Trade Show Strategy – Get a Lead or a Customer

I came across the following video on YouTube that is pretty good at explaining the end goal for going to a trade show.  That end goal is to get a qualified lead or a customer and how a company accomplishes this goal can be varied.  After watching the video I do want to comment on how to go about capturing the prospects information at the show.  The simplest way to gather this data is to solicit business cards however, this really doesn’t help you identify who is or isn’t a lead.  An entry form that qualifies the prospect is a better solution and should be required for entry into the drawing.  Furthermore a sales consultant should review this form to ensure its accuracy before submission.  Enjoy the video.

A Smash Hit! Trade Show Displays specializes in portable trade show displays, roll up banners, pop up display systems, tradeshow signage, tension fabric structures and custom trade show exhibits.  Let us make your next event A Smash Hit!

PowerPoint Tips……………..Not! (Spoken in Borat Version)

OK, I came across a funny video about how not to deliver a PowerPoint presentation.  I hope you enjoy and have a great 4th of July!

Make sure to visit our website to see all the portable tradeshow exhibit models, from roll up banner stands to custom trade show displays we can make your next event A Smash Hit!

How to get more from your next trade show.

Going to your next trade show could be the difference between keeping or losing your job.  In todays hyper competitive business environment the knowledge learned and contacts gained could easily be the difference between being a mediocre and outstanding employee.  Medicore employees eventually fall by the wayside.  The following tips enable you to get the most from each show.

1.) Get a pre-show schedule of events, seminars and exhibitors and use this to map out your day to day activities.  Align these activities so that you get the most out of each day and possibly night.

2.) Call or email event organizers, speakers and exhibitors and let them know you’ll be there.  Ask the event organizers who else will be there, especially if you want face time with a targeted prospect or associate.  See if the event organizer can seat you next to that contact on purpose.  Submit questions to speakes in advance so that the presentation is custom tailed to the questions you have.  Arrange meetings with exhibitors so they can prepare solutions in advance, this way the sales cycle doesn’t start at the show.

3.) Comfortable shoes, comfortable shoes, comfortable shoes…enough said. 

4.) Bring along a standard assortment of business supplies just in case they aren’t provided in the seminars.  Some attendees have even gone as far as to tape and or video record a session, although this may be prohibited.

5.) Extra business cards.  You never know how many you may give out and the last thing you want to have happen is run out.

6.) Follow up.  Don’t just email contacts when you get back from the show.  Go ahead and draft a formal letter referencing your conversation at the show and mail it.  Keep the letter genuine and sincere on how excited you were to make their aquaintance.  It seems a little “old fashioned”, however, it’s a very effective way to make this person a contact for life.

Trade Show Booths Product Highlight
Portable trade show displays are becoming more and more advanced and with these advacements come new display types emerge from the crowd.  Smash Hit Displays is pleased to annouce that the arrival of Echo by Abex.  The modular systems use stunning trade show graphics and when combined with other displays like banner stands and custom trade show carpet you can create a truly one-off display system.

A Trade Show isn’t a Trade Show…

All trade shows aren’t created equal and the strategies used to create leads and potential sales varies quite differently from show to show and for each exhibitor.  Your sales cycle, product and service complexity and the exhibitors focus at the show all contribute to the strategy employed.  The first step to achieving positive results from a show is to set a goal.  For example, a franchisor wishes to sell two franchises by exhibiting at a tradeshow.  The franchisor knows that, on average, it takes 150 leads to close one franchise so he decides to set a secondary goal of gathering 400 leads.  He also knows that of these 400 leads, only 20 of them will be qualified buyers.  These numbers tell the franchisor how many pieces and what type of literature he needs to bring to the show.  Unqualified buyers receive a basic brochure and more qualified buyers get in depth detailed premium brochures.  Basically, the original goal sets in motion the specific activities and strategies implemented in order to achieve said goal.  Follow this basic outline and you will be well on your way to achieving your stated goals by exhibiting at trade shows.

Trade Show Exhibit Product Highlight
What is a trade show display?  It can be any one of the products found on our website, which are all specifically designed for trade show use, however, this term actually applies to anything located within your booth space and for that matter, the entire exhibit floor.  Why should you adopt such a broad definition?  Because the Starbucks Coffee Cup, food wrappers and your sloppy dress code all effect the quality of presentation.  In other words, you’re only as strong as your weakest link.

I’m not surprised that Seth Godin isn’t surprised.

Hey Seth, if you’re reading this, you need a haircut…I wonder if this surprised him???

Seth Godin, bestselling author and marketing guru, posted on his blog that if a company doesn’t surprise you then they won’t be memorable.  You can read his post by clicking here.  In today’s hyper-marketed and experienced based production world it is getting harder and harder to stand out.  I do suggest that pulling back on the reigns can help you stand out though.  Imagine a huge trade show floor with lots of vibrant colored trade show displays.  Your display is completely white, the floor is white and your staff is wearing all white.  The only color being the company logo and and products you offer.  Visually you will stand out as your booth will be a stark absence of color in a sea of over-stimulation of color.  Remember, to be different you must first think different.

