Trade Show Planning - The BDA 10 - "Before the Show"
Great! You've finally got the approval to attend a Trade Show.
Now what? Trade shows can either be a very expensive excuse to
get out of the office for a few days, lug around heavy display
cases, party too much and sleep too little, and get flat feet
standing around on concrete all day long, OR it can energize
your company's Sales program immediately, and for many months to
come. How do you ensure it's "Door Number 2", and not a wasted
opportunity? PLANNING! A major trade show requires considerable
advance preparation and, if you aren't ready, can present a
logistical nightmare. You must develop a solid plan and monitor
your progress vigilantly. Now, let's be brutally honest - when
it comes to planning, someone from your Sales Department may not
be the best choice - much like you don't use a hammer to drive
in a screw (at least I hope you don't...). Top Salespeople are
prized for their people-skills, and their ability to SELL, but
when it comes to longer term planning and attention to detail,
they come up short. Do the entire company a favor and put your
most anal-retentive (that's a good thing!), details-oriented
person in charge of the planning, under your supervision, of
course! And now (drum roll please), here's the first of the BDA
10. The ten things to keep in mind Before your Trade Show.
Before the Show
1. Select "your" Trade Show carefully.
Participating in a trade show requires a major investment of
time, money, and resources. Be tough in your evaluation of a
show's "worthiness". Are the attendees likely customers for your
business? Better one small, focused show, than a "monster" Trade
Show that doesn't fit your profile.
2. Before all else fails, read the manual.
Before you go too much further, make sure you have the Trade
Show's manual (usually mailed to you by the show's organizers
right after registering for your booth, but it can sometimes be
found on-line. Be sure to ask.) Everything you need to know
about the show should be there, including registration
information and forms, schedules and floor plans, booth
specifications, invitations for potential speakers, etc., etc.
3. Identify your goals.
What exactly do you want to accomplish at this Trade Show? Do
you want to gain exposure to potential customers who might be
interested in your products, increase visibility, or see what
the competition is up to? Concrete goals are important to
determine the ROI of the Trade Show to your business. 4. Define
measurements of success - your "Trade Show ROI".
Determine a way to measure each goal's (see #3, above) success,
as specifically as possible. Plan on handing out 1000
promotional flyers, make contact with at least 100 prospects,
and take a key client out to lunch. These ROI benchmarks will
help you decide whether the show was worth the expense, and
whether you should attend next year.
5. Put your Trade Show plan in writing.
The plan should include a detailed schedule, a full list of
preparation tasks, and an individual assigned for each task.
Never leave anything to chance, or "we'll catch that later...".
6. Spread the word - Let people know about your Trade Show
participation.
Advertise well before the Trade Show! Use tag lines such as:
"see us at Booth 1234 at the 2006 World's Biggest Trade Show" in
news releases and other communications (even unrelated
communications) leading up to the Trade Show. Put the Trade Show
logo on your corporate website under "Coming Events". Invite
prospects (and current customers) to stop by the booth, or set
up appointments between them and your Trade Show personnel. Do a
pre-show e-mail blitz.
7. Order all Trade Show supplies early, including brochures and
giveaways.
Take care of any marketing material updates or redesigns early.
Don't run the risk of having nothing to hand out! Design clear
forms (to eliminate guesswork) for filling out prospect
information. Consider giveaways to generate attention and a bit
of excitement. These don't have to be expensive - pens with your
web address and a catchy slogan can be just as effective. Be
creative with something specific to your industry. Think of
something that someone did at a previous Trade Show that
impressed you, and then steal it!
8. Home Sweet Home - Design an open, inviting booth.
Invite attendees to come in to "your home" with an open booth
design, with no obstructing tables or displays. Maximize
"walking around" space by mounting brochure displays on walls.
Use interesting graphics to catch peoples' eyes. Your logo
should be big enough to be seen from a good distance. For demos,
laptops and flat-screen monitors are space-efficient. Think
about providing comfortable chairs to encourage prospects to
linger (space permitting). (Hint: Splurge a bit and order that
carpet underlay - your feet and back will thank you for it).
9. Create a unique identity for your Trade Show personnel.
Decide on the dress code for your people. Matching vests, Golf
shirts, or even boutonnieres will make your representatives
easily identifiable. To avoid that "rumbled uniform" look by the
third day of the show, make sure everyone has spare shirts.
10. Train your Trade Show personnel before each show.
Your people need to know what is expected of them. They need to
be briefed on all new features and offerings. They must know how
to run the demos and presentations, and they should know some
basic trouble shooting. Nothing looks more unprofessional then
demos that don't work, and supposed "experts" fumbling for an
answer.