As this year draws to a close, I often use December to plan my next year. One of the questions that I ask is if I should exhibit or attend certain shows? Here is how I decide if I should exhibit or attend a show if I am on the fence?
If I have attended this show before I will also look back on my reports and notes to see what I thought at the time of the event and if I wanted to attend again.
Always make notes after you exhibit at or attend a show. This will help you remember what was happening and how you felt. A year can be a long time.
Most small businesses do not have the budget to purchase, furnish, and staff a 40 foot by 40 foot booth or larger. We are unable to provide snacks, a comfortable place to lounge, coffee, and tons of giveaways for attendees swag bags. The good news is you can compete with these larger booths and companies.
Here are a couple of hard truths about the big booths with all the free items.
They are lucky if 20% of the people that stop by are people who want their product and have decision making authority.
They have to close more or much larger deals to get to their break even point. More space and more giveaways means more money.
They are throwing all the spaghetti at the wall and seeing what sticks. They are sending out their brand everywhere and hoping to attract the right people.
So how do you compete with the big boys?
Here are some simple ways to ensure your booth and company stands out.
Have a clear goal for the show. Know who your target market is, how you’re going to reach them and how many you want to reach. You need to have laser focus. Qualify people quickly, engage those who you can help and politely move on those you cannot.
Make your booth interesting and inviting. Yes, a 10 x 10 space can be both of these things. Designs a booth that allows people to walk into your space and speak with you. Get them off the aisle and into your space. Have visuals that easily identify your company and why attendees should care. Give your target audience a reason (aka: value) to stop.
Use the press. Send out press releases to the press corps you know will be involved at this show. Put together a list of the industry publications and local news. Give them a reason to stop by your space – i.e. New or unusual product, the cause you are supporting, your why.
Smile and engage the people on the trade show floor. A smile and welcoming attitude will go a long way.
If you follow these simple steps you can compete with the giants at a show.
Now, the caveat is that these steps are simple but not easy.
You will have to put in the work to pick your goals, design your booth, write a press release, and engage with attendees. This will take time and effort but it will increase your return on investment for every show.
I always loved the movie Mary Poppins. I wanted her bag that could seemingly hold anything and you could pull out exactly what you needed. I have created my own version of this with my Trade Show Box. I want to share why I created this and my checklist.
Why you need one:
Trade Shows have a ton of unexpected twists. A roll of duct tape or twine can save your booth.
You can help your neighbors. I always try to make friends with the neighboring booths at a trade show. They can watch your booth if needed or help you in return. A few zip ties or duct tape can pay amazing dividends.
You know you have what you need, when you need it.
How to create one:
Start with a Large Tupperware box that can be sealed. Lids mean you can stack other items on the box and keep the elements out.
Create a checklist that can be customized for each trade show.
Check the box against your checklist before every show. This is crucial because items will get removed or depleted and you will want to make sure you restock.
Creating Your Checklist
Each trade show is unique in what you will need to bring but there is a set of items you should bring to everyone. Download the interactive checklist I have provided below to ensure you have a well stocked Trade Show Box.
When you have 200 – 300 other booths you are competing with for attendee attention, it can be disheartening. There is hope. Here are the three ways YOU as a small business owner can stand out at a trade show.
1. Be a Speaker
Being a speaker at a conference has very few downsides. You will be seen as an industry leader, trusted by the selection committee, and given a platform to sell yourself – without the sales pitch. Learn when speaker selection starts and submit your proposal early. Do NOT pitch your company or services until the last 3 minutes of your presentation. This should be limited to, here is what we do and here is the booth we are at if you want to chat more. Nothing turns attendees off more than an hour-long sales pitch on what your software can do for them.
2. Dress the Part
For a team of you, have branded attire such as shirts or name tags. If your booth has a theme, dress the part. I have seen people in full formal wear, others in hiking attire and more. One of the most memorable was a group that wore lime green suit coats. I still remember them and their product. If you do not have a theme you can dress too, then dress business casual is a good bet.
3. Be in the Moment
Engage with the attendees. A smile and asking how they are doing will stop most people. I will compliment jewelry, a fun scarf or other accessories to start a conversation. The group in the lime green suit coats, they were memorable because of the connection as well as the color.
Being in the moment means no phones or laptops unless they are used to collect leads. You have spent a lot of money on your show, use every minute you have and connect with as many people as possible. Remember that while not everyone is a lead now, everyone can be a lead or a referral later.
