Trade Show Displays and Exhibits

by: Rena Klingenberg

Selling your products at shows can be difficult when you have a lot of competition. Although some show organizers are careful to have a good mix of vendors, it’s not uncommon for other shows to have 20% or more of the booths filled with vendors in the same niche - which is a buyer’s market and a seller’s disappointing show.

Before signing up for any show, ask the promoter how many other vendors in your niche will have booths. And if possible, find out what kinds of these items will be represented at the show. Even if you have to dig a little for this information, it’s worthwhile to find out in advance whether the show is likely to be profitable for you.

For example, my medium is jewelry, which is usually the most competitive field at any show. And because of the overcrowding in this niche, many jewelry artists price the jewelry in their booth so low that it’s hard for them (or any of the other jewelers at that show) to make any sales at a worthwhile profit. No one benefits from that kind of venue.

But I’ve found out how I can easily get my fair share of the jewelry market by finding less competitive shows for selling my work. Here are some suggestions for shows where you can find eager buyers for your products and likely no other competing vendors:

Local Expos and Events

Many organized events in your area involve wholesale or retail vendors selling their products in booths. These events are usually well promoted and attended, and may be unlikely to have other vendors in your niche. Examples of this type of event include a women’s career expo, a home improvement show, a health fair, a business expo, and virtually any trade show.

Other unusual events that can be great prospects for selling your products without competition include historic re-enactments, car club shows, gun and knife shows, garden shows, spring or fall fashion shows, motorcycle rallies (motorcyclists are among the best and biggest-spending jewelry customers you’ll find!), and music competitions (like a battle of the bands or a bluegrass festival).

Club or other organization meetings are also a possibility if your product is interesting - you will likely be welcomed to give a talk about your goods and then sell them afterward. Examples of organizations include a Rotary club chapter, a garden club, an alumni association, or a local newcomers’ club.

To find out about events like these well in advance, or to locate clubs or groups that would welcome an interesting product presentation and show, call your local tourism commission and chamber of commerce. Ask for their recommendations, and most importantly, request to be put on their mailing lists of upcoming events. When you receive the listings, carefully consider each event for its potential as a show for selling your goods without competition.

Your Own Shows

With a little more work, you can organize your own shows where you can be certain you’ll be the only vendor in your niche. Examples of these are home parties, open studio sales at your studio or home, and fundraiser shows where you donate a portion of the proceeds to a designated charity. You can also cooperate with other vendors to set up bigger shows, and profit from each other’s customer lists.

You might do very well at an event with a ready-made huge crowd, such as a high school football game. Secure permission ahead of time to set up a booth presenting your product, and donate a percentage of sales to the school.

The key to success when doing your own shows is to be sure the event is well publicized if it’s open to the public, or that you personally phone and remind each invitee if it’s a private sale or party. The higher the attendance, the higher your sales.

So you see there’s no need to sell your products in overly competitive venues. Instead, consider your targeted customers and think creatively about opportunities to present your products to them.

About The Author

Rena Klingenberg is a jewelry artist with expertise in displaying and marketing products creatively on a small budget. She publishes two websites, http://www.home-jewelry-business-success-tips.com and http://www.trade-show-booth-display.com, to assist other entrepreneurs in marketing their work successfully.

by: Rena Klingenberg

No matter how small your marketing budget, your business can afford to have a successful presence at trade shows without incurring big expenses. Here are five tips for exhibiting in trade shows inexpensively:

1) Have a sales representative exhibit your line at a trade show. If you can’t afford a booth and travel expenses, a sales rep who exhibits in trade shows or gift marts in your industry can present your product line without the cost of a full-fledged booth. An added benefit is that a professional sales rep has a network of connections and knows your market niche well, and is likely to be more experienced in selling and trade show dynamics than you are.

2) Rent a temporary space at a wholesale gift mart or showroom. You can plunge into wholesale shows inexpensively and without being present by renting a temporary space in a wholesale gift mart or showroom. For a monthly fee, you can display your products there for direct sales to retail shop owners. This is a good way not only to break into wholesaling on a small budget, but also to test new products.

3) Share a trade show booth and expenses with a related but non-competing business in your niche. This cost-cutting solution works especially well for one-person businesses. Besides saving money, additional benefits to a booth-sharing arrangement include access to each other’s customers in the same market niche, and the convenience of having a knowledgeable person manning the booth when you need to take a break.

4) Make over your current displays instead of buying new ones. Creating a new exhibit by giving your existing trade show booth displays a fresh face costs a fraction of the price of purchasing all new booth components. Consider each element of your booth separately, and brainstorm ways to update it without completely replacing it.

