Guide to Planning a Successful trade show

Set your trade show or event goals

Trade shows have many benefits, but it's important to determine ahead of time what you want to get out of your show.

I recommend: Choose from one of more of these common objectives:

- Generate leads from new prospects
- Generate new business from existing accounts
- Enhance your brand perception
- Launch a new product or service

Create a comprehensive pre-show marketing campaign

The biggest single mistake exhibitors make is to "just show up" at a show without any pre-show marketing. Trade shows require a significant investment of resources so you'll want to do your best to maximize the impact.

I recommend: Try one or more of the following:

- Send pre-show mailers to existing customers.  Most shows will provide free direct mail pieces to exhibitors -- take advantage of this!
- Promote your trade show attendance on your web site and company newsletters
- Send some email blasts to customers and prospects to help drive attendance.  This also builds your brand at the same time since trade show attendance gives an aura of  "realness" in this increasingly ephemeral world we live in.
- Generate buzz by launching a new product or service at the trade show.
- Setup press meetings at the show.  Shows are a great way to meet face-to-face with industry press and reporters including bloggers, editors, journalists, and broadcast media
- Issue a press release prior to the show to promote your exhibit.

Grab your audience with a great trade show display

Your display is the physical representation of your company and products and will be compared with your competition.

I recommend: Don't scrimp on your display.  Good graphics are one way to impress your audience while also getting your message across.  If budgets are tight you should allocate more to graphics than to the booth itself.  One way to get impact with a limited budget is a full mural pop-up trade show display (full disclosure:  I'm the owner of Impact Displays) or a pop up fabric display.
- Also be sure to work with a reputable display dealer that you can trust.  The last thing you want is to be stuck at a show without a quality display!  A couple of things to look for are:
  -- how long have they been in business?
  -- do they have their own graphic artists on staff?-- do they represent multiple product lines or are you stuck with only their branded product?
  -- does their sales staff seem knowledgeable?

Select the right trade show

make sure the show has the right audience and aligns well with your product or service.

I recommend: Carol Smalley wrote a good guide on selecting the right trade show.  One tip I'll add is to look at where your competitors are exhibiting as a good starting point.  You should also ask key customers which shows they like to attend.

Don't forget in-show marketing

Most attendees only have a few exhibitors selected prior to getting to a show so it's important to maximize your visibility at the show.

I recommend: - Hanging displays.  These allow you to be seen from anywhere on the show floor.  Just be sure to check on any show restrictions ahead of time.
- Advertise in show guides.  Most attendees use these to decide what they want to see and may also keep it as a reference guide for future purchasing decisions.
- Product showcases.  Depending on the location, these can also attract additional visitors to your booth. 
- New product announcements.  Include them in show guides, pre-show marketing, and press releases
- Fliers.  Consider handing out fliers on the show floor (but check for regulations -- or not : )
- Giveaways.  If you come up with a creative giveaway that's geared towards your audience people will line up to get to your booth.  One of the most memorable I've seen was a furry stuffed Frog that said "Did-it" when you pressed it.  My daughter loves it and it reminds me of the company whenever I see it.
- Raffles and contests are another great way to boost attendance at your booth.  Ideally people need to answer a question or two about your company or product to enter the contest.  It's amazing what people will do to win even something small like an iPod!
- Have a theater with scheduled demos to attract a crowd, educate the buyers, and get a buzz going.

Follow up. Follow up. Follow up

Don't forget the three most important steps of the trade show marketing cycle. Lack of follow-up is probably the single biggest mistake people make. I know because I've made it ! After a great show, it's natural to want to relax and reward yourself. That's OK, but do it AFTER you've followed up on all those great leads you've generated.

I recommend: - Put a process in place to make sure every lead is followed up.
- Send out reports to management with the results to make sure this task is getting the attention it deserves.