So you're going to have a booth at a trade show. How exciting - or how terrifying - depending on your state of mind!
First of all - remain calm - you're not the first person to do this. There's some easy to follow tips that will ensure success at the show, and give you follow up business too.
Preparation ahead of time is important. Gather all the supplies you'll need. Brochures, business cards, product samples, entry forms for a draw, professional signs and any audio visual equipment you'll need. Be sure to ask for electricity from show organizers well in advance if you will need it. Also, do not let any piece of marketing literature leave your booth without contact information on it - people MUST know how to get in touch with you after the show.
Make your booth look GREAT! It doesn't have to cost a lot of money - ask a friend whose got a sense of style to help you create something that is eye catching but doesn't cost too much. Don't over crowd your display area because people get overwhelmed and pass by; but on the other hand, don't have so little that people think there's nothing to see. Make sure your sign is professionally printed and hung straight!
Once you've set up your booth, stand back about 20 feet and objectively take a look at it. Is it welcoming? Is your sign easy to read? Can people tell what you do BEFORE they get to your booth? These are critical issues that you need to answer before the show.
At the show be friendly - wear a name tag and smile. When people come by your booth, you've a VERY short period of time to catch their attention. This is the time you need to have something to say. Create a 15 ? 20 second "speech" you can recite. For example, if you sell children's wall murals, why not try this, "Hi there, I'm Julie Lewis and I use paint to create a magical room for your child or an experience that will take you anywhere in the world with my wall murals." Sounds more exciting that "I paint wall murals", doesn't it?
Let's try another one, "Hello, I'm Alex Brown and I create marketing programs for my clients that really make them be unforgettable!"
By having something prepared in advance, you're always ready to gain a new client! If you're unprepared you will look very unprofessional.
Encourage everyone who walks by to take a brochure, sample your product or enter a free draw. ALWAYS have a free draw - give away a good prize - it doesn't have to be expensive. Use the draw entry forms to follow up on with a sales letter, or put on a mailing list for future business.
I'm always amazed at the number of business people at trade shows who don't have a draw, and then have no way to follow up with potential customers! Create your draw entry form so that it will provide you with more information than just name and address. Get the standard contact information, but also ask questions specific to your products or service. Something like: "are you planning to buy our type of product in the next six months?" or "have you heard of our product before?" - Things like that will give you a conversation starter when you call them after the show. If you worry about "bothering people" by calling them, you can add the following at the bottom of the entry: "I do not wish to be contacted." ? and be sure to leave a check box next to the sentence. This allows those people who really only entered the draw just to get a prize to be easily weeded out. This way you don't waste your time isn't wasted calling them, and you don't bother people who don't wish to be called. Most people do NOT check off the box that says "I do not wish to be contacted ? so don't worry that you will not have anyone to call.
After the show - call or contact all those people who stopped by your booth, and indicated an interest in one of your products or services. Try to get in touch with them within a week at the most. Keep track of those people who find you through the trade show and later buy from you. Figure out how much your expenses were to be in the show (include booth rental, your time, items for your display, gas to get there, parking, etc.) Now figure out the profit (include expenses for materials and supplies to make your product - don't forget shipping & packaging). Now you have your ROI (return on investment). THIS IS A CRITICAL number that will allow you to assess whether or not it is worth doing this trade show again.
Some trade shows prohibit direct selling at the show - they only allow you to take orders. In this case you MUST do follow up. Do NOT assume that people will call you - they WON'T! If you don't believe me - answer this: How many times have YOU called someone you met at a trade show, even if you just adored their product? If you don't like doing follow up phone calls, hire someone to do it for you. If you're not going to do the calls at all - don't even bother doing the show - you're wasting time and money.
Make sure that pick up business cards from all the other exhibitors at the trade show as well. Some may be immediate customers, while others may have the potential to become strategic partners.
Be sure to send a hand written letter of thanks to the show organizers. If the show has been successful for you, make sure you're on the list for next year. Lastly don't expect immediate results - trade shows take time to pay off (IF you do your homework after the show!)
Each trade show you do will teach you something ? be open to learning. Smile, wear comfortable shoes, drink lots of water and get plenty of rest before and after the show! AND DO YOUR FOLLOW UP!
