Trade Show Marketing isn’t complicated. It can be reduced to three simple rules. Everything else is a business decision. Here’s the difference: Buying a 10 ft. portable vs. 20 ft. custom island — that’s a business decision. Staying at the Hilton vs. the Quality Inn — that’s a business decision. Getting a professional presenter for the booth — that’s a marketing decision.
Confused? Here’s ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW about trade show marketing to be successful.
Rule #1. Problem and Solution.
Your message must state a problem and a solution, either explicitly or implicitly. Attendees are there to find solutions. They may not know they have a problem until you provide the solution. When Chrysler introduced the minivan back in the 80’s, their marketing focused on showing families that their vehicle was either too big or too small. In an attempt to be clever or creative, we forget we’re selling something. Selling is all about identifying needs and pains… and then providing the right solution.
Rule #2. Get Noticed.
It’s called a “show” for a reason. You spent money to be seen at the show. BE SEEN! Does that mean dressing in a clown suit and standing in a booth made of balloons? No, unless that’s your culture (or you are selling balloons). Most companies approach trade show exhibits and graphics like they’re buying a mid-priced sedan: “I’d like a Honda Accord in silver.” Take a chance. You want to be different. That doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be practical and contain everything you need to showcase your product or service. Even Melba Toast doesn’t have to be Melba Toast at a trade show.
Does your product lend itself to a professional presenter? That’s one way to get noticed.
Pre-show marketing. There’s no better way of getting seen than by developing a pre-show campaign that drives attendees to your booth. In today’s Internet-driven, social media-focused market, getting someone’s attention before the show is as important, if not more important, than being seen at the show.
Rule #3. The Right People.
If you bring ten people to the show, at least six are the wrong ones. Why?
They don’t know the products and services
They don’t have charismatic people skills
They are not personally invested in the show results
They did not participte in the pre- or post-show planning.
Two out of four doesn’t cut it. A trade show isn’t a vacation. It’s a strategic investment.
You’ll often hear that 80% of trade show leads are wasted. I don’t know if that’s true, but I do know that bringing the right employees to the show solves that problem. The right employees won’t let a lead sit on someone’s desk or be forgotten on a jump drive. They’re relentless about post-show follow-up because they understand how much time, effort, and money went into planning and participating in the trade show.
Want to be a trades how star? Focus on these three rules. Everything else, while important to your bottom line, your ego, or your HR Department, is just a business decision.
Based in Portland, Oregon, Classic Exhibits Inc. designs and manufacturers portable, modular, and custom-hybrid exhibit solutions. Classic Exhibits products are represented by an extensive distributor network in North America and in select International markets. For more information, contact us at 866-652-2100 or www.classicexhibits.com
Like me, you probably attend multiple shows every year and each one has its own unique trade show odors. The larger the show, the more the sensory overload. It can be overwhelming, but for most of us, the excitement and opportunities makes it all worthwhile.
It’s tempting to focus on the sights and sounds, but trade shows are about other senses as well, such as taste, touch, and smell. We don’t often think about the familiar “smells” of trade shows, but there are many, which we all recognize as pleasant or unpleasant. Indulge me for a minute as I explore the olfactory sensations common to most trade shows and events. In other words, what stinks and what doesn’t.
1-5 Smells
What Smells? Pleasant and Unpleasant Trade Show Odors
B.O. You knew this would be on the list. Go ahead, call me a brainwashed, overly-sanitize consumer of the antiperspirant consortium. I accept that label. But I don’t think I’m alone in being repelled by the acidic pungency of B.O. I can deal with mild, slightly sour B.O. but the clingy stench that leaps from the B.O.’er to your clothing in milli-seconds is totally unacceptable.
Peppermint. Mints are the 6th food group at trade shows. They are everywhere from standard star mints to licorice mints and from packaged promotional mints to over-the-counter mints. Thank goodness for mints. I am especially thankful for Altoids, the nuclear bomb of mints. One Altoids has the power to create a nearly impenetrable minty force field (with one exception – see #10).
