Exhibitor  Tips

Exhibitor Tips : How to have a great show

Before the Show ideas

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Be sure to hold a sales meeting 2-4 months prior to the Show Informing them about the Show dates and have them begin using the show in there dialogue as conversation about creating excitement about attending the Show.

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Create a letter to send out to all your customers to invite them to the Show, be sure to mention to them your booth and if your are taking advantage of utilizing a seminar time slot include this as well.

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Take advantage of sponsoring some portion of the event. Again at the rate you are being charged the exposure to your targeted customer is immeasurable.

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Be sure to include in Advertising to come to the show and take advantage of show specials.

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Put together a Show Special or Package Deal, remember the people attending these shows are interested in a value and want something they can justify their purchase at this time and look forward to next years show. (i.e. free delivery, free color upgrade etc.)

At the Show ideas

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Get the most out of your booth space

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Make a display that attracts your prospect’s attention from 30–40 feet away.

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Design a booth that projects who and what your company will be like in the future. Be bigger and grander than you are now. Customers like progressive businesses.

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Think outside the box! You want your booth to be a “visual speed bump” for attendees passing by.

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Keep your signage simple and bold. Have brochures ready at your booth with more detailed information about your company.

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Place your table inside your booth, not at the front of it. You want your prospects to come inside and look around

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Send out literature before the show. Make your booth seem familiar to the consumers who come to the show.
Color Coordinate!

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If possible, lay nice carpet in your booth. Attendees will get tired of walking—you can invite them to stand on your comfortable carpet.

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Stand to the side of the display, not in front of it.

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If possible, put on a demonstration.

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Stand alert instead of sitting bored.

25 tips for your sales people

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Get the most out of your booth space

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SMILE!

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Set a goal for the amount of leads needed.

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Make sure your staff is positive and well-trained. 85% of your success at a trade show depends upon your staff.

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Be prepared with lots of sign-up sheets.

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Don’t sit or lay down in your booth. Be ready to be effective.

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Make eye-contact and greet with a smile—every person who stops by is a prospect for making you money.

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Don’t eat or drink in your booth—it is unprofessional. It may cost you money for lost leads.

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Network with other vendors.

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Be flexible—if the consumers aren’t stopping at your table, adjust your pitch to bring them in.

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Dress Sharp. The exhibitor should dress one step above the audience.

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Be prepared 1-2-3 weeks ahead of time. Each lead is worth money either to you or your competition.

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If possible, host a seminar.

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Offer a rebate or coupon

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Offer monetary or product giveaways.

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Be Bold.

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Shake hands with or tap your prospect on the shoulder.

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Let the client do the talking.

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Have lead cards ready so you can keep track of your prospects. Categorize them according to interest level.

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FOLLOW-UP with the leads you pick up at the show. 79% of all leads generated at a trade show are not followed-up.

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Focus on the visitor, not on your product or service.

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Do not socialize with other vendors. If your booth looks too busy or you are talking, prospects won’t stop.

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When addressing the prospect, ask open-ended questions, not questions that can be answered with a yes or no.

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Pay attention to what your competitors are doing.

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Realize that working your booth properly is comparable to spending $1,200 to $15,000 in advertising on the radio or TV.

Do’s

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Educate booth staffers. It is vital that staffers know thoroughly the products or services highlighted. An unanswered question is a sales killer.

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Look professional, be professional. Potential sales leads make split-second decisions about a company based on booth appearance and staff professionalism

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Set goals. Give staff members something to work toward. For example, set a number of leads to collect as a goal. Clearly defined goals focus staffers on productivity.

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Use handouts conservatively. Brochures and other materials are expensive. Also, staffers uncomfortable with strangers will use handouts as an out. Plus, many brochures get dumped quickly.

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It’s wise to send multiple representatives, yet use some to check out the competition and to sell to other exhibitors.

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Develop strict staffing times and rules, and enforce them.

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Make your booth inviting and comfortable to incoming consumers.

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Devise a lead generating system possibly utilizing a giveaway or contest.

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Clearly have your name identified on your booth and contact information on all your hand out materials.

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Smile and watch your sales increase.

Don’ts

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Sit, read, smoke, eat or drink in the booth.

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Ignore prospects by forming a cozy cluster and chatting with colleagues.

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Use a cell phone while visitors are around.

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Leave the booth unattended or leave without informing colleagues.

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Be late for booth duty.

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Close off conversation by crossing your arms.

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Stand with your back to the aisle

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Say “Can I help you.”

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Lean on booth furniture

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Drink alcohol or eat garlicky or spicy foods during the day.

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Use inappropriate language, complain about the show or about being at the show.

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Wear new shoes or high heels.

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Badmouth your competitors.

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Let the booth get cluttered, untidy, and unorganized.

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Be unprofessional.

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Don’t forget to follow up on the leads you gained at the show.