The Why,
Why When & How
of Trade Show Exhibiting
By Francine Brooks
Trade Shows Are Vital Business Marketing Tools
Trade shows are a unique medium for selling and communicating, offering
businesses the opportunity to deliver powerful, dramatic messages to targeted
decision makers.
• 81% of show attendees in 2011 had the power to recommend or
make the final purchase decisions.
• In addition, no other marketing vehicle enables companies to
establish and strengthen personal relationships with so many
customers and prospects.
• In 2011, 43% of attendees reported that their purchase intentions
were more favorable after visiting companies’ exhibits on the trade show
floor and 55% of attendees had plans of buying within 12 months of
attending a trade show.
• 76% of trade show attendees go there with an agenda in
mind.
• 66% rate their booth visits as very or extremely valuable
in evaluating or comparing offerings for future purchases.
purchases
( Source: Skip Cox, Exhibit Surveys, Inc. )
Before You Attend That Trade Show
1. Set Clear Goals For Your Trade Show Participation
• What do you want to get out of it?
• Are you focusing on promotion or hoping to launch a new product?
• Who is your target audience?
• What is your target return on investment?
2. Do Your Research
• Choose a trade show that will give you the best return on investment
• Choose a trade show that best targets your audience
Before You Attend That Trade Show (con
(con’t)
t)
3. Plan Your Budget and Book Your Space
Things tto consider
Thi
id when
h creating
ti your budget:
b d t
• Space rental
• Exhibit expenses
pp g and Storingg
• Shipping
• Show services
• Personnel
• Advertising and Promotion
• Travel and Entertainment
4. Plan Your Exhibit in Terms of Your Audience
5. Advertise in Advance
S l ti Booth
Selecting
B th Location
L ti
1.
Be at the center of influence - locate your booth near the center of the
hall/event where most visitors’ ppath cross more than once.
2.
Pick narrow aisles - if there are aisles that are narrower than others, try to
locate on them since the visitors will be closer to the exhibits, and easier to
engage.
engage
3.
Consider who your neighbors are.
S l ti Booth
Selecting
B th Location
L ti (con’t)
(
’t)
4.
Select corner locations - they give you an opportunity for cross aisle engaging,
so longg as yyou take the drape
p in the corner down.
5.
Select booth location on the right side of the hall - most people are right
brained, and therefore will tour a show from the right...catch them while they
are fresh.
fresh
6.
Avoid end of the isle and entrance/exit locations.
7.
Don’t choose the booth next to food outlets or conference hall entrances.
E hibit Ti
Exhibit
Tips
• As a general rule, you want at least 60% of the frontage open and at least
60% off th
the fl
floor space iin th
the exhibit
hibit unoccupied.
i d
• Make sure your display appears welcoming. You want people to feel
pp
g and enteringg yyour booth. Visitors are more apt
p to
comfortable approaching
enter a warm, inviting environment.
Lure Attendees
•
You want to capture their attention, intrigue them, and make them stop in
the midst of a hectic atmosphere - long enough for a member of your team
to begin
g an interaction.
•
Use something or someone to attract attendees and encourage them to
stop. The attraction you choose may involve one or more of the five
senses: sight,
sight sound
sound, smell
smell, taste
taste, or touch
touch.
•
Sight - Visitors recognize your brand or are intrigued enough by what they
see in your display to stop. Large screen videos and theatre style
presentations are great for capturing the attention of attendees.
•
Sound - Different forms of audio such as music or a presenter’s voice can
attract visitors.
visitors
Lure Attendees (con’t)
(
)
•
Smell - It’s the strongest sense for triggering associations and memories.
Good smells such as aromatic fragrances or food scents such as cookies or
popcorn can reach out to visitors and lure them in from the aisles
aisles.
•
Taste - Offer beverages or light refreshments to entice your visitors’
palettes. It may help lengthen the duration of their visit. If your company
i associated
is
i d with
i h food
f d products,
d
sampling
li is
i a great way to build
b ild traffic
ffi
and demonstrate your business.
