mantra.  And so should you.  The words we choose to tell our story must be impactful and strike a cord with our audience; otherwise they will be short lived.  We have a limited time to get our message across and make it resonate enough to be remembered and hopefully acted upon.
3. Image is a big part of the story:  Politicians know that their image impacts their message.  Your image – how your dress and conduct yourself – must be consistent with your brand and message.  If it varies, it hurts your ability to build trust.
4. The venue must tie into our goals:  A politician gives great thought and planning into venue selection for telling their stories.  Too often we exhibit at certain trade shows simply because _____…fill in the blank.  Qualify each trade show venue based on your trade show goals.  Ask your prospects and clients what shows they attend and why.  And ask them what shows they do not attend and why.  What better person to tell you where to be than your prospect and client?
5. Sound bites work:  Don’t write a paragraph or even a sentence when a bullet point will do the job.  You have seconds to grab your prospect’s attention in your trade show exhibit and create a desire in them to know more.  Hit the high point and speak their language.
6. The last hand you shake is just important as the first hand you shake:  Politicians are tirelessly meeting as many people as possible and imparting their image and message.  The last person you meet at the end of the trade show deserves the same level of energy, interest, and desire as the first person you met on day one.  If they are still seeking solutions at the end of a show, the opportunity is real and could be urgent.  Don’t blow what could be the opportunity of the show just to get a jump on tear down or beat traffic.
7. Keep telling your story:  Politicians know that they must ever be ready to tell their story again.  And again.  And again.  Repetition is important.  Consistency builds trust.  Don’t give up after one show.  Major prospects need to see staying power and consistency in your brand and message.

I hope the next time you are interrupted by one of the many political messages sure to make their way into your day, that you will take pause and find what you can learn to increase the effectiveness of your message — without throwing the mud of course…

Take another note on best practices from the What’s Working In Exhibiting white paper.  This 32-page guide has almost 100 tips for the most effective strategies and tactics exhibitors are using today to boost their results and stretch their budgets.  Click here to request your free copy. 

If you’re a trade show manager, chances are you operate well under stress and have an active, non-stop lifestyle.  Be forewarned, though, burnout can sneak up on you without warning.  Consider these tips to stay productive, healthy and happy even though you spent more time traveling with a trade show display last week than with your family.

Tip #1: Learn to Say “No” to Counterproductive Trade Show Task Requests

True, you have to pick your battles. But just because someone asks you to do something, doesn’t mean you should.  Many of us operate under the mantra “If it isn’t painful, it can’t be good for me.”  That mantra is a recipe for trade show burnout. Before swinging into motion, ask yourself if the task is really necessary — and whether there’s an easier means to achieve the same end. Perhaps you can offer a counter-proposal that is less taxing on you, while completely acceptable to your boss, customer or colleague.

Earlier, I wrote a post on how to better manage your emails, but I’ve realized that for many trade show managers, trade show booth staffers or marketing people that are involved in the exhibiting world, we are often on the road and rarely just sitting at our desk.  I thought I’d take a look at how to best manage the emails you get when on the road, at a trade show or just traveling, period.

I have found that the same principals will apply to managing emails on the road as they do on a normal basis but you will most likely have less time and options to access emails or communicate in general.  Here is what I have found works quite well traveling:

On your ‘Out of Office Reply’ tell mailers that you will be checking emails only at certain times of the day.

Here is an example:

“I will be out of the office with limited access to phone and emails from Tuesday the 4^th returning Monday the 10th.  I will be dedicating my full attention to “Show ABC” and will be only be able to check emails at 8:00-8:30am CST and 4:00-4:30pm CST during the weekday.  For any emergencies please contact me on my cell phone at 555-555-5555, if I don’t answer please leave a voicemail and I will return your call as soon as possible.”

This allows you to not have to constantly be checking your phone or trying to find a wifi signal to check your email.  It allows you to focus on the show or clients and lets people know how and when you can be contacted.  Once people know that, they WILL find another solution, wait for your reply or they will call.  As for those “emergencies” you would be surprised how they seem to resolve themselves if someone has to pick up the phone and call you, and if they do it’s usually something that can be resolved after a five-minute conversation.

This also means that you have to turn OFF the email alert feature on our phone and computer.  Remember, the idea is to allow you to focus on your clients and the show.  I suggest turning your email to sync only when you manually log into it on your phone; otherwise you just have a pocket sized distraction device.  Plus, if your phone is buzzing because you have a new email, it is very rude to check it when you are having a conversation with a client.  If the phone rings, generally, people will understand that you will have to at least check who is calling.

