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Unlock The Promotional Power Of Trade Shows
Careful Planning And Follow Up Are The Keys To Success
By Don Sadler
Trade show exhibiting can be one of the most profitable and cost-effective ways
to promote your micro-business — or it can be a colossal waste of time and
money.
The key potential benefit of exhibiting at a trade show is
“acceleration of the buying cycle,” says Stephen Schuldenfrei, past president of
the Trade Show Exhibitors Association, the national trade association for event
marketing professionals.
“In most industries, it takes a certain number
of calls to close a sale, and a good engagement at a trade show can be the
equivalent of the first two or three of these calls,” he says. “Depending on
your industry, you may be able to close sales right there on the trade show
floor. More likely, you’ll generate leads and set appointments — but the key
benefit is that you’ve already built a rapport with the prospect.”
What
can’t trade shows do for your business?
“Like any form of
marketing, a trade show is not a panacea,” says Schuldenfrei.
In other
words, it can’t be conducted in a vacuum, absent other marketing activities.
“You probably won’t see everyone who attends, and your products won’t
appeal to everyone who’s there. But for those to whom it does, the show can be a
great way to generate quality leads.”
Want to integrate trade shows into
your marketing mix? Here’s what you need to know.
Choose
The Right Show
If you decide that a trade show exhibition
makes sense for your micro-business, the first step is to choose the show or
shows that will deliver the most bang for your bucks.
A good starting
point is your industry trade association, which can probably give you details on
all of the major shows taking place in your industry. Also check with your
chamber of commerce for details on shows happening locally.
In addition,
Tradeshow Week and Trade Show News Network offer
extensive online directories of trade shows searchable by industry categories,
trade show names, locations and more.
Once you narrow your search to a
handful of shows that look like good prospects for your micro-business, do
in-depth research on each show. Susan Friedmann is a consultant who helps
clients get more results from their trade show exhibits. She’s also the author
of “Meeting & Event Planning for Dummies” (For Dummies, 2003). When
researching potential shows, Friedmann recommends that you ask show management
for answers to these questions:
- How long has the show been running and what trends exist for the last three
to five shows?
- What is special or unique about the show that differentiates it from
competing industry shows?
- How do the attendance and exhibitor figures compare for the last three to
five shows?
- What is show management’s marketing program, and how far in advance of the
show does the marketing program begin?
- Do the show’s dates coincide with another major event, whether locally,
regionally or nationally?
- What percentage of attendance is pre-registered, and what percentage of
pre-registered attendees are no-shows?
- What attendee profile information is available?
- What industry segments do attendees represent, and what is the geographic
visitor breakdown?
- What is the average amount of time attendees spend on the show floor, and
which other shows do attendees visit?
- What types of companies currently exhibit at the show?
- How many of these companies are industry leaders, and how many of them are
your competitors?
- What after-hour events are organized so that exhibitors can meet attendees,
and what exhibitor sponsorship opportunities exist?
Step Up Pre-Show Marketing
If there’s one thing that
virtually every expert in trade show marketing agrees on, it’s this: What you do
before the show will go a long way toward determining the success of your trade
show exhibition.
“You can’t just show up at a trade show and expect
prospects to flock to you,” says Schuldenfrei. “It’s up to the trade show
organizer to get attendees in the door, but it’s up to you to get them to your
booth.”
Pre-show marketing and promotion can take many forms, but it
mostly involves sending direct mail to registered attendees before the show.
Most shows provide registration lists to exhibitors free of charge, says
Schuldenfrei, although some shows charge a small fee. Here are a few tips for
your pre-show marketing efforts:
- Send a postcard, letter or direct mail package to everyone on the
registration list. Give a compelling reason for them to stop at your booth. This
may be a new product introduction or a giveaway, for example, but it has to grab
their attention and be memorable, since attendees are likely receiving many such
pieces.
- Advertise in the advance trade show program, as well as your industry trade
journals.
- Mail your own personal invitations to your own list of customers and
prospects inviting them to the show, your booth and any social events (like a
hospitality suite) you may be planning.
- Several days before the show, call your current customers and top prospects
who will be attending the show to again invite them to your booth and social
events.
Research indicates that most trade show attendees come to a
show with an agenda of which sessions they plan to attend and which exhibits
they plan to visit. Your goal should be to get on as many of these lists as
possible.
“Pre-show marketing is so important that I recommend scaling
back on the size or features of your booth if you have to in order to pay for
it,” says Schuldenfrei.
His most important piece of advice: “Send your
mail early and use first-class mail, if possible. This may seem obvious, but I
get pre-show mail after I return from shows all the time. You should mail at
least three to four weeks before the show.”
Make The
Most Of The Show
“Your trade show booth is like a billboard,”
says Schuldenfrei. “Drivers have about three seconds to read a billboard, and
it’s the same with a booth. It must clearly convey who your company is and what
you do, so keep the message simple.”
Try these strategies for designing
a winning trade show booth:
- Make sure there is a central focal point in the booth that communicates a
strong, benefit-oriented message to prospects. Use large graphics instead of
small chunks of copy.
- Create some kind of movement. Movement in or near the booth will help draw
attention your way. Exactly what kind of movement is appropriate will depend on
your products and industry, but think creatively.
- Use lighting and color to your advantage. Make sure your booth is well-lit
and easy to spot. Bright, rich colors presented in high contrast will attract
attention. But remember that different colors tend to elicit certain moods: red
for excitement and blue for serenity, for example.
- Use product demonstrations, if possible. A trade show is a great opportunity
for hands-on demonstrations of products that are hard to illustrate or explain.
Having a dynamic booth isn’t the only way to market your
micro-business at a trade show. You can also take advantage of the media
presence at the show.
Ask the show organizer for a media and
publications list before the show. Compile press kits and distribute them at the
show. Be sure to include vital industry information like the latest trends and
statistics along with information about your company and products.
One
last tip for making the most of a trade show: Remember to bring your appointment
book.
“The appointment book is the most forgotten tool at most trade
shows,” says Schuldenfrei. “Collecting leads is one thing, but what you really
want to do is book appointments.”
Follow Up After The
Show
For most exhibitors, the key to trade show success is
effectively following up on leads generated from the show. And the best way to
do this is to create an organized system for lead follow-up as quickly as
possible after the show.
“Traditional wisdom holds that a trade show
lead goes cold in about 72 hours. So, prompt follow-up is absolutely essential,”
says Schuldenfrei.
The best way to ensure prompt follow-up is to set the
stage for it before leaving for the show. If possible, communicate leads to
someone back in your office who can send out fulfillment materials before the
show is even over, so they’re waiting for prospects when they return from the
show.