Trade Show Smarts
By Stacy Underhill

Trade Show season is here! Whether you regularly attend or if you've never been to one in your life, trade shows are important in any industry.

Most of the people you'll be talking to at a tradeshow are pre-qualified. They are going to the "widget" tradeshow because they want to buy a "widget." So if you're in the business of selling them you should definitely attend.

Tradeshows put your target market under one roof, allowing you to see several prospective customers in a day, at one location, in a geographic area which may not be exposed to your usual methods of advertising.

Develop a list of qualified contacts. Collect business cards or have people fill out ballots for a draw to obtain valuable contact information and be sure to follow-up within a few days after the show.

Don't let the cost of attending a tradeshow deter you from promoting your business to potential customers. If your budget is limited, work around it.
Partner with other businesses to share the cost of a booth, and divide the space accordingly. By partnering, you can also divide the time needed to man the booth.

If you can't attend because of budgeting or time constraints, ask someone to display your brochures for you. Offer another business owner a small fee, $50 - $100 depending on the cost of the booth, to display your brochures on their table and answer any inquiries.

Tips to Draw Traffic to your Booth

Before the Show
Tell people you're going! Send out a pre-show teaser inviting prospects to the show. Enclose a postcard for them to drop off at your booth to enter a draw. Don't forget to include your booth number, a floor layout if it's a large show, hours and directions. Try something creative and include a small gift like a key to open a treasure box at your booth or a piece of a puzzle.

Call your best contacts yourself to invite them to the booth. Send out e-mails to your address list. Advertise your booth in local radio and print media, trade magazines, customer newsletters, at the airport, outside the convention centre . . . be creative. Tie your advertisements and mailings together with a common theme that carries over to your booth display.

The key is to generate excitement before the show!

At the Show
Attract people to your booth by doing something fun or unique pertaining to your business. If you're a manufacturer or retailer have at least one product demonstration. Make it entertaining, educational and involve the audience. If the staff isn't up to it, hire a professional entertainer to draw a crowd!

If you offer professional services, have comfortable seating at your booth and provide free short consultations. An outfitter or hunting supplies store could hold a moose-calling contest. Brainstorm with your staff, customers and suppliers before the show to get ideas.

Trade Shows give customers an opportunity to touch and see your product or service without visiting your business. You want customers to get a feel for what your business is really like so bring props associated with your business. A hotel or restaurant may recreate a corner of their establishment to show the ambience. Dress in costume if it's appropriate or hire a clown or "town crier" to announce your products.

Be interactive. Bring a laptop and allow people to browse your website or view a slideshow presentation. Hook-up a VCR with a short looping movie demonstrating your products. This is a good way to silently observe the prospects reaction to your product or service.

With so many potential customers around, don't miss the opportunity to gain a better understanding of your market and assess their needs. Administer a short survey, either through a computer terminal or pen to paper. Offer a discount, small prize, or entry into a draw for completing the survey.

Engage people in conversation as they walk past. "Hey want to try our gingerbread cake? Want to improve your productivity? Pick up a free booklet on financial management! Want to learn how to shoe a horse?"

Give away publicity items such as hats and t-shirts or tote bags to create walking billboards for your company. Food is a great give-away. Even if it isn't part of your business, a big dish of chocolates or mints will encourage people to visit your booth. But be wary of spending valuable time with people who are only after your candy.

Bring plenty of brochures, business cards and pictures. Blow up positive newspaper clippings about your business or display customer testimonials. Don't put ALL your brochures on the table and mindlessly give them away. This will lessen their value. Try to talk to each person who takes a brochure.

Offer a seminar in your area of expertise. Speak to the organisers well in advance about hosting a seminar or workshop. You'll be advertised in the shows promotional material and have the chance to position yourself as an expert in the field and directly influence attendees purchases. If seminar rooms are not available, hold a small one on the floor. Purchase two booths back to back, set up chairs, pull a curtain, and you've created your own seminar space. Prominently display and announce the times of each session. The Benefits of Massage . . 11am. Buying a Home Computer . . 2pm.

Most importantly . . . present a professional, exciting image. DO NOT sit at your booth and read. Stand and Smile. And please don't smoke.

Good luck at the trade shows!

Stacy is the Vice President of the Miramichi River Valley Tourism association and the "General" at Mighty Miramichi. She has formal studies in tourism & marketing and has attended & organized many trade shows. In her spare time she enjoys crafting and is currently researching a line of natural body care products.