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Read
Trade Shows
Where Prospects Come to You!
by Andrew S. Linick, Ph.D.
Read
12 Guidelines to Ensure Your Success at Trade Shows by Andrew S. Linick, Ph.D.
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Trade Shows
Where Prospects Come to You!
by Andrew S. Linick, Ph.D.
Where can you meet and sell hundreds or even thousands of potential customers? One of today's best strategies for making your selling easier, less costly and more profitable is to become an exhibitor at a trade show.
Perhaps you're familiar with word association. That's when someone says a word and you express the first thing that comes to mind. When someone says "trade show," I think opportunity. Every year thousands of domestic and international trade shows offer opportunities for sellers and buyers to meet face to face
to comparative shop (shortens the buying process)
to introduce new products or services
display a positive image
maintain contact with colleagues and old clients
investigate the competition and conduct market research.
A trade show is a unique selling medium. It reverses the traditional equation by bringing the buyer to you, the seller, making it even more of a selling situation. Since you're in business to sell and merchandise your product(s) and/or services, a trade show is designed to help you sell in volume through different distribution channels.
Setting Goals
Let's say that you're considering getting involved with a trade show. What outcome or results do you hope to achieve? You'll need to set goals. Of course your prime goal is to sell more products or services. Here are other examples of specific trade show goals our clients have come up with:
o Enter new sales territories and/or establish new distribution channels.
o Build a list of prospective clients/customers
o Attract new distributors, representatives, licensees, etc.
o Introduce and demonstrate new products, product-lines, technical services, marketing policies and services.
o Market test new products for customer acceptance and desired design changes to improve performance, appearance, and convenience in use.
o Enhance company's image as a viable, participating industry force.
o Stimulate sales, advertising, promotion, and technical personnel to work together more closely.
o Bring together key executives, sales personnel, dealers and distributors, for seminars and workshops, training and promotion conferences, in addition to the usual purposes of the show.
Once you know what you want a trade show to produce, you'll need to prepare a detailed plan for achieving these results.
Planning
The two most important keys to getting what you want from a trade show are choosing the right show and meticulous planning. With that said, it's critical that you begin early preparations-as far ahead as a year for major shows. Are you surprised?
There are many decisions to be made-booth space (size and location), administrative details, staffing, assignment of responsibilities, developing a show schedule and exhibit concepts, determining work to be done in-house and by outside vendors, advertising and publicity, and making transportation and accommodation arrangements.
One person should have overall authority and responsibility for planning, coordinating and implementing the exhibit-someone in marketing, preferably from advertising, promotion or sales. This person should immediately notify everyone who directly or indirectly may be involved with the project about the planning, preparation and conduct of the show. An outline of each individuals specific responsibilities-who they should coordinate with, and a schedule of dates when specific results are desired, should be put in writing.
Remember, develop your annual schedule of shows at which you will exhibit as early as possible. You need time to evaluate all the major shows so that you exhibit in the right ones.
Major Considerations
When I decide which are the right media for clients to advertise in, I go through this same process. These are some of the factors you'll need to consider when determining which trade shows are best for you. Evaluate them in relation to the goals you want to reach. Consider:
1. Concurrently run competitive trade shows
2. Markets reached
3. Attendance
4. Visitor distribution by industry
5. Job classifications of attendees
6. Distribution of visitors geographically
7. Show sponsor
8. Physical location of exhibit booth in relation to levels, auditoriums, entrances, traffic loading docks (not too close-too much traffic; not too far-time and cost), etc.
9. Presentations, technical papers
10. Topics of speeches, seminars, workshops
11. Ventilation, lighting, utilities, services provided by show sponsors, etc.
Where can you obtain this information? Through the exhibit sponsors. Ask for a show prospectus that contains data on the cost schedules for various booths, booth layouts, union labor considerations, setup/teardown times, utility costs, and any other pertinent information. Previous show results are the source for most of the projections about audience makeup.
Find out where and when Trade Shows are taking place:
o Gale's Encyclopedia of Associations (check your public library)
o Tradeshow Week Magazine (213) 826-5696
o Tradeshow Week Data Book (617) 964-3030
o Trade Show Bureau (303) 860-7626
Then put together a worksheet comparing all your available information and make a selection of the shows that best suit your purposes. Next to each of them, add key information corresponding to your needs. Contact management for each show on your list and request a workbook describing services available, restrictions, and other data valuable in planning your booth.
Exhibits and Displays
A book could be written about this topic alone. Keeping in mind your objectives, you need to determine size and style
the best mix of product(s) to showcase
what proven sales techniques to use
demonstrations
and the selection of sales/technical staff to close sales at the show. Perhaps you can create and tie-in a theme related to your direct response advertising, sales promotions, and your overall direct marketing action plan.
Remember to concentrate on achieving maximum response impact on attendees, while maintaining your company's brand image.
Lure visitors into your booth. How? Think about the following as you plan to utilize the area you've staked out at trade shows. Ask yourself if your exhibit and display concept meets these criteria.
Will it capture people's interest and attention?
o Conveys a unified concept
o Attractive and meaningful, orderly
o Is quickly and easily absorbed and understood
o Arrangement allows two-way communication with visitors
Will the selected staff manning the booth meet visitor expectations?
o They are qualified to answer technical and application questions.
o They are familiar with price, delivery, discounts and service information.
o They are neat, courteous, alert and well-trained with a specific purpose in mind.
