Get the Most from Pre-During-Post Trade Show Exhibiting

By Richard Erschik
President – Presenter
www.ExhibitorTrainingWebinar.com

Introduction

Exhibiting in Face-to-Face trade shows offers exhibitors a unique opportunity to reduce sales call costs and prominently showcase their products and services to a targeted audience. To ensure optimal results, exhibitors should take proactive measures before, during, and after the show. In this article, we will provide valuable insights, and strategies and tactics, to help exhibitors achieve 100% lead followup and maximize their return on investment (ROI).

Pre-Show

Relying solely on the show's organizer to attract qualified attendees may limit exhibitors' success. Exhibitors possess a valuable asset to enhance trade show attendance: their existing customer, prospect, service, and warranty databases of names. By utilizing these names, exhibitors can engage with potential attendees and increase their booth traffic even before the show begins. Here are some proven effective pre-show promotion strategies:

1. Leverage Trade Publications: Exhibitors should consider placing print or electronic ads in industry-specific trade publications that focus on the upcoming show. By including their exhibit and booth number in these ads, exhibitors can generate awareness and drive targeted traffic to their booth. It is crucial to communicate with the advertising space sales representatives of these publications, as they may provide access to their circulation data and names for profiling and exhibitor pre-show promotions.
    
   
2. Personalized Invitations: Pre-show invitations should incorporate personalization, information, invitation, and qualification to maximize their effectiveness. Ensure each invitation includes the recipient's properly spelled name, describes the products or services that will be displayed, provides essential show details (name, date, location, booth number), and includes a few questions to learn more about the attendee's application and requirements. Prompt them to answer your questions and return the invitation with a give-away for doing so. “Things rewarded get done.” Source: The Greatest Management Principle, by Bill Rossiter

During Show

The success of exhibitors during the show relies heavily on the knowledge and motivation of their booth staff. Implement the following strategies to optimize visitor engagement and qualified lead generation:

1. Incentivize Booth Staff: Create incentive programs with attractive prizes to encourage booth staff to actively engage with visitors, to maximize the value of leads, and arrange for post-show sales visits. Motivated staff members who actively seek conversations and demonstrate product knowledge are more likely to generate valuable leads.
2. Open-ended Questions: Instead of starting booth visitor conversations with closed-ended questions like "Can I help you?" coach your booth staff to ask open-ended questions such as "What brings you into our booth?" This approach prompts visitors to share their needs and requirements, facilitating meaningful conversations and effective lead generation.
3. Strategic Questions: Provide your booth staff with a set of strategic questions tailored to your products or services. These questions should help gather essential information before lead followup. For instance, if your company manufactures grinding machines, questions like, "Are you presently doing any Grinding or using Grinding equipment?" or, "Are you considering the purchase of a Grinding Machine?" can help gage the visitor's level of interest and expertise. Other questions may focus on specific usage, budget, decision-making authority, and timing.

Post-Show

Traditionally, exhibitors pass all of the acquired leads on to the sales department after the show, where followup rates and ROI measurement wane. To enhance lead response and followup, implement the following three-step non-traditional procedure:

Step 1: Customer Satisfaction Document: On your company’s letterhead, design, and title a Customer Satisfaction Document and direct mail it to each sales lead after the show. (Reference Example 1)

NOTE: Direct mail has returned as a viable means of lead response to eliminate extensive and non-productive telephone dialing by your salespeople, and the overload of unrecognized emails to booth visitors (leads.)

Begin the wording on the Customer Satisfaction Document by acknowledging the visitor's recent request for information and state your intention to follow up without burdening them.

Step 2: Strategic Questions: Include strategic questions on the Customer Satisfaction Document like those mentioned earlier. Leave space for recipients to write in additional information or comments. Provide clear instructions on how to complete and return the document to you.

Step 3: Personalized Followup: Merge the leads' names with the Customer Satisfaction Document, personalizing each piece of direct mail. Send the document in a non-traditional container, such as a 6x9 envelope, letter box, or mailing tube. The prominent "Customer Satisfaction" label helps to ensure recipients will read the document and be more likely to complete the questions. Those who complete the qualification questions and return the document promptly are the hot leads that should be prioritized and delivered to the sales department for immediate followup.

Maintaining Branding and Long-term Relationships

Not all leads will complete and return the Customer Satisfaction Document.

Schedule Nurturing Intervals: For leads that do not immediately return the Customer Satisfaction Document, develop a lead nurturing plan. Consider intervals of three, six, nine, or twelve months to nurture leads with the non-traditional lead response process described above.

1. Collaboration with Sales: If the sales force demands immediate access to leads after the show, go ahead and provide them with a copy. However, waiting for a week or so after the show before implementing the Customer Satisfaction lead response process allows for comprehensive contact. Responsible salespeople will welcome this process, as it eliminates non-prospects and enables efficient prioritization of followup.

Conclusion

By adopting and implementing a proactive Customer Satisfaction approach throughout the trade show experience, exhibit managers can enhance their role in their company and help to ensure 100% lead followup and a higher ROI. From pre-show promotions, to strategic questioning during the show, and a well-planned post-show followup procedure, exhibitors can maximize their success and establish long-term relationships with potential customers. Embrace these strategies, tailor them to your products, and unlock the full potential of trade show exhibiting.

Need more information?
Richard Erschik
President – Presenter
www.ExhibitorTrainingWebinar.com

About the Author

Richard Erschik

Richard was a successful exhibitor in the machine tool industry for more than a decade. He founded a national service organization around the non-traditional lead response and management process described in this article, and for more than two decades he provided lead response services to exhibiting companies. American Airlines named his company, “One of the most innovative companies in the country” and a “Best practice in trade show marketing.” In 2009 Richard sold his company to begin nurturing his passion to teach exhibitors how to be successful in trade shows. He is listed in Trade Show Executive Magazine’s Who’s Who, and has been a Roundtable moderator, speaker, and featured presenter at the EXHIBITOR Show in Las Vegas for 18 years.