The Exhibit Source Blog

Trade shows allow businesses a setting in to find new business leads, new clients and to attend to existing customers. In theory, trade shows provide one-stop-shopping with hundreds of potential clients under one roof. Seems like the perfect opportunity right?
   
Face to face contact with companies is a more efficient approach than calling or emailing prospective clients.   

The reality is very different.  The scale of many events and exhibitions can quickly overwhelm those very clients you are trying to attract. The right trade show exhibit can help. Exhibitors attend shows to reach sales targets, your trade show display needs to attract people to your booth so you don’t have to go looking for them.

Trade shows are great opportunities to network, build relationships with customers, and invite prospects to explore your goods or services. Try to plan your space and use your location to your advantage. But most importantly, promote yourself before the trade show. Let  your potential and existing customers know where you are going to be and offer them a show special.

For assistance in creating the perfect trade show booth, contact The Exhibit Source.

The first thing that comes to the mind of many small and medium small business owners when thinking trade shows is “expensive”.
 
That doesn't mean that trade shows can't deliver a great return on investment. The key to trade show success is how hard you are willing to work.

Many businesses are willing to spend big bucks travelling to and from and exhibiting at trade shows, with little other than a hope of traffic, orders and success. They certainly book appointments, but do they pull out all the stops?

A successful trade show can be measured in less quantifiable ways than orders written on site, such as new leads, enhanced customer relationships, brand building, product demoing, and sales training.

However, as well as these successes, it never hurts to get a show to pay for itself. Here are some ideas:

1. Contact your existing customers with a personalized message asking if they will be attending the show and requesting a formal appointment time. A call to action needs repetition from several methods to be most effective.

2. Contact the trade show association or organization and request a pre-registered buyer’s list for the upcoming show. Then, repeat the first suggestion about contacting customers with an introduction to your key product or service and how it can help run or grow their company. Request a formal appointment time.

3. Offer a free gift with a high retail value that can be acquired by you factory-direct at cost as a reward for showing up on time for a pre-booked appointment.

4. Overcome objections like; “I’m not booking appointments but I’ll stop by” with simple logic: “With all of our key staff on site and best products on display, we don’t want to run the chance of not being able to speak to you when you drop by. An appointment will guarantee you get our undivided attention.”

5. Use an online calendar to make sure no one gets double-booked and independent sales reps, if you have them, can see your availability in real time.

6. Advertise in a daily show magazine if there is one published on site. This is as captive an audience as you are going to get and the most likely chance that a print ad will translate into immediate action.

7. Offer show only specials.

8. Offer a daily prize in exchange for business cards dropped at your booth.

9. Rent the bar code scanner that some trade shows offer so you can scan the badges of buyers at your booth to ensure you get the most up to-date customer data. That’s your key to post show follow-up.

10. Deliver annual awards for “dealer of the year” or “distributor of the year” so that lesser-performing customers have something to aspire to.

11. Capitalize on celebrity endorsers, if you have them. Have them come for a picture and autograph signing or a meet-and-greet to draw attention and reward clients.

If this all sounds expensive, it is likely a still a fraction of what you are paying for floor space, flights and accommodations. A lot of it requires sweat equity more than dollars.

Using these ideas will allow you to book a couple hundred or more meetings over a four day show.  That kind of result practically guarantees the show’s success and return on investment.
 
An “if we build it, they will come” attitude is no more likely to work at a trade show than it is with a business idea. Exhaust your opportunities to confirm success before you get there.

Original article – The Globe and Mail

Each year, companies have to decide what to do with their marketing dollars. Are you going to market your business and products at trade shows, and if so, which ones? Trade shows represent a huge opportunity to enhance brand and product visibility, promote products, generate leads and increase sales. But to capitalize, your trade show exhibit needs the “wow” factor.

While the main point of trade shows and expos is to meet new clients, there are many other benefits to trade shows that businesses need to consider, such as discovering industry trends and growing relationships.

If you choose to spend your marketing dollars on trade shows, you need to ensure that you get people to your trade show booth. New and existing clients need to be exposed to your goods and services and educated as to why it would benefit them to use your company.

This is done through effective and captivating trade show displays - the “wow” factor. You want to be the company that is memorable. Do not just put up a sign and give out a pen. Your booth needs to WOW potential customers.
 
Contact The Exhibit Source in Massachusetts, we can help you create and develop ideas that will bring customers to your trade show booth with “wow”.

Welcome to the Exhibit Source Blog. Here you can find updates, ideas and news on cutting edge exhibits, marketing and trade show ideas and news about our business. Based in Newton, Massachusetts, The Exhibit Source serves the New England area as an authorized ExpoDealer.

The Exhibit Source provides a complete selection of event marketing and trade show exhibit solutions, from national trade show promotions and key product launches to small-scale training meetings.

We specialize in creating large-scale graphics that utilize color saturation and seamless designs, up to 10' dimensions. The Exhibit Source's turnkey approach factors in all aspects associated with cost and efficiency including graphics, show services, shipping, ease of installation, dismantle, and more for each marketing solution.

For more information on our services and how our marketing and trade show exhibits can drive potential customers to your booth, contact us.