5) Purchase used trade show displays rather than springing for new ones. Many pre-owned booths and exhibits are in excellent condition and can be bought for less than half the cost of a brand new one. If you decide to buy previously owned exhibit components, be open-minded and keep your display needs in mind. Visualize how each used exhibit might perform for you.

For even greater savings, look at used trade show displays offered at rock-bottom prices because of damage or missing parts. If you can think creatively about how you’ll refurbish the damage or replace missing pieces, you can come up with an effective, original display for very little cash.

Many sellers of pre-owned trade show displays are willing to bargain with you. Don’t hesitate to offer the seller less than the asking price. It helps to research beforehand the retail price for the exhibit so you can make a reasonable offer.

In summary, there’s no reason to miss out on potentially profitable trade shows because of the expense. Look at your small marketing budget in a new light, and brainstorm ways to put those limited dollars to work helping you reach new customers.

About The Author

Rena Klingenberg’s website, http://www.trade-show-booth-display.com, is a resource for trade show exhibit success information. She is also editor of the online newsletter “Trade Show Success on a Small Budget” at http://www.trade-show-booth-display.com/newsletter.html
rena@trade-show-booth-display.com

by Susan Friedmann

Are your sales people burnt out? You may want to check. Have they clocked too many twelve hour days? Do they have enough frequent flier miles to charter a jet to Mars? Are their faces permanently skewed into perpetual smiles from chatting with hundreds of thousands of trade show attendees?

Answer yes to any one of these questions – or even chuckle at a situation a little too close to home – and you’ve got a problem. Working a trade show is hard. Keeping your team motivated can be even harder, especially during a busy exhibit season.

However, it is vitally important that your sales team is not only at the show, but excited about being there. Enthusiasm is contagious – and absolutely central in creating positive word of mouth about your products and services. When your sales staff are fired up and genuinely motivated to share what they know about your products with the buying public, they are more effective salespeople.

Luckily, creating this enthusiasm is as easy as ABC!

Address the Individual

Selecting the proper people for your booth staff is the first step toward a great show. These people are your company’s ambassadors. Pick employees who are helpful, courteous, and professional. Make sure they have excellent product knowledge and customer service skills.

They must also have a positive attitude about working the trade show. Attitude is everything – and it manifests on an individual level. Walk around a trade show floor, and study the people staffing a number of booths. Body language alone will show you which employees don’t want to be there. Simmering resentment plays out in tense posture, negative facial expressions, and sour attitudes – none of which help generate sales.

Why might your staff be averse to attending the show? It may come down to cold, hard cash. Sales staff frequently feel that working a trade show interferes with their normal selling routine. Commission-based employees may actually be losing money by attending the show. Address these concerns proactively, resolving scheduling and compensation issues so your staff are free to concentrate on the show.

Give each staff member an individual goal. This could be generating a number of quality leads, a target number of new contacts, or something similar. Having a goal increases accountability, forces unproductive habits out of the picture, increases productivity, and builds motivation.

Bring In the Brass

Do whatever it takes to involve your management team in trade show activities. You may have to pry them out of their corner offices, but it’ll be worth it. Having upper management participating in training programs, pre & post show activities, and the actual show validates the trade show’s worth. It also generates an in-house enthusiasm which will carry over onto the sales floor.

Many employees value the opportunity to build personal relationships with upper management. Mingling together in the trade show environment can help create a culture of recognition and appreciation. Never underestimate the power of personal recognition. A compliment from the boss carries a lot of weight, and can spur your staff to even higher achievement levels.

Tangible rewards also provide an effective way of encouraging higher levels of performance and can encourage friendly competition amidst your booth staff – with the end result benefiting your bottom line.

Create a Team

For best results, everyone in the booth should be working together as a team. Having a group that helps each other wherever and whenever necessary doesn’t just happen. Great teams don’t serendipitously occur — they are made.

Designate your teams before the show. Pre-show time is needed to give team members time to get acquainted, develop trust, and learn each other’s strengths. If you’ve got a large staff, split them up, mixing technical and sales staff. That way, you’ll always have customer service and product knowledge skills on the sales floor. Have them establish plans of action for working the show, and promote a certain level of autonomy within the groups. This creates a sense of collective responsibility.

Be sure that the whole team is aware of and fully understands the company’s goal for the trade show. Additionally, teams should set goals for the show. These will dovetail nicely with the personal goals set by individual staff members. Offer incentives for those teams that meet – or surpass – those goals. When you have good team chemistry, you’ll find team members coaching each other and striving to keep the collective morale up.