Hangover. This smell varies from person to person. On a scale of 1-10, with one being OK and ten being gross, here are three examples:
#1 – Musky. This person got home late, had a few too many drinks, and may have been in a smoky bar.
#5 – Vodka sweats. Not only is alcohol still in their bloodstream, but they are perspiring booze. Whether you like it or not, you’re sharing every fancy martini they had last night . . . but with a hint of salt.
#10 – Vomit (mingled with the above). Enough said.
Propane Fumes. Most forklifts and hi-lifts at convention halls use propane as fuel. The smell isn’t necessarily offensive, particularly if it’s only momentary. It’s the combination of the smell and the heat from the exhaust at a summer show which can be overwhelming. I know they make electric forklifts. With all due respect to Hank Hill and the Strickland Propane Co, I prefer electricity.
Windex. This smell varies depending on the brand and the cleanser, but the unmistakable aroma of cleaning solvents permeates every show hall when the doors officially open. If you’re a germaphobe, it’s the equivalent of crack cocaine.
6-11 Smells
Fresh Baked Cookies. Fresh-baked chocolate chip cookies have become a trade show staple for many exhibitors. It’s a smart idea, but you have to be willing to feed not only prospective customers but also every other exhibitor within a 500 ft. radius Just writing about it makes me want to drive to the mall and purchase a half-dozen cookies at Mrs. Fields. Yum! (ditto — popcorn)
Men’s Cologne/Women’s Perfume. Before anyone corrects me, I know there is some hoity-toity difference between cologne and perfume, but I’m lumping them together anyway. Personally I don’t mind the scent of cologne/perfume, but I emphasize “scent.” It should be subtle. Recall my earlier observation about B.O. This applies to perfume and cologne as well. If your cologne causes someone to visibly wince in pain, then you may want to scale it back a gallon or two.
Feet. Your feet. Not others. Most of us are desk jockeys. We’re not accustomed to walking the show floor or standing for hours. We’re weak. I’m not saying your feet stink, but your may want to add a little Industrial Strength Odor Eaters to your shoes before and after the show. And don’t even think about wearing those socks more than once. Show some mercy.
Carpet and Visqueen Vapors. Visqueen is the plastic covering used to protect carpet from general abuse and tire marks during installation. Both carpet and visqueen give off vapors. New carpet in particular can be vapor intensive. Some folks love that smell. Then again, some folks love the smell of gasoline. I don’t get it frankly.
Bad Breath. Yikes. Combine alcohol, coffee, late nights, and a travel toothbrush and you have the perfect petri dish for bad breath. Mints help to mask the odor, but even mints can’t subdue halitosis that’s become a living, breathing alien organism. With family, you can hand them dental floss, a toothbrush, and Listerine, but with colleagues and strangers you pretty much have to gut it out. I once had a colleague hand a customer three Certs and then smile. Seriously. I’m not that brazen.
Desperation. Nothing smells worse than the exhibitor who leaves all the planning for the plane ride. No pre-show marketing. No review of the graphics. Incomplete forms faxed two days before the show. No scheduled meetings with clients. Four days later, the show is about to end, and there aren’t enough leads to fill a shot glass. If they are honest, they’ll regroup and do better job next time. If not, they’ll do what every lazy, worthless, sad-sack exhibitor does . . . blame it on the show and the ineffectiveness of trade show marketing. Now that stinks!
No doubt, I’ve missed some obvious trade show smells. I encourage you to share your smells . . . that didn’t come out quite right. Let’s give it one more try . . . I invited you to share your observations and stories about smells. What odors do you associate with trade shows. The Good. The Bad. The Really Ugly.
Based in Portland, Oregon, Classic Exhibits Inc. designs and manufacturers portable, modular, and custom-hybrid exhibit solutions and engineered aluminum extrusions (ClassicMODUL). Classic Exhibits products are represented by an extensive distributor network in North America and in select International markets. For more information, contact us at 866-652-2100.
Trade show booths with clever, interactive games are often the most popular destinations on the show floor. Attendees want to have fun while conducting business.
