How To Get What You Pay For

A Trade Show
The goal: Get your company noticed and make valuable connections.

The reality: Disorganized companies end up next door to their competitors or in corner booths no one sees, with ornery booth attendants that won’t make eye contact. They end up unable to weed out the solid prospects from the tire-kickers, who figured they’d enter every single contest on the floor, regardless of the prize.

The fix: There’s still money to be made, explains Calgary meeting planner Kate Cheney, owner of ConventionALL Management. Meeting potential customers or referral partners face to face is still the most effective way to make business connections. “I think once you know someone on a personal level, it’s easier to do business with them,” she says.

Businesses measure the return on trade show investments in myriad ways – everything from immediate sales to the number of business cards they collect – but following a few basic principles will make a company far more likely to succeed.

If you’re at a show to launch a new product, you will likely want to pick a show inhabited by prospective customers, either at other booths or on the floor. If you want to find new suppliers, you would probably do better at an industry-specific trade show.

Ensure your marketing team communicates their strategies to the trade show reps. “I think there’s often a disconnect between what the marketing team organizes and what happens on-site,” Cheney says.

Having strict trade show policies can mediate this. Some companies ban chairs for booth staff and provide a pedestal counter for them to lean on instead, thinking this will help them look more approachable. It is also very important to pick the right people to represent you. “It’s exhausting work, being on your feet for a long period of time, and there’s often social events in the evening. It can be a long day, but you still have to have a smile on your face,” says Cheney.

Be familiar with the layout of the trade show floor when preparing for the event, she adds. If you don’t want to be next to your competitor, make this abundantly clear to trade show organizers. At some trade shows, the price of a booth varies according to its location (island booths are usually pricey, for instance), but try to ensure your booth is highly visible.

To attract people to your table, giveaways work well. Recently, Cheney spotted hand-held electric fans displaying the name of the company in laser light. Also popular is anything “green,” like fold-up carry bags. Although, sometimes the value is less about the material item and more about the opportunity to hand something to a person and strike up a conversation.

To make the most of these fleeting encounters, ensure your company’s representatives are armed with a 30-second commercial to concisely communicate what you’re all about. “You should have a brief statement summarizing the benefits of your products and services.”

Paulson, the Edmonton speaker and business instructor, takes a different tack. “They’re already expecting a sales pitch,” she argues, and doing the opposite will surprise them. “Turn that around and find out who’s standing in front of you. They’ll remember you more when you do that.”

Though many of the people who approach your booth may be potential referral partners, it’s important to have a means of separating the strongest leads from those you’ll probably never do business with, she says. Have two door prizes: one for the general public, which can keep them occupied while you’re dealing with possible clients, and a draw for those who’ve purchased products at the show.

Remember who’s who with three jars under the counter: one for the business cards of possible referral partners, one for sales prospects and another for other relationships (like possible suppliers). Then follow up with them within a week of the show, ideally with a thank-you card in the mail. “It takes a little more effort than email, but it’s a little more personal,” says Paulson.

Final message: Identify your audience early on. Your audience will determine the shows you attend, the giveaways you offer and how you separate the tire-kickers from the serious customers.

Current Issue