Revisit your team roster throughout the show season. If a certain group doesn’t click, mix it up. Switching team members may enhance overall performance. If you have a staffer that doesn’t work with any team, perhaps utilizing them at the trade show is not the best use of their skills.

Don’t forget the Details

Rewards and recognition should be constant – and they don’t have to break the bank. A small gesture like morning coffee costs next to nothing, yet shows you care about your team. One creative manager provided gel insole inserts for her sales staff – a thoughtful present for folks on their feet twelve hours at a go.
Which brings us to E – for Enthusiasm. An Enthusiastic booth staff will turn in a top notch performance. It’s as easy as ABC!

———————-
About the Author

Written by Susan A. Friedmann,CSP, The Tradeshow Coach, Lake Placid, NY, author: “Meeting & Event Planning for Dummies,” working with companies to improve their meeting and event success through coaching, consulting and training. For a free copy of ExhibitSmart Tips of the Week, e-mail: susan@thetradeshowcoach.com; website: http://www.thetradeshowcoach.com

by Cindy Carrera

People are known to shop on impulse- buying an item just because it is on sale, or purchasing something because it looks great in the store. When shopping for promotional items, you really can’t succumb to impulses. Instead, you must carefully decide on an item that will help meet your objectives.

A career school admissions representative who worked with the high school market once wanted to buy magnets to give to people. Although magnets were in the budget, they would not really do the job of spreading the word among other high school students, as the magnets would be at home on the fridge where maybe a handful of other students would see. A better idea was to give out day planners (only to enrolled students) that they could carry to school everyday where hundreds of classmates could see. “Oh- that’s where I’m going to school after graduation” they would say when asked about the school’s name on the planner. Rachel, the rep, was hurt that the magnets she liked did not get ordered. But, Rachel does not have a marketing background and she didn’t understand that these items served another purpose.

So, when ordering your items before you even browse the pages of catalogs or websites, you want to have some objectives in mind. You would not want to invest money in an item that doesn’t match the tactic. Think about these:

-Do you want to stimulate trade show traffic?
-Do you want to use these as sales aids?
-Are these going to be premiums?
-Are you introducing a new product/service?
-Do you want to thank current customers?
-Are these for an event giveaway?
-Are these to motivate employees?
-Are you trying to gain back lost business?
-Are you trying to improve customer service?
-Are these going to be used as gifts?
-Are you using them to supplement a direct mail campaign?

These are just a few questions you will want to ask yourself. If you are looking to supplement a general direct mail campaign, you will want to keep postage costs in mind. Perhaps mailing a magnet, sticker, pocket calendar, pen or pencil would be something good to use. You would not want to mail a t-shirt or mug- that would be very pricey for the response rate of direct mail! If you are doing a campaign to target past customers or are just doing a smaller-gauge mailing, perhaps something a little bigger would work.

On the flipside, if you are looking at motivating employees, thanking customers, buying gifts or building premiums chances are you will want to budget more money per item. However, there is likely to be fewer items ordered. I don’t think a pen would be ample to thank someone for years of service! Items for these categories would fall under desk supplies, plaques, acrylic awards, clocks, engraved items and more.

If you are using these items or sales purposes, perhaps if you have traveling sales people, you will want something that will be left behind to keep your name top of mind. Things like a note cube or coffee mug are things that can sit on a decision-makers desk for a long time.

If you are looking to promote your business at an event, such as a concert or festival, passing out t-shirts could be a great idea. You can easily tie t-shirts up in knots and throw them to the crowds. Lower ticket items for events could be things like pens, pencils, keychains, magnets, calendars, tape measures and more.

Finally, cost is something to keep in mind too. You don’t want to spend the same amount on a prospect as you would on a loyal customer. Use this as a suggestion:
Under $5- Prospect
$5-$25- Reward
Over $25- Loyalty

The important thing here is that promotional items should not be ordered just because you like it. The item should clearly be in the plan to help meet your business objectives.

———————-
About the Author

Cindy Carrera is a freelance author who’s written numerous articles about PR including: business promotional items, custom promotional products and wholesale promotional items.

by Cindy Carrera

I was about seven or eight years old when I learned the value of promotional items at trade shows. I just didn’t know it yet. I was at a home show with my parents. As we walked through the hall it was held in, I noticed people walking around with yardsticks. I really had no need for a yardstick, but seeing them made me want one. So, to make me happy, my parents kept an eye out for the booth passing out the yardsticks. I got my yardstick, and my dad got a deck from the contractor who was passing them out. I use that example to paint a picture that promotional items can and do work at trade shows- although the target audience usually isn’t a third-grader with a $10/week allowance!

