Contributed by Info Guru Oliver VanDerVoort
Trade shows can be incredibly important outing for a business.
Winning the day at one of these massive conventions can make the difference between a good or bad year for a company. There really isn’t enough words to express just how important it is to succeed at one of these particular events, especially for very specific companies or brands that may not be well known outside of the professional world. So if you want to score a win at these events, what do you have to do?
Don’t worry, we’ve brought you the top ten trade show success tips right here!
10. The Booth
The booth doesn’t need to be in the front of the show, or even at the back. The placing of the booth is actually far less important than making sure that when someone walks buy, their attention is grabbed. Getting the right kind of decorations or signage is a big key and that means having the right banner or sign to grab the attendees’ attention.
9. Be Engaged
This may seem like a no-brainer, but don’t just sit in your booth and wait for the attendees to come to you. Make sure you and your staff are always engaged and interested. There are going to be some long boring hours to overcome, but make sure everyone is ready to actually overcome them.
8. Walk the Floor
This is really sort of an extension of “be engaged” but you need to walk the floor and take the show in. There are actually two things served by doing this, first you can see what are the popular booths and what your competition is doing, but should you be walking the floor with, apparel that advertises your company, people at the show might venture to your booth to see what you are about.
7. Stay in the Same Hotel as the Show
This is another one that might be a no-brainer but there are plenty of people who attend trade shows and stay at another hotel for various reasons. Staying in the same hotel as the show just makes good sense when talking about the ease of networking alone.
6. Have the Right Staff
Ideally you are going to have a few different staff members to choose from when attending these events and you should get the right ones. These are people who understand your products and understand how to sell them to anyone who inquires.
5. Attitude
This may seem like it’s already been talked about, but this is slightly different. You want to be engaged and engaging when you are manning a trade show, but you also want to make it clear that the people who are coming to see you are important. Don’t talk to anyone like they don’t understand the subject matter and are dumb because of it. Approach everyone as a potential buyer, even if they walk up saying they aren’t buying anything.
4. Pick the Right Shows
In order to have trade show success you need to make sure you are going to the right ones. There is going to be a significant money outlay for a company to hit one of these events and you are wasting your money if you just go to everyone that seems remotely in your industry. Be picky and understand your market.
3. Get the Right Promo Materials
A well-known part of the trade show is the promotional items. You want to make sure that whatever you decide to go with, they are the right things for that particular show. You also want to make sure they are materials that the attendees will be interested in. There are all kinds of companies who deal specifically in this area.
2. Find the Right Pitch
Much like you must have the right people and the right materials in order to have success, you must also make sure you have the right pitch. The show might dictate how much of a pitch you can make, but go in with some research of the venue and those who will be attending. Tailor your pitch to the audience and your surroundings as much as possible.
1. Make Your Goals Clear
Measuring success is more than just making as many sales as possible. Make yourself clear on what the goals of the show will be, this makes it easier to actually hit those goals.