Having an exhibit at a convention or trade show is a major opportunity to position your company as a real player in your industry. Sure, it costs money, but it can become a major moneymaker for your organization.
Here's how to make the most of your investment:
· Use your exhibit to introduce new products to your clients.
· Select a theme for your booth. Make it fun to visit.
· Meet the press. Your industry publications are always at these meetings, so talk up your organization to them. You might hand out press kits and hold a press conference to announce important new developments.
· Look good. Color, lights, working models, movement such as a demo video are good draws. Lighting is really important. Be sure your booth area is well lighted and friendly, even if you have to bring and set up the lights yourself.
· Offer a little something extra to draw people to your booth. Candy is always a great attraction or really useful giveaways. Avoid junk.
· Build your contact list. Having people leave a business card to register for a drawing or to receive additional literature or samples is one good way. Devise a method for keeping track of the different categories of contacts, perhaps making notes on the backs of business cards or filing them in different envelopes. Impress on everyone the importance of getting detailed follow-up information in the most graceful manner possible without irritating the prospect.
· Limit handouts. Don't give out quantities of literature to casual browsers. Instead, take their cards and offer to send material later. (Many conference-goers acquire bags of flyers that get thrown away without being read.)
· Appoint a "host." Make sure at least one of your people stands in front of your area to invite people in, especially if you have a smaller exhibit. This is much more successful than just sitting behind a table and smiling.
· Attract attention, especially if your product is not yet well known. One woman had a new cookery line, but nobody was coming to her area. Deciding to do a "Fripp," she ran out and bought a striking hat. When passers-by commented, "Nice hat," she would reply, "Yes, and my cookware is even nicer. Come in and see it." In a short time, she brought $13 million in business to her company.
· Let everyone in your booth know what is expected. Many innovative groups like the American Payroll Association offers special training for the people who work in the booths at their trade shows. Remember, they represent your company!
· Schedule enough staff for your exhibit so they can take shifts. You don't want to miss opportunities with a closed booth when your people need to eat.
· Set clear guidelines for your staff:
o No eating in the booth area.
o No unprofessional chatting among themselves. Focus on approaching prospects.
o No uncomfortable shoes, no matter how stylish. It is hard to smile if your feet are killing you.
· Hold a last-minute pep rally for everyone working in the booth. Then go sell yourself and your organization!
Steve Miller, a Seattle-based trade show expert, offers three more important points:
· What gets measured gets done. Over 90% of exhibitors have no measurable objectives for a trade show. But if you don't, how can you tell if the show was successful? Exactly how many leads or sales are you looking for?
· Help the attendees cull themselves out. You can't talk to everybody, and not everybody is a qualified prospect. Design clear, benefit-based signage that helps the attendees immediately determine whether they should speak with you or not.
· "Extend" the show one more day by observing the 48-hour Follow-Up Rule. Your leads are hot, yet the vast majority of exhibitors will fail to follow-up immediately and effectively. Make sure all leads are followed up within 48-hours after the show and your results will soar.
(To which I'll add: personalize! Refer to the prospects' needs and wants in your letters and e-mails if possible. Here's where the notes made by your booth staff are invaluable.)
Your trade-show exhibit should be part of your overall marketing strategy, not an isolated element. Remember that your purpose is both to initiate new relationships and resell and nurture the customers you already have. You're out there in the spotlight, but working one-on-one with the people you want to serve. Make the most of it!