The whole idea of a trade show or seminar booth is to gain new customers and perhaps repeat business from past customers. The whole idea of using a promotional item at your booth is to attract people to your table, generate interest and hopefully provoke questions. However, promotional items can also be dangerous. Why? Because people love free stuff- so you have to do this properly.

You cannot confuse an effective giveaway with a ‘freebie’- many trade show attendees love to walk around and simply collect everything in sight. You do not want this to happen at your booth. But, some trade show booth workers are quick to just lay the items out and sit back and read the paper, while qualified leads walk away with the stuff. A few suggestions to avoid that are to keep your giveaways out of arm’s reach. Then, when people approach your table, grab one and hold it, and strike up a conversation by asking a question. Then, hand them the item. Perhaps the conversation will even continue. This way, they will be walking away with the item, but also with a message about your business. Or you can offer an item to people walking by, and when they approach you to take it you can surprise them by asking qualifying question to strike up a conversation.

Another way to utilize giveaways is to create a theme for your booth, and incorporate your promotional items into that theme. Your whole booth will stand out, and will make a lasting impression. Perhaps you are an HVAC dealer. You could use the theme “Stay Cool This Summer” and have people sign up for a free air conditioner. As they fill out their entry forms (which you will use as leads), you can pass out cheap plastic sunglasses with your name on them. Or, perhaps you can even hand out bottled water with your label on it. The whole theme idea is a cohesive way to build leads, build recognition and even excitement.

There is also a lesser-known way to promote your trade show booth. You can actually promote your giveaway before the show even happens. You can send out an invitation to customers you know typically attend the shows, and on that invitation you can say, “The first 100 people to stop by our booth will get a free travel mug!” This will build traffic before the show even opens. Another way to do this is to send out a note to current or potential clients with a small item, such as a pen or magnet and then asking them to drop by your booth. They may feel obligated to since you already gave them something.

The secret weapon here is not just in the product itself, but how it is distributed. With the right product and the right salesperson working the booth, promotional items can be a very powerful tool. The leads and follow-up business will prove it!

———————-
About the Author

Cindy Carrera is a creative author who’s written numerous articles about PR including: business promotional items, custom promotional products and wholesale promotional items.

by Susan Friedmann

Catastrophes come from out of nowhere. Massive thunderstorms can roll through a region without a moment’s notice, knocking out power and phone lines. An iffy meal at a local restaurant, and you have a staff member flat on their back with food poisoning. Open up your sales materials only to discover that you have all the wrong literature – and that it’s printed in a language you can’t read! What do you do?

The key is preparation. Most problems can be addressed using your creativity and common sense – but implementing those solutions can be tricky. Begin by laying a strong foundation for your team with advance preparation.

Advance preparation will make the difference between success and failure. By starting well before your trade show, you’ll be assured of smooth sailing, no matter what happens. There are three areas to concentrate on: People, Places, and Things.

People:
You are only as good as your booth staff. The best display, graphics, and give-always won’t save your show if your staff isn’t up to snuff. Provide comprehensive training before the show. Cross train your staff so that one member can cover for another. This doesn’t mean your sales people need to be technical gurus or that your mechanical whiz-kids need to become top-notch sellers – but each should know enough about the other’s purview to pinch-hit.

Places:
It’s not enough to merely know where the convention center is. Take a few minutes and do an internet search about your destination. Where is the closest medical facility? Airport? Copy shop? Shipping center? Having area knowledge will save you valuable time if you need to send staffers out of the venue for errands. You’re only at the show for a few days. Make your time there as productive as possible.

Designate a team leader before the show. This person will be the go-to person in case of any emergencies, and should have decision-making power. If an unforeseen event occurs, your team will know who they should turn to for direction.

Things:
The biggest headaches often come from the simplest items. If your brochures have been sent to Hong Kong instead of Dallas, there’s not much you can do to remedy the situation, short of hopping a red eye and physically retrieving the wayward literature yourself. That’s not always practical.

Instead, depend on back-ups. For example: Having a CD-ROM back up of all your literature is a simple, easy step. Most major cities have print shops that will happily run off a few thousand brochures. You’ll pay a premium for rush service, but that’s a small price compared to the potential revenue loss.

