Posted by Jessica Davis on Tue, Aug 17, 2010
Some trade shows are great investments and deliver lots of high quality leads; others are just a waste of your marketing budget. 
The trick is to find the productive shows without making a lot of mistakes.
I always start by defining my marketing goals and target customer. This immediately points me in the right direction. Armed with that information, I put together a list of all the shows that reach my target customers and then evaluate them.
What kind of show should you attend? Often it is a mix of consumer shows, industry shows, buyers' expositions and educational conferences. Each kind of show has its place.
Then look at these key factors to decide which trade show is best suited for your business:
1. Does the show help meet your marketing goals?
If you are interested in a regional market or are new to trade shows, consider participating in a smaller, local trade show. If your goal is the acquire the largest number of qualifies leads, to support a major new product launch and/or to significantly build awareness, participate in the major industry tradeshows that capture the largest number of target customers. If your objective is build your network and to position your company as a thought leader, then investigate show where your company can be a show’s sponsors and a company representative can be a featured speaker.
2. Is it the right market space?
A show that matches your exact market space is often the best show to attend. You can learn a lot by looking at who exhibits at the possible shows. A list of past exhibitors is usually available from the trade show management or on their website. Call a few of the past exhibitors and ask about the quality and number of attendees at previous years' shows. Identify the shows that have an exhibitor mix that will attract your target customers and that are complementary to your business.
3. Determine which shows your top prospects attend.
See if the attendee list from past shows is available. Review the list to determine which shows have a large number of your target customers on the attendee list.
4. Identify which shows your best customers attend.
Call your customers and ask which shows they plan to attend and which shows they would like to attend. If there is a show that some of your customer would like to attend but are not planning to attend, ask if they would attend if they received a free pass to the exhibits. Most major trade shows offer exhibitors a limited number of free passes, so if your customers would attend the show with free passes, this could be a good reason to attend this show.
5. Figure out where your competition will be.
How many of your competitors will be exhibiting at the show? If you are not there, will you be at a competitive disadvantage? Trade shows usually bring together many competitors under one roof. Look for shows where your company will stand out as a leader in your market.
6. Consider timing Does the show's timing make sense?
Will your company have news? Do you have a new product to announce or roll out? Does it conflict with another more important show?
7. Are there any special PR opportunities?
Exhibitors have a distinct advantage capturing Trade Show PR because they have higher-profiles than attendees. They can also more easily and effectively demonstrate their products. This is particularly important for new product introductions. Ask the Trade Show management for last year's press list and if they have any information on who is planning to cover this year's event. Are there any media outlets attending that provide opportunities for you to reach your target audience in an impactful way?
Finally, take a look at the cost to attend each show. Will it have a positive return on your marketing investment? Which shows have the best returns?
Put it all together and you should be able to pick the best Trade Shows for your company.
Posted by Alexis Exhibits on Tue, Jun 15, 2010
In difficult economic times, many companies are looking closely at every expense.
When money is tight, they must decide whether it is still wise to allocate resources to areas that may have been a "no-brainer" in stronger markets. Naturally, marketing expenses are no exception, and trade show exhibiting can be a large portion of many companies' marketing budgets. The cost of logistics for tradeshow exhibiting (freight, drayage, setup, electrical, etc.) can be substantial. As a result, it will almost certainly be a candidate for the chopping block when executives start cutting back.
However, the decision to exhibit in a show is seldom based entirely on logistical costs. As long as advertised attendance figures are favorable, and the following items are true of a show, a company will find the funds to exhibit.
- The company has something to show it's customers, both current and potential.
- Their competitors will be attending.
- Their biggest customers will be attending.
They may scale back their exhibit space, look at alternative ways to make a presence, or just complain about having to spend the money, but one way or another, they'll be there. It's a difficult reality, but in business, perception is important. When a company doesn't attend a major show, the first thing attendees think is that they must be either in dire straits financially, or that they had nothing to show, and therefore is not worth considering as a vendor. Companies must carefully consider all the potential areas of impact before deciding not to attend a show.
Looking for areas to trim your tradeshow exhibiting budget? Give us the opportunity to provide an apples-to-apples comparison of our cost to provide the same services as your current provider. Alexis provides exhibit products and services at costs that are 30-40% lower than industry averages.
Posted by Alexis Exhibits on Fri, Apr 16, 2010
Scheduling and keeping track of booth staffers is a vital bit of information that should not be overlooked during tradeshow preparation. Planning should begin well in advance of the show.
A master schedule binder should be created that includes:
- All planned meetings in the booth, including times and attendees
- A list of booth staffer responsibilities, assigning tasks, and a designated time to perform tasks
- A detailed log of times staffers will be in the booth, on break, or dining.
