Planning to exhibit at a trade show soon? Many businesses find that trade shows can be one of their best sources of new business as well as a great way for attracting media attention. While No single thing you do can guarantee you will have a profitable show, here are some tips to increase chances for success:
1. Study the Show’s History. Is it a show that regularly attracts large crowds? Have vendors who have participated in the show in the past done well? What has past attendance been?
2. Prepare A Professional-Looking Display. While you certainly don’t need
the biggest, flashiest booth on the trade show floor, you do need to have a professional looking display that lets passersby know what it is you are selling. Signs, photographs of products or other elements used in the display should look professionally prepared. Homemade posters pinned or propped up against a backdrop will make you look unprofessional and make prospect leery of your products or services.
3. Let Them Read All About It. Have professionally prepared brochures or other handouts made in quantity to distribute at the show
4. Promote In Advance. To get the most traffic at your booth, send out mailings and announcements before the show inviting your customers and prospects to stop by your booth. Insert announcements in bills you send out, on your web page, and in ads you run near the show date.
5. Have A Giveaway Or Gimmick. Your goal is to attract as many people who would be interested in your product or services to your booth as possible. The giveaway or gimmick doesn't have to be big or elaborate. Samples of your product given away at intervals during the show are ideal. Novelty items such as key chains, pencils, pads of paper with your company and product name can be good too. Even something as simple as a large bowl full of bite-sized chocolates or hard candies can bring people to you booth.
6. Take Notes. You will have conversations with dozens of people during a trade show. Many of them will give you their name or a business card. Make sure you remember what you talked about and why you saved their card by jotting a note about what you talked about on the back of their business card or on a note pad while you're at the show.
7. Follow up! Have a plan in place for following up on leads as soon as you get home from the show. Don't wait a month or two to get around to sending information to those who stopped by your booth. By then, the hot prospects are likely to have become good customers for one of your competitors.
