7 tips to make the most of your next trade show

From making your booth the buzz of the show to doing pre-show promotion

The recession caused many small businesses to scale back on their participation in off-site meetings and trade shows.  But I'm beginning to hear rumblings that the picture may be changing.  That being the case, I thought it would be smart to talk about some strategies to make the most of a trade show event.

Regardless of the type of industry you are in, there is probably at least one major industry-wide trade show each year.  Trade shows provide excellent opportunities to network and build relationships with customers, particularly in today’s world of e-mails and voice mails.  But attending and exhibiting at trade shows is expensive and it can take its toll on your business’s marketing budget.  There’s the cost of booth space, displays, literature, shipping, airfare, hotel and meals– not to mention the toll on your feet and back.  In addition to the financial costs, you have to weigh the risk to your business operations.  Who is going to mind the store while you are gone? 

However, with careful planning participating in a trade show can reap huge rewards.  In order to ensure you get the best return on your investment, here are some trade show tips.  

1.  Research your options. Know which trade shows will give your firm the best exposure with your target audience.  Find out what the particular trade show’s objectives are and evaluate the show’s audience with your objectives.

2.  Consider the location.  If some of your clients are located in the same city where the show is being held, use your time wisely and schedule additional meetings.  It’s a good opportunity to enhance your relationship with those customers. 

3.  Set goals for your exhibit.  It is important to be clear about what your participation in the trade show is going to achieve.  How are you going to measure your results?  Do you have a mechanism to follow up on business opportunities?  Too often companies attend trade shows and return to their offices with a stack of business cards, but they fail to pursue those leads.  Don’t make that mistake. 

4.  Plan your space.  If you are going to exhibit, make sure you book your space early so you’ll be in a high traffic area.  Nothing is worse than getting stuck in a dark corner of the exhibit hall.  Find out everything you can about your space including what kind of other exhibits will be around it and the physical conditions of the booth.  All signs and display items should be pleasing to the eye and designed to get attention.

5.  Do pre-show promotion.  Experienced trade show exhibitors don’t wait for the show to start to try to see customers and make new business contacts.  To get the most traffic at your booth, send out announcements before the show inviting your prospects and clients to stop by your booth. 

6.  Make your booth the buzz of the show.  A giveaway or gimmick will attract people to your booth.  Having some sort of prize drawing or contest is a great way to collect contact information from booth visitors.  A demonstration or interactive display will draw people’s interest and get them to cluster around your display.

7.  Educate yourself.  Trade shows generally offer a number of great seminars and classes.  Take the opportunity to learn new business skills or to get new ideas to run your business more productively.  The keynote speakers also provide insights into industry trends and market forces.

Using these tips you can get the best return on investment from any trade show in which you participate.