Tricks of the Trade Show

While trade shows can be leveraged as important venues for lead generation, product launches and one-on-one interaction with customers, prospects and the media, trade show ROI is not always obvious.

With the winter/spring trade show season upon us, consider these tips on critical aspects of successful trade show planning and execution as you detail and implement your trade event strategy to maximize bottom line impact:

Choose the right trade show. Is your company attending certain trade shows because “we always have”? Do not always assume the biggest or best attended show is the one to participate in. Rather, choose the venue best aligned with your product or service and which will draw the greatest number of targeted prospects for you.

Why are you attending? Have clear show attendance goals and develop tactics supporting your trade show objectives. There are many possible reasons why a company may choose to participate in a trade show including:

·        Generating sales and leads from attendees in your target audience(s)

·        Launching a new product or announcing an industry innovation

·        Seeking strategic alliances with other vendors

·        Performing competitive intelligence

Trade show budget tips. Trade shows can require a significant investment, but savvy businesses leverage a number of strategies to minimize costs:

·        Take advantage of discounted dates for ordering booth materials. For some shows this is almost one-half the cost compared to ordering on the “regular” deadline.

·        Rent items for your booth, such as furniture, instead of purchasing them. Furniture can be heavy, increasing the overall cost of shipping.

·        Ship to the show warehouse instead of direct to the show site, which adds
special and absolutely unnecessary material and handling costs from the show services company.

Don’t forget the trade media. Major trade shows draw a large pool of media representatives from industry publications, providing the opportunity to build face-to-face media relationships that can result in editorial coverage. Obtain a list of media attending from the show organizer and contact them about scheduling appointments with editorial representatives at the show.

Make them an offer. Obtain a list of registered attendees and send a pre-show invitation to your booth. Offer a relevant giveaway premium at your booth, but predicate the receipt of it upon first viewing a demo or filling out a lead form.

Make an important announcement. If you have important news to release or a new product/service to launch, a tradeshow is a high-visibility venue to break the news, offering your company a stronger angle for attracting the attention of attendees and the media.

Train exhibit booth staff. To maximize your tradeshow presence, every employee working the booth should have a clear understanding of key sales and marketing messages, and the goals for event attendance.

Turn leads into sales. Offer to send marketing materials to an interested prospect’s office to lighten his/her load of materials carried around at the show or the airport. As a practical matter, confirming their receipt once the prospect is back in the office gives you a legitimate reason to follow up, and follow up and follow up. Otherwise, all the work at the show is a wash. One call doesn’t cut it. Be persistent!

Jeff Barnhart

President & CEO

jbarnhart@cmasolutions.com

CMA Displays its Many Talents to New Clients

CMA has begun launching marketing campaigns for three new clients: PIERS, Commercial Cleaning Corporation and KNF Neuberger.

For PIERS, a global trade intelligence organization, CMA is revamping its online presence through a custom-designed blog called Data in Motion, LinkedIn profile and Facebook page. CMA will additionally be conducting digital marketing for PIERS.

Commercial Cleaning Corporation, which offers maintenance services to both public and private sectors, turned to CMA update its brand including a the development of a comprehensive corporate brochure. After completion of this project, CMA plans to focus its efforts on the company’s website.

CMA is also working with KNF Neuberger, a manufacturer of diaphragm pumps for gases and liquids, supporting the company’s tradeshow sales follow up through digital and print communications.

Tradeshows: Evaluating your Presence

How Can You Best Optimize Your Presence at a Tradeshow?

Your marketing agency can be the best weapon in your sales arsenal when it comes to tradeshows. Here are four ways to work with your agency to maximize your next tradeshow effort:

1. Choose those shows that will garner a substantial ROI. This seems straight forward but it is not always that easy. Tradeshow promoters do a good job of attracting companies to shows they may not need. With regional and local shows popping up all over the country, you should map out the potential ROI of each show.

2. Map out every aspect of your participation in the show and set goals. This means your booth logistics, events you will be attending, dealing with the media, attending seminars and, in general, working the event to the maximum. Setting goals is important because it will give you the knowledge necessary for continued success. Quantify your efforts and plan for a debriefing and following up once back in the office.

