The 9 Rules to Help Any Exhibitor Succeed at a Trade Show
Helpful tips for entrepreneurs to navigate trade shows.
Exhibiting at any of the hundreds trade shows that take place in the US can be a challenge for any seasoned vendor. With all the planning that goes around it, it’s a wonder how many business owners feel overwhelmed once they arrive to the large convention centers were they set their booths up.
To help alleviate the thought process, I have some helpful tips that will give any entrepreneur some relief along the way.
My nine tips are to make a show you can remember:
1. Pick the right city
If you are a first-time exhibitor and own a fairly new business, try to stay close to home. Traveling cross country for a first time exhibitor can present its challenges. From transportation, to shipment of your samples, the booth itself, banners.
Start small and build from your experience, like many things in life, it can be a trial and error situation for most business owners. Particularly when starting out and resources are limited.
2. The size of the booth.
Once you have decided the show and city you are traveling to, be sure to find out the exact dimensions of your space. Most likely you will be far away from the office, and you should have with you everything that you need. Some prefer to have a custom booth made, or have banners and/or a backdrop printed out, more the reason to know exactly what you can fit in the space you have.
3. What does my space come with?
It is common that trade shows will offer a free table, chairs and even carpeting, maybe a trash can.
These are important things to know when you are in the initial stages of prepping for the show. If you are running on limited number of resources and the event provides tables, your budget has just dropped significantly. If there is no carpeting in your space, then you need to plan out what will you have and make it either practical, or one that will go well with the rest of the design. Is there lighting?
Most exhibitors prefer to bring their own lights; as indirect lighting will enhance any booth. Is there an electrical outlet? Think of anything electrical you may need to plug in, a cellphone charger, your computer, the lights, etc.
4. The extra costs
This relates to the tip from above. Anything and everything that is not included in your booth will come with an extra charge, and an expensive one that is. Because the crew inside a convention center is a separate contractor, expect the prices for anything they do or provide to be up higher and more so if you are exhibiting in any major city.
5. Pre-show Marketing
The key to any good show is to ensure you get attendees visiting your booth. One good way of generating this flow is the pre-show marketing strategy you have in place. This is usually planned out months in advance, if not a year. The organizing show will normally rent out the attendee list from the previous year and most trade attendees will commonly visit the same show every year.
You need to send out invitations, a simple postcard will do or an E-blast, whichever suits your budget or preference. Ensure you have a clear message, images of your products or a description of your services. Offer a one-time special show discount for new clients.
Be creative and come up with a good marketing piece, you need to create the buzz prior to the show.
6. A scanner will come in handy.
This is not your average scanner, no. This is a badge scanner and trust me you will love what it can do for you. You will not regret the extra dollars spent on this equipment, this a special equipment used to scan the badges at a trade show. You might be asking,what is so important about this? Well every attendee’s badge contains all of their contact information from where they work, what they do, phone number, if they are a decision maker within their organization, the type of products they search for, so on and so forth.
The last thing a buyer wants is to be asked for their business card when they have a limited number to give out. Or you may not be able to find a pen to quickly take down their information, as they are trying to move on to the next booth.
If you can capture the information from each person visiting your booth, it will be invaluable for follow up after the show.
7. Coverage
In your planning stages, you need know how many visitors the show has on average every year and figure out what type of coverage your booth needs. No one ever goes to booths where people are not able and willing to provide answers to their questions. Yes, they might stop by and have some of your samples and simply walk away.
What a missed opportunity that was, or to only have one person at the booth at a national show is definitely not the best idea. Do make sure that every attendee is serviced well, by providing all the information they request. Also make sure that the staff is well versed on everything to do with the product or service, there is nothing more annoying for a buyer than to be greeted by that one staff member that has no idea of what is being sold.
8. Budget
Budget and be generous. Keep in mind it is not only the cost for the booth, there are many other expenses that you will incur. The samples you provide are an expense for the company, the material you provide the attendees, cost money to make, and you will need to most likely have business cards made, paperwork, etc. The giveaways – people like a little something maybe a pen, a stress ball, or something related to the product.
Let’s say you are selling spices, give out a serving spoon with your company information printed on the handle. If you are traveling out of town you will need to budget for hotel and meals, check out the number of days the event lasts and how far in advance you must arrive for it, how many hotel rooms you need. Are you traveling by car, airplane or train?
Keep in mind that anything at a convention center is priced at a premium whether it bean outlet, a cord, an extra chair or table, ANYTHING! So before you commit to that show, figure out what it truly costs and ensure you can make it happen.
9. Design
Presentation matters, and not only personal but that of your booth. Plan ahead, and decide with your team how your booth should be decorated, does your company offer a trendy service or product, then go lively. If your business is in taxation or finances, maybe the look should be more corporate.
Above all ensure the design is cohesive with your brand, let’s say there are colors that are specific to your brand, or a mascot, feel free to utilize them in your décor.
Takeaway:
Which ever trade show you decide to attend to promote your product or service, plan ahead.
Figure everything out and budget for what you may need to make your show a success and most importantly, do follow up with every one of the contacts you make in order to close some deals, which in turn will significantly increase your ROI and the hard work you have put in will be worth it.
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