How to Make the Most of Trade Shows

The Internet may have profoundly changed the business of marketing, but the trade show endures. In fact, it thrives. In many industries, attendance is practically mandatory -- if you're not there, you're not anywhere.

For many seasoned companies, however, trade shows are less an opportunity to book new orders than a time to strengthen relationships, according to Jonathan Smiga, vice president of marketing for Chuao Chocolatier, of Carlsbad, California. "We're all so busy," says Smiga, "but for those two or three days, we're all gathering at one place."

Because trade shows draw a lot of industry press attention, along with potential customers, companies often use them to unveil new products. But savvy companies aim to make a broader impression as well. "It's a great time to show the marketplace that you're improving your business. Maybe you're in a bigger booth than last year," says Smiga. "You are a material player who's evolving, with more resources that you can bring to their needs."

Still, the trade show is a costly marketing channel. "Compared to other options," says Ruth P. Stevens, a New York City -- based consultant, "exhibiting at a trade show is the single most expensive medium choice." One option is to concentrate your firepower. "Do fewer shows, but do them better," says Smiga. "Pick the ones where you can be a star."

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1. Lay the Groundwork
A commitment to a trade show begins months before the opening day. "The worst thing you can do is show up at the show, set up your booth, and stand there and wait for people to show up," says Stevens.

Set specific goals. The most obvious objective at a trade show is acquiring qualified leads that can be converted to sales. Decide in advance how many prospects you want to acquire. If you are unveiling a new product, you might define your goals in terms of the number of product demonstrations you conduct. If publicity is your aim, set targets for media interviews.

Invite prospects. Stevens recommends making advance appointments with key customers and prospects, with enough meetings to fill your days. At a minimum, send out advance invitations to draw visitors to your booth. A 2004 Georgia Southern University study found that companies that coupled an invitation with a gift drew larger crowds than those that sent invitations with redeemable coupons or no gift at all. Further, more than three-quarters of trade show attendees retained a favorable impression of a company that sent them a promotional product. If you are courting the media, set up those interviews in advance as well.

Train your booth jockeys. The key to an effective trade show is focus. First, avoid wasting time with visitors who aren't serious. Second, complete the interaction with a true prospect in 10 minutes or so. Douglas MacLean, a South Carolina consultant who trains exhibitors, recommends listening, not talking -- skip the small talk and dive into questions that will quickly establish why the visitor is at the show, the role the visitor has at his or her company, and whether your products might be of assistance. If it's not a good match, say goodbye. If it is, then move on to a product presentation, delivered by a peer. Booth staff, says MacLean, should be able to tailor the pitch to the four kinds of customers who typically walk the aisles: the manager with a cost-benefit perspective, the product user, the tech enthusiast, and the generalist who may refer your company to others in the organization. (Retailers should emphasize the brand messages they have adopted for the show, says Smiga.)

At the show, take a few minutes at the end of each day for a staff huddle. Review the interactions, with an eye toward making improvements the next day.

2. Look Your Best
A small company at a major trade show can easily be overwhelmed by the competition. The trick, says Smiga, is to somehow become "a show within a show. You're creating more disproportional energy to your brand and your booth than you should merit."

Do more than the minimum. For starters, consider upsizing from a 10-foot booth to a 20-foot booth. "You double your billboard," says Smiga. And "it looks like you spent more than the minimum to get in." (You can then divide the space into direct selling and relationship building areas.) Customize the booth with your own signage, tables and chairs, and displays.

Attract those you want; repel those you don't. "The rule of trade show design is that a person ought to be able to walk by your booth and in five or six seconds have an idea of what you're selling and whether it applies to them," says MacLean. Signs and displays, adds Stevens, should be explicit about who might benefit from your product and how (as in "The Best Software for Accountants").

Obviously, you want to drive as many qualified prospects to your booth as possible. Get people's attention with guerrilla marketing. Creative stage setting and displays that reinforce your messages are a must, and even gimmickry works, Smiga says, when it is deployed in a way that reinforces brand values. On the other hand, avoid decorating your booth with hired models who know little about your company. They may lure visitors in, but they won't keep them there for long.

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