3. Coordinate any new technology available for your booth and on the floor. Tradeshows are about more than collecting business cards any more, it’s about being totally connected. Check out your competition and chances are they will be using the newest and best technology to woo potential clients—even Nintendo Wii and interactive videos are being used to draw them in. Utilize social media and other web technologies to promote your presence before, during and after the show.

4. Take your agency’s advice. That’s what they are there for: to aid in the marketing of your products and services. CMA has been an experienced partner at tradeshows for 23 years helping companies exhibit and succeed at these all important events.

We are eager to work together to help you achieve your potential.

Erin Higgins
Director of Marketing Services
ehiggins@cmasolutions.com

Tricks of the Tradeshow

Tricks of the Tradeshow

While trade shows can be important venues for lead generation, product launches, and one-on-one interaction with prospects, the ROI is not always obvious unless you thoroughly prepare to make the most of your investment.

I recently led a CMA Power Series seminar, Tricks of the Tradeshow, exploring effective tradeshow planning, execution and follow up to maximize show results while minimizing unnecessary costs.

Choosing the right tradeshow. Do not always assume the biggest or best attended show is the one to participate in. Rather, choose the tradeshow best aligned with your product or service and which will draw the greatest number of targeted prospects.

Why are you attending? Have a clear show attendance goal and develop tactics supporting your objectives. There are many possible reasons why a company may choose to participate in a tradeshow including:

• Generating sales and leads from attendees
• Launching a new product or announcing an industry innovation
• Seeking strategic alliances with other vendors
• Performing competitive intelligence

Tradeshow budget tips. Tradeshows can require a significant investment, but savvy businesses leverage a number of strategies to minimize costs:

• Take advantage of discounted dates for ordering booth materials. For some shows this is almost one-half the cost compared to ordering on the “regular” deadline.

• Rent items for your booth, such as furniture, instead of purchasing them. Furniture can be heavy, increasing the overall cost of shipping.

• Ship to the show warehouse instead of direct to the show site, which adds special and absolutely unnecessary material and handling costs from the show services company.

Train your exhibit staff. Your staff needs to be briefed on all new programs and initiatives as well as being knowledgeable about the company and its products/services. Booth staff are expected to be experts and prepping employees in advance ensures they will meet that expectation.

Turn leads into sales. Offer to send marketing materials to an interested prospect’s office to lighten his/her load of materials carried around at the show or the airport. As a practical matter, confirming their receipt once the prospect is back in the office gives you a legitimate reason to follow up, and follow up and follow up. Otherwise, all the work at the show is a wash. One call doesn’t cut it. Be persistent!

Stay tuned for information about CMA’s next Power Series topic!

Erin Higgins
Manager, Client Services
ehiggins@cmasolutions.com

Following Up After the Show: A Crucial Part of the Sales Process

The tradeshow was a success. You’ve made connections, had great conversations and even exchanged contact information with a variety of potential leads. Now you’re back in the office with the goal of turning those prospects into clients. Following up with leads you’ve obtained after a tradeshow is a crucial part of the sales process that is often missed and even overlooked. The conversations you’ve had should not stop once the show is over, as following up is another important step in helping to secure new clients. Consider these tips for following up after a tradeshow:

Timing
Timing is everything. Once you return from a tradeshow, it is important to follow up with any leads you have obtained. The sooner you follow up with prospects, the better chance you and your company have of being fresh in their mind as well as any information you have provided regarding your company’s products or services. If you follow up a few days or even a week later, you run the risk of them forgetting about you and your message, further delaying your progress and the relationships you’ve worked so hard to create.

Use the Appropriate Form of Communication
Whether you follow up via phone, email or mail, make sure you understand the best way the prospect would like to be contacted. Nothing annoys people more than being contacted in a way that does not suit the manner in which they prefer to receive information. This can also result in a loss or deletion of information about your company and its products or services if not filtered through the appropriate channel.

Offer Something New
Everyone enjoys receiving new information, especially if it relates directly to them. When following up, make sure to offer something new, whether it is a new success story, additional product features, etc. This will help give you another topic to discuss with the prospect as well as further engage them in your conversation and your message. Also, make sure the information is of interest to them, this shows you’ve done your homework and are truly thinking about their individual needs.

The above tips will help you continue the conversation with potential tradeshow leads, in an effort to turn them from prospect to client. Conversation never stops, so why should you?

Erin Higgins
Manager, Client Services
ehiggins@cmasolutions.com