Marketing communications designed to build business
Get the Most Out of Your Next Trade Show
Written by Kerry O'Malley Thursday, 12 November 2009 12:14
The trade show season for this year is winding down - but start thinking about how to increase your effectiveness next year.
There's not a lot you can cut from a basic trade show budget. Most costs, like space, show services and shipping are fixed. BUT - there are plenty of little things you can do to maximize your results.
Here's a list of some things that are often overlooked, yet could make your show more successful.
Pre-Show:- Send key customers and prospects an invitation to stop by your booth - especially if you're offering some incentive, like a drawing for a prize.
- Include an announcement about your participation in the show, along with your booth number, on all communications leaving your office.
- Be sure to take advantage of free listings in the show guide or directory - send them in early!
- Shop early for the best deals on travel and hotels. The hotels promoted by the show organizers are NOT always the best deal.
- If you're introducing a new product or technology, contact editors at the key trade publications in your industry to ask for a personal interview at the show. The editors are at the show in order to "report back" to their readers on the latest technology that was introduced, so they are usually happy to schedule a time to meet you at your booth for an interview.
- Work with all of your booth staff so there's a consistent approach to visitors. Give them a list of questions to ask, and go over your "pitch." Unified messaging is important.
- Coordinate key personnel's schedules so there's always someone who's an "expert" in the booth at all times. Talking to a sales person is standard - but talking to the engineer who can design a custom solution to your problem can leave a more lasting impression.
- If you're doing product demos or showing multi-media presentations, shorter is better. You only have a few minutes to connect with a prospect.
- Even if you don't have an exciting new product to discuss, seek out editors at trade publications that are also exhibiting at the show. Take this opportunity to get some face time with the people who can give you "free ink." When you send them a press release or pitch an article after the show, they'll be able to put a face with the name. Sometimes that makes the difference in which of the hundreds of pieces of editorial they receive each week actually make the pages of the magazine.
- Rate each lead you received at the show before handing them off to your sales team. For instance, "A" could be a highly qualified prospect that's probably ready to buy now. "B" might be a prospect that's interested, but 6 months away from making a decision or switch. (Be sure to let the sales team know your rating criteria!)
- Contact leads or send them follow-up materials as soon as possible after the show. Did you know that seven out of ten trade show leads never receive a follow-up?
- Have a recap meeting with everyone who attended the show to discuss what worked, what didn't, and the overall impressions about the show's success. This will help you plan better for the next show!
Hi, I'm Kerry O'Malley - the Industrial Marketing Muse (and your own personal Marketect, should you so choose!) I have over 30 years of experience developing marketing communications for engineered industrial products and services sold to industry. For the past 12 years, I've done that as a consultant through my company, Marketects.
I love the idea of advertising (and good writing) being catalysts that move people to action. I'm jazzed by the challenge of creating concepts for communications campaigns that work. I'm intrigued by the possibilities that exist on the Internet for the industrial marketer, and I'm always thinking about how to translate those opportunities to my clients. I've never practiced marketing in the retail, mass consumer arena, but I see a lot of that kind of marketing that inspires me and translates over well to the industrial world. I hope I can inspire YOU!
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