TRADE SHOW EXHIBITORS DO'S AND DON'TS

To make the most of your trade show experience, consider these tips:

DO'S FOR THE TRADE SHOW EXHIBITOR:
1. Set up clear goals for the show. Your marketing materials should be focused on your message, and your banners and exhibit should clearly display exactly who you are and what you are offering.

2. Everyone in your booth must know whether the goal is new prospects, reinforcing existing relationships, or finding out more about your market. Clearly defined goals help you keep focus and track results.

3. Be sure to use good booth behavior. Stand near the front of the booth, make eye contact, and start up conversations. Never hide behind your displays and try not to block them either!

4. Make sure everyone knows how to qualify and get information from prospects. Ask "why are you here?" then write down their questions, concerns, and interest - and ask how they prefer to be contacted.

5. Practice good communications - listen more than you talk. Learn how to disengage from unqualified prospects politely - thank them, show them you have noted their concerns, and move on.

6. Make it interactive! Offer information, give little quizzes, provide tip sheets. Engage their brain and they will remember you. And you will learn more about them, which will help in your follow-up.

7. Have everyone dressed in synch with the exhibit theme or colors. With "identity-ware" staff or denim shirts, your company name should be on the left breast and, optionally, personal names on the right side.

8. Provide giveaways that remind your visitors of your products and services. They should be useful or striking, so prospects will take them back home or to the office, and see your name on a regular basis.

9. Anticipate typical questions and practice answers, including questions to ask in return. Rehearse demonstrations in advance. Hand out materials only at the end of presentations, to help you keep their attention meanwhile.

10. At longer shows, have daily meetings on what is and isn't working. Keep your team's morale up!

DON'TS FOR TRADE SHOWS:
1. Don't sit down, eat, or use cell phones in your booth. Don't stand around talking with each other!

2. Don't hand out brochures or giveaways without getting information in return. Annotate your leads as you go.

3. Don't arrive without a plan for following up on leads. Send a thank you, possibly including a gift, to the most likely or most valuable prospects, and if you can remind them of your conversation, all the better.

4. Don't have just anyone staff your booth without training or being brought up to speed on your objectives. Train tech people in appropriate trade show behavior, just as you train salespeople in features and benefits.

5. Don't overwhelm prospects with long answers when a short answer might do.

6. Don't assume every prospect is a sale on the spot. Better to use your time to build relationships.

7. Don't forget to introduce yourself to the other exhibitors - they are potential clients, vendors and partners.

8. Don't say too much. Be careful about providing your competitors with business intelligence.

9. Don't let your people focus only on the products or services they know. Make sure they know who to refer a prospect to in order to maximize their exposure to your company.

10. Don't forget - trade shows are about putting your brand, products and services into tangible form for customers and prospects. Keep everything consistent, professional and on track with your show objectives!

HAVE A GREAT SHOW!