The Keys to a Successful Trade Show: Customer Service
Advicertainment by M. Christine Delea
Taking care of business means taking care of your customers. Giving them your time and attention and always being courteous. It can all be done — or at least started — at trade shows. You want your customers to look at your booth and think that nobody does it better.
What’cha Gonna Do
Conventions and trade shows can be overwhelming and a bit frightening. There are a lot of people, an overwhelming amount of noise, too much recirculated air, and by mid-afternoon you cannot tell the diamonds from the rust. It can be tiring to the point that you start daydreaming about napping. But don’t get so far away that you neglect those who still have the energy to stop in at your booth.
So, how do you make the trade show experience valuable for customers and successful for you? What are you going to do?
First, your customers, as well as your colleagues, deserve your undivided attention. After a couple of days, attendees may be tired and possibly cranky. Same with you. But your smile and your eyes should say, they don’t know. Even if you end up listening to someone’s life story, keep your phone off and your smile on.
Don’t Stop
Second, take good notes when people talk to you, especially if you’re tired. Don’t stop at name, company, and title. Listen “between the lines,” and hear what they are saying about their business needs and wants. Those notes will help once you are back home, remembering the last time you saw him.
Don’t make people wait. No one should have to knock three times to get you to say, “How do you do?” Everyone should be greeted the second they appear at your display. And every gesture, no matter how small, deserves a hearty “Thank You!”
The Show Must Go On
Finally, here are some easy suggestions. Be sure to give your business card to everyone. Always post photos and observations on your company’s Facebook and corporate website. Tweet and pin as often as possible.And, take lots of pictures of your booth and your customers.
The show must go on, but you — and everyone you have contact with — will have a much better time if you have a frame of mind that puts attendees first.
Who knows, you may even go dancing in the moonlight to some Classic 1970s tunes. It’s all part of the super time you’ll have of participating in a trade show.
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.
The Keys to a Successful Trade Show: Las Vegas and Money
Advicertainment by M. Christine Delea
Eventually, you will find yourself at a trade show in Las Vegas. Before you hit the road, make sure your booth is up to the magic moment.
It’s time to consider a new exhibit, new graphics, and an updated approach to your trade show marketing. If you are truly honest with yourself, you know the same old song won’t attract customers.
It’s Not Unusual
Change your presentation. Anything from letting someone else take the creative lead to creating new brochures will be a step in the right direction. Unusual giveaways and interactive booth pitches are also a clever way to make sure that lightning strikes. Because under all the glitz and glitter what you are selling has to have substance, has to be truly new and improved, and has to be worth your customer’s time. It’s all about respect — you get what you give on the trade show floor.
Careful planning will ensure you bring exactly what you need to succeed. This includes everything from brochures to business cards, electrical chargers to comfortable shoes. Yes, most things can be bought in Vegas, but shopping on the Strip comes with a steep price. In the hustle and bustle of a trade show, you won’t time to shop around for a bargain.
Stay a Little Bit Longer
Speaking of money… as with any other expensive destination, there are ways to lessen the sticker shock of Vegas. It might be worth it to stay at an off-Strip hotel. Check out the free shows and less well-known entertainment venues. Fremont Street has casinos and restaurants where you can wine and dine clients less expensively than on the Strip.
People get ready — Some may balk at the cost, but the benefits of exhibiting are worth it. You won’t be crying over money if you realize this is a marketing investment, one that requires planning and a strategy.
Fun, Fun, Fun
The money you spend going to trade shows is a lot less than the money you would spend going to Old Orchard Beach, Wichita, West Islip, Boring, Yazoo City, Albert Lea, Truth or Consequences, Big Ugly, and everywhere else you have customers. At trade shows, your customers and potential customers come to you.
You can work out a budget for Vegas that is realistic and do-able. There’s no need to exist on candy bars and trail mix from home, but you don’t need to blow the entire year’s budget, either.
With budgeting, you can be a neon cowboy in Vegas. Who knows, you may even go dancing on Fremont Street to some Classic 1960s tunes. It’s all part of the fun of participating in a trade show.
Don’t forget to follow up on those leads after the show.
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.
What’s the biggest mistake that exhibitors make? They wing it rather than plan. It could happen to you. Maybe you don’t know what to expect, or you just need a refresher. Here is some friendly trade show marketing advice with a few entertaining music videos along the way. Enjoy!
Put the same time and effort into your booth as you do with the clothes you wear. Orange sneakers with pink shoelaces? Perhaps. Short shorts? Probably not. A LBD by Coco Chanel? An Italian suit? Much better.
Unforgettable
Think about your display the same way. It needs to be unforgettable, for all the right reasons. Attendees shouldn’t leave your booth space thinking ain’t that a shame. It shouldn’t be all glitz with no substance or simply not up to the standards of your competitors. Do your research and work with a professional.
Your booth design should explain your product, your brand, and your company’s personality — quickly. The graphics should entice, inform, and entertain. The unexpected is a plus, especially if you attend trade shows on a regular basis — Johnny One Note gets dull fast. Your booth should invite people in. In essence, it should say c’mon everybody! Come over here for something special!
