Your company’s presence at industry trade shows is critical to winning in a highly competitive marketplace. Here are some pointers to consider as you approach the challenge of maximizing your trade show sales efforts:
1. Enlist the early interest and participation of your marketing director. He/she should be a dedicated promotional partner in getting your exhibit program launched.
2. If you do not have a communications department in your company, consider hiring a trade show exhibit company or an outside trade show marketing consultant. If you do not have the budget for a consultant, take the time to educate yourself and your sales team on the basic essentials of trade show selling.
3. Recognize the importance of trade show exhibiting, and give it your very best. Increasing numbers of business-to-business marketers adopt the trade show exhibit function as an increasingly valuable component of their promotional toolkits. In a study of the nine basic marketing approaches used by the nation’s top companies, trade show exhibits ranked number three in marketing dollars spent; behind advertising and sales promotions and ahead of sales force management, direct and online marketing, premiums, and public relations, among others. This means is you need to spend time and effort exhibiting at trade shows to remain competitive.
4. Set standards for trade show exhibit quality, design, and staff conduct to optimize your trade show exhibit area experience. A well-presented exposition area can be a very compelling attraction, especially if you make it a first-class event with strict standards for quality trade show displays with a set of guidelines. Portable and custom modular exhibits are now available through professional exhibit specialists, like ProExhibits, who handle the entire design and build function from initial graphics to delivery of the finished exhibit at the trade show site. New, lightweight materials and collapsible construction make assembly, breakdown, and shipping both easy and affordable.
5. Train your staff to effectively sell at your custom trade show booth. Keep in mind to whom you are exhibiting; what your specific message is; and what visitors to your trade show booth need to know about your product, service, or message. Practice your message with your staff to make it clear and brief. Be sure you have informed staff at your booth to answer specific questions in detail. They should be effective representatives for your company and have proper trade show booth etiquette—no eating, no lounging, and no chatting amongst themselves and ignoring client prospects.
6. Seek guidance from reliable sources. As the trade show exhibit industry has grown, so have resources for support for those interested in making trade shows function as an important part of their marketing efforts. As you plan your sales and marketing function, take a closer look at the added value of a well-conceived or upgraded trade show exhibit. In today’s business environment—where the high-tech conveniences of e-commerce and cell phones eliminate face-to-face encounters—your company is probably craving the high-class experience a trade show exposition can add to assist your sales team.
If you’d like assistance from a ProExhibits’s specialist, please contact us for a free consultation. It would be our pleasure to utilize our expertise and experience to maximize your trade show results.