At the trade show, the employees manning your booth are the ambassadors for your company. They should be the ones who are personable, knowledgeable about the company and can think on their feet.
The image of your employees in your booth will be the image of your company projected to the crowd. A sharp and professional look will always help at a trade show.
Be sure to read the trade show materials ahead of time. Know the directions to the exhibition venue and the event schedule.
Make an effort to contact your local clients, suppliers, or anyone you do business with in the geographic area. Use social media and email to let people know that you will be there before the trade show day.
Drawing traffic is key to the success at a trade show. You have approximately four seconds to engage someone who is walking by.
Traditional ways of marketing are still effective. A price promotion, a show discount or free gifts at your booth never fail to serve as a traffic magnet.
Think of the trade show as a networking event. Always wear a name tag and a smile.
Have a good conversation and engage your customer. This is more effective than business cards in a fishbowl.
Be ready to make 10 sales presentations in an hour at the trade show, more than what would normally be delivered in a full day of selling. Get well rested the night before and stay hydrated at the event.
The great thing abouta trade show is that you have a chance to talk with people you’d never get to meet anywhere else. Anticipate who you are going to meet and what the conversation is going to be like. Having a 30-second engaging “elevator speech” at the ready could prove useful.
People come and go in front of your booth. One effective way to bring people back to you after they leave is to have promotional materials such as brochures available.
Connect with other exhibitors and get an idea as to what other people in your industry are doing.
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