February 22, 2012
You have almost completed your business plan, but you are still developing the marketing activities component. One great avenue to include in your planning and to get exposure to your products and services is at a trade show event.
Trade Show Events
Trade show events give you the ability to showcase products and services to masses of potential customers, with colourful, interactive displays manned by representatives promoting the business. Since the marketing product industry is so competitive, banner and pop-up displays are cost-effective and can be user-friendly in the set-up and take-down. If designed right, your display can last for years and be used over and over again at trade show events.
If you have chosen the right trade show and right target participants, you may be able to convert a high rate of participants at a trade show event into buying customers. You must consider that participants are there for a reason, and the fact that most pay to attend is a great sign that they are interested in the commercial aspects of the event. Ensure you have the ability to track leads and to follow up on those leads.
Key factors you should be aware of when considering trade show events:
– Ensure you target the appropriate venues and trade shows that will result in the highest volume of interested participants
– Be prepared – design the layout of your trade show space and pick the appropriate spot in the trade show event
– Design your trade show booth and display, interactive with models, samples, videos, and take home products
– Make sure you staff you booth appropriately and that at least 1 person is there at all times; an unmanned booth is a waste of money at an expensive trade show, and opportunities for new customers will be lost
– Interact with customers stopping by the booth but also with the pedestrians who are walking the aisles by invite them in with offers
– Make sure you have freebies and give-aways with branded logos and contact information for the potential customers; there needs to be a way for potential customers to contact you
– Track revenue and expenditures from trade show activities, and analyze the return on investment
Your marketing budget for a trade show event must include:
– Cost of trade show attendance and appropriate booth space
– Any advertising that will promote your attendance at the event
– Banners and printed materials
– Give-aways, samples and contest expenditures
– Human resource staffing costs
– Costs of transportation
– Any additional insurance costs
– The post event costs associated with customer and lead follow up
Consider trade show events as one of those key marketing, outreach activities for your business. With added attention to your trade show participation, your booth will be the showcase of the trade show event, and will result in additional customers and revenue generation you deserve.
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© 2012 Strategy Plan One
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