Advance preparation is only the first step. Whether an emergency response works well or not depends on how effectively your team implements it. Use your pre-show meeting to establish how you want your team to ACT during an unforeseen event.

A: Assess
It’s easy to panic and run after any solution when a problem first occurs. You’ve made a substantial investment in time and money to be at the trade show, and to see it run less than smoothly can be terrifying. Remember to take a moment to stop, consider every aspect of the problem, and make a list of your possible solutions.

C: Coordinate
Make sure that every member of your booth staff is aware of what the situation is, what your planned solution is, and the roles you expect each staff member to play. This avoids duplication of effort when two or more employees have the same good idea. It also ensures you’ll have adequate exhibit coverage at all times. This is where your training efforts pay off – when one or more staff members can cover for the others and still create a flawless show experience for the attendees.

Additionally, in the case of show-wide difficulties (power outages, flooding, etc.) the convention center staff will be doing their utmost to alleviate the situation. Designate one person to be liaison with the convention center staff. This person will be responsible for disseminating vital information to your booth staff in a quick and efficient manner and to communicate the group’s needs to the convention center staff.

T: Take action
After you’ve decided on the best solution, and informed all booth staff, it is time to implement your plan. Pro-active, calm teams will carry the day.

This process can happen very quickly, especially if your team is prepared before the event. Make sure they know who is in charge at any particularly moment, and what procedure they’ll be expected to follow in case of an emergency. Then you’ll be ready for whatever surprises Mother Nature – or the Sushi Bar – can throw your way.

———————-
About the Author

Susan A. Friedmann,CSP, The Tradeshow Coach, author: “Meeting & Event Planning for Dummies,” working with companies to improve their meeting and event success through coaching, consulting and training. For a free copy of ExhibitSmart Tips of the Week, website: http://www.thetradeshowcoach.com

by: Janice D. Byer, MVA

Well, autumn is upon us and with the onset of this season comes cleaner air and colourful outdoor scenery and, it is also prime season for trade shows. Sure, trade shows happen all throughout the year but, with many areas recognizing small business month/week, there is a greater opportunity for entrepreneurs to showcase their products or services to their target markets.

As small business owners, especially those in the start up phase, preparing for a trade show can be a very scary and frustrating time. What do we take and how do we present it?

You first need to find out the specifics of the trade show you are registered for or considering exhibiting in. If necessary, contact the organizers of the event and get details on the type of visitors that the show attracts and the layout of the area you will have to display your business. Be sure to find out the size of the table you will have, whether there is wall space for your company sign, if there are electrical outlets available, and anything else that may or may not be included (ie. table cloth, etc.)

Once the show space specifics have been established, then you can move on to thinking about and deciding what and how you can ‘show your stuff’. The following are just a few ideas to help you get ready for that all important trade show. (Note: most of these ideas are based on being in the service industry but will work for products industry companies as well)

If the table you have does not include a tablecloth, be sure to get one that compliments your display and represents your company’s image and colour scheme (without being overpowering). Even if a tablecloth is supplied, bring your own or something to add some depth to your table (ie. table runner). Your table will definitely stand out in a crowd.

If space will allow, erect a stand-alone presentation board. On the board, you can show how clients can benefit by using your services. Be creative and make it stand out. Include pictures, if possible, and be sure your company name and logo are more than obvious.

If there is wall space, but your budget is minimal, use your trusty desktop publishing software to create a template of your company name. Use the template, along with bristle board, cardboard, or foam core to make a sign that you can put up on the wall behind your booth.

Arrange your table in levels. Put the larger items at the rear, shorter items in front of those, and even shorter items in front of those.

Develop a PowerPoint presentation to display on your table (if an electrical outlet is within reach of your booth). You can make it on your desktop computer and transfer it to a laptop, which you can rent or borrow if you don’t already have one. Your visitors will find this visually appealing and will draw in their attention.

Have a portfolio of your work available. Print off some of your best projects, put them into plastic sheet protectors, and arrange them in a binder. Then lay out the binder where visitors can flip through the pages.

Have plenty of giveaways, such as business cards, brochures, pens, magnets, and anything else that has your company name and/or logo on it. Most people who attend trade shows are expecting to take home some goodies. And, be sure to use display racks for showing your flyers, specials, brochures, and such.

Offer something a little different… FOOD. I displayed at the Bridges to Better Business trade show in Brampton and included a basket of Girl Guide cookies on my table. They were a big hit… I wish I had brought more. If you can, package your food in a way that will allow you to have your company contact info on it.

