Find out how to make the most of your next trade show with great tips on how to work the crowd and what to give away in this interesting article that gives real world advice.
There’s nothing like a trade show to get a new perspective on your industry and your customers. And while nobody will claim that getting successful results is a breeze, you can take advantage of some proven trade show tips to ease the way toward a better experience for everyone involved.
Grab attention – now! Think about the environment of the trade show floor: booths all over, music and crowd noises, people walking by. This means you have maybe five seconds, tops, to grab the attention of passersby.
Your booth’s messaging; graphics and overall design will contribute to the success of your trade show.
People love free stuff – no two ways about it. Something as simple as a candy dish at your booth or table will get the instant-gratification crowd stopping in, but the more you up the ante, the more traffic you can expect. Folks in the trade show business refer to promotional items as “trinkets and trash,” and some people merely call them “tchotchkes,” but the outcome is the same. Giving away stuff gets attention.
Popular tchotchkes include affordable standbys like pens, tote bags (stuffed with your sales literature) and lanyards. If you have something significant to promote – a new product or even your company’s logo – consider branded hats, T-shirts and lightweight drink containers.
The better the item, the more you should expect in return. Create a lead-generating contact form in print or online for attendees to complete, or save the giveaways until after an in-booth presentation.
Consider the needs or interests of your crowd:
Then there’s the heavy artillery: grand-prize items like an iPad or an AmEx gift certificate. A drawing at the trade show for a high-value prize can net you tons of leads, which you can follow up on later. Remember, though: By law, prize drawings must be random and “no purchase necessary” to enter and win; a purchase must not increase chances of winning.
Hit the floor. Ideally your booth is manned by at least two, and preferably more, representatives. During the day, get someone out on the floor. This serves two purposes:
Be a business guru. For you and your reps still at the booth, engaging visitors begins with a warm greeting. To that end, never ignore people standing by, even if you’re busy with other visitors. A quick smile and an “I’ll be right with you” can mitigate the risk of walk-offs.
Having made an acquaintance, follow your visitor’s line of dialog in conversation. Perhaps he’s interested in a product on display – let him get a hands-on demo if possible. But not all visitors are interested in the sale. You may have to earn the right to make a sales speech, so start your conversation at a higher level, talking about your industry and the customer’s needs.
Find out where the “pain” is for the visitor.
Once you have a handle on the visitor’s issues, then you can recommend a solution. If the potential customer is still hesitant, offer to follow up later.
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