The Secret Tips for Trade Show

Success

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Welcome

Well, this is what this webinar is all about.

Congratulations!

In this short webinar, you’ll be well on your way to learning: How to design the right booth for your products What pre-show activities drive booth traffic The most effective ways to engage and educate

booth visitors How to make people remember your products What to do after the show to guarantee ROI

You’ve joined ASI and whether you’ve been with us for over a year, or you’re just starting, you’re getting ready for a trade show! How can you make it worth the while? And how will you generate sales leads?

So Let’s Get Started

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During-Show Engagement

Post Show FollowUp

Pre-Show Planning R

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Pre-Show Planning

Trade shows are the best way to interact with a high number of potential buyers face-to-face, and you need to be ready to make the most out of it. but exhibiting at a trade show can be a major investment of money and time. How can you make it worth the while? Prepare for the show beforehand, and you’ll set yourself up for success.

• Pre-show homework • Booth design • Materials checklist

Define your target audience u

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Decide who you want to meet with and make appointment

Plan your pre-show marketing strategy

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Schedule activities to draw attention to your booth

Make an education plan and decide what classes you want to attend

Prep your staff with show objectives

If you have a sales staff and they are traveling with you, engage them more directly. Assign leadership roles.

Assign a Captain for Each Show

TRY THIS SIMPLE TIP

Homework R

Pre-show

Designing the right booth is like cracking a code: there is a perfect combination that works for your products – but you have to find out what it is. The only way to learn is by trying different things and measuring the results.

Remember… the most important part of your booth is your product! It should be clear what you are selling, because if people have to guess, they’ll just move onto the next booth.

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It's harder to engage customers if you’re standing behind a table. Create a welcoming environment where people can interact with you comfortably. Stand on the outside so you can easily talk with attendees.

Remove all barriers.

TRY THIS SIMPLE TIP

Booth Design

Materials Checklist Don’t forget to order… Internet Electricity Carpet Scanners Special handling (large overhead

signs) Flower/plants AV equipment Uniforms Booth giveaways, bags, gifts Name badges from show

management

Don’t forget to bring… New product brochures White papers Catalogs & price lists Data sheets Business cards Ad reprints Product samples

Don’t forget to book… Meetings with key industry people Transportation Shipment for booth materials

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R During-Show Engagement

Important critical steps to create engagement at the show:

Educate and Engage Stand out from the crowd Take notes

It’s the trade show producers’ jobs to get people to the show, but it’s your job to get them to the booth.

Engage & Educate Visitors

What will really make you stand out is educating attendees, instead of just “selling” them. WHY? Educating visitors creates depth in a conversation, and it establishes you as an expert. Offer solutions to attendees, and they’ll view you as a good business contact, likely coming back to you for more advice.

Focus on holding quality discussions over quantity. Set a goal to cultivating 3 quality relationships that you can nurture and will convert into more sales.

Put together a Team Goal

TRY THIS SIMPLE TIP

R During-

show

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Elevator Pitch: Perfect your 30-second elevator pitch Engaging questions: Come up with 4-5 engaging questions that you can ask visitors New products: Make your new product launches up front and center Booth activity: Create a game, or some competitive activity that can draw attention and visitors to your booth Self promo: Have your self-promo product ready at the hand

TRY THIS SIMPLE TIP

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show

5 ways to Stand out

Trade shows are an excellent way to showcase products or features but it’s hard if you don’t have focus. It’s all about focus. Here are 5 tips to make your product and company stand out.

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If you’re creating a fun contest, an activity, let people know in advance what you’re going to do. Promote the award in advance. Ask us how!

Promote Your Activity Before It starts

Trade shows can be exhausting, but it’s important to maintain a high energy level until the end. Potential clients will see your commitment and dedication to the show and to them, which translates into how you conduct yourself after the show.

TRY THIS SIMPLE TIP

Stay Energized

Create a contest Among your staff. With prizes, bragging rights and even trophy. Consider a Voted Most Likely to… Talk to Anyone Get the Most Business

Cards Inspire the Best Story Have the Best Sales Call

R During-

show

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• What works, what doesn’t and what you’d like to change for next time.

• Look at other exhibitors' booths for ideas you can use to modify aspects of your display.

• Examine your own booth set up, your staffing and how you are utilizing your staff.

• Keep inventory of what your true needs are throughout the show.

• Schedule a post meeting agenda now before you get lost in other priorities.

TRY THIS SIMPLE TIP

Rate visitors on a scale of 1-5

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show Take Notes!!!

Rate your leads on a scale of 1-cold, to 5-hot. That way, you can prioritize your follow up with those that are hot leads.

Post-Show Follow up

2 Important critical steps for after the show. And guess what, it’s really all about follow up. Follow up on leads Follow up on internal processes

Create a Tactical Plan for Follow up Divide what is “Immediate” versus “Can-wait” leads.

Respond to immediate requests with personal sales call and personalized materials that provide direct solution for their needs. Create a targeted goal. For example. 20 Vital leads per Show, limiting this # so you know these are your most vital. Create a follow up schedule.

Create a Longer Term Plan for Follow up Create a content marketing nurturing program. If you

want to be considered a solution provider but don’t see an immediate sales opportunity, nurture those “Can-wait” leads with valuable content. (white papers, webinar, tips, articles). Ask us how we can help you create this plan.

When you’ve just met hundreds of people and you’ve attended several shows, you are exhausted just catching up. But this is where your return on investment comes in. Capitalize on hot leads before they turn warm, and warm leads before they turn cold.

TRY THIS SIMPLE TIP

Follow Up

Create a follow up Sales kit now. If a leads asks you for sales collateral, catalog, products, put together a sales kit now. Bring envelops and fill it with needs now or list what is needed. Put the mailing address while you’re at it. No more searching for mailing address. And for good measure, throw in your business card now.

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While it’s still fresh in your mind, host a post-show meeting and review what you have learned, and what you can change or make better. TRY THIS

SIMPLE TIP

Create a guide and avoid the black hole

Who did you meet? What were their main needs?

What did you learn? About your company, competitors, products, staff’s capabilities, company’s sales collateral, sales pitch?

What did you promise? To your clients, to your prospective clients, to your staff? What do you need to deliver on?

What went wrong? What went right? What should you repeat, what should you avoid? What could you do better? What offers won? What offers fell flat?

You’ve asked all of the right questions here. Now put it into a useful planning guide. This will help bring everyone up to speed quickly and also establish goals and plans without stumbling into the “Look for more info” black hole. Ask us how we can help you create this plan.

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Regroup R

Post-show

TRY THIS SIMPLE TIP

Create a Reward. Trade shows are an opportunity for hungry people in your organization to step up. Create opportunities for leadership roles and you create leaders.

Take Inventory of All Your Notes. Yes, make sure you have all of those notes, scrap paper and all. u

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Host Post Show Meeting, giving your Captains and Champion responsibility to chime in

Capture all of your notes from the show and from post show meeting.

Determine what can be addressed immediately versus long term.

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Schedule a plan for following up on both short and long term plans. Assign team leaders for both tasks. Create a wider net of responsibility

Schedule a regroup meeting to review follow up results

R Post-show Homework

We know you have a lot to do…

Specific Trade Show questions? Email kmetzner@asicentral.com Specific ASI or marketing questions? Email ktaylor@asicentral.com

So let us help. Talk to us about your trade show strategy.

Thank You! Join us again. Look for our next FREE webinar exclusively for our suppliers.