Successful Trade Show Strategy - 3 Common Mistakes in Trade Show Marketing and Planning

Every exhibitor large and small wants their trade show experience to be problem free and achieve a significant return on investment (ROI). Let's take a look at some common mistakes some exhibitors make whether they be show savvy or just exhibiting for their first time.

No Specific Game Plan

Having a solid game plan when planning your exhibit is a must when it comes to event marketing. When asked why you are exhibiting in a show, many respondents will simply say "to increase sales" or "gain more sales leads." While these goals may coincide with your overall marketing strategy, it takes a detailed plan of attack when converting your strategy into a 3D face-to-face environment. This is where a competent trade show planning design and build company can help and make all the difference from a bad show experience to a good show experience. A smart business event planner will ask you what you want to accomplish with your upcoming show and specifically design a brand space environment for you that really works. But that is just the beginning.

No Pre-Show Marketing or Public Relations

Wow is this important! Strategic & effective event promotion may be the most important thing to consider when planning a show exhibition. Contact your customers to see if they are attending a show. Retain a public relations firm (if possible) to get the word out about your firm to educate the press about new, current, or prospective products & services. Consider pre-show e-mails to prospective and current customers (direct mail can get expensive), issue pre-show press releases, and consider show sponsorships or advertising on the shows' home page to build brand recognition before the show. Your budget will determine just what is doable, but it cannot be stressed enough how important pre-show marketing and public relations is to an exhibitors' success.

Booth Staff Training

Training your booth staff before the show ensures that everyone understands the mission, that everyone knows their role, and that everyone gets their questions answered. While your employees may know your company's products or service, it can be a whole new ball game when it comes to representing your brand via a trade show exhibit.?

Think of a trade show as a job interview. Every visitor to your booth is deciding whether to hire you (or not). A lack of preparation can cost you sales and thereby decrease your ROI. Remember the 80/20 rule. Listen 80% of the time and you do the talking 20% of the time.