Whether your business is new in the industry or have been around for a few years, there are still benefits to be had when participating in a trade show. Such events bring together businesses and individuals connected to the same trade or industry, and as such are great venues for learning of new trends in business. More importantly, trade shows allow businesses to gain traction by getting their name out there for prospective clients.
With the right strategy and proper implementation, a trade show can be more than just an avenue for getting business leads. To make the most out of your trade show experience, check out the following checklist provided by MVP Visuals.
Before the Show
- Did you select the right show?
Selecting the right trade show to attend can mean the difference between a business boom and business gloom. Choosing the wrong show can lead to money loss instead of an income increase.
- Have you set clear goals and objectives?
Listing down clear goals and objectives beforehand can help you to keep track of the reasons why you’re at this trade show in the first place. Not only that, it can be the key to evaluating progress and trade show success at the end of the event.
- Is your exhibit accurately represented and effective?
If you have the option to choose your own booth, choose one that is in a high-traffic location, and has enough space for all your products. Ensure that your exhibit showcases your business efficiently, and find a way to capture your prospective clients’ interests by engaging them to experience your products rather than just looking at them.
- Do you have everything you need for the show?
Not everything will be provided by the show organizers, of course, so better be prepared. Extra power strips, power banks for your gadgets, office supplies, and even personal hygiene items – these should all be available at your booth. After all, ample preparation has always been one of the vital keys to success.
- Did I do enough promotions before the event?
Hype up your booth through social media, and send invites to prospective guests (obtain the list from the organizers in advance, if you can) before the date of the trade show. This can increase the interest in your booth, and at the same time, draw in clients that would have otherwise just passed by your booth without a prior invite.
During the Show
- Do I have the right people manning my booth?
A huge part of your trade show success lies on the people you hire to as staff members for your exhibit. They are the front liners, the ones who your prospects will be facing and asking questions from. In essence, they are the ones representing your business at the trade show. You should make sure that you get the right people for the job: well-trained experts of the product you are offering, client-focused, and approachable with a pleasing attitude.
- Am I working effectively?
Trade shows are arenas for practicing efficiency. With the hordes of attendees passing and dropping by your booth throughout the entire duration of the event, it’s imperative that you work out a system that would enable you to capture contact details efficiently. That said, it would really help if you were able to set everything up completely ahead of time.
- Is my booth eye-catching?
Promotions play a large role in ensuring that your booth gets as many visits and connects as possible. Having banners, custom canopy tents and maps that would lead to your spot can help steer prospects in the right direction. Typically, you’ll only have 5 to 15 minutes to make a lasting impression on attendees, so make sure that your booth is designed to be as visually-appealing and informative as possible to stand out from the rest.
After the Show
- How am I going to continue with promotions?
Participating in a trade show is not the end-all, rather, it should be considered as the starting point for further business progress. It is important to keep the ball rolling after the show, and you can do this by keeping up a presence online through the use of various social media platforms. You can also offer discounts to those who attended the trade show and stopped by your booth as a way to encourage them to buy your products and possibly talk about them online.
- Did I achieve my pre-set goals and objectives?
Were you able to get new leads, or even converted those leads to sales during the trade show? Have you received call backs yet regarding further inquiry about your products as a result of setting up a booth at the trade show? Whatever your goals were prior to the start of the event, you’ll need to look back at them and check to see if you were able to achieve them after the event. This is one way of finding out if you were able to get a return on investments as a result of attending the trade show.
- How should I follow up on leads?
It’s estimated that over half of those attending trade show usually buy products after the show has ended. Hence, following up on leads is very important. Try to send out thank you notes via email, or even brochures via post within 1 to 3 days after the trade show. Better yet, personally call those who attended and showed an interest in your booth – you can even schedule a demo with them to really lure them in and convert those leads to sales.
Visualization of A Trade Show Booth
With all the booths at a trade show with similar products, it is important to make a pleasing first impression in order to stand out. One way of achieving that is by designing a booth with a layout that not only manages to display all your products effectively, but also invites people to come in and check them out closer. Retractable banners, branded podiums, custom table covers, a creative display wall – these are just some of the factors that can catch attendees’ eyes and lead them towards your booth. If you aren’t sure how to make a compelling design for your booth, perhaps you may want to get in touch with a reputable vendor who has had trade show experiences to help you out.
Tips from Experts:
To get the best results out of your trade show experience, you’ll need to get a significant ROI or return of investment. Check out some tips from expert marketers below to help you add more value to your activities in trade shows, as well as get that increase in ROI.
