IMHX 2010 - making a show

Tips for exhibiting at a trade exhibition

Ian Field

29th April 2010

Overview

  Tips for better exhibiting: –  Pre-event –  At the event –  Post-event

  What next?

Tips for exhibiting at a trade exhibition

  Understand the effort you and your team will need to put into the exhibition:

Preparation is 70% Event itself is 10% Post event is 20%

Tips for exhibiting at a trade exhibition

Pre-event

  Understand why your customers and prospects attend exhibitions   Set your marketing campaign and theme   Set expectations / targets / aims / attitude   Briefing stand staff

Pre-event

  Why do visitors come to an exhibition?

The main reason for a visitor attending a trade exhibition:

To see what’s new

Why is knowing this important?

The more you focus on what visitors are looking for…

The more successful you are likely to be!

Why do buyers go to trade shows?

  To see what’s new in the marketplace   To keep abreast of changes   To get ideas and inspiration   To source new suppliers

Pre-event

  Set your marketing campaign and theme

Pre-event

  Set your marketing campaign and theme   Start by understanding what the organiser is doing to attract visitors

to the event

IMHX 2010 visitor advertising

IMHX 2010 visitor pre-registration

Pre-event marketing

  Set your marketing theme ensuring a constant across all marketing formats: –  Advertising –  PR –  Direct mail –  Email marketing –  Telemarketing

  Communicate with your sales force ensuring they know the theme

  Ensure you invite your customers as well as prospects – if you don’t, someone else will

  Talk it up!

Pre-event marketing

  Ensure you know what is happening at the event –  Zones/themes/key events

–  VIP valet parking –  Shell Environmental Zone – carbon offset –  Seminars

Pre-event marketing

Pre-event marketing

Pre-event

  Set expectations / targets / aims

Pre-event

Setting expectations & targets

  Be realistic……   Set target of 500 leads for the exhibition   100m² stand, 5 sales staff   100 leads per person   4 day event, 6 hours of show opening time per day   25 leads per person per day   Allowing for 2x 30 minute breaks, to hit target you must achieve 5

leads per person per hour

  What about customers coming onto the stand??   What about quieter periods (first hour, last hour)

  BE REALISTIC AND YOU WILL HAVE A BETTER EVENT

Setting expectations & targets

  How will you manage the sales leads? –  Data capture –  Manual or electronic system

  Plan your lead management before you get to site   Categorise to make it easier for the follow-up   Use a traffic light system

–  Red – literature request –  Amber – introductory appointment or long term prospect –  Green – immediate sales opportunity

  Categorise to ensure smooth and efficient follow-up after the event   Ensure one person has responsibility for tracking and managing

lead follow-up

Setting expectations & targets

Briefing stand staff

  Theme should follow through from your pre-show marketing   Hold a pre-event training session for your key sales staff – ensure

they know your company’s expectations/aims/targets   Attitude must be right - ensure your stand staff know what is

expected of them at all times

What not to do!

What not to do!

What not to do!

Briefing stand staff

  Set a rota – ensure all staff have a scheduled break and go off your stand for a rest

  Stand manual for each member of staff containing: –  Business cards –  Product information (crib) sheets –  Rota –  Enquiry pad & lead management criteria –  Overview of expectations/aims/targets

  Ensure management work the exhibition alongside sales staff – lead from the front and set example

At the event

The big day arrives – you’re all prepared, everyone is motivated, everyone knows the targets and

aims

The attitude is right

You’re ready for a successful show

At the event

OPPORTUNITYNOWHERE

At the event

OPPORTUNITY NOWHERE

At the event

OPPORTUNITY NOW HERE

At the event

  Continue your marketing theme from the pre-show publicity   Implement your lead management system   Hold a stand staff briefing at the beginning of each day

–  Set expectation of day –  Review previous day’s event & highlights –  Motivate everyone

  Hold a stand staff briefing at the end of each day –  Review targets/expectations & refine –  Highlight wins and opportunities

At the event

  As well as creating sales opportunities and opening new markets, a successful event will –  Motivate staff –  Improve morale –  Teambuilding exercise

  Opportunity to feel proud of the company

Post event – 3 things to ensure

  Follow-up on your leads   Track your leads   Measure your leads

Post event

  Ensure all leads are entered onto your company database system and tagged as “exhibition lead”

  Track the progress of your sales leads generated at the event   Did the lead result in

–  Appointment –  Quote –  Demonstration –  Sale

Most important 3 things to remember

  Preparation for the event is 70% and will lay the foundations for a successful event

  Implement your plan during the event taking in the opportunity to motivate and your staff and team build

  Follow up your hard won sales leads – don’t let them go stale

Finally…..

  Enjoy the experience

Thank you