If you haven’t visited the Games & Digital Activations gallery in Exhibit Design Search, you might be surprised by the varied offerings. It includes 12 games with digital activations by Captello — like Memory Match, Invaders, and Wheel of Riches — along with interactive kiosks by Popshap.
Not sure which game is the right choice. Then click on the demo links and spend the next 2-3 hours “researching” games for future clients. Your boss will be happy you invested the time to become an expert in Whack-a-Mole.
Reminder
Contact Captello and Popshap for information about their products and how to place your order. Same process as with the other strategic partner galleries in EDS (Taylor, Brumark, DS&L, and CORT). Be sure to tell them you’re a Classic Distributor.
For the Classic Designers, delivering a design that meets all the client’s needs — functionally, aesthetically, and fiscally — is the ultimate goal. Collectively, our designers have over 30 years of industry experience designing trade show exhibits and graphics. We understand that most clients are not immersed in exhibit or graphic design, so the process can be challenging. But it doesn’t have to be. We are here to help!
5-ish Design Red Flags
Occasionally, we get an ambiguous request that requires Mind Reading. Which is understandable. We all come from different levels of experience. Thankfully, we are pretty good at addressing these requests before they become frustrating for everyone. But… that doesn’t mean there aren’t a few “Design Red Flags.” Here are some we’ve identified over the years.
#1. I Need This by Tomorrow
Good design takes time. Great design takes even more time. Think back to college. Did cramming for that psychology test result in an A? Probably not. There’s a process. Not to mention there are other design deadlines already in the queue. It’s not that we can’t do it if our schedules allow. And we want to, but we want to do it right.
#2. My Client Wants Five Completely Different Options
Clients like to see options, and this can be achieved by showing them portfolio images, discussing their objectives, and defining a budget. In the end, the client is only going to buy one booth, one that matches their marketing goals and budget. One spectacular design is better than five OK designs, if it is on point and includes revisions. Choose a designer who can delve into the project and deliver exactly what the client needs.
#3. If I Like It I’ll Find the Money to Buy It, So Design with an Unlimited Budget!
No client has a truly unlimited budget. They might have lots of resources, but there will be a limit. Our advice, throw out an exhibit budget number and gauge their reaction: $50,000 for a 10×10? Either they’ll nod and say “Go for it!,” or they’ll take a big gulp and reveal their actual budget — $8K, $15K, $25K. Perfect, now the designer can give the client the best 10×10 they’ve ever seen within their budget.
#4. I’ll Know It When I See It — a.k.a., IKIWISI (pronouced icky wishy)
Design is not a poker game where revealing your hand is a disadvantage. Most clients have an idea of what they want, or at least what they want to achieve. At a minimum, they know their product/service and how it should be presented. Every designer loves the opportunity to be creative, but a guessing game is the exact opposite of creative. Whether you are paying for design or not, there is a cost. The cost can be as simple as frustration, revisions, and unmet expectations.
#4b. You’re the Creative One. Whatever You Think is Best.
This is a version of #4. Yes, we are the creative ones. We are designers and we take pride in that. HOWEVER, everybody is different, we all have our likes and dislikes. While we want to use our creativity to reflect your likes and dislikes, we can’t if we don’t know you or what you want.
#5. The Client Wants a Rental, But I’d Like to Show Them a Purchase Option
We understand the motivation. A purchase is more expensive than a rental. But it’s not a very good sales strategy. It’s another way of saying, “I don’t really know what my client wants so I’ll give them multiple options.” See Red Flag #2 above. Designers like to design, but what often gets forgotten is that designers want their designs to sell. We want our work to mean something, to come to fruition. When our designs sell, it validates our talent and our efforts.
So what’s the exact opposite? Clear communication and specific goals. At Classic Exhibits, we want you to succeed. We know you don’t live in exhibit design every day, so the process can frustrating. We also know that your best path is to work with industry professionals and to tap into Exhibit Design Search for ideas. Exhibit Design Search is a terrific place to see ideas and price points.
Over the years, we’ve learned there are three keys to a winning designand a happy customer.