Only You
Give yourself enough time before the show to think about your message and your audience. Only you know how long this will take, because only you know what has already been done.
Worried about what to say? Put your ideas down on paper and practice them but don’t over-rehearse. You don’t want to sound like a robot. But you do want to make yourself comfortable as you review your products and services with attendees.
What a Difference a Day Makes
Everyone on your team should be prepared, know their responsibilities, and be able to answer questions. You know what a difference a day makes. Don’t let an unprepared colleague feel as if they are stranded in the jungle.
With a little pre-planning you’ll be a superstar at your next show. Who knows, you may even want to go dancing to some Classic 1950s tunes. It’s all part of the thrill of participating in a trade show.
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.
Some marketers will hint at it. Others will grumble. Then there are the ones who are honest. They simply don’t understand trade show marketing. That’s not surprising. It’s rarely taught on the undergraduate or graduate level. At best, it’s mentioned in passing in a textbook. I know. After earning an MBA, I went to work for an exhibit builder. On Day 1, I was clueless.
I’d love to say that trade show marketing is marketing but that’s not entirely true. It’s odder, less compact, and more unpredictable than other forms of marketing. And, depending on the company, it can be more difficult to measure results.
3D vs. 2D
Marketing has traditionally been 2D: print and television, brochures, websites, etc. It’s also been static and somewhat controllable. Trade show marketing or face-to-face marketing is as much about human interaction as the message or the branding. It’s about creating conversations, before, during, and after the show. Then there’s the booth design. That’s outside most marketers’ comfort zone and the dollars involved make it even scarier. It’s easy to panic when the costs begin to hit six digits for even a modest island exhibit.
Variable Measurements
Unlike print, television, or web ads, there are no standards or no reliable source for subscriptions, ratings, or clicks. Counting leads works, but it’s a crude measurement. More sophisticated exhibitors track pre-show promotions, leads, and sales through the entire sales channel, but they are the exception.
Competitors
Trade shows are truly a competitive sport when it comes to marketing. It’s the one time you and your competitors are all in the same room, all vying for the attention of the same audience. You see what they’re doing… and vice versa.
Uncontrollable Variables
No one likes unpredictability when it comes to their marketing campaign and implementation. Yet, despite one’s best efforts, trade shows can be chaotic. Freight doesn’t arrive on time. Items are broken. Flights are cancelled. An exhibitor on the far side of the exhibit hall is giving away beer and sandwiches. The exhibitor nearest you has their music so loud you can’t talk to potential clients without shouting.
Unfamiliarity/Knowledge
Most medium-sized companies participate in two to five trade shows per year. Some as few as one. That makes it challenging to become an expert quickly. Plus, each show may not only have a different audience, but also different rules, layout, and resources. Too often, when the internal “expert” understands how to maximize the company’s trade show efforts, that person is assigned to other responsibilities. Then someone new has to start fresh.
Sales and Marketing
Before, during, and after a trade show, sales and marketing must be partners at dance. You’re a team. Face-to-face marketing requires sales skills and marketing expertise perfectly choreographed. And no matter how much sales and marketing claim to play nice, there’s always a wall at most companies. It’s that wall that dooms most exhibitors from fully benefiting from their trade show program.
So how do you become an expert at trade show marketing?
Go to trade shows as often as possible as an attendee. Ask questions and listen to what works and what doesn’t. Plus, be willing to take classes at industry events about trade show marketing, even if you goal isn’t to become a trade show certified manager.
Rely on your local trade show professional. If they only know how to sell you a display, but not how to succeed at trade show marketing, then find someone else.
Tap into industry consultants. These folks know how to avoid the potholes and the meandering paths so often taken by trade show exhibitors. You can find them in LinkedIn, Google, or by simply asking your local vendor.
Plan to succeed. Create a comprehensive plan that targets pre-show, show, and post-show marketing and put specific goals in place for each one.
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.
Do you believe the expression “There’s no substitute for experience”?
Let’s say you live in Topeka, KS. You’ve tried all the pizza shops in Topeka and have concluded that Johnny’s Pizza is the best pizza — anywhere. I could be wrong, but I suspect there are a few New Yorkers, Bostonians, or Chicagoans who would disagree. But what do they know… they haven’t tried Johnny’s Pizza.
We’ll concede that you know Topeka pizzas. Now, it’s time to buy a trade show display. Unlike lawn mowers, cameras, or smartphones, there’s no Consumer Reports and your experience is limited. So, you do your research on the web, and if you are smart, you consult with a trade show exhibit professional. You ask the right questions about design, assembly, and how much it weighs. You even ask to see the warranty.
However, there are questions you won’t ask. How do I know? Because no exhibit manager has ever asked me these questions… and they should.
Q1. Will the Metal Look the Same After 10 Shows?
