Planning Your Exhibit's Success

Planning Your Exhibit's Success Great marketing can't make up for lackluster exhibit design. Make your tradeshow exhibit work towards your marketing objectives, and not against them, by applying these tactics: If you build it right, EXHIBIT DESIGN PLANNING they will come Partner Up By partnering with a proven, experienced exhibit company, you're more likely to receive a booth design that's unique, effective, and synergizes with your existing marketing strategy. Speak Up If you know what you want visitors to your booth to experience, don't be afraid to tell your designers. Experienced exhibit companies will welcome collaboration and value your ideas and input. Sign Language Your exhibit's signage is a crucial marketing tool. Give careful consideration to the messaging, hierarchy, color contrast, font, and saturation of your booth's sign and graphical elements. Lighten Up Great exhibit lighting will draw patrons to your booth, just as poor lighting will deflect them away. By adeptly using LED lighting, you can create an atmosphere that's alluring, radiant, and energy efficient. Pre-exhibit PRE-GAMMING FOR SUCCESS Marketing Strategy While construction of your exhibit takes place, it's time to begin building pre-show interest and anticipation that will drive attendee traffic to your booth. Here's a few simple ways to create buzz for your exhibit: Share the News A press release is an effective way to spread the word about your upcoming exhibit. Your news angle can be a product launch, unique design elements of the booth, or anything else of potential interest to attendees. Alert your followers Send your email subscribers periodic announcements and updates of what they can expect to experience at your booth. Use premium giveaways or a special VIP event for those that show up in person. Attending SHOWTIME the show Train your staff Poor booth-staff recruitment and training can guarantee poor trade show performance. Increase your odds of success by scheduling two essential dress rehearsals: a pre-show meeting and in-booth orientation. Don't lose your leads Unless on-site sales or product launch are your objectives, obtaining lead tracking information should come second to none. Having a fast and efficient lead capturing system in place is crucial towards achieving this. Give it away Human desire for giveaways and free samples is only eclipsed by our needs for food, shelter and companionship. If done correctly, a premium can drive booth traffic while also creating a brand touch-point after the show ends. POST-EXHIBIT MARKETING STRATEGY Share your Success After all those hours spent stressing over labor contracts and carpet swatches, it's time to share the news of your exhibit's success. Create a press release describing any relevant awards or statistics. LEAD FOLLOW UP AND THANK YOU Thank them 48 percent of all leads are not followed up by salespeople. By emailing your attendees a quick thank you, you're being polite and further developing a lead into a future sale. Keep in touch Keeping in touch with your leads is vital to maintaining the relationships you worked so hard to start. Inviting them to subscribe to your monthly newsletter or other featured content is an easy way to keep in touch. catalySi EXHIBITS REFERENCES: Adams, Candy. "Exhibiting 101: Dress Rehearsal." Exhibitor October 2011 http://www.exhibitoronline.com/exhibitormagazine/oct11/exhibiting-101-dress-rehersal.asp Rubleski, Tony. "Why Consistent Follow Up Equals Sales Success." Mind Capture Group July 2009 http://www.mindcapturegroup.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry090708-065644 Thimmesch, Mike. "Are These 12 Roadblocks Stopping Your Valuable Trade Show Leads?" Skylinetradeshowtips.com September 2012 http://www.skylinetradeshowtips.com/are-these-12-roadblocks-stopping-your-valuable-trade-show-leads/ Valenty, Lena. "5 Steps to Successful Signage" Exhibitor October 2012 http://www.exhibitoronline.com/exhibitormagazine/sep12/_successful-exhibit-signage.asp Planning Your Exhibit's Success Great marketing can't make up for lackluster exhibit design. Make your tradeshow exhibit work towards your marketing objectives, and not against them, by applying these tactics: If you build it right, EXHIBIT DESIGN PLANNING they will come Partner Up By partnering with a proven, experienced exhibit company, you're more likely to receive a booth design that's unique, effective, and synergizes with your existing marketing strategy. Speak Up If you know what you want visitors to your booth to experience, don't be afraid to tell your designers. Experienced exhibit companies will welcome collaboration and value your ideas and input. Sign Language Your exhibit's signage is a crucial marketing tool. Give careful consideration to the messaging, hierarchy, color contrast, font, and saturation of your booth's sign and graphical elements. Lighten Up Great exhibit lighting will draw patrons to your booth, just as poor lighting will deflect them away. By adeptly using LED lighting, you can create an atmosphere that's alluring, radiant, and energy efficient. Pre-exhibit PRE-GAMMING FOR SUCCESS Marketing Strategy While construction of your exhibit takes place, it's time to begin building pre-show interest and anticipation that will drive attendee traffic to your booth. Here's a few simple ways to create buzz for your exhibit: Share the News A press release is an effective way to spread the word about your upcoming exhibit. Your news angle can be a product launch, unique design elements of the booth, or anything else of potential interest to attendees. Alert your followers Send your email subscribers periodic announcements and updates of what they can expect to experience at your booth. Use premium giveaways or a special VIP event for those that show up in person. Attending SHOWTIME the show Train your staff Poor booth-staff recruitment and training can guarantee poor trade show performance. Increase your odds of success by scheduling two essential dress rehearsals: a pre-show meeting and in-booth orientation. Don't lose your leads Unless on-site sales or product launch are your objectives, obtaining lead tracking information should come second to none. Having a fast and efficient lead capturing system in place is crucial towards achieving this. Give it away Human desire for giveaways and free samples is only eclipsed by our needs for food, shelter and companionship. If done correctly, a premium can drive booth traffic while also creating a brand touch-point after the show ends. POST-EXHIBIT MARKETING STRATEGY Share your Success After all those hours spent stressing over labor contracts and carpet swatches, it's time to share the news of your exhibit's success. Create a press release describing any relevant awards or statistics. LEAD FOLLOW UP AND THANK YOU Thank them 48 percent of all leads are not followed up by salespeople. By emailing your attendees a quick thank you, you're being polite and further developing a lead into a future sale. Keep in touch Keeping in touch with your leads is vital to maintaining the relationships you worked so hard to start. Inviting them to subscribe to your monthly newsletter or other featured content is an easy way to keep in touch. catalySi EXHIBITS REFERENCES: Adams, Candy. "Exhibiting 101: Dress Rehearsal." Exhibitor October 2011 http://www.exhibitoronline.com/exhibitormagazine/oct11/exhibiting-101-dress-rehersal.asp Rubleski, Tony. "Why Consistent Follow Up Equals Sales Success." Mind Capture Group July 2009 http://www.mindcapturegroup.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry090708-065644 Thimmesch, Mike. "Are These 12 Roadblocks Stopping Your Valuable Trade Show Leads?" Skylinetradeshowtips.com September 2012 http://www.skylinetradeshowtips.com/are-these-12-roadblocks-stopping-your-valuable-trade-show-leads/ Valenty, Lena. "5 Steps to Successful Signage" Exhibitor October 2012 http://www.exhibitoronline.com/exhibitormagazine/sep12/_successful-exhibit-signage.asp