Making the most of exhibiting at trade shows

For the first time, companies are spending a greater percentage of their marketing dollars on face-to-face event marketing as opposed to print or online advertising or other forms of marketing, a recent study conducted by American Business Media reports. The fact is, face-to-face marketing experiences, such as exhibiting at trade shows, can provide unique advantages for your company if you take full advantage of the experience. To do this, consider both the strategic goals you hope to achieve by exhibiting, and address the tactical logistics involved.

     Today’s exhibiting companies are finding they get more out of event participation when they consider it to be part of a marketing cycle before, during and after the actual event, instead of considering the show an isolated three or four day effort.

Broader Perspectives
The first strategic question you need to ask is, “Why is my company exhibiting at this trade show?” There are obvious answers, such as generating leads, writing orders or launching a new product. There are also other more subtle but equally valid reasons, such as conducting product research, supporting the industry, or creating greater brand awareness.

     Once you have identified your exhibiting objectives, set specific and measurable goals so you’ll be able to determine whether or not the event was successful. Often, exhibitors may feel that the sheer volume of traffic — or how many attendees they contact — at a show is the most important measure of an event’s success. In reality, the quality of attendees is much more important than the quantity.

     If, for example, you set a goal for obtaining a specific number of qualified leads for new prospects who have purchasing authority, then it will help you determine how to target that attendee with pre-show marketing — as well as helping determine what the booth design and layout should be, what qualifying questions the booth staff should ask, and how and when they should follow up on those leads after the show. If, however, your primary goal were to promote and launch a new product, then your booth design, pre-show strategies and behavior in the booth would be quite different.

Logistical Considerations
Once you have committed to purchasing exhibit space at an event, start looking ahead to opportunities to pre-market your presence. Many show managers, or sponsors, have partnership programs in place you can take advantage of — sponsorships of events, educational sessions, signage around prominent areas of the hall, etc., to increase your presence. Often, you can send out pre-show announcements to attendees who have pre-registered through the show manager’s database.

     Many shows will have pressrooms available for exhibitors to supply industry media with press releases. Others may offer a new-products pavilion where you can have added exposure for a new product you may be launching at the show. Some show managers will also tap into exhibitors’ relationships to encourage their clients to attend the event, if appropriate.

     Booth — and graphics — design is also critical to your success. Remember that the average attendee will give you no more than four to six seconds of attention before deciding whether to cross the line into your exhibit. Your brand needs to be prominent, and your messaging needs to be simple, clear and engaging.
Talk with the show’s official service contractor early on in the process, to better determine your best options for exhibiting structures. You might be bringing a permanent exhibit structure you own, or you may need to purchase a small, pop-up style, or possibly take advantage of a custom-designed rental exhibit program for a one-time event. In any case, there are a number of ways to make the most of the space you are occupying at the show to help your exhibit stand apart from the rest. Often, upgraded carpeting with comfortable padding, specialized furnishings or unique demonstration areas will do the trick.

     Whatever you do, make sure to review the exhibitor services manual you receive as soon as possible, and save money by taking advantage of advance order discounts. This is especially true for making shipping arrangements. If you’re not sure how to fill out the forms or what you may need, don’t be afraid to contact the service contractor in advance and ask. Part of their job is to assist and consult with exhibitors to help them have the best experience possible, and some of the paperwork can be a bit confusing at times.

     Boothmanship—or behavior in the exhibit during the show— is another key to exhibiting success. Make sure to hold a pre-show training session with all booth staff prior to every show, regardless of their previous experience. They need to understand the goals of the event, what your company is trying to achieve, how the exhibit is laid out, what the key messaging is, etc. In addition, it helps to remind them of basic do’s and don’ts while in the booth area (see “In the Booth: A Dozen Do’s and Don’ts, p. 69).
 
     As the show draws towards its close, make sure you have made arrangements to have your exhibit materials shipped back from the event. This will not only save you money, but also help ensure it doesn’t get lost. The official contractor will have shipping labels and shipping forms you can fill in at show site and turn fill out the forms or what you may need, don’t be afraid to contact the service contractor in advance and ask. Part of their job is to assist and consult with exhibitors to help them have the best experience possible, and some of the paperwork can be a bit confusing at times.

     Most important, all booth staff should have a clear understanding of how to collect attendee information — or leads — and what to do with them after the event. Many exhibitors spend a lot of money and resources to attend a show, doing all the right things up to and during the event, but fail to properly collect the gathered information, and then effectively manage it! If your individual sales team members still have lead information stuffed in their pockets when they take off for the airport after the show closes, it will be very difficult to track those leads later.

     Many shows offer lead retrieval systems with smart cards, etc. that you can use at the show, which helps in this process. It’s still critical that captured information be handled promptly upon return from the event. If leads aren’t followed up within a very short timeframe, those attendees will lose interest in what they saw or heard when they visited your exhibit.
     Remember that the show sponsor and the service contractor want you to have a successful, productive and hassle-free exhibiting experience, so take advantage of their expertise and resources throughout the process. It can greatly improve your return on any face-to-face marketing investment. fm

Ellen Beckert is corporate director of marketing and communications for Freeman.

In the Booth: A Dozen Do’s and Don’t  DO   • Acknowledge a visitor immediately. • Smile and be friendly. • Look alert and interested. • Know your product. Be prepared. • Ask for a prospect’s business card. • Have plenty of your own business cards. • Involve the prospect. Make him feel important. • Listen, listen, listen. • Answer questions truthfully. Answer the real question. • Walk the show, so you’ll know what’s happening outside your booth. • Wear   comfortable shoes. • Have fun — and get some sleep. DON’T • Be overbearing or overly eager. • Talk to other booth staff in clusters. • Eat, drink, or talk on your cell phone in the booth. • Sit in your booth. • Stand with your arms folded or your back to the aisle. • Look as if you’d rather be someplace else. • Underestimate a prospect. •Look around for a better prospect. • Waste time talking to friends or other non-prospects if booth traffic is busy. • Ad-lib. Do say you don’t know, but you’ll find out. • Let rejections get you down. • Leave the booth unattended during exhibit hours.