New Exhibitor Information

The following article was written by Jefferson Davis who runs Competitive Edge-an organization that helps companies improve their tradeshow performance and results.

So you've decided to exhibit at your first tradeshow? Congratulations! You've made a wise and prudent decision. Without question, tradeshows are one of your most effective sales and marketing media, if done properly. You can get more done in three or four days at the right tradeshow than you could in weeks or even months in the field, if you are prepared to take advantage of the many opportunities a show presents.

However, be forewarned - many exhibitors enter the concrete jungle unprepared and fail to take advantage of the opportunities. They end-up making "expensive appearances" that deliver no meaningful or measurable contribution to their company's sales and marketing objectives.

Here are 8 critical tips that will help you get off on the right foot and make tradeshows a highly productive and enjoyable experience and a profitable investment.

Get Clear About What You Are Really Buying: Most exhibitors think they are buying floor space, exposure, leads and so on. Successful exhibitors realize they are buying face to face contact in an environment strategically designed to facilitate interaction with a highly targeted market. Never forget this - it's about face!

Give Yourself Enough Time to Execute an Effective Exhibit: Many first time exhibitors sign-up for shows too close to show time. Ideally, you should sign up at least six months before the show to give yourself time to plan and prepare for a successful show experience.

Invest the Proper Amount in the Show: Another reason exhibitors don't get the return they expected is they don't invest enough money to make it work. The rule of thumb is floor space rental cost times three. Example: $2,500 floor space cost x three equals a $7,500 show budget.

Lay a Solid Foundation for Success: Many exhibitors rent space, send the exhibit, people, products and literature and hope things work out. Successful exhibitors ask this question: "At show closing time, within 90-180 days after the show, how we will know we were successful?" Their answers create the specific outcomes they desire, then they create plans for achieving those outcomes.

Read the Exhibitor Service Manual Carefully: This critical book, which goes mostly unread by many exhibitors, will answer many of your questions, and direct you to resources you need to execute your exhibit. Not reading this book can increase your costs by 40% or more because you may miss order deadline dates. Many service contractors offer an online version of the information contained in the exhibitor service manual. Regardless of where you go to get the information- READ IT!

Don't Throw a Party Without Inviting Guests: Only 15% of exhibitors use targeted pre-show marketing to identify and attract enough of the right people to their exhibit. Be one of the 15%. The competition for an attendee's time is fierce. The successful exhibitor gets on their target attendees "must-see" list before the show opens.

The Real Work Begins When the Show Closes: Exhibition industry research finds that only 13% of leads are followed-up. This is silently costing exhibitors hundreds of millions of dollars in unrealized business. Whatever you get at the show in terms of orders, is just the tip of the iceberg. The real product of a tradeshow for most companies is qualified leads.

Don't Judge a Show From One Attempt: If a show has enough attendees that match your ideal customer profile, you should not judge the ultimate value of the show from one attempt. You should commit to at least three consecutive exhibits before making any judgment on the real value of the show. If you have a good quality product or service, are in the right show and are doing the right things there is no way you can fail.

These eight tips combined with your desire and commitment to continually learn more about exhibiting will not only get you off to a fast start, they will put you in the top 10% of exhibitors. You won't make expensive appearances, you'll make money. And that's the bottom line!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Jefferson Davis, President of Competitive Edge is known as "the tradeshow turnaround artist". Since 1991, he has helped companies improve tradeshow performance and results. His clients have written over $450M in sales from their tradeshow investment. You may reach him at 800-700-6174 or www.compedgetraining.com.