There are so many shows going on right now and lots of pressure on the promoters to get the shows out there to the public. I just want to put my spin on it for all of you. For all promoters I know (with the exception of some of the larger shows that charge a lot of money), promotion is a big catch 22. We, of course want to promote and advertise. We dream of growing our business to the level of those larger, prestigious shows that are all over on tv, radio, papers etc. They are able to charge enough and have large enough venues to have many more vendors at shows...do longer shows, etc. There-in lies the problem. For these small/medium shows that are one, maybe two days if we are lucky...vendors cant afford to pay high prices for the booths or dont want to pay the high prices...so there just arent the funds for advertising. Radio, tv and even local papers cost thousands of dollars for their advertising. Because of this, I wrote something that Ive been trying to share with vendors. Keeping in mind that the smaller show promoters are limited to things like facebook advertising, craigslist, free listings on the newspapers websites in the community calendar, there are also things that the vendors can do to help. There are also tips that the vendors can keep in mind as they do these smaller shows to make them more successful. Heres what Ive compiled and I hope it helps vendors. There is also a document in my notes section for promoters or those thinking about doing shows with tips and links to the laws and regulations that Ive found out. Feel free to message me if Ive missed something because i can add to it. I hope you enjoy this one though and that its gives you a good prospective on promoters and shows. Tips for Making an Expo or Show Pay-off There are lots and lots of shows and expos going on. They are a great way to get to know customers and increase your client base. There are some tips to make the shows more profitable for you (and by profitable, I dont always mean the dollars you make at the show itself, but from future customers and purchases). 1. The reason for doing a show or expo is to get your name out there to customers. Customers arent always ready to purchase that second, so be sure to have something that they can take with them like business cards, brochures and catalogs. 2. Dont wait for the show to contact your target market. Shows work best when you contact your current client base and let them know you will be showing at a particular expo so that they can come shop at the convenient time and location. This can be done through social media or email marketing, but for your best clients, a phone call is always nice! I can not stress to you enough, how this step makes for a great show. When you sign up for a show, no matter what size, if you arent taking the time to invite your current clients or other potential customers you may have, you are missing a huge opportunity to keep them as a hot lead. 3. Dont assume customers will find you at the show. For my upcoming Valentines Expo, I am releasing the floor plan beforehand so that you can tell you customers where to find you in the building. 4. Make sure your booths appearance represents your company. Make sure its well put together and has good signage. Dont make people guess what you do. Make it inviting to walk up to your booth. Make sure its clean and free of debris and extra packaging. 5. Do a giveaway. Depending on the show, you may be able to set up a giveaway or raffle. Be sure to collect vital info from your potential clients like addresses and emails so that you can use the entries to grow your customer base. Dont forget, you are at the show to grow your client base. 6. Make sure yourself or anyone working in your booth is professional. Know your business and what you are selling. Make sure if you have help in the booth, they are dressed professionally and project the appearance that you want people to see when they view your company. 7. Know how to ask questions. Most people at shows are trying to push their products on people. When you sit back and ask the right question, your customer will inform you what they are looking for and make the sale to themselves. Dont over talk yourself and your products/services. Be informative after they let you know what they need. 8. Studies show that most trade show leads are never re-contacted or activated, which wastes the time and money you spend on the show. Show follow up should happen within a couple of days of the show...not several weeks later when they have had time to cool off. A good plan going into the show is not necessarily to have a monetary goal, but a goal of reaching a certain number of new clients and enlarging your client base. Getting your name out there and then following up will lead to long term growth instead of just the immediate cash sale.
Posted on: Sun, 10 Nov 2013 06:57:25 +0000
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