Offer Gift Certificates for some of your services. There’s nothing better than getting a deal and, when they ‘cash in’ their certificate, they will see how valuable your services are and will come back for more.

Have a drawing for a prize. Offer a prize that, in some way, compliments your business if possible, and appeals to anyone. Have visitors and entrants sign a guestbook, fill in a ticket, or drop their business cards into a fish bowl or gift bag. You can then use this information at a later date to make a follow up contact.

If the show will be on for an extended length of time, be sure to have assistance in manning your booth so you can take a break. If you don’t have the option of having someone take over for a bit, be sure to put up a note that tells people how long you will be gone or when you will be back.
Most importantly, be friendly and inviting. Say hi to those that turn and look toward you or your booth. Strike up a conversation and be sure to have a short introductory speech ready. And…have fun!

About The Author

Janice Byer is a certified Master Virtual Assistant and owner of Docu-Type Administrative & Web Design Services (http://www.docutype.net). See this and other articles on her website.

jbyer@docutype.net

by: Colin Ong TS

Being part of a trade show gives small business a chance to experience economies of scale and to mix around with the big guys. This may also be the most stressful period for the PR Dept. head as he will hope that R & D people will be able to bring out the latest prototype of the company’s new and “hot” product to a large audience. Top management may plan to use the trade show to increase profitability and market share.

Here are some tips:

The purpose of participation:

Before deciding whether you company should be part of this trade show, there must be a meeting of top management about the demographics of their target audience and the overall impact of the trade show. If the trade show is to launch a new product, then it should be obvious that all promotional literature and samples of the new product be ready. On the other hand, if participation in the trade show is just to create awareness and corporate visibility, then through prior research, ensure that the neighboring booths (your competitors) do not steal your “thunder”.

Consider co-sharing your booth:

Co-sharing your booth with an alliance can be positive if there is synergy. It can also help lower the cost of booth rental and introduce your services to your alliance’s customers.

However, the dangers of this approach is that one exhibitor may garner more exposure and publicity which may cause some dissent; there is also the issue of the signage and the “overall feel” of the booth that has to be agreed by both parties.

The Multimedia experience:

It is logical to prepare a multimedia experience for participants because there will be many booths shouting for attention. Trade shows are normally chaotic in nature. Thus make enquiries about the installation of large projector screens and platforms before committing yourself to the trade show.

Advertise with the trade show organizers:

The trade-show organizers will be promoting the event in the various media and your company should find out if you can tag onto this media blitz. A common method is to offer your company’s new product as a prize for the event’s grand contest.

Logistics Management:

Have you been to an exhibitor’s booth and asked for brochures and be given the reply that they had run out of supply? Similarly, you discovered that the chart displayed at the booth and the information provided in the brochure was not the same. What was your impression of the credibility and level of professionalism of the organization?

It is essential that all information in the brochures and promotional materials be checked for accuracy and their supply sufficient for the entire event. Trade visitors will remember the organization by these items.

Train your sales staff well:

If you need to get temporary staff to help out, ensure that they are well drilled about the new product and the company’s business philosophy. They must be forth-coming with their replies to enquiries from the public. They should not just wear the company’s specially designed T-shirt and hand out flyers!

Feedback forms:

It is not realistic to expect “record sales” during the trade show. It is also important to create a rapport with the trade visitors by encouraging them to fill out feedback forms with their personal particulars. This will entitle them to a gift. The gifts must also be designed so that the organization will be remembered even after the trade show is over.

Networking:

Use this opportunity of being part of the trade show to network with other trade show participants. Set aside some time to interact with them and understand their business and services. You may form future alliances.

Build up the morale of your team:

Being part of a trade show can build up the morale and teamwork of your employees. Remember to rotate the duties of each member like handing out brochures or manning the booth. It is also important that they understand that the image that they convey to trade visitors during the event will go a long way in creating brand consciousness and corporate positioning.

About The Author

Colin Ong TS is a recognised authority in Corporate and Career Strategy. Visit his sites at http://www.mrmc.com.sg/12n and http://www.mrmc.com.sg

colin@mrmc.com.sg

by: Susan Friedmann

Whenever a recession or volatility threatens the economy, companies immediately look at where they can cut budgets. Without much forethought, the first to hit the block is inevitably training, followed closely behind by marketing. Why? Both are viewed on the balance sheet as expenditures rather than income generators, so obviously they’re hot contenders for elimination.