This binder will be most useful if it is kept at the main reception counter for any staffer to view. A master log of meetings should indicate who the attendee plans to see, and what will be discussed. If a private or semi-private meeting is in order, a conference room or sit down area should be available for guests and staff. Log these times accordingly, and block out conference rooms for this time slot. Some exhibit managers will even go as far to know the potential dollar amount in revenues each and every planned visitor could mean to the company. This is incredibly valuable information to share with all booth staffers, so when an important guests walks in, they are treated cordially and respectfully.
Use your schedule to make responsibilities clear to all staff. If a different group of staff is assigned to setting up, or prepping the booth prior to the show, demand that they be there on time. During the show, indicate who will lock up, power down laptops, and secure valuables at the end of the day. Make sure everyone knows who has locking storage keys, and where they are to be found. Have a crew come in early on days two and three, to power-up, check that everything is working, clean-up, and wipe down any dirty areas. Make sure that the booth is absolutely “show ready” ten minutes prior to the show floor opening.
Have a master phone list available in your binder as well. All staffer phones and emails should be easily available to any and all people in the booth. Include arrival/departure times for each staffer, hotel lodging information, and an emergency contact for each staffer. Be sure to have staffers notify someone if they are running late, or may miss a meeting. Someone else may need to cover for them in the event they cannot make an important meeting, otherwise, an attendee may be put-off and not return. Make sure to include anyone hosting or attending a press conference, and, if it is off location, indicate where and in what rooms. It is critical to know where key people are at all times.
It may sound like a bit of extra work prior to the show, and your schedule can be as simple or complex as you choose, but the time spent is well worth the investment. You will find that adding this level of organization will result in a more organized, responsible, and thoughtful staff, better prepared to meet any challenges on an oftentimes hectic show floor.
Posted by Alexis Exhibits on Mon, Mar 22, 2010
There is Still a Place for Trade Shows in Your Marketing Mix
Talk to anyone who sends more than 2 texts a day and they will tell you that the only way to market products and services is to use Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin or search engine optimization. They consider face-to-face marketing to be an antiquated form of communication and that the days of tradeshows are numbered.
Those of us who make our living producing trade shows get the opportunity to see things in a different light. Walk the aisles at the consumer electronics show and watch buyers from all over the world making deals with major manufacturers. Go to the HIMSS show and see hospital administrators finalizing plans for purchase of their new IT infrastructure. Attend the American College of Cardiology meeting and listen to heart specialists discussing the advantages of various new instruments with the inventor. This type of important business communication can only be done face-to-face and the most cost- and time-effective way to do this is at a tradeshow.
Social Media Should be an Important Part of Your Tradeshow Promotion
The fact is, social media can and should be an important part of tradeshow promotion and communication. The ability to reach out to potential customers before, during, and after a show using this technology can greatly increase tradeshow ROI. Just like any other marketing project, exhibitors should enlist the assistance of a person or group that has experience with the most popular networks, explain their goals and put together a plan for your tradeshow.
Keep an open mind. Don’t expect overnight success. Continue to review and improve your approach to both media and the results will come.Let's get started!
Posted by Alexis Exhibits on Wed, Mar 17, 2010
What to Consider When Determining the Best Staff for your Trade Show Booth
It may not always be the best idea to have your top salespeople staff your tradeshow display. There are several reasons to consider others to staff your booth.
- Most salespeople are born and bred to “close sales” and very few sales can actually be closed at a trade show.
- Salespeople will most likely have a number of current customers at the show. Tradeshow marketing objectives are, for the most part, based on gathering leads. It may be better to allow your sales staff the freedom to spend time with their customers and use others to staff your booth.
- Salespeople are typically very hard to manage. A well trained, disciplined approach to booth staffing may produce better results.
So if not salespeople, then who does make the best booth staff? There is no one correct answer to this question. I believe that each company needs to look at the goals and objectives that they have established for each show and staff accordingly. Each tradeshow exhibit, large or small, should have a preplanned basic procedure for handling visitors that is designed to properly communicate your chosen message, answer any questions and record lead information for follow-up.
There should be people assigned to greeting and qualifying visitors to the booth. This role should be filled by a person who is approachable, pleasant, smiling, energetic and a good communicator. Choose people to fill this role very carefully, as they will make that first and lasting impression on your prospects. Once a prospect has been qualified, this person should also be capable of delivering a brief presentation on your company.
As conversation with the prospect continues into more depth, there must also be someone in the booth that is very product or service knowledgeable. This could be a technical person, manager, or inside sales representative. Ideally, with the help of your staff, the prospect gets the information they need and leaves your booth with a positive impression of your company.