You may be wondering “How am I supposed to check and respond to all of my 30, 40, 50 or more emails I get a day in just 1-2 hours a day?”  To master this it will take time.  I now check my email roughly five times a day; I would only do it three times a day but with a lot of international clients I want to make sure I’m accommodating them as well.  I went from getting about 40-60 emails a day to roughly 25 a day.  I didn’t even tell people about this, I just started doing it.  Now, people seem to only email me when it is important and really concerns me.  My email is not a distraction, it is not a “To Do List” and I stopped getting all of those irrelevant emails.

Is your email account running your life?

No doubt email is just one of the many things a trade show marketer must juggle this day in age.  To find out how your peers manage their countless responsibilities, read  The Evolving Role of Exhibit Marketers white paper.  To receive your free copy of this 36-page guide, click here.

Ah, the good intentions of New Year Resolutions!  People resolve to start doing things that they know they should be doing, but don’t, either because they’re too difficult or dull.  Well, there are some essential trade show activities that fall into those categories!

Trade Show Marketer’s New Year Resolution #1: Follow Up On Your Leads

The first and foremost resolution you can make is to simply follow up on your leads.  Following up on leads is almost like flossing your teeth or doing maintenance on your house: you know you need to do it, but are still reluctant.  Following up on the leads gets overshadowed by all the other parts of your job that were neglected while you concentrated on organizing and going to the show.

Trade Show Marketer’s New Year Resolution #2: Measure Your Results

Measuring your trade show results is another worthwhile activity to choose as a New Year’s resolution.  Measuring your trade show results can be complicated when you have a long sales cycle, have multiple lead sources to allocate credit for any sales to, or you can’t easily get access to the data you need.  So it is both difficult and (compared to exhibit design and creating cool pre-show and at-show promotions) kind of dull.  Yet without demonstrable results, your entire trade show program is in jeopardy.

Trade Show Marketer’s New Year Resolution #3: Update Your Trade Show Exhibit Graphics

With so many logistics to take care of, it’s easy to put much of our trade show program on autopilot and avoid the grief of getting new exhibit graphics. Yet, over time your marketing messages changes.  Is the message on your trade show displays still relevant to the message that you’re using in your other marketing programs?  What message is currently on your website, direct mail, print ads, and your blog?  When all your messages reinforce each other, you are much more likely to be remembered. And when you exhibit at trade shows that serve different vertical market industries, do you take the time to adapt your graphics to better appeal to the different audiences?

How do you make resolutions stick?

These three are worthwhile trade show New Year’s resolutions.  Yet, like all resolutions, they are easy to start, yet much harder to maintain.  How do we maintain them?

“One challenge with New Year’s resolutions is that people often set unrealistic goals. They can quickly become frustrated and give up,” says Dr. Linda Nebeling, an expert in behavioral change and nutrition at NIH. “Any resolution to change needs to include small goals that are definable and accompanied by a solid plan on how you’ll get to that goal.”

Here are some ideas to make your resolutions stick:

Make it achievable

 This list has only 3 resolutions, not 30, so it’s more achievable.  You can even just pick one resolution from this list that matters most.  And achieve what you can within your control – for example, if you don’t manage the sales force and can’t get them to cooperate, you can follow up directly with the trade show leads you generated to see if they met with your team or if they bought from you.

Break your bigger goal into smaller activities

For example, if the idea of measuring your results fills you with dread at the size of the task, then break it down into smaller activities.  Make a schedule.  Plan a step for each month, and give yourself a reward for each small step.  So for the first month you outline each step needed to measure your results.  The second month, get the list of all the leads into one place, be it a spreadsheet or a database.  And so on.  Then give yourself rewards for completing each step along the way.

Focus on the benefits

When we focus on the obstacles, we give problems more weight than they deserve.  Put more energy into ways around obstacles, and especially on the benefits you’ll get when you achieve your new goals.  Adopt and continue with these three trade show New Year’s resolutions, and you’ll generate more leads, more sales, enhance your company brand, and make yourself more valuable to your company.  Keep these benefits in mind and the obstacles will look smaller.

Make yourself accountable

It’s harder to shirk from your New Year’s resolution when you’ve told someone else.  “I tell my clients to have a trade show team and hold each other accountable, just like you have a workout buddy,” said Michael Flavin, account executive, Skyline St. Louis.  Tell your boss you want to do this as part of your job improvement.  Then your boss will hold you accountable.  Even writing down your resolutions makes them more real.

It takes time to build a new habit.  Give yourself time to turn wishes into actions into habits.  I hope this will be a happy new year for you!

This blog post was sparked by Michael Flavin, account executive at Skyline Exhibits in St. Louis, who interviewed me about trade show New Year’s resolutions for his blog. 

For more help achieving your goals in 2012, read the What’s Working In Exhibiting white paper.  This 32 page book will give you insight to the most effective strategies and tactics exhibitors are using today to boost their results and stretch their budgets.  Click here to request your free copy. 

