Trade show tips
By Andrew Shedden
Teleconferencing, teleclasses, bridge lines, virtual meetings, videoconferencing and many other technologies are all great ways of reaching your target markets. But what about old-fashioned trade shows? Have time, expense, and travel concerns rendered the trade show obsolete? Well, no. Trade shows remain a great way to put your best face forward to many prospects in one convivial atmosphere. The following tips will help you profit from your next trade show.
Pre show activities
70% of trade show attendees come with a written agenda less than 20% of exhibitors offer any pre-show promotion. For this reason one of the most profitable practices you can put into effect is to spread the word about your attendance.
Develop a persuasive direct mail piece to send to:
1. Existing customers in your database
2. Any previous lead inquiries in your data files from past marketing efforts
3.Previous trade show attendees who've visited your booth
4. Names from database compilations, trade advertisers, and show lists.
• Announce your attendance
• Announce your location
• Announce your show special promotion
Send your direct mail piece (s) to invitees at least twice.
Phone and personally invite the top ten companies you'd like to do business with.
Be sure to determine a single show objective. While sales do get closed at trade shows for the most part shows are best for inquiry generation. Don’t lose you focus.
Determine a single show message and three benefits of your service. There’s not enough time to explain complex features, advantages, or benefits. Promote one message and three benefits and you’ll maximize your results.
Consider a special offer on a coupon that can be placed in show bags given to attendees at the entrance.
If you’re going to use a draw prize to generate inquiries be sure it’s related to your business. If you’re in the circuit business and you’re offering a free television or barbecue in exchange for contact information you’re probably not getting legitimate inquiries. Better to offer $1,000 worth of free circuitry work.
When people enter your draw be sure they’ve completed the three or four prospect qualifying questions to provide you with the basics of a buyer profile. Some examples of qualifying questions are:
What do you do at XYZ?
Do you use ... at XYZ?
What is your biggest challenge in terms of... at XYZ?
Who is the final decision maker regarding... at XYZ?
Do not give away entries to your draw or contest without getting a properly filled in lead card in return.
Show activities
So you’ve made it to the show now what? One of the craziest things you see at every trade show are attendees who feel they’re on some kind of holiday. Typically these are the people who spend more time talking to each other than talking to prospects. Still others view the trade show as a perfect opportunity to get to better know a fellow employee (in the Biblical sense of the term). Trade shows are expensive and all of your staff should arrive motivated, focused, and ready to work.
At the booth:
Hand out lots of business cards.
Show up on time and be engaged.
Present a professional image - dressy casual attire is fine with comfortable shoes.
Be organized with plenty of promotional materials on hand.
No sitting, slouching, smoking, eating, backs turned, or reading.
Be prepared and enthusiastic, enthusiasm is contagious.
Do not use a ‘canned’ sales presentation.
Ask for the information you need.
Use open ended questions and create interactive dialogue.
Qualify every potential lead with your prospect card and its qualifying questions.
Listen to prospects 90% of the time.
Speak to prospects 10% of the time.
End your questioning session with:
“What should be our next step?”
“Can I call you in a few days to set up an appointment, or can we set up an appointment now?”
Learn from other exhibitors who are attending.
Post - show activities
You’ll greatly increase the effectiveness of your trade show participation by being part of the 20% of exhibitors who follow up on their trade show leads. If your follow up isn’t done immediately after the show you might as well not attend.
Prior to attending the trade show establish a general post - show strategy to achieve objectives. Too often exhibitors return to the work that's piled up since they were at the trade show and never get around to following up the leads. Recognize the fact that you'll need to set aside a few days to get your follow up done - and do it.
Create detailed lead follow up tactics – and follow through.
Follow up your highest quality leads with quick fax cover letter sent from your business on the nights of show. Have someone in your office stay late to send the faxes. Prospects who arrive at their offices the next morning to find a personalized fax from you will be very impressed by your efficiency.
Follow up all leads within 3 days of the show by telephone and ask for appointments.
Write a more detailed follow up cover letter, answer queries uncovered by phone calls & mail any other requested literature.
Enter all leads in a database (This activity should not take precedence over immediate follow up).
Inform contest winners and runners up. This is a nice spin on a traditional contest. Send all of the entrants who didn't win a consolation prize. It will be unexpected and greatly appreciated.
For Lots More Trade Show Tips: please visit our Smart Trade Shows website.