Think about your goals for the show and make sure to select and send the staff that gives you the best shot at not only meeting your goals, but exceeding them.
Posted by Alexis Exhibits on Thu, Mar 11, 2010
Doing Basic Planning Makes Participation in a Trade Show More Profitable and Less Stressful.
First ask yourself, what do you want from the show?
As you begin your planning process, be sure to understand why your company is spending the money to rent a space in the first place. Who will be attending? Which attendees are important to your company and why? What products do you have to show? What you want to say to visitors to your booth?
Gaining a clear understanding of these “strategic” goals is vital to helping everything else fall neatly into place. As such, decisions on design, graphics, product placement, staffing, etc. should all be made based on your overall show strategy.
Next, develop a timeline.
Most show manuals include a timeline or schedule of events. This is helpful for dealing with the logistical details, but you need to make a personal timeline to guide your planning. You will also need to deal with your tradeshow display, all graphics, literature and premiums, room and dinner reservations, the list goes on and on. The only way to keep all of this organized and still be able to sleep at night is to start with a timeline. The first one that you make will be very difficult and time consuming, but with the ground work laid, subsequent show timelines can be as easy as cut and paste.
Get some help.
Your exhibit company should be able to take most of the display issues off of your shoulders, but it is best to confirm things with them from time to time to make sure that they are on track. This will allow you to focus on the things that are more difficult to outsource.
Be sure to set internal deadlines.
Make sure that things that must be done internally are listed on your timeline and communicate deadlines well in advance to everyone involved. Often, one of the most difficult things for trade show managers to do is to get their own trade show booth shipped to the show on time. With that in mind, sometimes it makes sense to set an internal deadline that leaves you a week or so fudge factor just in case.
Brochures need to be ready to go well in advance. It may make sense to send your boxes of literature to your exhibit company so that they can ship them to the show with the display. This will allow you to check one more thing off of your list, and as an added benefit, it's one less shipment you'll have to track down on-site.
Develop a trade show timeline, check it several times a day, and work well in advance. It's not as easy as it might seem, but the payoff is well worth the effort. Need trade show advice? Let's get started!
Posted by Alexis Exhibits on Wed, Mar 03, 2010
Most exhibitors are being forced to find ways to reduce the cost of participation in tradeshows. The most common way this task is approached is to look at each cost line item and see what can be done to save money.
The common first step is to contract for a smaller booth space. This not only saves on the cost of the space rental, but also provides an across-the-board cost reduction. The downside of such a reduction? You may have to settle for a less than desirable booth location and you'll also need to make sure your display properties will fit in the smaller format.
After booth space, the likely second step is to look at each cost category for the show and try to determine which costs can be reduced. This is a very time-consuming process and usually entails trying to find out how much your exhibit weighs and how long it should take to set up. This information is not always easy to get your hands on, and when you do, there are always a slew of variables that can affect the final cost of the show.
In my opinion, however, the best first step to take is to contact your exhibit supplier (assuming they store and manage your display) and lay your cards on the table. Explain to them that you have been asked to cut 25% off the cost of last year's show. Ask them to provide recommendations. Remember, they do this for a living! They are not likely to be overly excited about this mission, but they should support you through good times and bad.
If they can't or won't provide you with some good ideas, you should probably consider finding another supplier.
Thinking about changing exhibit companies? Click here for an apples to apples cost comparison.
Posted by Alexis Exhibits on Mon, Feb 22, 2010
Ordering electrical service is one of the most difficult aspects of tradeshow preparation. Just when you think that you have watts figured out, the next electrical form wants you to order amps. Volts seem easy enough, but what the heck is 3 phase? How about 24 hour power? Seems like a good idea, but it doubles the cost of each connection.
Trade Show Electrical Service Preparation
For the vast majority of tradeshow exhibits, the electrical requirements are pretty straight-forward. For a 10’ backwall exhibit, one standard minimum service outlet placed behind the booth will be all that is needed. If the plan includes a reception counter or table on the aisle, another minimum service outlet nearby will be handy to provide power to a lead retrieval device or laptop. As tradeshow displays get larger and more complex, it is advisable to have an electrical drawing. This is usually a simple display floorplan that shows exact placement of all electrical outlets and the required watts or amps for each. It is best to provide as much detail as possible. Most exhibit companies provide this service as part of their preparation procedure.
Once you have the electrical diagram, you can simply count the service outlets and fill out the form. Make sure to submit the form early enough to take advantage of any discounts.