Have you ever bought a screwdriver at a discount store only to have the tip twist? So you throw it away and realize that a Kraftsman isn’t a Craftsman. About 60-70% of all trade show exhibits have a skeleton of aluminum extrusion. Sometimes it’s visible, sometimes not. The dirty little secret is that it’s cheaper to use low quality extrusions with thin walls and a sub-par finish. Over time, it distorts, mars, and looks tarnished. Your new booth becomes a used booth before you’ve wrapped-up your current marketing campaign.
Ask about the manufacturer of the extrusion? There are recognized names and then there are Kraftsman. You may not recognize the name but that’s the beauty of Google. If someone tells you, “an extrusion is an extrusion,” walk away.
Q2. What’s the Quality of the Fabric Graphics
The rise of Fast Fashion has revolutionized the apparel industry (think H&M and Forever 21). There’s a market for disposable fashion. It’s cheap and attractive. But no one expects it to last or have the attention to detail of high-quality apparel.
Fabric for graphics, like clothing, is not all the same. Most inexpensive displays are shrouded with thin, stretchy fabric made with low quality zippers or cheap velcro. And yes, there’s a pecking order to hook and loop as well. The fabric graphic is meant to be disposable… even if it’s not sold that way. You can feel the difference. Trust your hand.
Q3. What’s the Quality of the Fabric Printing
One ever thinks about this but they should. Dye-sublimated printing, the predominant type of printing for fabric graphics, is a high-tech process. And with any technology, the latest and greatest is old news in about 12-18 months. The previous generation of dye-sub printers get sold to second or third-tier printers. If you’ve ever seen the difference between an HD dye-sub graphic and a 4-color one, you know what I mean. Skin tones are more realistic. Black is black not dark grey. There’s no color banding . You get the picture.
Ask when was the printer was manufactured (not re-manufactured or purchased). And even if it’s only been owned by a little old lady in Pasadena and stored in a garage, it’s still an AMC Hornet.
Q4. Is the Packaging Material Reusable?
You just bought a new pair of Beats by Dre headphones. They sound great, but you’ve decide you want them in black and not fushia. Good luck getting it back in the packaging. It was meant for marketing, not for re-marketing. Far too many trade show displays are packed to prevent damage before the first show. But what about damage after the second, third, or thirty-third show?
High-quality reusable packaging costs more than bubble wrap and thin foam. Smart, well-engineered packaging is like finding $20 in your wedding, funeral, and holiday party pants. It’s an unexpected miracle that keeps on giving.
Q5. Are Replacement Parts Available?
Folks send me photos asking me to identify a part. That’s rarely an issue if it’s from a major display manufacturer. However, it’s usually from a $699 pop-up or tube structure. Let’s be honest. There are no parts. There never were any parts. It wasn’t sold to have replacement parts any more than a $17 toaster. It’s meant to go into the landfill after a half-a-dozen uses.
Now if that idea appalls you, then ask your supplier if quality replacement parts are available, what is the cost, and how quickly can you get them? Oh… and if they are only available through Smiling Sammy’s Display Store, then that’s a really, really bad omen. He’s gotta a guy who knows a guy. Good luck with that.
Q6. How Do You Handle Wire Management?
There’s no middle ground on this. It looks good or it looks really, really bad. Those electrical and A/V cords have to go somewhere. More often than not, the cord management for most exhibits resembles a hairball. But it doesn’t have to be that way.
You have to share what electrical devices will be in the booth and where they’ll be located with your supplier, and that includes anything you maybe renting. Ask your supplier about their solution for lights, monitor cords, etc. If they stumble — run. It means the solution is likely to resemble white twist ties from plastic garbage bags.
Q7. What are the Designer’s (Exhibit and Graphic) Qualification?
Everyone is creative. To a point — chainsaw sculpture, toilet roll cozies, saw blade paintings. I’m not here to judge. Well, maybe a little. Most of us are out of our element when it comes to exhibit and graphic design. And like wire management, there’s no middle ground. Great exhibit designers have years and years of experience working on a variety of projects (custom, portable, modular) with collaborative input from other exhibit designers. That’s how they get experience, perspective, and context.
The same is true with graphic designers but with a twist. They must have experience designing graphics for trade show displays. That’s the key. It doesn’t matter if they are Rock Stars with web design or print advertisements. You don’t want an occasional trade show designer to be the lead designer. If you have an in-house designer familiar with your brand, then make the design process collaborative. Graphic design for trade show displays is a craft. Trade show designers have learned what works and what doesn’t to attract attendees on the show floor.
These questions may make your trade show exhibit supplier uncomfortable. Good. That’s how you’ll know if you chose the right one.
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.
Conventions and trade shows can be overwhelming and a bit frightening. There are a lot of people, an overwhelming amount of noise, too much recirculated air, and by mid-afternoon you cannot tell the diamonds from the rust. It can be tiring to the point that you start daydreaming about napping. But don’t get so far away that you neglect those who still have the energy to stop in at your booth.
Don’t make people wait. No one should have to knock three times to get you to say, “How do you do?” Everyone should be greeted the second they appear at your display. And every gesture, no matter how small, deserves a hearty “Thank You!”
