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Tag: booth

  • Are These 12 Roadblocks Stopping Your Valuable Trade Show Leads?

    Are These 12 Roadblocks Stopping Your Valuable Trade Show Leads?

    Scott Llewellen of TPS Displays Express put this together, and I thought you’d all enjoy these tips – they’re right on the money!

    Most trade show exhibitors put the vast majority of their effort into creating their presence at a trade show – the trade show displays they build, the staffers they send and house, and for some, the promotions they do to create greater activity in their booth space.

    Unfortunately, too many waste these valiant efforts, because they fall down on managing their trade show leads.  That’s because there are more hidden roadblocks than they realize, obstacles to getting the full value from their leads.

    So let’s bring those roadblocks out into the light.  I believe the list below includes the 12 most common obstacles to effective lead management – how many of these are issues do you need to address?

    1. Incomplete lead management process
    2. No single person responsible for the entire process
    3. No consultation with sales about what information needs to be gathered at the show
    4. No training of trade show booth staffers about what makes a qualified lead, how to record lead quality
    5. Qualifying information from leads is not captured with a lead card or a lead retrieval system
    6. If complete information is captured, it is not conveyed to the appropriate sales person after the show
    7. Slow, incomplete, or non-existent lead fulfillment
    8. No computer system or customer relationship management software in place to facilitate lead management
    9. Lead fulfillment packages not chosen nor prepared in advance
    10. Lead fulfillment is generic and does not respond specifically to what individual attendees asked about while visiting your trade show exhibit.
    11. No one pre-assigned to data enter and fulfill the large quantity of leads
    12. No accountability for sales people to follow up on leads within a specific, short period of time after the show

    Any of these sound familiar?  Fixing this will take a team effort, including your sales, marketing, and information technology teams.  Get them all in a room and work to knock down these obstacles. For motivation, bring to the meeting a pile of your latest trade show leads, a spreadsheet of the costs of your show, and the highest level exec you can get that these people all report to.

    Then you can work to avoid all 12 of these obstacles and create a smoother lead management process that gives your company the full potential value of your trade show leads.

  • Do’s and Don’ts for Your Trade Show

    Do’s and Don’ts for Your Trade Show

    Revisited due to popular demand – FOX news on Tradeshows, with some input from me . . .

    By Cindy Vanegas Published April 23, 2012 FOXBusiness

    Many business owners who eagerly pay big bucks to exhibit at industry trade shows often end up disappointed when it comes down to calculating the return on investment. Small business owners can minimize their investment or maximize their exposure through some simple marketing and partnership techniques that will help them get the most bang for their buck.

    Position Position Position: On the trade show floor, booth placement is king. “Know where the prime spots for booths are when you make selections,” advised Eddie Lange, vice president of Exhibit Experts. Lange advised business owners to look for the direction of the traffic flow, the location of the main doors and the area where there will be food and drinks. He also warned entrepreneurs: avoid “dead-end aisles and large columns where people will have to go out of their way to find you.”

    Partner-Up: If a business owner can’t afford a whole booth, try sharing. Some trade show organizers allow businesses to split space, allowing entrepreneurs to derive the benefits without incurring all of the costs. A careful read through of the contract will alert entrepreneurs to ‘subletting’ restrictions. Dave Poulos, founder of marketing company Granite Partners and former marketing director at a trade show production company, recommended business owners look for exhibitors whose product is complementary to theirs. “For example, a printer manufacturer could partner with a paper manufacturer. For every printer sold, the paper manufacturer could throw in some paper, and both business owners could share booth space and leads,” said Poulos.

    Establish an Expertise: Often times, trade shows not only offer entrepreneurs booth space to promote their wares, but they also provide on-site educational opportunities. Business owners who develop a good relationship with show and seminar organizers should consider suggesting topics where they can serve as speakers and promote their expertise. This year Green Festival, showing in NYC, Chicago, Washington, San Francisco and Los Angeles, invited people to apply to speak at the events by submitting a topic proposal.

    SPONSOR SOMETHING: From a cocktail hour to chair massages or a popcorn station, giving attendees a treat for free is a sure fire way for business owners to ensure they will be remembered. Some trade shows restrict sponsorships, offering them only to exhibitors. Others are more flexible, especially if it is coming down to show time and they are strapped for cash. Poulos of Granite Partners recommended entrepreneurs work with vendors and trade show organizer to see where sponsorship opportunities lie, since often these deals can be worked out individually.

    Read more: http://smallbusiness.foxbusiness.com/entrepreneurs/2012/04/23/do-and-donts-for-your-trade-show/#ixzz1t4vzblSL