Show Off
Five tips to make your next trade show a hit
By Shannon L. Brown
Everyone who’s stood in a trade show booth wondering how to increase interest and sales should take these tips to heart. A great product isn’t the only key. Planning ahead and knowing how to make the most of the show once you’re there are serious skills.
“Most exhibitors don’t take this seriously enough,” says trade show consultant Susan Friedmann of Lake Placid, New York, author of Riches in Niches. “They show up and hope that somebody’s going to drop by. You’re not going to get the bang for the buck that way. There has to be a plan.”
Spread the Word
A solid trade show plan starts with great pre-show marketing. Your website can work for you 24/7. “Always list trade show events, complete with dates, on your website and in newsletters,” advises Douglas Ducate, CEO and president of the Center for Exhibition Industry Research (CEIR) in Dallas. The information should be front-and-center so visitors don’t have to hunt for where to find you in the flesh.
In addition to posting dates on your website, use social networking sites—Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, etc.—to spread the word about where you are. While you’re at the show, take pictures of your booth and upload them to Facebook, or “tweet” about what’s new and exciting at the show. Just think: A client walking the show receives your tweet on her BlackBerry and decides to drop by to see you.
You can actually engage people by cell phone before you get to the show by placing in your advertising a number to text. Friedmann suggests responding to the text with a tempting offer to lure potential customers to your booth, such as “You’re a winner; come by booth number ____ and pick up a free ____,” which could be a collection of sales tips for retailers or another giveaway that offers them value and doesn’t simply promote your product.