Customer Service

Make business expos a key element of your marketing mix
There’s no question that traditional advertising has a place in the marketing mix, but there’s something to be said for one-on-one face time with your target prospects. The media can certainly present your formal message to an informal audience of hundreds, thousands or even millions, but a compelling trade show booth can lead to a very personal connection with one prospect at a time, giving business owners and representatives a chance to interact.

Don’t get me wrong; it takes more to succeed at a business expo than a reserved booth space, a stack of business cards and a few warm bodies. Many businesses spend tens of thousands of dollars developing high-tech, maximum-impact displays to stand out at industry conventions. But even at the local level, a return on a trade show investment should be well planned to achieve the most benefit. If you’re going to dedicate marketing dollars and staff time to the effort, then it’s worth defining your goals and the steps required to achieve them.

First, begin by setting specific, realistic goals, such as collecting 10 or more qualified sales leads, building a promotional mailing list or developing a report on your competition’s marketing efforts. The more exact your objectives are, the easier they are to evaluate, which will help you determine whether your trade show efforts are effective.

Once your goals are in place, get creative! When designing and constructing a booth, consider how you can make it an inviting space as well as a functional marketing device. Make it interesting to your guests, and include cohesive, branded decor. You’ll want to carefully plan to ensure your signage is visible, readable and distinctive in a cluttered and busy environment. The location of your booth among the pack is another important consideration; early registration to an event may afford you the luxury of having a better selection.

Exhibitors should plan activities and giveaways for the show. Games, drawings and contests may attract attendees but won’t necessarily draw the prospects you’re looking for. Consider an activity that appeals to your target audience and relates directly to your business. If you have brochures or promotional items to give away, avoid leaving them out on a table for anyone to grab. Instead, reserve them for individuals who take the time to stop, chat and express some genuine interest.

To help ensure that you’ll have some opportunities to interact with your target audience, consider sending personal invitations to customers, business associates and others your booth is designed to entice. Be sure to send them out at least two weeks in advance of the trade show, and if possible, include admission tickets when they’re required for entry. You could even motivate attendance by promoting a complimentary gift to be given to invitees who present their invitations at your booth.

Finally, it’s important to train and prepare the staff who will be in the booth on the day of the event. Instruct them to keep the booth area clean and uncluttered. Be sure they know what the objectives are for the day, and give them the tools necessary to achieve them. They should be ready to interact with vendors, customers and prospective customers like most any other day on the job. And be sure to give your staff periodic breaks during the event. It’s best to schedule in shifts so your staff can reenergize from time to time throughout the day. Everyone should spend more time visiting with prospects than with co-workers and should maintain a relaxed, inviting manner for best results.

It’s a lot of preparation and dedication, but a serious effort at a business expo can yield valuable results. New customer leads, increased brand visibility and helpful insights can all be gained in just one day.
Trade show exhibitions are worth doing if done well, so be sure to study up on the major events in your company’s markets and prepare thoroughly for the expos you participate in. Finally, have some fun. Trade shows can be an opportunity for your business to really get creative and generate results at the same time.

Lili Vianello is president of Visionworks Marketing & Communications, a Columbia-based, full-service advertising, marketing and public relations firm. Contributions to this article were made by Visionworks staff members. Visit them online at www.visionworks.com.