subject: Planning Your Success At A Trade Show [print this page] It's been a while since I've worked at a trade show. I've worked at shows both in the United States and Japan, representing a variety of different products; everything from machines that could condense pure water from the air to a food storage system that allowed the user to store a year's supply of food in a five gallon bucket. I've attended my fair share of trade shows as well, and can say that there are a few things that can make or break a presenter's offering.
The first thing is the display. At every trade show, a company purchases a display space. These usually come in three or four different sizes and are prices on size and strategic placement. The more people that are going to pass by the space, the better. Once that is squared away, the display that actually occupies the space must be attractive and persuasive. You want people to feel like they need to check the display out even if they have no interest in the product or service being represented. That ensures that the people that are interested will swim into the net, and that those uninterested parties are more likely to give referrals of people that are interested.
You also need educated presenters. The first trade show I attended in Japan had a number of unattended displays. Product was there, but the companies didn't send people to be a face or to answer questions that arose. The attendees took leaflets and other printed information, but spent no more than a few seconds looking at the products. I was there representing a small product with very little information, but because I could answer questions, I was able not only to give out our information, but to collect the contact information of about twenty interested parties for the company I was representing. Having someone there to make eye contact and answer questions in an intelligent manner is crucial to the success of your trade show entry.
Lastly, I would recommend some sort of a gimmick that will help your company stand out. I attended one show where the presenters had orange foam rubber dice and were throwing them at each other and the giving them to the people that stopped by their booth. I've tracked the success of that company, and they generate fists-full of leads at every show they attend. They definitely have the right idea, and so should you.