I have always loved music.  And because my daughter is a singer/songwriter (www.darbishaun.com shameless plug), I am currently reading everything I can about the music industry.  In that vein, while reading a book by Aerosmith’s drummer, this idea kept pestering me… so here we go…

How to “Aerosmith” Your Way to Improve Your Tradeshow Experience:

1. Walk This Way – your design, messaging & graphics — your total look and feel — should draw your audience into your space.
2. Fly Away From Here – coordinate your staff’s travel arrangements to reduce stress and expense.
3. Sweet Emotion – create an environment that stirs the emotion of your staff, clients, and prospects.
4. Deuces are Wild – your trade show exhibit draw items need to create interest or leave an impression.
5. Livin’ On The Edge – push the limits of your trade show booth space without engaging the wrath of the show design police.
6. Dude Looks Like a Lady – do not under estimate the importance of booth staffing AND never assume they know how to dress. Make it clear and spell it out or even supply the “uniform”.
7. The Grind – pace yourself for the duration of the show so that the last day is as fresh as the first.
8. Love in An Elevator – remember, you are always “on” during a show…even in an elevator, put your best forward.
9. Movin’ Out – don’t cut your possibilities short by packing up before the show closes…that last minute impression may make your show!
10. Remember – make notes of what works well and what doesn’t and apply it to the next show.  Continual improvement will help keep things fresh and only lead to more success!

Keep these song titles in mind while planning your next trade show and you cannot help but improve your results.

If you’re thinking “I Don’t Want To Miss A Thing” in trade show exhibiting, read the What’s Working In Exhibiting white paper.  This 32 page guidebook will tell you the most effective strategies from promotions to exhibit design to measuring your results. Click here to request your free copy. 

What kind of Skyline Trade Show Tips blog posts got the most attention in 2011?  Funny posts?  Informative posts?  Insightful posts?  Useful posts?  Why, yes!

Of the 80 blog posts we’ve published so far this year, these are the 10 that most caught your eye, and then made such an impact that many of you told your friends to read them, too.

Just click on the article headlines to view these 10 most popular posts of 2011:

#1.  19 Chuck Norris Exhibitor Jokes

Chuck Norris jokes are not only popular on the Internet; they are apparently tops for trade show exhibitors, too.  Chuck did a round-house kick to readers’ funny bones, and they shared several of their own Chuck Norris jokes, too.  This blog post from August 2011 will finish the year with over 10,000 views, and hopefully almost 200,000 laughs.

#2.  Don’t Be “That Guy” At Trade Shows              

Trade shows allow us to meet our clients and prospects face to face, which helps us build stronger relationships with the people we do business with.  But what if that person just doesn’t seem to get it?  This June 2011 article showed all the ways “that guy” could bungle his trade show marketing, from what he says, how his booth looks, what he does in his tradeshow exhibit, and more.

#3.  Are QR Codes Worth Putting On Your Trade Show Displays?

One of the most-talked about new technologies for trade show exhibitors are QR codes.  They are 2-dimensional bar codes that, when scanned with a properly outfitted smart phone, can take you to a web page.  Skyline tested QR codes in our Exhibitor Show 2011 booth, tracked the less-than-inspiring results, and reported the experience in this April 2011 article.

#4.  Why Didn’t That Attendee Stop In My Trade Show Booth?

For all you do at trade shows, getting attendees to stop in your booth is the key first step.  But what if they don’t?  This September 2011 article outlines 8 possible reasons attendees don’t stop in your tradeshow displays, and what the main actions exhibitors can take to get attendees to visit them, and thus start the process for a successful show.

#5.  Will Your Trade Show Booth Staffers Make This Elephant-Sized Mistake?

After visiting the Fancy Foods Show, Scott Price was surprised at the treatment he received at one of the trade show booths.   He felt that one booth staffer was too focused on saving a little money on a giveaway and missed the mark on building their brand.  This June 2011 article stirred the most heated conversation of any blog post this year.

#6.  10 Ways To Use Social Media To Get Attention At Trade Shows         

Guest blogger Nate Riggs gave a presentation about Social Media for trade show exhibitors at the Skyline Central Ohio office, and this April 2011 blog post summarized his popular session.  It’s filled with practical, accessible tips on using social media.  It was popular with your fellow readers, who shared it a lot with their own peers via Facebook, Twitter, and other social media sites.

#7.  5 Quick Measurements To Improve Your Trade Show Results

While most exhibitors feel the pressure to measure their trade show results, many don’t know where to start.  While it’s best to measure the metrics most important to your bosses, it’s also possible to measure things that will provide insights into significant improvements in your trade show program.  So this April 2011 article gave exhibitors 5 fast items they can measure to drive positive change.

