Are you a trade show exhibitor?  Or a trade show marketer?

It’s understandable that as an exhibitor you get caught up in logistics, because no matter what, you have to get your booth from point A to point B (and to point C, D, E, and so on).  But those required logistics can sometimes crowd out the even more important marketing aspect of trade shows.

So let’s take a few minutes to set logistics aside (don’t worry, they’ll still be there when you get back) and focus on how you can be a better marketer who just happens to use trade shows.

Target Your Best Personas

Personas are portraits you create to better understand your best clients as prospects.  A good persona includes age, gender, income, ethnicity, and even emotional aspects such as personality, likes & dislikes, their mentality, and key motivators.  A persona gives your team a more tangible, living target to aim for when you create your marketing materials.   You can create and target several personas.  For example, a car company may have car buyer personas that are driven by status, or economy, or hauling family, or sustainability.  When you understand your buyer personas, you can tailor all marketing aspects to better appeal to them.

Write A Creative Brief

A creative brief is a like a mini-marketing plan for your trade show.  It takes some time to pull together, but it saves you time in the end.   Include in your creative brief your goals for the show, your positioning, your strengths and weaknesses compared to competitors, what you want to have happen in the booth and after the show, how you plan to promote your presence at the show, and even your show budget.  Once you have it, you can share it with your booth staffers and the vendors you are hiring for the show, such as your exhibit house or your promotions vendor.

Select The Right Shows

Rather than choose which shows to exhibit at based on cost per square foot or number of total attendees, your marketing mind should instead hone in on the number of attendees that fit your target market, or the return on investment you’ve received at previous years’ shows.  You look at which vertical market shows exist where you have the greatest potential, even if the overall show attendance pales compared to your main industry shows.  And you regularly reexamine your show schedule based on marketing potential and performance.

Design Your Exhibit As A Marketing Tool

Your trade show displays are not just pieces of furniture – they are marketing tools that both communicate a message and support your booth staff.  Make sure your trade show exhibit lives up to its full marketing potential.  Does it clearly communicate a compelling reason for your buyers to stop and visit you?  Does it boldly say (with both images and text) what products and services you offer, and how you are better?  And if you are exhibiting at a variety of shows (based on personas in different job titles or industries), can you change your graphics to more directly appeal to your various personas?

Create Promotions That Appeal To Your Personas

Trade show promotions can get more people into your booth.  Be sure to pick your promotions with a critical and inspired marketing eye, to ensure you excite your best buyer personas, and avoid attracting non-buyers to your trade show booth.   This is the fun part of trade show marketing – when your promotions are so on-target that you build stronger relationships with your buyers because they recognize that you truly understand them.  You do that with compelling offers they crave, and with a look and feel that matches your buyer’s personality.

Follow Up Leads More Than Just Fast

The logistical part of trade show lead follow up means getting the leads into the computer and out to the sales force quickly, and getting your packets in the mail within a few days.   That’s awesome, and essential.  But with a marketing perspective you can go much further.  Make sure you and your booth staff qualified the leads before your send them on their way, so your sales force knows which leads to pursue first.  And don’t just send out a generic follow up packet – tailor your marketing materials specifically to what each attendee asked for.  You’ll create more sales with your trade show leads that way.

So by all means, be an expert at getting your show paperwork in on time to get the early discount.  Know how to set up your banner stands in under a minute flat.  Just remember that you are at trade shows to build your company image, generate sales leads, and build stronger client relationships.  Achieving those admirable marketing objectives requires you to sharpen your marketing skills.

With everything that goes into trade show exhibiting, it can be hard to balance it all.  Read the What’s Working In Exhibiting white paper for the best tips about 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. 

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. 

So you decide to exhibit at a trade show.  Your competitors have exhibited there and you know your products (or services) are just as good as theirs, if not better, and you want some of that action.  You rent a 10-foot exhibit space, a table and chairs, maybe a simple structure for a backdrop or a generic “show hall special.”  That was easy.  Let the show begin.  Your products are good and competitively priced. They’re almost able to sell themselves.  They’d better be.

Trade Shows DON’T Work Without You

Attendees file through the aisles and only a few have stopped at your trade show exhibit to ask about your company and products.  They turned into solid leads, but there are just too few to justify exhibiting. The ROI just isn’t there.

Trade Shows ARE Work

Trade shows are competitive marketing environments.  From an attendee’s point of view, they can be visual Pop Rocks as exhibitors clamor to be noticed.  With their attention sliced so thin, why would they take any initiative to speak with you if it wasn’t readily apparent that you, potentially, have what they are looking for?  It takes thought and execution to make trade shows work – planning in advance, setting your objectives, appropriately presenting your message and brand, staffing the trade show booth with the right people and a lead follow-up strategy.

Trade Shows DO Work

Do them well and reap the rewards!  It sounds simple, but do these four things well and your trade shows will work:

1.  Determine Objectives:  What are you after?  Leads?  Sales? Exposure?  All of the above?  What does success look like?  Determine that and work toward it.

