2009-10-22
5 Tips to Get the Most out of Tradeshows

Everyone knows that tradeshows are a great tool to market to numerous prospective buyers or decision influencers at one time. Not only can your clients meet you face to face, your company can collect leads, build your brand image and gain feedback on new item launches. A Center for Exhibition Industry Research (CEIR) revealed that at exhibitions, 70% of attendees plan to buy one or more products, and 76% asked for quotes and 26% signed purchase orders. Here are 5 tips to get the most out of tradeshows.

1. Preparation is key
Attending trade shows can be expensive so it is important to ensure that you choose the right event for your company. Request detailed demographics of attendees and see what marketing tools are included with the basic exhibit package i.e. a link to your website from the exhibitor page or availability of email addresses of prior attendees. Although large shows are appealing, also consider smaller shows that have a higher proportion of people likely to be interested in your products or services. You should have a pre-show marketing campaign. This can include setting up a tradeshow appointment webpage or sending out direct mail like certificates for an item that they can only get at the conference. Set objectives for your company that you can measure i.e. amount of leads generated or number of presentations made.

2. Your booth
You only have about 3 seconds to catch someone's attention, so use booth graphics that are easy to see and read, and clearly say who you are, what you do, and your benefit prospects. The average trade show attendee will spend about 8 hours on the floor visiting an average of 25-31 exhibits, leaving just 5 to 15 minutes per visit. Make it easy for visitors to get information by using signs to give basic information they might need to know (this is great for when you're busy with other customers). Some other useful tips:

3. Prepare your tradeshow staff
Assign a booth leader to oversee onsite activities will help with organization. Try offering incentives for booth staff that meet specific objectives. Staff should be trained to engage customers with questions that don't have just a yes or no answer. After they have qualified the prospect, the presentation shouldn't take longer than 10 minutes. To build brand awareness, make sure that all booth staff wear clothes with your logo. Remember to schedule effectively so that your staff gets breaks and the booth is never un-manned. Never begin breaking down the booth before the show ends. Sometimes people can only make the last few hours of the show, but are still valuable contacts. Instead, use slow times to meet with other exhibitors. After the show, hold a meeting with your team to identify: what worked, what didn't and what you'd do differently next time.

4. If sponsoring a tradeshow is not in your budget
Paying to have a booth at a tradeshow can run into the tens of thousands of dollars. The easiest way to estimate your overall cost for exhibiting at a show is to take the cost to rent the exhibit space, and multiply it by three. Working with another company to share space and costs can save money. For instance, a chair massage company can draw traffic to your booth while they get to demonstrate their product. Attending a tradeshow without having a booth can actually be effective. If allowed, you can send a couple of sales representatives to work the crowd; they can network and talk to prospects.

5. After the show
Track your results of achieving your objectives from show to show so you can make informed decisions about what shows are right for your company. Make the most out of your leads; it's helpful if you write down the follow up action required for each lead. After the show is over, make sure you follow up with people that were interested in what you have to offer. A week after the show is a good time to start calling people. For emails, don't wait any longer than 48 hours to send information to qualified leads. Almost 80% of leads generated are never followed, so you will set your company apart by actually following up. Have your lead fulfillment packages prepared ahead of time, so you can send your responses right away. Did you know that the CosPro Agency can provide tradeshow booth staff? Call the CosPro Agency for details on how you can save money by sending fewer employees to tradeshows.