Preparing for a tradeshow

For any small business, preparing for a trade show can provide an effective means of spreading brand awareness, getting your product out in front of a target audience and meeting with current or potential clients. But there’s much more to it than reserving your space and signing on the dotted line.

While preparing for a tradeshow, consider these 10 key questions before exhibiting:

1. Why am I participating in this show?

People sign up for a show for a number of reasons: It can serve as a launching pad for new products or concepts, a way to build up your brand and distribution, a means of nurturing relationships or even a place to position your company for sale.

Once you nail down a clear motive that aligns with your business strategy, reach out to customers and find out if they are attending and if the show fits their timing and needs.

2. Am I organised for the show? Preparing for a show well in advance can save you both time and money.

For example, if you sign up early, you can take advantage of discounted rates, which can be considerably less than prices charged within 60 or 30 days of an event.

On the other side of the spectrum, if you are disorganised, you may incur additional costs. One instance where you might get penalised is if you forget to bring something and need to have it delivered to the show. You not only will have to pay for shipping and handling but the show may slap on hidden costs.

3. How much space will I need? While it’s nice to have a large footprint on a trade show floor, those who can’t afford it shouldn’t worry.

Invest in a simple stand presentation and then do everything you can to capture contact information and follow-up with these leads after the show. The focus needs to be about these meaningful connections, conversations and ability to convert prospects to actual customers than the complexity of your stand space.

4. Does it matter who my neighbors are? Absolutely. But how you view your neighbors is where views diverge. We like to secure a stand near flashier ones that will likely attract a lot of foot traffic. If another company is doing the heavy lifting to get people in a certain area, why not capitalise on it?!

5. Should I sponsor events in conjunction with the trade show? At GoJute we like to attend trade shows not only as an exhibitor, but also as a sponsor or presenter, as it affords the best opportunity to inform and educate an audience.

6. Who am I targeting at the show? A show might have tens of thousands of attendees trekking through the event but participants need to figure out who specifically they are targeting and how they plan on reeling them in. Some companies get stuck on the number of people who stop by the stand, instead of looking at whether they are qualified buyers of your goods and services.

7. How am I going to measure my attendance and presence at the show? In addition to counting leads, it’s important to measure marketing impressions at the show. Just like you can see how many people view an ad in a magazine, you want to know how many people are viewing your marketing materials like signage on the show floor. Perhaps work with the show organiser to get numbers.

For example, if your signage is at the front of an entrance on the west side, find out how many people entered the show floor from that door. This can help you plan for future shows and decide whether they’re worth attending.

8. Am I familiar with the host city and venue? When you’re planning to exhibit at a show, it’s important to know about the city you’re visiting, as well as the rules and regulations of the exhibition centre, including the associated unions and contractors.

9. Have I backed up my presence through social media? Keeping your customers informed about your company’s activities before, during and after the trade show is crucial. In addition to sending out a press release, you can post tweets about why people should come see you at the show. Possible incentives include a new technology, a prize drawing or a gift for stopping by.

Other relevant social media efforts can include blogging from the show floor, making regular updates on Facebook and posting videos of customers visiting your stand on your website.

10. Do I have a post-show plan? It takes a lot of money to plan and exhibit at a show. Don’t let all your effort go to the wayside by not being active after the event is over. In this competitive world, if you don’t respond to leads within two or three days, your competitors will. We recommend having a sound plan for following up with people immediately after the show is over. If you have an app where you can send out information in real time at the event, all the better. If you wait two or three weeks, you’ve missed your window!

Promotional items are perfect for any event or meeting if you wish to advertise your brand, your company, your service.
They are also perfect giveaways and prizes for your clients and customers. Here at GoJute, we offer a wide variety of promotional products perfect for events, exhibitions and workshops; from jute bags to branded pens, so be sure to get in touch should you need advice on where to start.

We hope that helps you to get organised for this year, it’s going to be an exciting one!