Trade show success

PUBLISHED September 17, 2014 IN Growth

WRITTEN BY Myah Shein

Trade show success image

This fall I have clients representing their firms at trade shows.  What advice have I been giving?  Read on…

Before the event.

Send a postcard.  If you can purchase the list of attendees in advance, consider sending a postcard in advance of the event.  Include a brief message about why someone should stop by your booth (and your booth number if you have it).  Maybe you have a valuable check list or a great raffle.  Ask the event if you can use their logo so your piece will get noticed.

At the event.

People love free stuff.   Give-aways that people will use will keep your logo in front of them for months to come.  One trade show industry expert recently told me that USB drives and pens are the most popular gifts.  Neither of these are inspiring to me, but there are “promotional product” experts out there who can help you make the right decision.

Create a game.  Get people involved with a quick and entertaining game to keep them at your booth longer.  You’ll have a better chance of engaging them in conversation.  If someone wins the game they either get a better give-away or are entered into a raffle.

Share your expertise.  People won’t stand at your booth and read your brochure or hand out materials. So, they need to be compelling enough for people to remember and find again in their bag of goodies when they return to the office the next day.  Boring pieces about your firm won’t cut it here.  Consider creating a case study or a How To checklist that has been helpful with clients.  You want to showcase your expertise to entice someone to pick up the phone to call you.

Banner stands.   I never understand it when I see banners that have 1,000 words on them and/or designs that go all the way to the floor and get hidden by the table.  Banner stands should identify your company and your industry/main services.  That’s about all.  In terms of design, they should coordinate with your printed materials and your website.

Collecting business cards.  Most companies collect business cards at a trade show.  But what is the person opting into when they give you their card?  Be clear about what you will do with the information.  Is it just to contact a raffle winner, or are you entering all of the email addresses into your newsletter list?   Put a note next to the bowl you’re using for cards to tell people what to expect.

What you’ll say.  Think about what you’re going to say in advance.  You can predict what questions you’ll get asked.  Consider what your responses will be so that you can be concise and persuasive.

What you’ll ask.  Think about what questions you’ll ask in advance.  You know what you want to accomplish from the trade show.  What questions will you ask to get people talking about their business that will steer the conversation in the direction you want it to go.

Follow-up

Personal follow-up.  If you had a meaningful conversation with someone at the trade show, send a personal email to follow-up. Consider offering a free consultation, to meet for coffee, or send an article from your blog as a continuation of your conversation.

Newsletter list.  If you said you were going to add people to your newsletter list, do it.

Event debrief.  Have a quick meeting with the team that attended the trade show to find out what went well and what didn’t.  You can always improve for next time!