Trade Show Display Product Highlight
Trade show tables can be a very effective way to showcase products and literature, however, using these tables in the correct manner is important so that they don’t become a liability.  First and formeost get a table that fits the actual space you need.  For example, if you have to fan out brochures like a deck of cards to fill the top of the table then it’s probably too large a table.  In most cases, tables aren’t even needed as a literature stand and a clipboard will sufice.  The investment in your booth is well worth not filling it up with an oversized table that blocks people from actually entering your booth space.

Tip for Exhibitors

I came across a great post today by Kare Anderson of Say It Better.  She lists a plethora of detailed tips, especially in how to communicate to attendees at trade show in order to shorten the sales cycle.  She also encourages exhibitors to focus more on communicating their benefits instead of the brand or features in which we, here at Smash Hit Displays, agree.  Too many exhibit graphics detail brands and features, not there is anything wrong with this, but your brand and features have less to do with why someone makes a purchase than benefits.

Trade Show Exhibit Product Highlight
Custom trade show displays are the ultimate in creating unique spaces and experiences at trade shows.  A custom display can equate to a small modification in size or color or can be a one-off creation used for only one-event.  The reason to go with a custom display can range from a functional purpose or to create a visually unique branded space that cannot be created by conventional display components.  Whatever the purpose or reason let A Smash Hit! Trade Show Displays be your custom display exhibit consultant!

What Not To Do at Trade Shows….Revisited

I’ll keep today’s post simple by letting you read a post on the following blog…

 Exhibiting in a bead show…

Come on…drinking beer in your booth space, who would ever think this to be acceptable or even allowed.

Trade Show Display Product Highlight
Hardwood flooring for trade shows is beautiful, but heavy!  Keep this in mind if deciding to use this type of flooring as it muct be shipped via a common carrier / freight company.  A wide varirty of colors and woods are available and all have wire management channels so power and computer cords can be placed under the floor.

What’s your weakest “Trade Show” link?

Most of you are aware of the quote, “You’re only as strong as your weakest link”.  When evaluating your trade show strategy have you identified your “weakest link” in order to improve?  Might it be your display, outdated, bad graphics, etc.?  Maybe it’s the lack of having a plan?  If there is a “worst weakest link” it would have to be “people”.  This is the curse of death because even if you have the perfect pre-show campaign, a beautiful display and a plan, we “humans” can easily screw things up!  Don’t let that happen by having pre-show meetings as well as daily “morning” meetings at the show to access how well things are going.  These “morning” meetings will also encourage your booth staff to get to bed early and get a good nights sleep.

Trade Show Display Product Highlight
Pop Up Displays are the most common type of trade show display in use.  Why are they so popular? Pop up displays that are 10 ft wide or narrower usually pack in one wheeled case that can convert to a table or podium.  This simplified system of rolling in your display, setting it up, and rolling it out makes them very convenient.  Although you will find many different pop up displays on the market, they aren’t all created equal.  Smash Hit Displays pop upsare offered with various case options giving exhibitors lots of sizes and styles of tables that can be created with the cases.  In the end, you should by the exhibit that best fits your needs.

“Skin” Sells, but at what Cost?

At many trade shows, scantily dressed models parade around to get attendees attention. It’s always been a part of the Auto Show circuit, but in the past few years a couple of show organizers have dramatically enforced the appropriate behaviors of exhibitors and their models. A few of these include the SEMA show (last November) and this week E3 as referenced by the LA Times and EXPO Web below.

E3 – Expo Organizers Say No to Scantily Dressed Models

E3 (and SEMA) cracks down on booth babes

So is this good or bad for these respective industries and shows? In my opinion it’s very good. Hey, don’t get me wrong I’m a hot-blooded male and enjoy seeing a beautiful woman, but both of these shows do attract children and we do have to be concerned with what these children are exposed to. Exhibitors should also be selling their products/services and when attendees start going to the show for the skin the show and exhibitors suffer. I’m sure that these organizers have also heard their fair share of complaints and concerns and whenever an organizer has to enforce their rules with strict penalties then I’m sure exhibitors, in the past, have gone way past what was allowable.

A Great Problem To Have! Mega Traffic in your Booth!

We all dream of the day that we are so busy at a trade show selling our products and services that we are 100% absolutley and positively sure that a return on investment has been achieved for the show…..in a matter of hours. Not many of us can share a first hand experience and it’s possible we’ve witnessed something of the sorts, but it’s a story not often heard.

I did come across an article about XtremeMac that had 4 lines, 30 people deep selling accessories for iPods when they first went on sale. 120 people around a 10′ x 10′ booth space isn’t something you often see. Now this guy was forward enough thinking that being the first to this market would be a goldmine so kudos to him, however, what was Apple thinking? I mean, come on, you can create a beutiful piece of art and electronics all in one but you can’t come up with a good way to store, wear or protect it? Sorry to get off on a tangent.

So what should you do if you get in a bind have 120 clammoring to get into your trade show display? Grin and bear it and smile all the way to the bank!

The full article can be found on the following page:
http://www.tmcnet.com/usubmit/-case-good-planning-/2006/04/24/1600317.htm