Trade show ideas to sit up and take notice of.
Trade shows and expos are the bane of many business peoples life that has to contend with them, from the organising, the results required, to staffing the stall, then the logistics, the giveaways, the data base and so on. And what if you get asked to do a talk? Ohh it can all get too hard. Well here are a few pointers to give things the edge, (in no particular order) Remember a trade show is all about presenting the company in a good way (PR) and getting leads (preferably QUALIFIED leads).
- Be open - Chatting to people in an open and friendly way. Hi how are you instead of “Want to see what we can offer?” Often the good guys stack questions to get you started and then can’t stop. Make it easy for people to interact with you, don’t sell them, chat to them with the aim of building the relationship.
- A give away of a really decent Bottle of red wine… over $45 value. “ People give away cheap stuff all the time, but a good red can be a great winner for those that enjoy a red, for those that don’t, offer an alternative. I also suggest you avoid giving away your product, after all you want the chance to sell that. Remember it’s all about selling so you can make a profit. But entice people with a decent give away. The aim is to cause them to take interest.
- A non stop talking ‘brochure’ - Female/male, model material, “sex sells…” There can be a video of the product in the background and they are the eye candy and mouth piece all rolled into one. Sorry but it works… Some will say this is sexist, yet I still see it at trade shows all over the place, some do it better than others. Think about it, your target market may well want to chat to a young lady or guy that looks stunning rather than a stuffy suited CEO or some Sales Team sent to “prop things up” or because the “CEO wants to look good…” It’s about the company’s image not the CEO’s. Then use this relationship builder to get information from the prospect, test to see if they are interested in what you offer and then go the next step in the process and getting more data of value for a follow up, or not…
- Give these out freely-ish - A bright cap with a message and your logo, a brightly coloured lanyard with a story on a card fitted to the end (story and logo on the card). Make the card numbered for a prize every half hour or so… It causes them to want to come to your site and get one. Swap a business card or their contact details to get any of the freebies. This builds your presence at the event to more than just a display, people see hats, lanyards, etc all over the place. Note some items you might want to give away might be passe’ (some bags, and brochures can do that!) so make it stand out, after all you want to be remembered, RIGHT?
- Think about the message you want them to remember - Perhaps the trade show is a starting point or even a midway point if you can send them info before hand (knowing that you have a niche market), “See you at the show”. It’s all about the relationship that is being built, so build it well, from start to finish.
- Create a buzz - As Seth Godin says, “Create a Buzz but have it lead somewhere…” If there is a funny or memorable thing that happened at the event that people will remember, play on that afterwards in a follow up mail. E.g. in your 20 min talk… you might create an analogy (a story with meaning) and link to it in the mail out. You could even work the analogy into the intro material, use it in fliers on the stand, then talk about it in your presentation, and follow it through with some key tips in the follow up material. The analogy (if its a good one) could be the thing that sets you apart forever in your industry.
- Think “What if…” - You add a section to your web site so they can log in when they get home to discover more ways you can assist them (7 key points I did not tell you at the trade show…) they need to use a login that they can only get at the trade show and its on the lanyard, its valid only for 10 days on from the trade show and that’s it, so it has a sense of urgency to it, you read the stats and see how it went. - What if those that do not go to the show but are in this niche were to see a short sharp video or power-point to get a feel for what they missed out on. - What if they could get some other key points with another login to another section so the Co could see which one generated more leads… - What if you offered (even those that weren’t there) a life changing opportunity if they use your services (it’s a top secret educational holiday for 10 people on a tropical Isle with a guest speaker on communication and personal development skills training, or info on shares or investing or whatever your business offers.) Obviously for big-ticket items… land, buildings etc.
Oh and what should be in the display? How about a deck chair with a sign that says gone fishing! Some of us are too busy enjoying life to be here right now, want more info ask me how, then dress the sales team in Hawaiian shirts and have them wander the place giving out freebies in exchange for their business cards. (they can ask a simple qualifying question or three to make this work well).
So take the stress out of the situation and have fun, be seen as the one to make the event a breeze, enjoyable and exciting while letting all the others stress about the situation. Be creative, be open and think about getting results not just sore feet.
Stumble it!
know what i mean?
David Welzman: