Local Sales and Marketing Reference Guide

Tradeshows 

Tradeshows are an excellent opportunity to meet face to face with potential customers.

What is a Tradeshow? 

A tradeshow can be anything from a tabletop display at your local business after hours meeting to a 20’ x 30’ custom display at an annual event for a worldwide association like ASTA (American Society of Travel Agents). They all involve displaying merchandise or information about a product or service for potential consumers.

Should I participate in a show? 

Good question. There are several questions you should ask about any show before you decide whether or not to participate.

1. How much will it cost to attend? You will need to include in your cost estimate all costs, not just the cost of the booth space. Don’t forget to include things such as:

• Cost of booth (carpet, lighting, etc. are optional and usually cost extra)

• Registration for booth worker(s), if applicable

• Collateral Materials

  • If possible, place brochures, upgrades, fleet guides, etc. in a bag or folder. This will be easier to carry than loose material.

• Door Prizes and/or Giveaways

  • Give them something functional if possible. Pens and pencils, notepads, calendars, etc. Unique, fun items also go over well.

For larger shows, you may also want to consider:

• Transportation 

• Booth services – Trash service, carpet rental, etc.

• Material Handling

• Shipping

2. Who is the audience? Is this your target customer?

You need to determine if the attendees at any tradeshow will be present or future customers or will have an influence on a potential customer’s buying decision.

3. How many people will attend the show? How many are potential customers? How many are decision-makers? 

When you ask a tradeshow promoter how many attendees they are expecting, be certain just who that number includes. Many times, the numbers will include all attendees, including other exhibitors. While other exhibitors may occasionally have need of your services, more often than not, they will not have ample opportunity to meet with you during the show. You are interested only in the number of actual attendees of the tradeshow.

 

Of the actual attendees, only a certain percentage of them will be potential customers. The promoter may or may not have this information. You will have to depend on references from previous exhibitors if they are available. If not, you will have to make an estimate based on the information available.

 

Of the potential customers at any given show, only a percentage of them will be actual decision makers. This is the number you will base your cost justification on. 

 

For example, out of 250 attendees, only 80% (or 200) may be potential customers. Of that 200, perhaps only 60% (120) have decision-making authority. Therefore, you should divide the cost of attending by the 120 attendees, not the 250.

4. When does the show take place? Is it before or after your peak sales season? Will it generate the sales when you need them?

5. Who are your competitors? Will they be exhibiting? 

Sometimes not exhibiting can be as costly as exhibiting. If your competitors will be exhibiting and would have opportunity to steal valuable business from you, or if you would be conspicuous in your absence, you may want to consider participating even though other factors may indicate your time and money may be more effectively spent elsewhere. You do not want to give the impression that your accounts are not important to you or that you are not as successful as some of your competitors.

6. Do you have the manpower and/or resources to effectively exhibit? 

If you simply do not have the ability to man the booth with properly trained staff or the collateral material to convey your message, you should not participate. It is better to be absent than to convey the wrong message to a potential customer.

7. Can you properly service potential new accounts/markets generated by this show? Never try to go after accounts you cannot adequately service after the sale. It will be a waste of your time and will only create problems down the road.

8. Is the promoter reputable?

• When in doubt, check references!

• Always get what the promoter promises in the way of services in writing.

How can HQ help me get started? 

The Local Sales and Marketing Department has several tradeshow booths available for your use. We have both 8’ x 10’ displays as well as tabletop displays. Each comes with appropriate advertising and car artwork.

The only cost to you for using these booths is the shipping and insurance.  (See attached tradeshow booth request form.) 

What else should I do? 

1. Let potential attendees know you’ll be participating, especially if you have a promotion to talk about. If you can get access to a mailing list, send a postcard to each attendee inviting them to stop by and get more information.

2. Develop an inviting theme that adds interest and energy to your booth. Have plenty of logo giveaways to distribute to help build name awareness throughout the show.

3. Whenever booth traffic is slow, make detailed notes on the lead cards you’ve collected. Be sure you’ve set the stage for a follow-up by asking the person when they’d like to be contacted.

4. Follow up. Send a note following the show thanking those people that stopped by your booth or table.

5. Do a post-tradeshow evaluation. Determine whether or not you met your goals (sales, contacts, positive image, etc.) and whether or not you will attend future shows. Did the show attract enough of the right buyers? Shows can change over time, drawing buyers that aren’t interested in what you have to offer. Don’t be afraid to abandon a tradeshow you’ve traditionally attended if it is no longer beneficial. 

Tradeshow Do’s and Don’ts 

 Do                                                                                                   Don't

Spotlight your benefits to attract serious buyers to your exhibit 

Attracting top buyers to your exhibit takes more than warm bodies standing along the aisle. Set yourself apart with some of these techniques: 

• Develop a benefit statement that differentiates you from your top two competitors. Do not know the competition, but be prepared to clearly explain why working with your company is better.

• Give details that back up general statements. Anyone can make a sweeping pronouncement, so talking about a specific product benefit makes you more credible.

• Use your benefit statement in your graphics. Make it interesting enough that people will ask you about it.

• Be prepared to talk about real-life examples of your benefits. Try to use the actual words of satisfied customers. Repeat those words on your graphics and your promotional material.

• Don’t harp on every single benefit. Limit yourself to three. Reduce the descriptions of your benefits to billboard length – no more than five to eight words.

• Don’t use jargon or industry slang, even though you and perhaps the attendee understand it.

• Don’t have anything in the booth that distracts from your benefit statement. That includes old graphics or activities. For instance, if a putting green does not reinforce your benefit, it shouldn’t be there! 

INSTRUCTIONS FOR TRADESHOW BOOTHS 

Please complete the attached form and fax or e-mail it back to us as soon as possible. You should receive a confirmation fax or e-mail by the next business day. If you do not receive a confirmation notice, your booth request was not received by headquarters. After confirmation of your request, you should receive the booth no later the two (2) days prior to the event. You will be billed for shipping and insurance costs only.

(Click here for the forms.  Both forms must be sent in before the booth will be shipped.)

When you receive the booth, two checklists will be enclosed in an envelope in one of the cases. Prior to the show, a physical inspection and checklist #1 must be completed. Any missing or damaged items must be reported to the Sales Support Department at 1-800-331-3550. After the show, but before shipping the booth back, complete checklist #2.

The booth must be shipped back to Tulsa Headquarters no later than two (2) business days after the show or event. Ship the tradeshow booth by Airborne Express, and specify 2 day delivery. Be sure to insure the large booth for $4,000.00, and the small one for $2,000.00. Do NOT ship the booth COD to Tulsa. 

If you have any questions about the forms, please call Sales Support at 1-800-331-3550. 

While we supply artwork with the booth, we encourage you to provide artwork that is specific to your location. Please note that your artwork must have velcro on the back so it can be attached to the booth walls. Tape, staples, or paper clips will damage the backboard, and you will be charged for any repairs to the booth. Please be sure that the artwork is returned in the same condition in which it was received.

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