For many entrepreneurs, attending trade shows and seminars is a treat. They become an easy favorite because they are so interactive and pull the daily “solo” life out of the routine. One can meet with customers, competitors, vendors, partners and like-minded individuals. It can be a real opportunity to facilitate a 2-way dialogue in real, living color.
Ultimately, you’ll hope to make the trade show an effective sales tool for your business. But how do you know if attending it is a good investment of your time and money? From our experience, here are a few tips to consider and to help you choose the right tradeshow for your business needs.
1) Set clear goals for your participation.
What do you want to get out of it? Do you intend to meet new vendors, customers or competitors? Are you just looking to learn what’s new and hot in the industry so you can stay ahead of it? Are you hoping to launch a new product and trying to get ideas? Just make sure that your goals are clear – and that will help you figure out what to attend.
2) Do your research.
You want to choose a trade show that best targets the audience that you want to reach, and best suits your participation goals. Find out what the particular trade show’s objectives are, and investigate and evaluate the show’s audience. Also, see if you can get a list of the previous year’s exhibitors and list of attendees. That will help paint a better picture of the types of folks you’ll encounter.
3) Bring a customer.
Let’s assume you’ve decided to go to a tradeshow. Invite one of your most valuable customers along. It could be a great way to get real time feedback about your business while naturally building on your already strong relationship.
4) Take copious notes.
If you do decide to attend a tradeshow or seminar, then we suggest you become a sponge. Have your notebook handy at all times – this is your classroom. How are exhibitors and competitors describing and promoting their products? If you’re in a seminar, make sure that you’re recording down the key points of the session. Take time during the breaks to network with other participants and even the instructor – find out what has made them succeed, what is keeping them up at night and write it down. It’s an educational haven.
5) Use it as a research experiment.
It’s highly recommended to attend a trade show before you commit to being an exhibitor. Spend plenty of time walking around the show floor and observing carefully. Bring a digital camera and take lots of pictures. Critique the booths of other vendors. Pay attention to what they are doing and whether or not it seems to be working well for them.
These are just a few thought starters – stay tuned for Part 2, which will discuss what goes into exhibiting at tradeshows and whether or not your investment is worth it.
photo credit: Neil Rickards
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