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.

Special Business Cards for Trade Shows

Today I ran across a very interesting post about creating specialized business cards for trade shows that enable you to make notes about your meeting with the client.  I really like this idea!  After talking to hundreds of suppliers it can be confusing remembering whose product or conversation relates to which booth.  Jim Krukal suggests adding the typical company information, logo, and telephone number, but also add a picture of yourself as it helps the attendee remember you.  The rest of the business card should be dedicated to note taking.  I would say that it is important that you fill out the note section as the attendee probably won’t.  Below is an image of the example card that Jim posted on his blog.  Very cool Jim!

If you’re a online retailer you could add a few more things.
1.) Special Discount Code – This would enable you to track how the card was used to create actual sales from contacts made at the show.
2.) Additional space on the back of the card for notes.
3.) URL’s for company websites.

It is also advisable to print the cards on non-glossy card stock as cards coated with a glossy laminate are almost impossible to write on.

Smash Hit Displays is a leading Internet Wholesaler of Trade Show Displays in Richmond, Virginia that specializes in all types of trade show exhibits ranging from small tabletop displays to larger Custom Modular Displays.  Let us help make your next event A Smash Hit!