To help you in your trade show career, ESN presents the following 10 rules to follow that will prepare you for a successful exhibition and make you a rock star!
- Create a realistic budget
Whether you create your budget or it is provided to you, you will need to allocate the budget to several things such as:
- Trade show fee
- Trade show exhibit and design
- Shipping
- Setup and dismantle/drayage
- Travel and entertainment
- Promotion
If you have no past numbers to rely on (or starting from scratch), assume the total cost of exhibiting will be 3 times the cost of the exhibit space. So if your exhibit space cost $5,000, plan on spending $15,000. Most people vastly underestimate the total cost; therefore it is best to make a list of all contingencies.
- Make a list of goals and objectives
Going to a trade show should have a purpose other than, “well we’ve always been there!” You should have a clear list of goals and objectives lined up in order to get the most out of the exhibition. Objectives will help your team maintain focus on what’s important.
- Figure out what you’ll be doing at your booth
Who will set up the booth? What will you be doing at your booth? How many people will be there?
It’s important to set up a schedule for each person so everyone will share an even workload. Otherwise one person may be stuck at the booth all day without a break, while others are walking the floor. Setting a schedule with staggered breaks will combat this problem.
Also, what will you bring? Do you prefer to sit down or stand? How many people will be manning the booth? Are you bringing a product? Are you selling a service? Are you handing out brochures?
Depending on your answers, you may need to rent more chairs, a literature stand, etc.
- Decide who will be representing your booth
The third steps leads us into #4 – who will you bring to represent your company and staff the booth? It could be your most experienced sales representative or someone that’s really passionate about your business. Bring a team of individuals who:
- Will professionally represent your company and brand image
- Are confident individuals
- Enjoy talking about your products/services
- Volunteer to go
- Most importantly, never force an employee to staff the booth.
- Buy or rent trade show displays
If you plan on attending multiple trade shows year in and year out, it will make sense to buy your own trade show booth and accessories. However, if you are only going to one or two a year (or if it’s your first time) you may want to rent your displays.
Some conferences have their own suppliers for trade show products such as chairs and tables. Some do not. Usually when you sign up as an exhibitor, the trade show coordinators will supply you with this information.
If you have to find your own trade show products, then we’ve got you covered! We carry banner stands, pop ups, hanging signs, and tons of accessories.
- Keep the design clean, toward your brand, and professional
Make sure the design of your booth represents your brand. A lot of booths go all out and include way too much color and information leaving attendees overwhelmed. Let our graphic design team create a few mockups before locking into a final design. Seriously, don’t skimp out on the design. Make sure it’s professional and has a clear message to the attendees. Don’t forget to include your brand’s name and logo (and stick with your brand’s color scheme).
- Book a hotel and rental car (if necessary) well in advance
If you know you will be exhibiting at a trade show in a few months time, go ahead and book your flight and hotel as soon as possible. Go ahead and reserve a car rental, too, if needed.
This will save money and give you a concrete number for travel and living expenses so you can allocate your budget accordingly.
- Use social media to notify customers and businesses of your presence
Social media is a great way to spread awareness of your upcoming trade show exhibit. Whether you use Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, G+ or Instagram, you will be able to notify all your customers and followers. This will help drive qualified booth attendance.
Use hashtags so attendees can find you easily, and be sure to tag the actual trade show’s social media account (if they have one). They typically promote any mentions from exhibitors to help spread awareness.
- Check for your company info on the trade show’s website
Did you know over 70% of trade show attendees take the time to prepare a list of the trade show exhibitors they plan to visit when they go to the trade show? That’s a lot of people!
Check the trade show’s website and make sure your company is listed under exhibitors. Double check your company information and bio (if there is one). And make sure your booth location is correctly labeled so attendees can find you easily.
If you can’t find your information, email the trade show coordinator and notify them. They will typically be accommodating and update any information you request.
- Determine how you’ll collect leads
Collecting leads is perhaps the most important thing you’ll do at the trade show. Therefore it’s critical you and your team have a system in place to collect leads for follow up.
Here are some common ways to gather a list of leads:
- Using a badge scanner
- Collecting business cards
- Filling out hand-written lead forms
- Filling out a web-form on a tablet or computer
The easiest method is collecting business cards; just about everyone has one and all you have to do is ask. Simple and effective but this can lead to time consuming data entry when you get back to the office.
Going digital is just as easy and effective, and it can be viewed and accessed by all your salespeople immediately. Consider using a tablet for individuals to fill out a lead form instead of collecting business cards. Or do both.
Be sure to follow up on leads both during and after the show. Stay on top of it!
We hope these tips help get your trade show career off to a great start! We are here to help!
Call or email us today with any questions or assistance needed!
Phone: +1-832-358-2002
Email: esn@tradesho.com
