Increase Tradeshow Results with Pre-Show Preparations

When done wisely, exhibiting at tradeshows can be a powerful and effective marketing practice to generate leads, launch new products, build relationships, create awareness and most importantly, drive sales and revenue. They can also be an expensive undertaking, which makes it extremely important to make smart choices when it comes to your tradeshow efforts. Following some basic best practices will go a long way toward lowering costs, maximizing results and securing your exhibiting budget for years to come.

1. Careful Show Selection. One of the primary ways to improve results and lower costs is to be more selective when deciding which shows you will attend. Instead of cutting down on the size of your booth or show extras, reduce the number of shows you attend and increase your presence at the ones you do keep on the schedule. Choose to continue exhibiting at targeted shows that match your marketing objectives. Big national shows and vertical market shows yield the highest results. Attend the ones with the highest likelihood of potential clients and drop shows where you see the same attendees.

2. Plan ahead! Exhibitors with a well thought out tradeshow schedule are far more likely to see a high rate of return and make increased spending possible in future years. Set clear goals for what you would like to accomplish at each show and make sure each member of your staff attending is aware of the goals and has a plan to accomplish them.

3. Improve Staffing. Regardless of how wonderful your booth is, you will not reach your full potential if your staff is not chosen properly. Reduce the amount of people needed by including mainly sales & marketing people and reducing the number of technical experts. It is also vital that you make sure everyone who will be working your booth has been through extensive tradeshow training. Each person should be aware of the expected attire & conduct, be able to answer basic product questions without hesitation, have a way to generate and qualify leads and be able to give a proper demonstration of how your products work.

4. Booth Design. An easy way to cut down on your exhibiting costs is to choose a light-weight booth design, which will reduce hefty shipping costs. It's also a good idea to choose graphics that are easily interchangeable, allowing you to use some of the same materials at multiple shows, even if they have a different audience and different goals.

5. Pre-Show Marketing. Give people a reason to attend your booth before they ever step foot in the conference center. Direct mail is one of the most effective methods, followed by email blasts. Let people know about a free giveaway, random drawing, special product offeres or anything else that will entice them to stop by your booth. Don't rely on people stumbling into your booth as they wander up and down the isles - give them a reason to seek you out! A great way to do this is by sending them a coupon that can be redeemed at the show for a special discount or prize. By asking attendees to bring the direct mail piece or email printout with them, you create a really easy way to track the results of your promotion.

6. Justify your Budget with Sales, Not Awareness. Executives are more likely to increase the amount of money allocated towards tradeshow efforts, if the spending is proved to result in concrete sales. Focus your efforts on improving your ability to capture leads as well increasing reporting abilities. You should be able to track the leads generated at each show through the entire sales process and tie them to actual sales dollars down the road.

In the past two years, the majority of companies in the United States have faced reduced budgets for their marketing efforts. While exhibiting at tradeshows is an excellent way to increase revenue, they can also be an expensive undertaking. It is vitally important in today's economy to make smart choices regarding the distribution of your marketing budget. Regardless of the economic conditions, following these best practices of cutting unnecessary costs and maximizing your results will ensure a winning tradeshow each time, and secure your budget for the future.