Trade shows aren't the most modern marketing platform but they can give your business a real boost in customers if you know how to present yourself.
If you are looking for a new way to grow your business, maybe it is time to revisit traditional marketing like exhibiting at trade shows. To maximize your trade show experience, here are some tips.
1. Relevance and location
Do your research and ensure that the show is targeting the right audience for your business. Visit the event a year ahead if possible, and certainly quiz the organizer on visitor demographics; quality over quantity is what you’re after. Also check how many of your competitors will be there and decide if you are comfortable to go head-to-head.
Picking the right trade show display location is important. The best positions are where people congregate and linger. Also go for the middle spots over the perimeter.
2. Marketing ahead of time
Check how the organizers will promote the show. Are there any PR opportunities for you?
3. Be a speaker
If at all possible, get a speaker slot - but don’t use it as a sales pitch. You’ll get a bigger audience if you give out objective advice and aim to educate.
4. Set targets
Trade show exhibiting is expensive so you need to be able to measure your return. Aim to generate 10 -15% of attendees into "hot leads". If you achieve over 25% it is time to celebrate.
5. Staffing
Everybody working your booth at the trade show needs to know your show objectives, what their targets are, and to be giving out the same messages.
6. Attracting attention
You need to stand out. Consider your trade show exhibit design. Get creative, have some action going on. Give a demo or talk every hour and display a schedule of what’s on.
Review your literature – is it interesting, concise and easy to identify what you do and why you are different? Does the design stand out from a distance? Use upright stands to display it.
6. Capture visitor data
The badge barcode readers supplied by organizers make this part very easy. You get all the data in a spreadsheet that can be imported into your database and acted upon.
7. Measure and follow up
This is the most critical part of the whole process. You won’t know if the show was financially beneficial until a few months afterwards. Try to convert at least 50% of the "hot leads" into customers within a six month period, of course this depends on your buying cycle. Best to contact people while the exhibition is fresh in their heads, so don’t leave it longer than a couple of days.
For more information, contact the Exhibit Source.
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