Are the products, live demonstrations, displays and models ho-hum or unique?
o Are distinct from prior years
o Are not normally shown by field salesmen
o Demonstrate applications flexibility, benefits, ease of operation, performance advantages (facts, not abstract exaggerations), and end results
o Are continuously run to avoid long waits
o Are not static; visitors to booth can participate rather than observe
Will the handout materials meet visitor's needs?
o Contains the pertinent information, combining technical (i.e., engineering data) and cost information, including trade discounts
o Explanations are understandable, interesting and informative
o Can be sent to visitors after the show to limit all the "baggage" they carry around (just be sure to follow-up on such requests)
o Additional literature is available simply by filling out an inquiry/request card, or by attaching their business card to the form (don't forget to pack a stapler and staples!). This provides you with sales leads and limits literature getting lost or thrown away at the show.
The most effective advantages you can obtain in doing a trade show-or for that matter, any time a crowd gathers-is to show the product at work. When you show a product in action in a unique or unusual way, great crowds are attracted and far more product is sold. The educational value of an action or working product type display is tremendous. Our experience has been that a definite sales impression stays with attendees after they leave, making the entire exhibit pay for itself threefold.
Well, all of this is just the tip of the iceberg. There's still a lot left to be done, beginning with preparing budgets, in which you'll need to price your plan for each element (most of which can be done at the same time you plan), executing show space contracts, conducting pre-show promotions and preparations, and more-but that's another story.
Copyright © 2004 by CCA. All Rights Reserved!
Dr. Andrew S. Linick-The Webologist, America's Visionary Internet-Direct Marketing Strategist is one of the top creative master copywriters specializing in traditional and internet direct marketing. He offers fresh insight, sound advice on a money back guarantee and step-by-step guidance for entrepreneurs and small to medium-sized firms. With over 36 years experience in direct response advertising/marketing/pr/sales promotion, Andrew has had great success with direct mail and email campaigns for himself and hundreds of clients worldwide. Andrew's expert guidance can help you make sound decisions about your products or services, offers, creative copy, lists, fulfillment, method of measurement (roi), search engine optimization and many other interactive services-allowing you to start and run smooth, professional, results-oriented email and cost-effective direct marketing campaigns. For further information contact:
Copywriters Council of America (CCA) The best creative direct response advertising copywriters-at below market rates! Voice: 631-924-3888 Fax: 631-924-3890
cca4dmcopy@att.net Website: www.lgroup.addr.com/CCA.htm.
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12 Guidelines to Ensure Your Success at Trade Shows by Andrew S. Linick, Ph.D.
1. Set goals. The types of people you need to meet and learning what shows they attend determines the shows you need to attend.
2. Be proactive and interact with people who pass. If you wait for people to stop and ask questions, you'll miss many opportunities.
3. Attend immediately to people entering your booth. Make sure you have at least two people in your booth that can engage people walking by and interact with browsers. People hate to wait and they'll move on.
4. Develop a 60-second presentation-a quick and to-the-point presentation that describes your product/service and the benefits offered.
5. Stress benefits-your oral presentation and booth displays should communicate instantly your product and service benefits. Interesting signs, displays, a large photo, a video or even music will draw people into your booth.
6. Qualify your prospects:
č Is there a need for your product/service?
č Can they afford it?
č Are they the decision-maker?
č Can the prospect influence the purchase? Where do they fall in the hierarchy?
č Be aware of body language.
č Establish date of application or purchase.
7. Probe and interview for buying cues. Listen for words like "when" can I order this or "can" I get it.
8. Keep a notebook handy. Record prospect information and get a business card that you can jot down relevant information on.
9. Present the benefits and features of your product/service. Stress "what's in it for them" -what can they save, gain or accomplish by purchasing your product/service.
10. Be credible and offer proof. Testimonials, articles, guarantees, pictures of people using your product or service, radio and television interviews, etc. should be available to give or send them.
11. Set up a closing agreement or arrange appointments at the show. If appointments are set for a later date, give them an appointment card stating that you will call at a certain time in the future. Show attendees look at a lot of different exhibits. Don't let them forget you.
12. Follow-up after the show. The biggest mistake many exhibitors make is that they fail to follow up. Your time and the expense of the trade show will be a disappointment, if you fail to follow up.
Copyright © 2004 by CCA. All Rights Reserved!
Dr. Andrew S. Linick-The Webologist, America's Visionary Internet-Direct Marketing Strategist is one of the top creative master copywriters specializing in traditional and internet direct marketing. He offers fresh insight, sound advice on a money back guarantee and step-by-step guidance for entrepreneurs and small to medium-sized firms. With over 36 years experience in direct response advertising/marketing/pr/sales promotion, Andrew has had great success with direct mail and email campaigns for himself and hundreds of clients worldwide. Andrew's expert guidance can help you make sound decisions about your products or services, offers, creative copy, lists, fulfillment, method of measurement (roi), search engine optimization and many other interactive services-allowing you to start and run smooth, professional, results-oriented email and cost-effective direct marketing campaigns. For further information contact:
Copywriters Council of America (CCA) The best creative direct response advertising copywriters-at below market rates! Voice: 631-924-3888 Fax: 631-924-3890
cca4dmcopy@att.net Website: www.lgroup.addr.com/CCA.htm.
Twice a year, Modern Opportunity hosts a Business Opportunities EXPO in a centrally located venue on Long Island. The EXPO affords future entrepreneurs additional exposure to a wide variety of money-making opportunities; and, it provides businesses with a place to meet and talk with potential entrepreneurs who may be interested in their business opportunity, products or services. The next EXPO will be held in the fall of 2004.
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