2.  Design Your Exhibit:  It’s not just a backdrop, it’s a billboard.  Show attendees who you are and how you can help them.  Keep it simple, clear and readable.

3.  Staff The Booth:  Ditch the chairs, the chat, the cheeseburgers and work the aisle.  Be open, welcoming and engage attendees at eye level.

4.  Lead Follow Up:  Do this!  You go through all the effort to generate leads, so get them into the appropriate hands and follow up.  The sooner, the better.  If you don’t, your competitors may win by default.

To go beyond showing up and setting up, read the What’s Working In Exhibiting white paper.  This guidebook reveals effective strategies for everything from show selection to exhibit design and many other keys areas.  Click here to request your free copy. 

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. 

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. 

Planning for a trade show is a massive undertaking that requires a lot of time and effort and it can be an intimidating project to tackle.  A lot of the time we don’t even know where to start.  There is a lot of work that needs to be done and having a clear focus on what we need to accomplish helps us not get distracted by other tasks.

How do we do this?  I recommend having a small piece of paper with a 2-4 items on it that you have to get done that day.  Do not put an entire week or entire show’s worth of tasks on this list as it will get cluttered and intimidating and will defeat the purpose.  Only include achievable tasks that you have to accomplish that day.

Be specific.  Do not put long-term or abstract goals on the list such as: “Organize trade show,”  ”Promote trade show exhibit event,” or “Reach more customers.”  These will only deter you from actually starting or completing these types of tasks because you won’t know where to start.  Having a limited number of actionable or achievable tasks allows you to focus in on the items that you need to accomplish these goals.

Here is an example of good To Do List:

1. Book hotel and flights for show.

2. Call ten clients to set up appointments in your trade show booth.

3. Submit my show services forms.

I know that this list doesn’t seem like much, but you would be surprised how difficult it can be to get some of these seemingly simple tasks done. If you complete them before the end of the day, great!  Call it a day or add another task to the list; just make sure you add something that you feel you can complete before the end of the day.  Do not start something that will take four hours if it is 3:30pm and you want to leave by 5:00pm.

This is a great way to ensure that you are getting what you need done everyday while feeling good about it.  If you are able to identify what you need to get done and work hard to accomplish those items, you can feel good about heading home ten minutes early.

Your To Do List:

1. Break items down into achievable tasks for the day.

2. Do not clutter the list with too many items.

3. Focus and work to complete your list by the end of the day; have a specific ending time.

4. If you finish early, go home or add another achievable item that you can accomplish that day.

5. Repeat from step 1 tomorrow.

I use this technique on a daily basis.  It has really helped me break down larger projects into manageable tasks as well as keep me focused on what I really need to get done.

For more tips on how to plan your day and your tasks, pick up The Evolving Role of Exhibit Marketers. This 36 page guidebook shares insight from other trade show marketers about what their job is like and how they get it done.  Click here to request your free copy. 

The Indianapolis Convention & Visitor’s Association recent Indy’s Super Bowl Shuffle caused quite the stir in Indianapolis when it was released this week. 

Most of the outcry was due to those who thought the video was unoriginal and reflected poorly on the city.  Admittedly when I first viewed the video my reaction was, well…the same.  But when I learned of the context of which it was to be used I gained an appreciation for the video.  ICVA removed the video and posted the following on Twitter:

 @visitIndy Nov 30, 8:33pm via Seesmic

We decided to remove our SB Shuffle video.  It wasn’t intended to be a promo for indy- it was to introduce our sales team @ an industry event

The video was actually intended as a pre-show promotion for the Holiday Showcase trade show in Chicago coming up on December 15. While the roll out of this video was flawed, if we look at the video for it’s intended use, it really hits the mark for trade show promotion!

1. Have fun:  Be willing to laugh at yourself!  The ICVA produced a cheesy parody based on the 1985 Chicago Bears video.  With the chorus of  “We’re so bad, we know we’re good,” it’s obvious they were even poking fun at themselves.  Being able to show your fun side and willingness to laugh at yourself makes you more approachable on the trade show floor.
2. Promotion:  The video was posted to YouTube and an email was sent to the meeting planners directing them to the page.  In this case, this is where the execution of the promotion falls short. Consider using the unlisted video feature on YouTube to make your video viewable to the audience you provide a link.  Also, in creation of your video really tailor your video to your audience. Hindsight being 20/20, I’m sure if the ICVA had thought about creating some type of introduction to the video to make clear that this was for an industry event and not intended to promote the city, it would have been received entirely different.
3. Drive Traffic:  The piece was created in a fun way that would give the ICVA great visual recognition at the show and even talking points.  Creating a fun video that gets people talking will also get people talking at your trade show booth providing opportunities for engagement and relationship building.
4. Highlight your products/services: The ICVA did a great job of encapsulating some of the great hotels in our fair city.  Give your audience a tease of what they will get to see at your trade show appearance.  This can also be a great way to roll out a new product or service.

Using video and fun parodies to promote your next trade show appearance is a great tool to drive traffic.  Just make sure you consider ALL of the posibilities when it comes to creation and promotion.

