Trade show booths are a vital marketing tool; however, many distributors seem to miss the significance of preparation. In short, just because a distributor has a booth at a trade show doesn’t guarantee anyone will visit it.

It might only be by chance that some new potential customers stop by, but imagine the increased turnout if your booth was advertised and customers knew exactly where your company was located.

“Target key customers by letting them know to look for you,” says Robert Grede, author and an adjunct faculty member at Marquette University and president of The Grede Company, Milwaukee.

Preparation Makes Perfect
”Preparation is the most important issue overlooked,” says Grede. He explains simple and cost-effective ways to prepare for a trade show.

Because the goal of your booth is to have people visit, the key to prepare effectively is to do everything possible to achieve that. This includes advertising to let people know where your booth will be located on the trade show floor, notes Grede.

“Send a direct mail piece to prospective customers,” he continues. “One that includes a redeemable gift coupon.” The gift should be something significant (valued between $3 to $4) and worthwhile enough for the customer to want to redeem the coupon. A company’s potential cost will not be as high as actual expense, because as Grede explains, not everyone who receives the coupon will redeem it.

If your company can afford one expensive gift, Grede suggests sending a key in each mailer, with only one that will open a box . The secret prize should be relevant to your company.

“This is a good way to get people to come,” notes Grede.

Taste, Talent, Time
Preparation also includes determining who is attending, what to bring and who is setting up the booth.

“Never let sales setup the booth — this can be tiring, and you want the sales staff fresh for customers,” says Grede. It’s best to ask a person in the company, outside the attending sales force, who has “taste, talent, and time” and can draw up a diagram.

The diagram should include room for islands or columns, says Grede. They add interest and are a better use of space. “They also allow you to meet with more than one customer at a time.”

Carpeting should also be on the list of items to bring. It’s not only easy on the feet for salespeople and customers, but delineates and defines space and adds a touch of class, says Grede.

Company money is often wasted at trade shows by distributing huge numbers of catalogs. Company catalogs should be left at the office and replaced by a single-sheet handout outlining new products — that’s what people want to know about anyway.

“People tend to dump catalogs,” says Grede. “Their intentions are strong, but their arms are weak.”

All Dressed Up and a Trade Show to Go
Another key to preparing and creating a lasting impression is deciding in advance what your sales staff should wear. Grede strongly recommends that salespeople wear uniforms to produce a “team look” so customers can tell salespeople apart from others. Uniforms tend to connote “unattractive,” according to Grede, but uniform simply means everyone is the same.

“People buy from people they know or from people they have heard of,” says Grede. So the best way to achieve company awareness is to include the company logo on the uniform. This is an essential marketing tool that is often overlooked.

“It [the uniform]could be very nice-looking khakis and a v-neck sweater,” Grede says. The key is for the clothing to be comfortable.

Mistakes of the Trade
Preparation also includes determining the “don’ts” of trade shows. Besides not handing out company catalogs, there are a few other practices to avoid.

  • Don’t let sales staff chew gum or eat food at the booth. Not only does it increase a chance for spills, trying to answer a question with a mouthful is rude, Grede says.
  • Don’t have too many people sitting at the booth at one time. This is another sure way to discourage customers from stopping by. Grede defines “too many” as seven or eight people.

“If sales are slow, send a few on a break,” says Grede. Large numbers of people in the booth can intimidate browsers.
  • Don’t waste money on plush furniture, says Grede. “It can be a turn-off. No one wants to break up a party.”

Stools are fine, he says, because a person sitting on a stool is almost standing at eye level.

Don’t underestimate the power of preparation. Look at your booth as a means to market your company and its products. Preparation brings awareness of your booth’s presence, resulting in more people at your booth. It does not cost a lot of money, but does take time and planning. Good preparation can create a lasting marketing effect, one that will ensure an excellent turnout at your booth and that hopefully will result in increased sales.




POSTED ON: 3/1/2001