Maximising Your Trade Show Investment
In good times or bad, the one thing that most concerns companies that are either visiting or exhibiting at a trade show, is how to maximise their investment in time and finances. Here’s a quick and easy checklist of some tips to follow before, during, and after an event to help ensure your time and money as visitor or exhibitor are well spent.
Before you go
Promoting your presence at the show as early as possible is the key to ensuring maximum returns on your investment. And a sponsorship opportunity with the event organiser is one place to start. Check with your event liaison if you’d like information about how you can most suitably increase your investment.
If your sponsorship budget is not yet available, take simple steps like placing the trade show logo and your booth number on your company website and e-mail signatures. Also include the event’s website address (or a direct link to the pre-registration page) so visitors can begin making their own plans to the show to meet you there.
If you’re launching a new product at the event, begin informing your customers and prospects through your company’s regular marketing channels. It’s okay to withhold the brand name of the product, but if possible, let people know that they can look forward to a launch. You can also tie up with the show organisers to include a teaser in the show’s e-newsletters. Some organisers may be pro-active to also offer additional advice or further opportunities to help market your product.
Advertising in trade publications that are read by event visitors and your target audience is an effective way to inform people about your show participation. If you run regular ads throughout the year, make sure that the ones right before the trade show include your booth details and information about your new product launch, if it applies.
Showtime
Attend the opening ceremony. It’s a good first networking opportunity before the show begins. If time allows, plan to attend conferences that are most relevant to your product offerings because that’s where your target visitors will be.
Have someone stationed at your booth at all times. Don’t waste your investment in the booth by leaving it empty at any time during event hours – you might miss an opportunity to field an excellent prospect. Build a roster for your team, and if you’re short on staff, talk to the show organisers about getting part-time help to simply collect business cards and distribute marketing material.
Be prepared to make a booking. On the second day of the exhibition, organisers typically allow companies to select and confirm the space they want for the next event. Have a good idea of what you’d like by then, to avoid disappointment if all the prominent slots are taken.
And while you’re booking for the next event, take a moment to provide feedback to the organisers if you haven’t already done so. Remember to ask about the success of the event’s new marketing features that you might have missed participating in, so you can decide if you’d like to take part next time.
After the event
Follow-up, follow-up, follow-up! Get in touch with your prospects shortly after meeting them at the show – you can be sure your competitors are doing the same thing.
Begin marketing the next exhibition that your company will be participating in. A good place to start is during follow-up with everyone who visited your booth. Go to the top of this list, and start acting on the top few tips again!