As a small business owner, you need to use your investment in the trade shows. Find a way to stand out and be memorable. This will help you to start a lasting relationship.
Trade shows can get expensive. I have been working on a booth recently where I am spending most of my budget outside of the trade show floor. I have been looking for ways to save money on the booth design. I wanted to share how I am cutting into my budget.
Booth Design
The booth design that I have includes two tables, a TV, and the potential for a custom backdrop. I will be showcasing multiple items from different businesses in the booth so I will be creating tiered levels to give the booth some height and dimension.
1. Bring Your Own Items
I am using two tables in this booth design. My booth comes with one 8 foot table. Rather than paying the $40 for the second table, I will be bringing in my own. I will also being using file archive boxes as my tiers. I could rent shelves for $100 but that would not work with the booth design.
Savings: $40
2. Rent Outside of the Show
I need at least three white table cloths and some colored overlay. I will rent the white table cloths at $8 rather than that $20 from the show.
Savings: $36
3. Use the Early Bird Discount
I start the basic planning for my booth at least 6 months ahead of the time. Most shows offer an “Early Bird” or “Advanced” pricing. This will often be 10 – 20% discount on the pricing. I am a big believer of carpet in you booth as a way to elevate it. I will save $25 by ordering early. I am also ordering electricity and will save $32 with the discount.
Savings: $57
Total savings: $133
Now, I know this is not a huge dollar amount, but it is 10% of my $1,000 budget (after booth space purchase). These savings will grow as your booth size grows and your budget. I will use these savings towards my paid advertising budget and boost the marketing campaign that is happening outside of the booth.
Now, there is one huge caveat to this, please read the load in or set up rules. Some shows do not allow you to use a cart (or rolling suitcase) to bring items in so you will have to carry everything. Other shows state you cannot bring certain items in from the outside. Please make sure you have read the rules and if you have any questions, ask the General Services Contractor for clarification.
People love to travel to events and see new places. Most large conferences choose big metro areas because they have the hotel capacity and the draw for attendees. These huge cities also offer a great way to entertain customers and leads. The drawback is you are hosting an event outside of your home city – and that comes with a host of pitfalls. Here are the top 6 tips for hosting a destination event.
1. Do a site visit whenever possible.
No pictures, no second-hand account, will give you the kind of impression as being on-site yourself. You are able to walk the space, get an idea for flow, smell, parking, and all the little details that can get lost in images and videos. Learn more about site visits here.
2. When not possible to do a site visit – get an expert and knowledgeable second-hand account.
Yelp and Google are great for restaurant reviews for a night out with friends. I do not suggest using them exclusively for your out of town evnet. Every major city will have at least one Destination Management Company (DMC). These companies help you find the best venue for your event, entertainment and act as a sounding board for all of your ideas. They will help you to schedule, negotiate, plan transportation and more. They are the next best thing to being on-site.
3. Pack / Ship your Event Box
I have a box that travels with me to every event. It has the basics of duct tape, zip ties, pens, pads of paper, small first aid kit, scissors, screwdriver and a small hammer. I have fixed almost everything with this particular kit. Other items go in and out of my kit as the event call for it but that is my core and it travels with me. Make sure you have your basics. Learn about what I keep in my trade show box.
4. Arrive to the event at least 24 – 36 hours ahead of your event.
Arrive at your destination and do a walkthrough of the venue as soon as you are able to. It is amazing what an extra 4 – 10 hours can allow you to do in case of unforeseen events.
5. Always be nice to every on-site staff member at the venue before, during and after your event.
I have a policy of arriving at a venue with a small thank you gift and giving it during or before set up. I let the venue know that this is a thank you for the crazy request I know I will end up having. This can be a basket with snacks or a case of beer. If I have not been to the venue before I will stick with the snacks. I then say my please and thanks you’s every time I interact with the venue. The venue staff has the ability to make or break your event. They can have the thing you need or even solve a problem before you know it is one or they can sit back and watch you sink.
6. Roll with the punches
All events have hiccups. When you are away from home and your safety net – small things can feel huge. When things go wrong; take a step back, take a breath, and find a plan.
I had one event where I had specified that the tables should be in a square. In my mind, this meant the tables along the outside edge with an empty space in the middle. When I got onsite, I had 6 tables all pushed together to create a very large square – that I suddenly had to decorate. I redid some of my other decorating plans and had the time to work with the hiccup. If I had arrived later, I would not have had the time to make the table look amazing.
Out of town or destination events are a great way to build customer loyalty or extend the reach of your trade show booth. Have fun planning them!
