Your company has made the important decision to make trade show exhibit appearance a part of its marketing program, and you now need to create a game plan that will help you select your appropriate trade shows. You know that exhibiting at the right trade shows can bring successful leads and sales, while the wrong trade shows can waste your company's time, money and energy. It is essential to make the right decision. But how do you start? The following are nine steps to guide you in the trade show selection process.
1. Work with a tradeshow planning team or key personnel to decide who your target market is and what your objectives are.
2. Identify the tradeshows that appeal to your market and offer the greatest exposure for your message. Research the target market and your competitors to determine which tradeshows they frequently attend.
3. Time your trade show exhibit appearance to meet prospects at the beginning of their buying cycle—not after purchasing decisions have been made.
4. Do your homework. Double check tradeshow management statistics to confirm participant demographics. Obtain audited information, if available. Talk to former tradeshow exhibitors and attendees about their trade show booth experience.
5. Visit the tradeshows that you are considering. Evaluate educational seminars and supporting events for other opportunities for appearances by your company personnel.
6. Consider the location of the trade show. Since 40%–60% of tradeshow attendance usually lives within a 200-mile radius of the show, you may want to match your company's distribution area and target market with the geographic source of tradeshow attendees.
7. Evaluate the timing of the trade show. Avoid conflicts with events or business activities that may draw your target audience away from the tradeshow (i.e. Super Bowl Sunday, corporate annual meetings, holidays, etc.).
8. Be wary of first-time tradeshows. Even though a heavily promoted first-time event may sound like a winner, without a proven history it may be a risk for your company's initial tradeshow appearance.
9. Pick your trade show booth space wisely. Get familiar with the floor plan of the tradeshow exhibit space. Consider how close you want to be to industry leaders, main attractions, competitors, restrooms, food stations, entrances, exits, escalators, elevators, stairs, windows and seminar sites. Avoid low ceilings, obstructing columns, dead-end aisles, loading docks, freight doors, dark spaces and ceiling water pipes.
Dick Wheeler is President of Professional Exhibits & Graphics, headquartered in Sunnyvale, California. The firm is a full-service premiere trade show exhibit, graphics and management services company. Go to http://www.proexhibits.com