•
Touch - Entice visitors with a tactile experience.
p
Utilizingg iPads or touch
screen monitors can provide the opportunity for true hands-on interaction.
Analyze
y Your Graphics
p
•
Graphics are the workhorse of your display.
•
Graphics attract attention, convey your message and build
recognition of your brand.
•
They also offer you the added benefit of being easily
exchanged to target different market segments or updated to
reflect changes in your business.
•
Together your graphics work as team, complementing each
other, and presenting a unified and cohesive message.
Analyze
y Your Graphics
p
(con’t)
(
)
•
To be one of your most effective communication tools on the
show floor, your graphics should be easy-to-read.
•
In general it’s easier to read dark text on light background.
However, the reverse would apply to backlit graphics.
•
It’s
’ also
l important
i
that
h your graphics
hi are visible
i ibl andd legible
l ibl
from the distance at which they will be seen by visitors.
Design
g Tips
p for
f Smaller Exhibits
1.) Break up the back wall with shapes, contours, surface variety, and dramatic
lighting, rather than using a straight flat wall.
2.) Create a strong visual impact by using fewer larger graphics.
3.)) Use onlyy one message
g statement.
4.) Display the product or company most recognized by attendees.
5 ) Keep the exhibit bright,
5.)
bright simple and uncluttered.
uncluttered
Design
g Tips
p for
f Smaller Exhibits ((con’t))
6.) Use only one counter, and keep its size and bulk to a minimum.
7 ) Use a lightweight system instead of a custom or home made display.
7.)
display
8.) Do not rely on hall lighting – your booth might be lost in the shadows.
9.) Avoid tables across the front of your booth… it is a nonverbal closed door and
sends the wrong message.
10 ) Make sure your graphics state your primary benefits and offers
10.)
offers, clearly and
concisely.
“Color Me Sold”
Color is one of the most powerful subconscious influencers on our mood.
Here’s what each color says to a visitor to your booth.
Red - connotes love, warmth excitement, passion
Blue - conjures up thoughts of power, professionalism,
t t
trustworthiness
thi
andd calm
l
Green - means money, life and nature
Orange - suggests creativity, fun, youth and affordability
Purple - stands for luxury, royalty, fantasy and dreams
Build a Better Booth
1.)
Presentation - Include your company logo, arrange product groups logically, be
genuinely welcoming. Have comfortable, attractive flooring.
2.)
Sensory Outreach - Put your merchandise where people can touch it, hold it, make a real
sensory connection. Don’t forget the QR tags!
3.)
Free Food - Nothing says “I love you,” like something sweet - a small piece of chocolate,
a hard candy, anything that will entice hungry show attendees to reach in for a quick
nutrition boost.
4.)
Scents and Sensibility - Smell is perhaps our most subtle sense. Anything with a hint of
vanilla is likely to draw visitors in.
5.)
Sounds Good - Add a little background music to your booth to fill the “dead air” before
enough people have gathered there to give your space some life.
Pre-Show Marketing
•
Recent research has shown that 83% of the most successful companies (in terms of
business generated and leads collected) at a range of exhibitions used pre-show
marketing.
•
To maximize your trade show results, tailor your message to the concerns, needs
and interests of your prospects.
Studies show that pre-show promotions can boost your lead counts by 33%.
1.) Personal Invitation, including free tickets or registration to the show
2.) Direct Mail (It still works!)
• Colorful and unusually shaped postcards
• Message in unique packages
3.) Promotional Items
• Send out a 2 part promotional item: Part 1 will go directly to the attendee, Part 2
will be present at your booth
Pre-Show Marketing (con’t)
3.) Website Advertising/Social Networking Sites
• Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn are popular outlets for pre-show marketing and allow
you easier access to a large audience.
4)S
4.)
Send
d outt a P
Press R
Release
l
5.) E-mail Marketing
TIPS:
• Use a qualified and highly targeted mailing list.
