| Trade shows are events which allow businesses to | | | | something you do). Basically, any information you feel |
| market their products and services to a variety of | | | | would help you "close the deal" should be included on |
| individuals. These can be setup in locations as small as | | | | the slip. |
| a school gym, or as large as a convention center. The | | | | Remember, your main objective here is to make your |
| question becomes: is it worth your time to setup a | | | | booth visually appealing. You want all those people |
| trade show booth? That's exactly what I want to | | | | walking through the trade show to be drawn to your |
| discuss. | | | | booth. |
| Over the years, I've participated in my share of trade | | | | If your booth is setup right, and the traffic at the trade |
| shows. So what I want to do is to relay my | | | | show is decent, you should be drawing quite a few |
| experiences with them and provide you with some | | | | visitors. I'm not going to lie to you. There will be some |
| firsthand knowledge to assist you in deciding if it is | | | | people who will only want to enter themselves in your |
| something worthwhile. | | | | drawing. At one trade show I actually had a lady come |
| There are 3-types of trade shows I have participated | | | | through with address labels. She told me flat out that |
| in: Health Fairs, large shows setup in a convention | | | | the only reason she came to shows was to enter all |
| center, and smaller local shows at schools. The main | | | | the drawings. She pasted her address label onto an |
| advantage of trade shows is the traffic they usually | | | | entry form and moved on to the next booth. UNDER |
| generate. I say "usually" because there have been | | | | NO CIRCUMSTANCES should you be rude to any |
| trade shows with very little traffic. In both of these | | | | individuals like this. You want to treat everyone with |
| cases, they were smaller, local trade shows. Obviously, | | | | respect and be pleasant. I know this should be |
| the more traffic at the trade show, the more people | | | | commonsense, but it bears repeating. The last thing |
| you have coming by your booth to get information and | | | | you want is for word to spread throughout the show |
| the more contacts you make. | | | | that "someone at the so-and-so-booth was very rude". |
| Depending upon the size of the show, there will be a | | | | As people come up to your booth, try not to be to |
| different cost. A smaller show may not cost much, but | | | | intimidating. Many times, they just want to see what |
| the side effect is that it may not generate much traffic | | | | your booth is all about. Think of how you feel when |
| either. A larger show which advertises the event | | | | you go to a store and are constantly hounded by |
| would probably generate a significant amount of traffic, | | | | salespeople. That's a perfect example of what you |
| but you can expect to pay more for that traffic. So | | | | don't want to do. |
| you need to weigh the costs involved. Personally, if | | | | Instead, make them feel comfortable as their guard is |
| you are just starting out you may want to consider a | | | | going to probably be up. You don't want to jump right |
| smaller trade show to "get your feet wet", as it is a | | | | into a sales pitch. Bring up something unrelated to your |
| completely different type of marketing. Think of it as | | | | booth such as the weather, something they are |
| speed-dating for your home business. You need to | | | | wearing, or how the day is going. At my last trade |
| spend an adequate amount of time with each contact | | | | show there happened to be a Brewers game going |
| to generate interest, but not too much time so you | | | | on at the same time. When someone would approach |
| miss out on making other contacts. | | | | our booth, I would simply ask "Hi, how's it going? Say, |
| If you decide to setup a trade show booth, I would | | | | do you happen to know how the Brewers are doing |
| recommend not going overboard. You will usually be | | | | tonight?". What this did is drop their defenses. You |
| given a 6? table to use, so make sure you cover it | | | | were no longer someone trying to sell them something, |
| with at least a nice table cloth. Add some literature to | | | | you were just a person they were having a |
| the table, but not too much. You don't want to | | | | conversation with. You would not believe the number |
| overwhelm the people coming through. I remember the | | | | of times I would finish a quick conversation with |
| first couple we did. We had so much information on | | | | someone and they would then say, "So, what have |
| the table, people really couldn't figure out what we | | | | you got going on here?". There's the opening you want. |
| were trying to promote. Less is more. | | | | You now have their interest. |
| If you sell some type of food product, try to have free | | | | The last item I want to bring up is actually the next |
| samples available. Individuals who attend trade shows | | | | point in that conversation. When they ask what your |
| LOVE free samples, and if you have good food | | | | booth is about, don't go into great detail. Give a very |
| samples the word will spread. If you are selling another | | | | brief statement that creates some interest, followed |
| type of product, try a small display of some of the | | | | by a question directed back at them. You want to |
| items you offer. For instance, if you are in nutritional | | | | keep the conversation going. So for instance, "Well, I |
| supplements you may want to setup a small display of | | | | market natural products for people with high blood |
| various bottles. | | | | pressure. Do you know anyone like that?". This has |
| Another MUST HAVE for your booth is some type of | | | | two effects: First, you are giving a very quick synopsis |
| contact list. Maybe you have a newsletter and would | | | | of what you are doing there, and second, you are |
| like to give people the option to join your mailing list. | | | | trying to keep the conversation going w/o putting them |
| However, the best results I have seen is to have | | | | on the spot. If they don't know of anyone, then you try |
| some type of giveaway. Put out a fishbowl, slips of | | | | to keep the conversation going with another question. |
| paper, and a few pens. Then put up a sign advertising | | | | But as I said before, you don't want to spend TOO |
| that you are giving away a product or service. | | | | much time, otherwise you'll miss out on other |
| Remember, attendees LOVE free stuff. But this has | | | | opportunities. You'll be able to tell within the first couple |
| an added benefit...when people sign up, you obtain their | | | | minutes whether or not they're interested. |
| contact information. You just generated a phone or | | | | Hopefully this has given you some insight into the world |
| email list for the small cost of whatever prize you are | | | | of trade shows. Whether or not to attend one is a |
| giving away. To make that information more valuable, | | | | personal choice, but I think it's worthwhile trying at least |
| include additional information on the sign up slips such | | | | one time. If the cost is a little high, maybe consider |
| as interest in your products, overall interest in your | | | | splitting the booth with another individual or two in your |
| industry (health, jewelery, books, etc), or even if they | | | | organization. Not only will it be cheaper, but you'll be |
| would be interested in hosting a party (if that is | | | | able to make more contacts. |