Get the Most From Your Trade Show Booth

Marketing Partners

Trade Shows
Get the Most From Your Booth - Part 2

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Get the Most From Your Trade Show Booth - Part 2
It's Showtime! You've sent out the mailings, prepared the staff, and put your booth through a dry run as we suggested in Part 1. Now it's time for the show, the Trade Show, that is.

Step 1: Set up your booth as early as possible. If you can do it the night before, do so. (But make sure you don't leave valuable items there overnight.) If the organizers only allow set up the day/days of the show, be early.

Make sure everything is perfect before the doors open to the public so you don't have to spend time putting the finishing touches on your booth with prospects milling about. (It's much easier to do if everything was planned well ahead of time, as we counseled in Part 1.)

Check the booths of your immediate neighbors. Make sure their set-ups don't conflict or intrude upon your booth. For instance, lights from their booths may be shining onto your displays, into your eyes, or into the eyes of your visitors. Likewise, make sure your display does not intrude upon them.

Step 2: Make sure you wear comfortable shoes. You'll be standing a lot. Actually, except for breaks when you are away from the booth, you should be standing all the time.

As we said in Part 1, NO SITTING BEHIND THE TABLE!! Sitting gives your visitors the impression you are not interested in them or their business. That obviously is not the impression you want to make.

You can change to tennis shoes or sneakers when you set up and break down the booth, but unless the theme of your booth warrants them, don't wear tennis shoes during the show.

Step 3: Double check to make sure you have enough business cards. This is really Steps 1, 2, 3 and part of a regular regimen throughout thetrade show.

Step 4: Meet all other exhibitors and tell them about your company. Other companies at the show may offer complimentary services or products. Try to meet as many of them as possible before the show and build on those relationships. It could result in extra visitors and business. Make sure you meet all other exhibitors sometime during the show.

Step 5: Keep your booth is staffed at all times. Two people is the preferred minimum.Larger shows may require more people. Leaving ypur booth unattended gives the same impression as sitting down on the job. You don't want to miss any opportunity to conduct business. (Also, people may feel that anything on the table is a free sample or giveaway.)

Step 6: Make notes on the cards you collect or have a form available. You want to make notes about:

Who they are

What you spoke about

And you want to make these notes as quickly as possible, not the day after the show.

These notes are important, as you'll soon see in Part 3 of our trilogy of Trade Show tips - the Follow-Up.

The Marketing Partner comments and submissions to info@mpus.com.

Previous issues are on our website at http://mpus.com/tmp/.

For republication contact Dave Fitton, 410-309-9686 or dave@mpus.com.

Marketing Partners Incorporated
9385 Gerwig Lane, Suite F
Columbia, Maryland 21046-1561 USA

410.309.0596
info@mpus.com

http://mpus.com/
Revised July 2011