A well-executed and well-planned trade show presence can really provide a lot of benefits for your company. It can substantially raise the profile of your company and your brand, while also allowing you to do some invaluable networking and lead generation. However, trade shows are a lot of work and if everything isn’t executed properly, you could end up with more of a headache than you want. Here are some trade show ideas for getting the most out of your trade show presence.
Make Yourself Visible
Of course, your trade show booth isn’t literally going to be invisible no matter what you do, but if you don’t make the right moves, it may feel that way at times. Trade shows can be a considerable expense, so you want to make sure that you get a return on your investment. To do this, you need to employ a good marketing, sales and PR staff to maximize the benefit that you get out of each show. In addition, you should have eye-catching exhibit design that makes your trade show booth stand out from the crowd. On top of this, try to get one of your executives a speaking role, either giving a keynote a seminar, or even just a small presentation at your own booth. These trade show ideas can go a long way to making sure that you are seen (and heard).
Show Selection And Location
This is a huge part of determining what you will actually get out of the show. First, make sure that you choose a trade show that will provide you an opportunity to network, be seen and generate leads. Also, look at the geographical location of each show and determine if the extra transportation and shipping costs for far away (especially international) shows are worth it. You should also do some research to determine which of your competitors will be at the show and see if you would like to go head-to-head with them (and how).
Get The Data And Crunch The Numbers
In order to make sure that you get the most out of your trade show experience, you need to be able to measure and analyze how effective your presence was and estimate your ROI. This is one of the most important trade show ideas, because it will allow you to inform your future decisions on exactly what kind of trade shows to attend and how to go about exhibiting. Make sure you record visitor information such as how many attendees stopped by, how long they stayed, what they were interested in. Also make sure you record and follow up on leads and potential partnerships. Secondly, make sure you have an accurate record of your expenses and combine this information to get an estimate of your ROI.