Participating in local and international trade shows is an effective marketing investment. Proper planning and preparedness are key to seeing positive results, regardless of which trade show you choose to attend. Whether you are just considering your first trade show or have experienced it a few times before, make the most of the time and effort you invest with the following strategies:
1. Plan early for trade shows. Make note of the dates for the trade shows you are interested to exhibit or participate in in order for you to have enough time to prepare. Aside from booking flights and making hotel reservations, it is also important to plan your trade show marketing strategy – pre-show, during the show, and post-show – that aligns with your business goals.
2. Be selective of trade shows. For businesses who do not have the budget to attend every trade show in town, picking the right trade show to join can be crucial. Trade shows like MAGIC, OffPrice, and the National Hardware Show have long histories behind them and are proven to be helpful events for exhibitors and trade show attendees alike. It is wise to invest in shows that reaches your target audience but do not immediately ignore the possibility of participating in trade shows that are unrelated to your industry; as these are places where you have a chance of standing out.
3. Determine your trade show goals. Companies go to trade show for various reasons, such as spreading awareness about a company or a new product, generating business leads, meeting contacts, or a combination of these. Whatever your reason, it will be much easier to plan your activities for the trade show if your goals are clear. Remember toset quantifiable metrics to see whether you are able to meet your event objectives.
4. Know how to package your marketing message. From the design of your booth to your marketing materials, everything should be consistent with your primary message. The way you package and present your brand makes an impression to anyone who will drop by to see you at the show.
5. Explore ways to establish credibility. If you haven’t tried it yet, why not sign up to be a panel expert or a specialist for seminars and summits often held during trade shows? Even if you are not exhibiting, it’s a great way to establish business contacts and generate leads, not to mention boost your credibility as an authority in your field. Call trade show organizers and offer them your proposal.
6. Generate buzz in various marketing channels. Before the show, start spreading the word through media channels – both online and offline – available to you. Invite prospects and tell everyone what you’ve got planned. Tell them why they shouldn’t miss this particular trade show and why they should drop by your booth.
7. Train your trade show exhibit staff. All your efforts will be all for naught if you pick the wrong people to man your trade show exhibit. It is important that you pick people who are knowledgeable, enthusiastic, and know how to talk to people. Brief staff members about their specific responsibilities and remind them of the importance of a unified and professional image.
8. Find ways to engage people. Consider doing promotions, contests, giveaways, and any gimmick to catch people’s attention in trade shows – as long as the method is aligned with your trade show goals. Have a plan of action for starting conversations and identify ways on how to effectively generate leads.
9. Develop a post-event follow up strategy. Before the show, it is a good idea plan a systematic approach with which to follow up new leads you collect at the show. Do not waste time on following up but be careful not to scare people away either. With the help of your sales staff, thank everyone who dropped by your booth and perhaps present them with a special offer. You’ll know that those who don’t unsubscribe after your initial email are leads worth nurturing. With an organized lead-handling system, set timelines, track your leads, assign your sales representatives their own sets of leads, and measure your results.
10. Assess your trade show performance. Hold a post-trade show meeting with your marketing team to discuss ways on how you could have performed better as exhibitors. Find out which ideas work best for your business. What you learn from the experience will help you become more successful in your upcoming trade shows.