Understand Your Trade Show Goals and Have a Budget in Mind.
Work with a Trade Show Professional Who Can Guide You.
Whenever Possible, Communicate Directly with the Designer.
Best of all, no nightmares . . . for you or for your very favorite designer. Have questions about exhibit design, give us a call or send us an email.
TheClassic Exhibits Design Department
**********************************************
Based in Portland, Oregon, Classic Exhibits Inc. designs and manufacturers portable, modular, and custom exhibit solutions. Classic Exhibits products are represented by an extensive distributor network in North America and in select International markets. For more information, contact us at 866-652-2100 or www.classicexhibits.com.
If you’ve ever attended a trade show, you have an opinion about trade shows, trade show marketing, or exhibit design. I won’t try to dispel every myth, but here are 10 Common Myths about Trade Shows.
1. Trade Show Marketing is Marketing.
Yes and no. If you are a skilled marketer, you will grasp the nuances of trade show marketing, but it will take time. Most marketing managers gravitate to their strengths by focusing on the structure, the graphics, or the show promotion and planning. Intellectually, they know these are interconnected, but they may not know how to maximize their results. Work with professionals, whether it’s a graphic designer, an exhibit consultant, or a certified trade show manager. Trade show exhibit marketing is a craft learned the hard way through trial and error. It’s easy to burn through a lot of money before you figure out what works and what doesn’t. Don’t stumble through a year or two of mistakes when exhibit experts can save you time, money, and embarrassment.
2. Trade Show Labor is Hostile, Incompetent, and Expensive.
10 Common Trade Show Myths
Again, yes and no. No one will dispute that trade show I&D can be expensive, particularly in certain well-known venues. However, most I&D contractors are very competent. They can solve almost any last minute trade show display crisis. You may disagree with the show hall rules regarding labor regulations, but the actual laborers in your booth didn’t write them. If you disagree with the rules, don’t take it out on the person assembling your display. Contact your I&D labor provider or show management.
This is a sad but true fact regarding show labor at most trade shows. If three people are assigned to your booth, one person will be a star, one person will be average, and one person will be a zombie. Hire nine people and you are guaranteed to have three stars and three zombies. Sometimes you get lucky, and the ratio works in your favor. Sometimes not.
You have the power to control your labor costs, beginning with exhibit design. Consider assembly and packaging during the design phase. Are the components labeled, can it be packed without relying on a 20 page manual, and are the packaging materials reusable?
3. Anyone Can Staff a Booth.
Too often, companies send the wrong folks to work the trade show booth. Even worse, they don’t train them. Not everyone has the temperament, the knowledge, or the discipline for a trade show. Here’s my rule: Find those employees with previous retail sales experience who love assisting customers with product or service solutions. It doesn’t matter if they are in Sales, Marketing, Engineering, or Production. What matters is their attitude and their knowledge.
Want to know who not to send? “Joe.” Every company has a “Joe.” He drinks too much, he gambles too much, and he wanders around too much. About a half a dozen times a day, you’ll wonder what happened to Joe. Five minutes ago he was sucking down his third espresso, leaning on the counter, and ogling anything with two X chromosomes. Suddenly he’s gone . . . AGAIN!
4. Trade Shows are One Big Party.
For some companies, that is true. They wine and dine customers to excess, party until daylight, and don’t attend any show sponsored events.
Inevitably, those are the same companies that grumble about their trade show ROI. They spent “X” but can only measure “Y” sales from the show. When you ask them about their pre-show promotions, their lead qualification, their client meetings at the show, and their follow up with prospective customers, you get a big “DHuh?” They didn’t plan their trade show marketing program, and now it shows.
5. Trade Shows are a Waste of Time.
If you love sitting in a cubicle all day creating spreadsheets, then trade shows make not make sense to you. You fly to desirable locations like Las Vegas, San Francisco, Orlando, New York, New Orleans, or Chicago. You have to meet people, listen to their needs, talk about your company, stand on your feet, and generally be helpful, pleasant, and knowledgeable. Even worse, you may have to join clients for breakfast, socialize with them after show hours, mingle with potential suppliers, and attend educational seminars about your industry. That’s really tough
You either embrace the opportunity to build sales and learn something new, or you grumble about the airport, the food, the hotel, and the hassle of time away from the office. It’s all about your attitude.