This is a very myopic way of thinking, especially for companies who want to remain globally competitive. Instead, at times like these when resources are under severe scrutiny, look at this as a golden opportunity to analyze your strategies. Put your activities under a microscope and closely examine what you’re doing and why you’re doing it. Often during times of plenty, the finance reins loosen up and some highly creative juggling takes place when budgets exceed their estimations. Obviously, we enjoy the abundant mentality and wish that it could last forever. But just as with all things in the universe there has to be a balance, and shortages add stability to plenty. Whenever highs exist, lows are inevitable.

So, instead of reacting to the highs and lows of the marketplace, what can you do to maintain a steady balance? Marketing and training are definitely keys to your success, so let’s examine five benefits and how they relate to your tradeshow participation.

1. Analyze your weakest links

When you take time to look examine your operation in more detail, you often discover that many of your actions are done out of habit rather than being productive and profitable. Think about some of the shows that you attend. How do they really fit into your marketing strategy? Are you attending them just because you’ve always done so, or because your competition is there? These are often your weak links, the shows that utilize unnecessary time and energy. Think about doing away with the “nice to be at shows” and rather opt at putting all your energy into the more profitable events that attract larger quantities of your target market.

Another weak budgetary link is associated with excessive employee spending at shows, such as dining at the finest restaurants and ordering the highest priced items just because the boss is paying. Consider setting up a per diem allowance and make employees accountable for expenses. You might even reward them with the difference if they under spend their stipend.

2. Exhibit a global competitiveness mindset

To be a contender in the global marketplace and establish a vanguard positioning, you have to be out there come rain or shine. And, tradeshows signify an essential marketing strategy when it comes to visibility. Exhibiting demonstrates that you’re a serious player in the industry. However tough, it’s important to keep tradeshows as one of your major promotional strategies. Rather consider reducing space than totally pulling out a show, provided of course, that it’s the right show for you. Unfortunately, if you stop exhibiting completely, the “buzz” on the show floor says publicly that you must be in financial trouble. This may be completely false, but it’s people’s perceptions that count. They’re the reality they believe. As the old adage states, “out of sight, out of mind.” And, since memorability is a key factor associated with exhibiting, if you’re not seen, how can you possibly be remembered!

3. Focus on long-term results

Investing in both marketing and training means that you’re interested and willing to focus on long-term results. Neither is designed to give a “quick fix,” rather using them continuously in an organized and planned manner, will produce results. They’re like a dripping faucet, so long as the drops constantly fall into the tub, it will fill up. However, if you maintain a “turn on, turn off” approach, that is train and market in times of plenty and discontinue when there’s a shortage, then your results are likely to mirror your actions. Look at how you can keep an operational equilibrium to avoid the highs and the lows. Develop a consistent marketing and training strategy.

4. Inspire loyal workers

Often companies are reluctant to invest too much in training staff for fear that once trained, they’ll leave for “greener pastures.” Since there are no guarantees in life, that’s always going to be a risk, but does that mean you shouldn’t develop your people to be the best they can be? Absolutely not! The reasons employees leave may be many. Employees may leave because of frustration or stress. They might feel unappreciated or undervalued. It could be that they believe your company is heading for an iceberg and want to “jump ship” before it sinks. Maybe they feel that their salaries are not in line with the jobs they are performing. Or they could feel that they don’t have enough authority, growth opportunities, or direction in their careers. Training is often the key to help inspire loyalty.

5. Improve performance

Employees are the backbone of your company. Without them, your company cannot stay afloat. The relationship between employees and employers has to be a partnership; if they feel their needs are being ignored, they will leave you. But when both sides work on the same wavelength, share the same goals and ideas, the company will be on the right track for success. What better place than the tradeshow floor to exhibit this mentality. Your exhibit staff represents your internal customer-service team and your company ambassadors. They stand for your entire organization. These people have the awesome responsibility of making or breaking future relationships with attendees, prospects and customers. Their attitude, body language, appearance, and knowledge help to create positive or negative perceptions in the minds of visitors. Make sure that they’re well trained and can do what you expect of them. Training shows that you recognize your team’s importance in the company and look to develop their skills to improve performance.

Exhibiting is a powerful extension of your company’s marketing strategy and your people are the backbone of your company. Eliminating your marketing and training budgets during times of recession is tantamount to profitability suicide. So consider looking at other places to make those cuts!

