subject: How Do You Get The Most Out Of A Trade Show? [print this page] Today Trade shows are still one of the best routes for business marketing to get face-to-face with a large variety of potential clients/customers. Selecting a trade show that not only fits your audience but also your budget is the best way to promote products, meet client decision makers, and get your company brand out into the public.
Its easy to purchase space at a trade show, however many exhibitors are not so proficient at attracting their best potential customers to visit their booth. Many business executives hastily schedule shows that does not always fit their time and resources and this alone can cause less than desirable results. Many times businesses or sales people are apt to book the space and depend on the organizers to promote the show. Often this leaves the business with less traffic to his or her trade show booth than what they had hoped because potential clients do not realize they are even there until they stumble upon the booth.
Some of the best kept secrets to getting the most out of a trade show are make the best use of space, time and budget. But overall do the prep work that it takes to make the event a success.
Utilize the trade show support team that is readily available, to ensure all bases are covered well in advance of the show. The support team is there to help assist not only sales people but also executives and help work out all the event details to determine if a show will be worth their time and investment. Because many times a trade show may promote as a big event but only have a turnout of a small audience. A support person can generate and negotiate costs for booth space and ascertain potential branding opportunities. Always make use of support personnel, for they can help the long term benefits of the trade show.
Trained support personnel are valuable members of the sales team. They can help the executive create a list of potential customers they would like to meet at the show. They can classify these contacts into groups to help determine the future need or availability to meet in the future by classifications.
The support team can also contact prospects by phone, email or snail mail and invite them to stop by the booth. Responses will indicate who is planning to attend the event and what days and times they will be on-site. The support teams can also set-up face-to-face meetings and help the executive build a schedule around key seminars, happy hours, and special events.
Often businesses do not have their priorities in order when planning a trade show. Having a support and event team can help alleviate stress and take out the guess work involved in the exhibits and provide a better return on invested time money and effort.
Another great tip to remember is location. Keep in mind the location of the trade show. Does it have easy access? Is the trade show location a good size area to hold the amount of people that may turn out or is the area too big that the potential clients may be lost in the shuffle? A huge multi-facility trade show may be too spread out to make new connections. Attendees can get pre-occupied in one area. Booth space and hotel accommodations can be very costly and the firm may have a tough time generating a solid return on expenses.
The decision to participate in a trade show should always be based on the numbers; what it's going to cost against the benefits you expect to receive. Putting together a great trade show is critical to setting yourselves apart from the competition. But trade shows continue to be an integral part of many organizations' business marketing plans.