To do your trade show promotions the right way, pick up the Creating Effective Trade Show  Promotions guidebook.  Get your free copy of this 76-page guide that takes you through the entire process from setting goals to execution to measuring results by clicking here.

The busy season is over and you’ve just exhibited at the same trade shows that you always exhibit at, year after year.  Which can make you too easily fall into the “same old, same-old” mindset: Same competitors, same booth staff, same exhibit, same promotions, same city, same products, same, same, same.

Be careful. That complacency can dangerously slip into irrelevancy.

To keep your edge, try to see trade shows with fresh eyes.  Give yourself some time at your next few shows to get re-inspired.  All you need is your eyes, your feet, and an open mind.

Question everything

When you next walk your show, give yourself permission to question everything.  Put your curiosity on steroids and let it run off the leash.  As you walk down the aisles, ask yourself these key questions – and don’t stop walking until you’ve witnessed the answers for yourself:

• What trade show booths are getting more traffic?  And why?
• Which booths seem to not only attract visitors, but put them at ease to the point they look like they don’t want to leave?
• Look for booth staffers and visitors truly engaged in meaningful conversations — what did they do to get there?
• What at-show activities are generating a crowd, and keeping the right people in the booth?
• What new trade show exhibit designs are you seeing that are catching your eye (and getting more attendees)?  Is it their messaging, shape, color, products, or something else?
• How are booth staffers dressing, more relaxed or more formally?
• Where in the show hall are the hot spots of traffic — and did that change during the day?
• Follow some attendees (at a discreet distance!) and watch what catches their eye, and what they blow right past.

Gain crucial booth staffer insights

I walked a show last week with many of these questions in mind.  Within an hour the difference between good and bad booth staffers was visible; in two hours it was obvious; and by the end of the day it was astonishingly appalling.  Some booth staffers were great and others had me shaking my head asking, who would wreck their entire trade show program by bringing these horrible staffers?

Try it yourself: walk your trade show and see who does a good job engaging you, and who ignores you — even when you walk into their booth!  Who pays attention to all attendees as they walk by, and who is on the phone, even when you reach for a business card on their table?  Who is friendly even at the end of the show, and who looks like they need a trip to the spa?  Who offers a friendly engaging question and turns it into a meaningful conversation, and who says “Hi,” and then shuts up?  By the end of this walk you will have a burning desire to put far greater emphasis on the choosing and training of your booth staff.

You may also notice, depending on the industry your show is in, how incredibly valuable a simple, yet clear product demo is, in stopping and keeping interested booth visitors.

And what else will you find?  That’s up to you to find out; when you get re-inspired with the fresh set of eyes you’ll get after your walk around your next trade show.  You’ll come away with an overflowing list of new things you want to try next year.  And that sure beats the same old thing any day!

For more tips on what to look for and do at your next trade show, read the What’s Working In Exhibiting white paper. To receive your free copy of this 32 page book, click here.

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.  

1. Start with the Show Regulations.  Are you even allowed to do what you are trying to do with your trade show booth?  It varies from show to show, city to city, even venue to venue.  Know before you even begin planning.
2. Stay Aware of Your Surroundings at All Times.  Especially watch out for forklifts and golf carts whose concentration is often on getting a task done quickly.  Large equipment typically makes noise when approaching so leave your headphones at home.
3. Big Exhibits Go High.  So be aware of those on ladders, decks, scaffolding, and cranes.  Even the smallest falling object can cause a serious injury.
4. Using Ladders, know the limit of your skill set.  Maintain a three point contact with the ladder when climbing or descending (that’s two feet & one hand or two hands and one foot).  Always test the ladder beforehand and check for any missing or damaged parts.
5. Back Support. When lifting anything having to do with your trade show display, do it with proper form!  Bending to lift anything is usually bad.  Bending to lift something heavy is almost always bad.  Rather than risk your limit, ask for help when moving heavy objects.
6. Exhibit Stability. Never assume something can stand by itself without support…even for “just a second.”  Leaving something balancing even for a few seconds can lead to injury of you or someone else.  Please don’t do it.  The same guideline goes for leaning objects against each other.
7. Dress Smartly.  The appropriate clothing and shoes is imperative.  Avoid sandals or open toe shoes as well as excessively baggy shirts or pants.
8. Sharp Edges are everywhere!  Table corners, deck edges, open crates, staples, nails, screws, utility knives, equipment, … If you see a hazard, help to correct it.
9. Stay Hydrated.  Trade show floor set up and take down is usually hot and cramped.  OK, it is always hot and cramped.  There is a lot going on involving heavy equipment fumes, perspiration, and minimum air flow.  Drink plenty of water or your beverage of choice – and no, alcohol is NOT a choice.
10. Peace-of-Mind.  Avoid all the above and gain a peace-of-mind by hiring a Certified Skyline I&D Team to deal with your install and dismantle freeing you to concentrate on what you do best…focusing on your prospects and clients in order to have the best show possible!

Discover even more tips and smart moves that will differentiate you from exhibitors who just show up.  Request your free copy of the Trade Show Marketing Idea Kit by clicking here.