Eight Tips For Trade Show Success

You spent good money for a trade show booth, promised your boss some great new sales dollars, but came away with less than the promised results. Sound familiar??? Don’t let it happen!! Here are some tips for your next Trade Show or Event

1. Identify your market
As it relates to trade show attendees. Do some preliminary checking and make sure that you attend the right shows for your product line and sales goals.

2. Establish goals…EARLY!!!
Establish goals for your event. Create a detailed plan that achieves those goals. Start 10 to 12 weeks prior to the event, spend a few minutes a day getting ready, and then go knock them dead!!

3. Consider using promotional products
Handing attendees a take-away item helps them remember you, your company, and your product. There are items in every price range that can utilized to help attendees remember you.

4. Have an organized set-up
How many times have you made multiple trips to set up and organize your display? You spend hours setting up, exhaust yourself, and are unable to be at your best for the “big show”. Plan ahead and reduce the hassle for yourself and your team.

5. Make your display memorable
The bar is being raised! With the technology available today, displays are becoming more and more sophisticated. Don’t spend your hard earned dollars on a trade show only to shoot yourself in the foot with a lackluster display appearance.

6. Minimize the information on your display
You want to convey just enough information to bring attendees into your booth. You should not expect your display to do the selling - that’s your job!!! You want the display to make attendees curious enough to approach you, asking for more information.

7. Collect business cards
Every time that you have a conversation with an attendee, you have an opportunity to collect their contact information. Never expect them to contact you “next week”, because it won’t happen. Get a business card for future mailings, electronic mailings, whatever follow-up plan you have in place. How about collecting business cards for a drawing for a gift?

8. Have a show follow-up plan
You have done your homework, your display really clicked, you came home loaded with leads. Now what??!! Follow-up is essential. Pull out those leads. Call them, write them a note; send them information. Have a plan and execute it promptly on your return. Trade show leads older than one week smell like fish.

At Apex Signs & Graphics we offer “Business solutions - One sign at a time!”. We believe that effective graphics, signage, and promotional products should be included in all business plans and / or marketing efforts. Doing so will greatly enhance and drive both top and bottom lines. Call us today for a free, no obligation discussion about how we can help you grow your business.