When you're planning a trade show display,
the sky is the limit. Plinko
boards are
a great way to attract attention with a small price tag.
But don't underestimate the value of a raffle
drum promotion: your visitors just won't be able to wait
for a chance to pull out a prize of your choosing. Video
game attractions are great for uniting people and bringing
back warm childhood memories. And why not capture all the
fun on camera? Event
photography helps your attendees remember the fun they
had at your booth long after they’ve left. Prepare
your booth well and your trade show experience will be great
- and profitable!
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!
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 http://www.ThinkWithoutBoundaries.com and
to sign up for Wendy’s FREE email newsletter just send
email
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