Making your trade show dollars count
Trade show participation is a decision that every company makes. They expect a return on their time and money. Many companies miss the best chance for a return by not linking their marketing strategy with measurable objectives at trade shows. Are you looking to increase awareness about your company through trade show booths? Introduce a new product How to generate leads? Offer a meeting place for current clients. Answering these strategic questions will allow you to define what you want from a trade show. Then, you can set stretch goals that will help all parties focus their efforts.
The Five-Second Rules for Trade Show Exhibits
What is your target market thinking about your company? Most people will decide within five seconds whether or not your message is relevant to their needs. Your booth should be inviting your most important prospects to visit your booth. Your corporate image should be reflected in your trade show booth. It should convey a strong message quickly. Pre-show marketing is a major investment by many companies to reach targeted audiences with promotional materials that will bring them to your booth. You may be missing out on a huge opportunity if you rely only on passing customers to sell your products.
The right size for a trade show booth
What size booth should you have? You will need more space to showcase your products and services and make a good impression. However, bigger is not always better when you consider your budget and potential ROI. First, determine how you plan to use the space. This will depend on your message and what image you wish to project. Your trade show booth must be bold and large if you want to prove that you are the market leader.
First-time exhibitors might prefer to work at a table with professional-looking graphics on the tabletop, even if they have a limited budget. Some may bring a portable display wall or pop-up shelf to showcase their products. Others go more custom and have larger booths that can be used for different purposes, such as displaying multimedia, conducting product demonstrations, or meeting with prospects and clients privately. Make sure you read the exhibitor’s guide before you make a decision. This will help you to understand what you can do with your booth space. For example, some shows prohibit giveaways while others allow them. A guide should also include a list of potential partners, as well as a floor plan and an indication of when the floor will be open. It is important to choose the right location. Your booth space should be located in an area that is easily accessible, such as an entranceway or corner. Your booth should have steady traffic. To get the best booth location, it is important to request space at the show as soon as possible. Some exhibitors will place their orders for next year’s booth space on the last day of the show.
The Power of a 30-Second Elevator Speech
What information is most important to our prospects and clients? Your staff will be more productive with prospects if they can all share a 30-second elevator speech. Your main message should be included in the speech, including your product’s key features and how they benefit your customers. These same points should also be included in your booth literature and graphics. Talk with your marketing/advertising personnel to make sure that the messages that drive your brand advertising are carried over to the trade show event. Your message should remain the same, but your messages should be easy to understand for new prospects.
How to Rate Potential Customers
How do I quickly assess booth visitors and what is an “A” Lead? Your staff should ask prospects questions about their needs as they approach your booth. This will help you determine if they are a good candidate to offer what you have to offer. Prime candidates should be asked to provide contact information so that follow-up can be done, preferably via an automated lead retrieval system. Then, keep a record of the conversation for future reference. You may need to apply the 80/20 rule. Don’t try to gather every visitor’s information if you have a lot of booth visitors. You should only focus on the people who are interested in your product and meet your criteria for a strong prospective customer. It is a common error to believe that just handing out marketing materials is sufficient. Most literature handed out at trade shows is not read. It might be better to give a single-page flyer or to offer to mail the literature by email. You can also ask to hand-deliver the brochure at the show. This will allow you to meet with the prospect and discuss their needs. Limit the number of brochures you give out at trade shows. You should plan ahead how you will follow up with all leads. You can send literature out, phone each person, or do a combination of both. It is crucial to reach qualified prospects within one week of the show so they can arrange a meeting or call.
Surveying your Staff
Is this show worth the effort and money it took? Before you rush to move on to the next show take some time to review the show and determine what was successful. Ask everyone who attended the show for their suggestions on how to improve future trade shows. After collecting the evaluations of your staff, you can report on your overall results. Everyone will be able to see how their trade show marketing efforts have helped your company succeed and what they can do next time.