• Ask show organizers for a list of exhibitors.
• Utilize Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn to offer exclusive promotions to your followers and
generate a buzz on your upcoming events.
• Use show logos or decals on all correspondence.
• Advertise
dve se in thee show
s ow ddirectory
ec o y - it iss a targeted
ge ed promotion.
po o o .
• Take advantage of free show tickets to promote targeted attendance.
Show Personnel
•
90% of the positive feelings visitors have are due to the staff.
•
Beyond your exhibit, your advertising, your pre-show promotion,
it’s the people in your
o r show
sho that sell the company
compan and your
o r
products or services, and make or break your future relationships
with attendees, prospects, and customers.
Show personnel need to:
•
Give booth visitors their full attention
•
Listen attentively and listen actively
•
Use clarifying questions
•
Follow with confirming questions
On the Show Floor
•
Your team’s real skill is put to the test once they are on the show floor.
•
This iis where
Thi
h th
they can either
ith make
k or break
b k any future
f t
business
b i
relationship.
•
Their verbal and non-verbal messages
g are constantly
y evaluated,, either
consciously or subconsciously.
•
According to research conducted by Allen Konopacki (Incomm Research),
56% of a visitor’s
visitor s impression is determined in the first three to four
seconds.
On the Show Floor (con’t)
Dress:
•
It’s important that your people look presentable.
•
Establishing a dress code is entirely up to each organization. Some booths
carry a theme that is depicted in a uniform such as specially designed T-shirts,
tuxedos or national costume.
•
Make sure none of your booth staff have exposed tattoos or body piercings.
•
To avoid any of your representatives showing up to a show in attire that may
embarrass the organization, determine an acceptable clothing list beforehand.
•
Personal hygiene is also extremely important. Encourage your staff to use
mouthwash
th
h andd breath
b th mints
i t regularly.
l l
On the Show Floor (con’t)
(
)
“Like Actors on a Stage”
•
From the moment a show opens to the time it closes,
closes your staff’s
staff s position
in the booth is like that of actors on a stage.
•
The visitors, like an audience, have come to see a performance. Their
expectations are high because they have invested precious time in
attending.
•
Visitors no longer wander aimlessly in exhibit halls - 76% of show
visitors arrive with an agenda. According to the Trade Show Bureau, at
least 50% of trade show visitors are there to see new products, services
and technical developments.
Engage, Qualify, & Communicate
•
Never engage with, “Can I help you?” The answer is almost always,
“No, thanks, I’m just looking.”
•
Engage strangers; your friends you can talk to anytime.
•
Speak up – it shows confidence.
•
Speak slowly and clearly.
clearly
•
A prospect’s attention span is normally 30 seconds – you cannot
afford to ramble.
•
Good eye contact projects interest and sincerity.
•
Never sit in your booth, unless with a prospect.
•
Never smoke, eat or drink in the booth.
How to Disengage
Use these helpful suggestions to disengage a conversation:
• “I’m glad we had this opportunity to talk today…”
• “I’ve taken enough of your time today…”
• “Based
Based on the information shared today,
today we can
can’tt help you,
you but here
here’ss our
website if you need us in the future.”
• “Thanks for dropping by…”
At the end of the conversation give the person a handshake or hand them a
brochure or an inexpensive gift.
What Works & What Does NOT Work
• Be selective in handing out literature.
• Wear your badge on the right hand side, to be visible to prospects when shaking hands.
• Leaning on an exhibit communicates boredom and a generally poor attitude.
• Wear comfortable shoes.
• Never leave the booth unattended.
• A neat booth sends a strong message about your organization.
• Avoid giving away food or drink - it messes up your booth and has little memorable
qualities - unless your exhibiting at a food show.
