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Trade Shows: Beating the Online Marketing Blues
Trade Shows: Beating the Online Marketing Blues
by Donna Schwartz Mills, CMP
The Internet has been a boon for the home business person,
enabling small enterprises to market to and take orders
from customers all over the world. But as effective as
working a business online can be, there are times when
the home entrepreneur may crave a little one-on-one
interaction with her customers. That's when she should
consider taking her act on the road... to a trade show.
According to Business Week, trade shows and exhibitions are
one of the most cost-effective marketing tools available.
One recent survey showed that it costs half as much to close
a sale made to an exhibition lead as to one obtained
through all other means.
That's why the number of shows has exploded in the last
decade, with attendance up to 123 million people and U.S.
expenditures reaching $100 billion on them last year alone.
As the exhibition industry proclaims, "There are some things
you just can't dot.com."
Trade shows provide a unique venue for people with common
interests to connect with one another, live and in person.
Attendees can learn from experts in their field at a
fraction of the cost for a seminar or personal consultation.
Exhibitions provide them with a one-stop shop to check out
the latest innovations in their industry, compare products
and make purchasing decisions. They are also a great place
to view the product lines of competitors and network with
others. These attractions give exhibitors a highly targeted
market of prospects who have pre-screened themselves as
interested buyers. It's a win-win for everyone involved.
So you've decided that this is an area you'd like to pursue
in your marketing efforts...as long as you can find an
exhibition that meets your needs.
Fortunately, there are several online calendars of trade
shows, meetings and conventions occurring worldwide. Here
are some of the largest:
http://www.tscentral.com
http://www.expoguide.com
http://www.tsnn.com/tsnn2000/
You should look for:
Dates: If you're a one-person shop, you may have to close
operations for the period of time you'll be working the
show.
Location: Local shows do not require additional travel
expenses or overnight stays. If the show you wish to
attend is highly desirable and more than a couple of hours
away by car, you should factor in the cost of a hotel
room, just in case.
Target Market: If you are selling cookware, you might be
interested in taking a booth at the county fair, where
you'll reach a wide audience of local attendees. However,
it would be more cost-effective to look into exhibiting
at a food festival, attracting people who are interested
in how dishes are prepared.
Estimated Attendance: Important in evaluating the cost
effectiveness of your participation, as well as estimating
the number of handout materials you will need to bring.
Expenses: The cost of the booth is only a fraction of
what you'll pay to participate. Read the exhibitor's
agreement carefully before committing to the show: You may
be responsible for additional fees, such as security and
cleaning deposits, telephone lines and power supplies.
You may also be required to obtain a rider to your
business insurance policy covering any injuries that might
occur at your booth.
Other expenses at your discretion include the cost of
signage, handouts, door prizes (contributed to the show in
exchange for additional booth promotion or given away at
your booth to entice attendees to leave their contact
information). You need to weigh all of these expenses
agains the potential benefits of new sales and leads.
One aspect of trade shows is the symbiotic relationship
between the promoter, exhibitors and attendees. The better
the quality of the exhibits and offerings, the more
qualified participants will want to attend. Once you agree
to be part of the show, you are now partners with the show
promoter, who will include your business information in his
marketing efforts -- thereby attracting more attendees and
exhibitors, and giving you more bang for your marketing buck.
In turn, you should do all you can to help increase
attendance. Many show promoters will give exhibitors passes
to give their customers, allowing them to attend for free or
at a discount. Use these liberally. Add a line to your sig
and your own marketing materials announcing your
participation in the show.
The day of the show will be hectic:
== Have all your materials organized and ready to go at
least 24 hours in advance. This is a great task to
share with your kids, who can help with collating and
gathering materials.
== Your set-up time prior to the show may be limited.
Arrive promptly and note loading dock rules and parking
regulations.
== Don't even think of working your booth alone! If you are
a one-person shop, enlist a friend or family member
(even your teenage kids) to help you work the booth --
you don't want to miss an important lead because you had
to grab some lunch or use the rest room.
A trade show is not a good place for your young
children. Arrange for a spouse, family member or friend
to watch them while you're working.
== Dress as you would for any business event, but keep in
mind that you will be on your feet for eight hours or
longer on floors that are hard enough to support a
semi-truck. Wear comfortable shoes with good support
(Rockports are better than athletic shoes and look
nicer, too). Stash an extra pair under your booth's
skirted table. Changing into fresh shoes midway through
the day will alleviate foot fatigue.
Overall, smile and have fun. This is a rare opportunity to
get out from behind your computer, have some "face time"
with your customers, get feedback on your offerings, make
some new friends and sell, sell, sell! (And what could be
more fun than that?)
This article may be reprinted with permission by including the following resource box:
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Donna Schwartz Mills, CMP is a veteran events planner
awarded the Certified Meetings Professional designation by
the Convention Liaison Council. She now writes about the specific needs of work at home parents at her website,
http://www.ParentPreneurClub.com , "For Parents Who Want
Choices, Not Office Politics." Tools, free tips and support
to help grow your home based business while raising a family.
For more articles like this one, visit Donna's other site,
http://www.Family-Content.com
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