#8.  23 Trade Show LOL Cats Make Exhibitors Laugh Out Loud

On the Internet there are “memes” – topics or ideas that take hold and spread because they are funny or unique.  One of the most endearing — and enduring — memes is the LOL cats.  These are pictures of cats doing cute and wacky things, with photo captions that are written in a style reminiscent of Tweety Bird.  This September 2011 blog post featured 23 images that combined the absurdity of LOL cats with the absurdity of trade shows.

#9.  Get Better Trade Show Results By Leaving Your Brochures At Home

Because they are often overwhelmed by the mountain of logistical tasks required, trade show exhibitors can default to doing the same thing repeatedly rather than try new approaches.  In this January 2011 article, Judy Fairbanks advocates trying something new by leaving your brochures at home.  She gives 6 reasons why this change will be for the better and help you boost your results while lowering your costs.

#10.  19 Made-Up Trade Show Statistics

While there is a wealth of statistics about the value of trade shows, there are certain gaps that I felt needed filling.  Such as, what percent of U.S. booth staffers only speak one language?  What percent of booth staffers were hired by their company in the past month?  Since I couldn’t find stats like those, I made them up.  But while they are fictional, they still retain a ring of truth.  Readers added their own made-up trade show statistics to this March 2011 article, too.

I hope you enjoyed reading these top articles during 2011, and look forward to proving you with more informative, insightful, helpful, and occasionally funny tips in 2012.

While these are the top 10 tips from 2011, what was the most-requested white paper?  Hands-down, it was the What’s Working In Exhibiting white paper, which you can get for yourself by clicking here.

Making changes in your life to be more productive is a commitment.  Just like going to a trade show, there is a lot of time, effort and money involved.  They are both ongoing processes that involve a lot of continual work.  For example, it is still difficult for me to not revert back to some of my old habits, like checking email all the time.  It’s great that you’ve made the upfront commitment to getting more done or exhibiting at a top industry show, but now you have to make sure that either of these efforts are a success.  Let’s take a look at how we can help design a process that can ensure success with whatever we are doing.

Using Positive and Negative Incentives

I read a book by Ian Ayers called Carrots and Sticks: Unlocking the Power of Incentives to Get Things Done.  This is a great book that talks about how we can use incentives, disincentives and commitment contracts to help us get things done and stick with an activity.

To explain more about this and how we can utilize the principals, Ayers says to start by looking at how we are motivated.  We are motivated to do things because of a positive or negative incentive.  A positive incentive would be selling widgets because the more we sell the more money we get.  A negative incentive would be putting our hand on a hot stove; it hurts so we stop doing it.  It would be great if everything was this cut and dry and we could simply say, “I do this because of this positive reason or I do not do that because that negative reason.” Unfortunately, it’s not always that easy.  Often times the apparent incentives are not significant enough to motivate us to accomplish, and continue to follow through with, certain commitments.  New Year’s resolutions anyone?

Set Up A Commitment Contract

Ayers’ book shows us how to set up a system that provides positive and negative incentives through commitment contracts that will help us accomplish our goals.  He discusses a system that not only outlines a result of what will happen if you accomplish the task, but breaks down the various measures that will monitor and ensure you stay accountable for completing or not completing the given task.

For example, you can set up a commitment contract with three friends to workout three times a week together, and if anyone doesn’t show up they have to buy lunch for the ones that do.

This simple example provides:

1. Goal – meeting three times a week.

2. Stakes or Parameters – show up three times a week or pay for lunches.

3. Accountability – other friends will monitor attendance.

4. Support – by making the goal known by others they can provide support.

Once you have these parameters in place your likelihood of success greatly improves compared to going it alone.  I find that companies often have the same issues when going to trade shows.  They get all fired up and book a space, get a great looking trade show booth and even get a ton of leads, but then they just dump them on the sales staff and hope for the best.  The actual show is only the start of the process and should be a part of your company’s marketing efforts as a whole.  You need to continue your work at what you have established during the show and continue to follow up and cultivate the relationships and opportunities that you’ve made there.

Using Incentives For Trade Show Booth Staffers

When coordinating your next show think about what incentives your booth staffers have to get good leads with proper information.  When they are handing off the leads to whoever is following up they know what information that contact needs.  Then, they need to work with the follow up person to make sure they are cultivating the relationship that you have established.  You can provide a prize or award for the staffer that gets the most leads.  Better yet, reward the staffer that has the highest amount of sales generated from their leads.  This will help staffers focus on attendees that will turn into customers and provide incentive to do a good job throughout the process.

Whether you are tackling a new task or your company is making a commitment to exhibiting at a show, make sure you have the proper incentives in place so that you can follow through with what you want to accomplish.  Ayers has set up a website that allows you to create a commitment contract where you can create parameters, incentives and accountability to help you accomplish your goals.  Check it out, it is free to do at http://www.stickk.com/.

Find out more ways to help you achieve your goals with the best tips, strategies and tactics for exhibiting today.  Request your free copy of the What’s Working In Exhibiting white paper by clicking here.