Merlin Edge Inc. Strategic Marketing Corporate Communications

Plan Ahead for Success at Your Next Tradeshow

Tradeshow halls are neatly portioned slices of marketing heaven. Floating between the tradeshow's padded booth-dividers, under the harsh glare of fluorescent lights, buyers and sellers are happier to meet one another than at almost any other time. At the right show, buyers are presented with a veritable buffet of vendor solutions to their business problems while vendors can make a month's worth of sales calls in a single day.

Tradeshows are a rare opportunity where you can have your customers' undivided attention. Customers don't have any paperwork to deal with. There aren't any calls on the other line. They're not running late for a meeting. Customers are taking time out of their busy schedule to attend - just like you - and they're at the show to find solutions to whatever business problem was worth the trip. With a little preparation before hand, you'll improve your odds of providing the winning solution.

Here's what you should do to prepare before the show, so you can make the most of your and your company's time at the show:

WHY ARE YOU GOING? SET CLEAR OBJECTIVES.

Seriously, why are you going? Assuming your plan to attend a tradeshow isn't a clever ploy to score a trip to Vegas on the company dime, you must have a good business reason to tell the boss. Writing down exactly why you're going and what you're going to achieve provides direction for your whole team. Setting clear objectives for your sales team ensures everyone knows what's expected of them individually and as a group. Your goals should go beyond seeing a return on investment into the big picture goals that will have a measurable impact on your business.

These are all examples of solid goals for your next tradeshow:

• Meet your buyers face-to-face
• Introduce new products to a target market
• Gather leads for post-show follow-up
• Obtain feedback on a new product
• Launch new brand campaign
• Demonstrate you're able to solve a problem facing your target audience

CREATE YOUR PROSPECT A-LIST

Tradeshow time is short. You need to decide what businesses or people are on your prospect A-list before the show to make the best use of your time. The easiest way to create your A-list is to profile your best existing customers by type of business, business needs or challenges, questions they ask, and what it took to close the sale with them and look for other companies that fit your description.

AVOID THE "UUUMMMMM...." PREPARE ANSWERS TO TOUGH QUESTIONS

It's easy to promote the great features and benefits of your products and services. It's much harder and almost more important to overcome your customers' perceptions about why they should not choose your business.

Ask yourself honestly - why would customers choose my competitors? If you know why you wouldn't get the job in advance, you'll be able to come up with crisp answers for your sales team to overcome those objections with confidence. Preparing answers to the hard questions before hand ensures your sales people aren't caught off guard.

GET ON THE MUST-SEE LIST

Many companies decide which booths to visit before the big event. Getting on your prospect's must-see list isn't easy - but it's a must. A little creativity will help. Postcards frequently wind up in the recycle bin. Cookies or other treats usually end up in the staff kitchen. Avoid sending something that falls into the "trash and trinkets" category of tradeshow giveaways. Instead, send an invitation that will brighten your prospect's day - something they'll be glad they received.

Promoting giveaways or contests at your booth on your invitation will also help to drive traffic your way. Again, with your giveaway or contest creativity is key - you don't want to be one of a hundred companies giving away an iPod. Make your brand stand out by giving away something clever your customers will play with or a draw prize they'll dream about.

WHAT WILL YOUR BRAND WEAR?

The people managing your booth or walking the show must reflect your brand. Is your brand a suit and tie sort of a business, or more of a khakis and golf shirt company? What would it say? Consistency is key. You need to script the answers to the key questions about your company. It's also a good idea to figure out what you want your sales team to say within the first 30 seconds of meeting a potential customer. That way your prospective customer will learn all of the key points about your company even if the meeting is short.

SO YOU'VE GOT A BUNCH OF LEADS, NOW WHAT?

You had a great show. You met a lot of great leads. Your fish bowl is overflowing with business cards. Now is not the time to figure out how to follow up. You need to have a follow-up plan in place well in advance. Putting your follow-up strategy down on paper before the show helps to ensure clear accountability and smooth implementation after the show. The fewer snags in your follow up program, the more meetings you'll be able to set up.  

Develop a matrix like the one shown below, outlining your follow-up tactics, responsibilities and deadlines.

We hope you found these tradeshow preparation tips helpful. If you have any questions about any aspect of tradeshow marketing, Jeff Robinson knows his way around an auditorium better than most. He can be reached at jrobinson@merlinedge.com. Good luck at your next tradeshow!