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.

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.

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.

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

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.)

Get the most out of your booth space

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

If possible, put on a demonstration.

Stand alert instead of sitting bored.

Get the most out of your booth space

SMILE!

Set a goal for the amount of leads needed.

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

Be prepared with lots of sign-up sheets.

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

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

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

Network with other vendors.

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

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

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

If possible, host a seminar.

Offer a rebate or coupon

Offer monetary or product giveaways.

Be Bold.

Shake hands with or tap your prospect on the shoulder.

Let the client do the talking.

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

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

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

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

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

Pay attention to what your competitors are doing.

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

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

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

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.

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.

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

Develop strict staffing times and rules, and enforce them.

Make your booth inviting and comfortable to incoming consumers.

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

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

Smile and watch your sales increase.

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

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

Use a cell phone while visitors are around.

Leave the booth unattended or leave without informing colleagues.

Be late for booth duty.

Close off conversation by crossing your arms.

Stand with your back to the aisle

Say “Can I help you.”

Lean on booth furniture

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

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

Wear new shoes or high heels.

Badmouth your competitors.

Let the booth get cluttered, untidy, and unorganized.

Be unprofessional.

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