6. Trade Show Displays are Expensive (Part 1).
Very true, but so is almost any investment in capital equipment or advertising. Let’s explore this from another perspective. Let’s say your company purchased an $18,000 inline display (10 x 20). Then, let’s assume your company participates in four trade shows a year and you expect the booth to last five years. Now, take the average cost per show including show space, literature, airfare, hotels, meals, entertainment, transportation, and labor. If you are frugal, you’ll spend:
$25,000 per show
Multiply that by 20 shows (4 shows x 5 years) = $500,000
Then divide the booth cost $18,000 by the $500,000 in expenses
= 4.3% which is the display cost to total expenses
Let’s take it to the next step. Your company takes trade show marketing seriously (and you should). You conduct pre-show promotions, you send the right folks to the show, and you aggressively follow up on all leads. You expect the show to generate sales (or you wouldn’t be participating). On average, you demand $150,000 in new sales from each show. $150,000 x 20 shows = $3,000,000 in sales.
Based on those numbers:
$500,000/$3,000,000 = 16% trade show cost to sales
$18,000/$3,000,000 = 0.6% display cost to sales
I don’t know about you, but those numbers look pretty good to me. And unlike magazine, television, or direct mail advertising, they’re measurable if you put the right metrics in place.
7. Trade Show Displays are Expensive (Part 2).
Probably 60 percent of all trade show displays never go to large, industry shows in Las Vegas, Orlando, or Chicago. The owners take them to Chamber of Commerce mixers, local business shows, corporate events, regional industry shows, and hiring and recruitment fairs.
At these shows, you won’t see island exhibits, but you will see pop ups, table tops, banner stands, and lightweight hybrids. These displays range in price from under $200 for a basic banner stand with graphics to $8000 for an upscale portable hybrid. Considering the cost of most advertising, buying a trade show display is a bargain that you’ll use for years and years.
8. All Shows are the Same.
Really? If your experience has been that “all shows are the same,” you may be approaching every show EXACTLY the SAME. Not every show has the same audience. There may be similarities, but the attendees vary even in shows focusing on the same industry.
If you are serious about trade show marketing, then contact show management and request attendee and exhibitor data. Have them describe the goals, mission, and audience of the show. Then go to the next step and ask for exhibitors who have been loyal to that trade show for many years. Assuming they are not competitors, contact the Marketing Manager or Trade Show Coordinator. Ask them why they attend, how they tailor their message to the audience, and how that message differs from other shows. And then do what professional marketers do . . . create a message, design appropriate graphics, and plan a pre-show, show, and post-show campaign.
9. Trade Show Leads are a Waste of Time.
Leads can be a waste of time if: a) You collect business cards in a fishbowl for a cool product giveaway like an iPad, b) You don’t qualify the attendees who visit your booth (or jot down their needs), and c) You don’t contact them until a month or two after the show.
More than anything else you do at a trade show, your lead quality is a byproduct of your pre-show planning, booth staff training, and timely post-show follow-up. There is a direct correlation. A trade show is a salesperson’s nirvana, namely a captive audience that spent money to see you.
Now, you may get lucky and acquire a game-changing customer while sipping coffee, clipping your fingernails, and chatting with co-workers. But that’s rare. Finding good customers takes time, enthusiasm, knowledge, and patience. You have to be at your best because they can (and will) walk down the aisle and find another solution.
10. Virtual Trade Shows will Replace Real Trade Shows.
There is a place for virtual trade shows just as there is a place for dating websites. But at some point, you have to meet in person. And unless you’re looking for a mail order spouse, you’re not going to get any action unless you shake hands, look one another in the eye, and share your story face-to-face.
Want to learn more about trade shows, trade show marketing, and displays? Click here for more than 80 expert articles.