About The Author

Written by Susan A. Friedmann, CSP, The Tradeshow Coach, Lake Placid, NY, author: “Meeting & Event Planning for Dummies,” working with companies to improve their meeting and event success through coaching, consulting and training. Go to http://www.thetradeshowcoach.com to sign up for a free copy of ExhibitSmart Tips of the Week.

by: Susan Freidmann

Branding is a basic marketing concept that is designed to set your products/services apart from the competition. By using a particular name, phrase, design, symbol or a combination of these, you can create a unique identity. When choosing a brand name, consider the following five criteria:

It should suggest product/service benefits.
It should be simple, memorable, and unique.
It should fit the image of the company.
It should have positive connotations for the target market.
It should be easy to pronounce and to pictorialize.
Branding is not a sales and marketing gimmick. Instead it refines and defines corporate culture and identity. A brand must have meaning to its consumers, its organization and its employees. Brand is an emotional link between you and your customer. It is what people buy when they buy your product or your company. The most important part of a brand’s identity is the promise it makes to customers. The essence of branding is simplicity and timelessness.

Integrating Brand Awareness Into Your Exhibit Program

Since exhibiting is a powerful extension of your company’s advertising, promotion, public relations and sales function, that automatically means it is an excellent way to enhance brand awareness. Everything your company stands for, no matter how large or small, is being exhibited on the show floor. This means there needs to be total consistency, congruity, clarity and focus in every aspect of your exhibiting program, before, during and after the show.

Here are three important points to consider as you plan to integrate brand awareness into your tradeshow program.

Consistency and repetition is vital in creating brand awareness. People buy brands they know and they trust! A brand is a promise that companies make to their customers. Strong branding requires all the levels of communication to agree with one another.
Ensure all your marketing and promotions are consistent and that they have your logo, colors, typeface, slogans and characters. Everything you develop should have the same look and feel.
Peoples’ perception about your company, products, and services is a major factor in their choice of brand preferences and their buying behavior. All perception is subjective and based on experience. Individuals tend to interpret information according to existing beliefs, attitudes, needs and mood.
The following is a 10-point checklist to act as a reminder for many of the questions you need to ask and answer as you plan brand integration into your exhibit program:

1. What needs to be done to ensure that your booth conveys total consistency, congruity, clarity and focus of your company image and brand?

Consider:

booth size
location
graphics
demonstrations
staff
handouts and giveaways
lead management
2. How can your graphics work best for you?

can be easily seen and read in three seconds
use a simple and bold typeface
have striking and grabbing visuals
are instantly memorable
use a unique size or shape
reinforce your message
make your message a single, strong, provocative idea
use a “What’s in it for me?” message
use bold colors
3. What are the best promotional activities you can use to enhance brand awareness?

Personal invitations (e.g. with incentive and response form)

Direct mail with incentive

Pre-show advertising

trade and/or local publications
local media
websites (e.g. company, show, association)
broadcast faxes
association newsletters
city billboards
transit advertising
At-show advertising

show catalogs
show dailies
airport billboards, banners/electronic message boards
hotel closed-circuit television
hotel - on door or in room promotion
kiosks/banners at show site
convention television channels
4. What types of PR communications could be used?

Pre-show:

press releases for local and trade publications
product/service application articles
personal invitations to trade/local editors
company newsletters
At-show:

press kits for the press office
press reception
video/slide presentation at the booth
reprints of articles as giveaways
seminars/workshops
contests
personalities/spokesperson at booth
5. What sponsorship opportunities exist and would complement your company image?

Some of the most frequent sponsorship opportunities are:

press room
international lounge
speaker or VIP room
awards reception
educational programs
keynote sessions
coffee breaks
luncheons/dinners
banners
badge holders
audio visual equipment
display computers
tote bags
shuttle buses
6. What advertising premiums will be consistent with your image and complement the message you want to convey?

Consider:

budget
originality
usefulness and appropriateness for your target audience
distribution
7. Who are the best ambassadors for your company - the right people to staff the booth?

8. What training should they receive?

Consider:

prospect qualification
booth etiquette
product knowledge
product demonstration
obtaining commitment
9. What is the best dress code to convey your company image?

10. What is the best way to follow-up after the show that is consistent with your exhibiting program?

Remember that branding is a process, a business system, that fuels and sustains all customer/company relationships! Total consistency, congruity, clarity and focus in every aspect of your exhibiting program, before, during and after the show are essential.

About The Author

Written by Susan A. Friedmann,CSP, The Tradeshow Coach, Lake Placid, NY, author: “Meeting & Event Planning for Dummies,” working with companies to improve their meeting and event success through coaching, consulting and training. Go to http://www.thetradeshowcoach.com to sign up for a free copy of ExhibitSmart Tips of the Week.

info@thetradeshowcoach.com