Wendy McClelland 2004 © wmcclelland@shaw.ca
Biography: Wendy McClelland is a motivational speaker, marketing consultant and business coach from British Columbia, Canada. She has been a nominee for Canadian Entrepreneur of the Year, and is a Canadian Achiever! She has hosted and produced radio and internet radio programs, and spoken to business groups throughout Western Canada and California. Wendy's first website won numerous awards, including being named as "one of the best business sites on the 'net" by the New York Times. Wendy's life mission is to "motivate people to think without boundaries" and it's also the name of her website! Visit www.ThinkWithoutBoundaries.com and to sign up for Wendy's FREE email newsletter just send email
Ever had that uncomfortable feeling of not knowing where to... Read More
ALTERNATIVES TO THE LECTURE FORMAT: How often do you use... Read More
Myth 1: Executives belong in meetings.Although the demands of business... Read More
A major cause of trainers being unreceptive to their audience... Read More
Calling a projector hire company will often get you confused... Read More
"There can be no knowledge without emotion. We may be... Read More
I just got back from my whirlwind speaking engagements and... Read More
SUCCESSFUL DEMONSTRATIONS: All of us have seen demonstrations in one... Read More
MORE and more corporations in Malaysia have awoken to the... Read More
At some point in your presentation you will be expected... Read More
Whether you are speaking in front of a civic group... Read More
"I have a love/hate relationship with PowerPoint. In the right... Read More
Media training is a 'must do' professional development program for... Read More
For communication to take place, a message must be transmitted... Read More
Have you ever had to give a speech?Do you remember... Read More
First of all, what is a bio sheet and why... Read More
First and foremost, you must deal effectively with your own... Read More
If the mere thought of standing up in front of... Read More
Many experienced trainers feel that there is something lacking in... Read More
Converting PowerPoint to Flash would be absolutely a good choice... Read More
The communication process can be much more difficult than a... Read More
Do you ever get frustrated with your marketing? Are you... Read More
1. Play "find the meeting" by changing the location and... Read More
I had a chance to go to one of those... Read More
I had been working on a logo idea for several... Read More
People remember best what you say last. In a presentation,... Read More
Why is throwing a seminar good for business?If you want... Read More
Long long ago, it was the time when time itself... Read More
Appealing to emotions is the most powerful way to transfer... Read More
According to the Lamalle Report on Top Executives of the... Read More
How do you come across in your emails?As I receive... Read More
I am of the belief that the majority of people... Read More
It is both good planning and considerate to provide auditors... Read More
You don't have to be on a stage to be... Read More
What would we do without our cell phones? Wow, there's... Read More
No matter what your business is, you will enhance your... Read More
There are many definitions for presentations. When you present there... Read More
You have presentation style habits that automatically appear when you... Read More
Super Preparation ?Keys to Getting a Great Start to Every... Read More
The CEO of a worldwide business asked me to help... Read More
So you're not a professional speaker. That's no excuse for... Read More
How many times have you attended a meeting where the... Read More
The most important tip...EVER!Make sure that you always think of... Read More
Communication is a complex and often difficult process for both... Read More
When its time to give your next sales presentation, here... Read More
Once upon a time there was a businessperson who had... Read More
Summer is here! It's time to bring out your summer... Read More
If you're ready to kick your career or business up... Read More
Are poor presentations costing you business?The ability to deliver a... Read More
"I'm not an expert on this topic, but . .... Read More
Flip charts are so common that we all think we... Read More
Media training is a 'must do' professional development program for... Read More
As the meeting began, the project manager of the buying... Read More
Regardless of the nature of our job or social standing,... Read More
People take it for granted that leaders have achieved some... Read More
According to the Lamalle Report on Top Executives of the... Read More
Regardless of the nature of our job or social standing,... Read More
One of the biggest mistakes most presenters make is in... Read More
In recent years, companies have recognized the need to expand... Read More
DEVELOPING LESSON PLANS: In developing lesson plan formats, two things... Read More
THE LITTLE-KNOWN SPEECHWRITING SECRETS THAT WON GEORGE W. BUSH THE... Read More
The query letter is simply a business letter that serves... Read More
A top complaint from audience members is that many presenters... Read More
Myth 1: Executives belong in meetings.Although the demands of business... Read More
The international flavour of many people's jobs naturally means that... Read More
Regardless, if your goal is to make a sale or... Read More
Presentation |