Boothmanship and beyond: tips on getting the most from trade shows

AgExporter, Jan, 1995

It could be generating potential clients and customers. Or networking with other exhibitors. Or even learning from competitors. But whatever your reason for participating in a trade show or exhibit, your success will depend a great deal on how well you manage the "three P's" of exhibiting: preparation, presentation and post-show follow-up.

Prepare by Defining Objectives

You've heard it before and here we go again. Your very first step in the exhibit process is to determine your objectives and goals. These will help you to decide where to exhibit, how much to spend and whom to send to represent your firm. Also, without specific goals and objectives, you can't judge your benefits or results by any measurable means.

Objectives and goals aren't exactly the same thing. You should think of your objective as a general ambition to be achieved, such as opening doors for a new product. Your goal is the specific outcome you wish to reach, such as making contacts with a certain amount of potential new buyers.

If you are at a loss for objectives when you begin, look over the following list. It may spark some ideas:

* Meet buyers or sellers face-to-face

* Develop contacts with agents and distributors

* Appeal to special consumer interests

* Diffuse consumer complaints

* Check out competition

* Create or project an image

* Learn more about consumer attitudes

* Distribute product information

* Introduce new products

* Understand consumer problems

* Dramatize your message

* Provide low-cost personal selling

* Obtain customer feedback

* Enhance word-of-mouth market

* Create customer/client lists

* Reach unknown prospects

* Change perception of your product

* Open doors for personal sales calls

* Reinforce personal sales calls

* Reinforce direct mail

* Generate qualified leads and prospects

Once you've determined your objectives and goals, you're ready to tackle booth design and publicity.

Reach Out and Grab Someone

Your booth should reach out and grab people and interest them enough to start a conversation with a booth staff member. One way to attract people to your booth is to develop a theme that ties in with the purpose of the show at which you are exhibiting.

When planning your display area, you should also consider plants, lighting, carpeting, literature and giveaway displays. Although giveaways, such as brochures and literature, should be visible from the aisles, people should have to enter your booth to obtain samples.

Think through your sampling policy carefully. The cost of samples can be significant. While the products themselves usually are of small value, the cost of transportation is expensive and the storage at the show site can be annoying, time-consuming and costly. Furthermore, a "come-one, come-all" sampling policy can create crowds that may turn away serious buyers.

Equally important as your booth concept and design is pre-show publicity that will help you make contact at the show with the right attendees--the people who will be most receptive to your message.

If you have a mailing list of buyers, agents, distributors and others with whom you've worked in the past and who may attend the event, make sure you drop them a line to let them know where your display will be. A survey of buyers at one trade show found that their primary reason for attending was because they had received a personal invitation from an exhibitor.

Mailing labels of registered attendees are often available from the show's sponsor before and after the show.

Present a Professional Image

It is important to portray a professional image to potential clients and customers at shows and exhibits. Your booth space and personnel will create the impression prospective buyers take away about your product and your company. With this in mind, there is much to be said for booth etiquette.

Trade show selling is different from the personal selling your company personnel are used to doing. Why? Because the prospective clients and customers come to you--which means they already have a desire to learn about you and your product and the services you provide.

The best buyers are usually very busy and recognize the crucial value of time. That's why it is essential that booth staff be knowledgeable, friendly and approachable.

Studies have shown that most prospects, no matter how much they need your services or want to talk to you, won't wait long. Passers-by spend only a few seconds in visual range of your booth and will probably leave the booth if no one has approached them.

Have your booth staff develop an opening greeting. Some booth visitors may be unsure about approaching you. Put them at ease by striking up a conversation. Who, what, when, where, why and how questions usually will get the conversation moving in the proper direction. Don't ever ask, "May I help you?" because it is too easy for visitors to say "no" and walk away.

Develop a strategy for handling persons who have completed their business but "just won't go away." Tell them politely but assertively that you must get back to work. If this fails, prearrange a signal so that someone else in the booth will come to the rescue. Eye contact, or pulling at your ear, can be the sign for someone to call you away for a meeting, phone call or whatever works best. Apologize and politely excuse yourself.