1. Set overall goals: Many trade-show participation efforts fail because marketers set goals only after deciding which show to attend-or even much later than that. However, setting goals is the first step in effective trade-show participation. You first must define what you hope to gain by attending a trade show. Only then can you properly select the right show to attend and design a proper strategy. It is useful to draw up a list of general objectives, which many include the following:
- learning about new market trends
- getting to know more about the current market
- getting to know competitors’ products and marketing strategies
- refreshing relationships with existing customers
- reestablishing relationships with former customers
- creating relationships with prospective and new customers
- introducing a new product
- finding suitable intermediaries for distribution channels
- be well run and well attended
- draw the kind of people who match your target market
- exhibit products that are comparable to your products
- generate high-quality leads
- include your competitors
- elicit considerable traffic
4. Get a good location and book the booth early: Ideally, this step should come right after setting up the budget, but sometimes, budgeting can be a time-consuming process, and you cannot wait. Booking a booth in a good location is fundamental to your success and must be done as early as possible.
5. Set up the budget: Develop a budget that will cover the costs of travel, promotional materials, freight, booth space, incidental expenses, etc.
6. Announce your participation to the world: Once you have booked a booth, start advertising your participation well in advance. Use every means possible within your budget to generate goal-oriented attendance. Some common techniques include:
- Sending messages to current customers as early as possible and continuing to send them until the show begins
- Sending messages to prospective buyers requesting their attendance at your booth
- Putting your advertisement in a noticeable position on the trade show information
- Putting PR notices on local radio or TV stations
- Putting up special bulletins on your website
- Taking advantage of any other advertising opportunities offered by the show’s organizers
- Advertising at local hotels that will be accommodating participants
Works Cited:
Deep, Sam and Lyle Sussman. Close the Deal: Smart Moves for Selling. Cambridge, MA: Perseus Publishing, 1999.
Vanderleest, Henry W. "Planning for International Trade Show Participation: A Practitioner's Perspective." SAM Advanced Management Journal 59, no. 4 (1994).