Basics/Booth Rules
The Basics:
• Arrive early each day
• Build a rapport with neighboring booths
• Network – make friends
• Sell to other exhibitors
• Take p
photos of your
y
booth & staff for yyour show file
• Protect your valuables
• Start a log of activities, events and observations
• Have fun
Booth Rules
•
Staff with knowledgeable, motivated employees
•
Understand & work towards your preset goals
•
Pay attention, focus
•
Take breaks when needed but not in the booth
•
Do not chit chat with each other in the booth
Trade Show Bargain: Save 45%
$308 - Average cost to contact a prospect in the field.
$212 - Average cost to contact a prospect who visited your
trade show booth - about 45 percent less than field
sales.
( Source: Skip Cox, Exhibit Surveys, Inc. )
H To
How
T Generate
G
t Leads
L d
1.
Whatever you are promoting in your booth needs to be obvious to a passerby
in 6 seconds or less.
2.
Identify and qualify the prospect. Do you know the company they work for?
3.
Gain an understanding of the prospect
prospect'ss needs. You are selling solutions, not
pieces of metal, plastic, and paper. Before you propose a solution, you must
know the prospect's problems.
4
4.
Figure outt the
Fi
th decision-making
d ii
ki process. Wh
Where ddoes it bbegin,
i and
d with
ith
whom? Who are the people involved?
H To
How
T Generate
G
t Leads
L d (con’t)
(
’t)
5.
6.
Gauge attitude and commitment level:
•
Is this prospect just killing time?
•
Can you make an appointment?
•
Can you send information?
Ask for a business card early in the conversation. Feel free to make notes on
it. Prospects are not put off by note taking on the back of a card.
Hand-Outs,, Giveaways
y and Drawings
g
•
Hand out inexpensive literature – tell qualified leads that you will mail/email
them detailed information.
•
If you hold a drawing – make it easy to enter, accept business cards, entry
forms or lead forms. Place entry box in prominent location.
•
Award your product or an industry related prize.
•
Make giveaway something that will be used often and has high visibility.
H to
How
t Handle
H dl Brochures
B h
1.
"Table Top" brochures can cause hit and run behavior.
2.
Definitely distribute, but with discretion.
3.
Use brochures as disengagement tools.
4.
Frequent follow-up with brochures can boost sales.
5.
Customizingg the brochure and follow-up.
p
H to
How
t Handle
H dl Brochures
B h
(con’t)
(
’t)
6.
Keep brochures near the back of your display to draw-in attendees.
7.
Bring enough material to distribute to 5% of your projected booth visitors.
This strategy will:
1 Save you on shipping costs.
1.
costs
2.
Reduce your overall waste factor.
3
3.
Allow you to obtain
All
b i the
h names andd contact information
i f
i off attendees
d
that
h
requested information.
Eff ti Follow
Effective
F ll Up
U
Immediately:
* Trade show is fresh in their mind.
* Jump on the competition.
* Fill their immediate need.
or
Five to Seven Days:
* Prospects
p
have had a chance to clear their desk after beingg awayy for the
Trade Show.
* Prospects have had time to review information brought back from the
Trade Show.
Set Realistic Goals... Set SMART ggoals for
f yyour
trade show and follow up
•
What do yyou want to get
g out of it?
•
Are you focusing on promotion or hoping to launch a new product?
•
Who is your target audience?
•
W at iss your
What
you ta
target
get return
etu oon investment?
vest e t? (close
(c ose ratio
at o / revenue
eve ue
acquisition linked to show
•
Can y
you add PR / Hospitality
p
y / Client appreciation
pp
to the event?
5 Trade Show Tips from the Pros
Trade show consultants routinely find that marketers are stymied when it comes
to preparing for a trade show. Here’s what they recommend to make the most of
your trade show investment:
1. Pick the show that best aligns with your marketing strategy.
2. Plan marketing strategies for pre-show, show and post-show.
3. Reach out to every visitor to your booth post-show via email or phone.
4. Analyze which strategies worked and which didn
didn’t.
t.
5. Calculate your ROI on the event once the sales cycle has closed.
( Source: The
h Secret to Achieving
hi i Brilliant
illi Returns at Your Next Event,
Joyce McKee, LetsTalkTradeShows.com )