Planning on being an exhibitor at a tradeshow? If this is your first time doing a tradeshow, we thought it important to detail some key things to know and prepare for to ensure you’re investment pays off. Tradeshows are expensive, so make sure you get organized.
1. Once you’ve chosen a particular trade show to attend, plan your budget and book your space. Considering the amount of money you’re paying, it makes sense to try and get the best booth location you can. Usually you can see the map of the trade show floor in advance and identify two or three desirable locations. It’s usually better to try and get a booth on the end of a row. Try to be in a high traffic location, such as near an entrance or other item of interest.
Find out everything you can about your space, including where it is on the floor, what kind of other exhibits will be around it, whether it’s a high traffic or low traffic area, and the physical conditions of the booth space, such as lighting.
2. Make your calendar of prep tasks. After booth selection, you will receive an exhibitor’s guide, usually a small book containing information you need to be prepared for the show. The most important thing to check is the calendar of deadlines. For example, if you want to purchase an advertisement in the conference guide, there will be a deadline for registering.
3. Advertise in advance. To that end, let people know that you’re participating in a particular trade show by inviting your clients, customers, suppliers, and other contacts to attend the show. If you have one, be sure to advertise your coming trade show attendance on your Web site as well.
4. Plan your exhibit in terms of your audience. Think critically about the goal and content of your exhibit. Who is it that you’re targeting with your trade show display? New customers and existing customers? Competitors? Different audiences have different needs so you’ll want to make sure you have the right kinds of information available.
Also, remember that everything in the booth is your responsibility, and there is a wide range of choices available. If you want furniture, banners, signs, computers or televisions, you have to rent them or bring them with you.
5. Be interesting! Of course, one of the goals of your tradeshow attendance is to make contacts. Most tradeshow exhibitors do this by having a place to collect business cards. Even better, you can offer a prize drawing to entice more people to visit and collect more names.
6. Follow up. You’ve finished the show, have a list of names or cards – now make sure you follow up! Perhaps it is via an e-mail marketing piece with an overview of your business and a special offer. Keep it simple, but make sure you connect again and offer those contacts the choice of whether or not they want to continue the conversation.
Naturally, there is a strong temptation to try to measure the success of trade show attendance strictly in dollars from new sales leads generated at the show. But, there are intangible benefits to appearing at a trade show that are very hard to quantify. Simply being present places you in the minds of prospective and existing customers – one of the best outcomes a business owner could ask for.
photo credit: Neil Rickards
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