Heavy duty electrical service such as 220 or 440 volts is used to power machinery. This type of service is very expensive and the order should be placed by someone who is very familiar with the equipment. Most convention centers turn off electrical service to displays at night. If you have equipment or computers in your exhibit that should not be turned off, or if you have refrigerators or freezers in your booth, you should consider ordering 24 hour service.
You will also need to provide the electrical diagram to the show electricians. They will use your electrical order and diagram to route extension cords on the floor to the locations specified. The diagram is normally faxed in with the electrical order. If things change, be sure to fax the updated electrical drawing before you go to the show. The electricians typically go to work right after the booths are taped out on the floor.
A word about safety… One of the most common complaints heard from exhibitors is that they have to pay an electrician $90.00 to plug in their lights. While the cost does seem high, there is a very good reason for an electrician to make the connection. This process insures that the electrician has an opportunity to inspect the wiring in your display. This may seem like a hassle, but keep in mind that on the night of January 16, 1967, while the biggest tradeshow of the year was hours from opening, a fire that was later traced to faulty wiring in an exhibit, burned Chicago’s McCormick Place to the ground. One person died and economic loss included the building, all of the exhibits and products.
I'm sure you can agree, it's much better safe than sorry.
Does your exhibit company provide electrical service as part of their preparation procedure? Need help? Lets get started.
Posted by Alexis Exhibits on Fri, Feb 12, 2010
It is no secret that exhibiting at trade shows, while widely considered the best dollar-for-dollar marketing investment, are chock full of costs. When it comes to saving money at shows, the devil is certainly in the details. Sometimes you can grossly over pay for services you might not think about until you even get to the show.
When exhibiting, people are going to be coming and going in and out of your booth all day for as many days as you are exhibiting. If you have carpet, you are probably going to need to think about vacuuming if you want to keep your booth presentable. If you are not careful, this can result in major costs for you once you get on the floor.
One of my clients, a software company based in California, was exhibiting at a five day show in Chicago. They had a carpeted 20’ x 40’ booth, so they knew they were going to need some vacuuming services. When they requested this service, we looked into the hall for vacuuming prices. Having the booth vacuumed once every night by the hall would have cost our client over $1000!
Most trade shows will allow you to vacuum your own booth, but if you want someone else to do it, you must use the designated contractor.
Instead of having our client pay such a ridiculous price for something that one of their staff members could do in less than 10 minutes we came up with a solution. We simply made space in one of the shipping crates and included a vacuum cleaner that could be assembled on the floor and then stored in their trade show booth. Their carpet was swept everyday for the show, they got the word out about their new products, and the show was a success.
Do you have the best booth spot at your tradeshow? Find out! Download our Free report.
Posted by Alexis Exhibits on Wed, Feb 10, 2010
Your company has invested a great deal of money into a beautiful tradeshow exhibit and you've been selected to work the booth. How do you prepare yourself to make the most of this opportunity?
Here are some helpful tips:
- Create a preshow plan. Profile the type of prospect you wish to attract to better focus your efforts. Get a preregistration attendee list and contact as many of the suitable prospects as possible before the show. Extend a personal invitation to your tradeshow booth and give the attendee a reason to stop by - something new for them to see works well. You should contact any very important prospects to try to set up an appointment at the tradeshow.
Familiarize yourself with the entire convention agenda. Be aware of keynote speakers, educational sessions and social events. Prioritize them and make sure to attend. Be prepared to discuss these sessions with prospects who come to the booth.- Study the design of your exhibit. Read and understand the graphics. Have a plan for giving the prospects a quick tour of the booth and recording lead information for follow-up.
- Develop a plan to deal with current customers efficiently so that they do not monopolize precious prospecting time.
- Memorize a few greetings. Try not to ask questions that can be answered with a simple yes or no. Your goal should be to encourage the prospect to talk about themselves or their company, so that you can tailor your presentation to their interests.
- Be approachable. Refrain from eating in the tradeshow booth, checking your Blackberry, or holding extended conversations with coworkers. It is human nature not to be rude and interrupt people and it will make your tradeshow exhibit seem uninviting.
- Be sure to have a disengagement line or two. The best one is "thanks for stopping by", but if you are talking to an important prospect it might be better to say "where do we go from here?" or "how would you like me to follow up?"
- Take notes. There are so many people and so little time. Brief notes will help you to be more effective with your follow-up.
- Try to schedule breaks throughout the day to deal with voicemail, email, and just catch your breath. Remember, quality is more important than quantity.
- Follow up in a timely manner, meaning the next day. Don't risk letting your prospect forget you.
Are you interested in exhibit management for your entire tradeshow program? Our exhibit management is based entirely on strategic planning. Contact us today if you are in need of trade show help.