Apex Signs & Graphics - 17 Tips for Trade Show Success

Trade Show $uccess

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17 TIPS FOR

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Trade Show $uccess TIP #1:

Know Your Target

Know your target customers and which shows they attend. There are many types of trade shows from industry specific shows, home shows, tattoo conventions, and ones that feature sports memorabilia. Do your homework, get the background information on possible shows, and talk with past exhibitors to assure that you pick the right events for your product line and sales goals.

Contact Apex Signs & Graphics at 678-795-0775 to develop the visual marketing elements for your next trade show. www.ApexSignsGA.com

1

Trade Show $uccess TIP #2:

Set Goals

Make your goals specific: “I want ten new leads for blue widgets.” These specific goals allow you to create a detailed plan to make those goals achievable. Consider a pre-show promotion to let your prospects and customers know you’ll be at the show and where they can find you. Create an incentive or a promotion—some reason for them to visit your booth at the show. Share this pre-show promotion through social media, email newsletters, press releases, and direct mail.

Contact Apex Signs & Graphics at 678-795-0775 to develop the visual marketing elements for your next trade show. www.ApexSignsGA.com

2

Trade Show $uccess TIP #3:

Establish Deadlines

Assemble a list of deliverables and outline the necessary steps two to three months prior to the tradeshow. Assign deadlines and determine who will accomplish each step by its deadline. Have early conversations with vendors such as signage professionals to determine the time needed to avoid rush charges. Pre-planning and timely execution reduce stress levels and create a superior booth display.

Contact Apex Signs & Graphics at 678-795-0775 to develop the visual marketing elements for your next trade show. www.ApexSignsGA.com

3

Trade Show $uccess TIP #4:

Identify Prospects

Identify your best prospects prior to the start of the show and send them an invitation to visit your booth. Consider inviting them with a handwritten note sent through the mail. When they arrive at your booth, treat them as guests of honor. If they don’t stop by, walk the show, seek them out and extend a personal invitation to visit.

Contact Apex Signs & Graphics at 678-795-0775 to develop the visual marketing elements for your next trade show. www.ApexSignsGA.com

4

Trade Show $uccess

Give Identify Promotional Your Market Items

TIP TIP #5:#1:

Giving attendees a take-away item helps them remember your product, your company, and you. There are items in a wide range of prices to help attendees remember your product or service. Think creatively and get your vendor involved. Unique promotional items often require a longer production cycle, so keep this in mind in your planning.

Contact Apex Signs & Graphics at 678-795-0775 to develop the visual marketing elements for your next trade show. www.ApexSignsGA.com

5

Trade Show $uccess

MakeIdentify Your Display Your Market Memorable

TIP #6: TIP #1:

The critical step is to clarify your marketing message. But, beware! Too many messages, too many graphics, too much clutter crammed into your booth will confuse booth visitors and actually discourage them from stopping. Use unique, high quality photographs and graphics that are clear, colorful, and are high resolution. You want attendees to “get� your message and understand what you do quickly.

Contact Apex Signs & Graphics at 678-795-0775 to develop the visual marketing elements for your next trade show. www.ApexSignsGA.com

6

Trade Show $uccess

Identify Add QR Your Codes Market

TIP #1: TIP #7:

Add a QR (Quick Response Code) to business cards, postcards, flyers, and booth graphics to connect your marketing to a topic specific video or a key landing page on your website. Don’t just connect to your home page! Make attendees feel it was worth their effort to scan your QR by creating engagement with a unique offer, a funny graphic or expanded information.

Contact Apex Signs & Graphics at 678-795-0775 to develop the visual marketing elements for your next trade show. www.ApexSignsGA.com

7

Trade Show $uccess TIP #8:

TIP #1: Write Identify a Pre-Show YourPress Market Release

Is someone from your organization leading a breakout session? Are emerging business trends for your industry being discussed at the show? Post an online press release BEFORE the show with why your company is attending or AFTER with what’s new in your industry, then share the link. Here are 13 potential press release topics from www.PublicityHound.com.

Contact Apex Signs & Graphics at 678-795-0775 to develop the visual marketing elements for your next trade show. www.ApexSignsGA.com

8

Trade Show $uccess TIP TIP #9: #1:

Identify OrganizeYour YourMarket Booth

Minimize hassle by planning your booth space carefully. Know what elements need to be created, shipped and assembled. Assign tasks to specific people involved in the process. Have one person dedicated to liaison with show organizers and communicate information to your team.

Contact Apex Signs & Graphics at 678-795-0775 to develop the visual marketing elements for your next trade show. www.ApexSignsGA.com

9

Trade Show $uccess

Identify Invite Your Customers Market

TIPTIP #1: #10:

Invite your loyal customers to stop by and encourage them to introduce you to their industry friends. Have something special planned when they stop by, maybe a small gift to show your appreciation for them and for their referrals.

Contact Apex Signs & Graphics at 678-795-0775 to develop the visual marketing elements for your next trade show. www.ApexSignsGA.com

10

Trade Show $uccess TIP #11:

Play the Host

Make people feel welcome and start conversations. Consider yourself a party host and chit-chat with the “guests” who come by your booth. Get the conversational ball rolling by talking about the tradeshow—one subject you know you have in common with each attendee. Prepare several engaging questions before the show and use those questions to stimulate thought and encourage conversation.

Contact Apex Signs & Graphics at 678-795-0775 to develop the visual marketing elements for your next trade show. www.ApexSignsGA.com

11

Trade Show $uccess TIP #12:

Create an Interaction Strategy

Create a reason for attendees to interact with you. This can be something fun like a contest or a photo opportunity with the cut-out of a celebrity. Generate a personalized reason to follow-up after the show by interviewing visitors on a particular industry topic or a specific question. Video their answer or create an audio recording of their comment, then send their interview file as a first step in connecting after the show.

Share these recordings on social media and “tag� the interviewee.

Contact Apex Signs & Graphics at 678-795-0775 to develop the visual marketing elements for your next trade show. www.ApexSignsGA.com

12

Trade Show $uccess TIP #13:

Use Social Media

Promote your company’s involvement before, during and after the trade show through your business social media networks and those of your team. Create a page on your website with your booth information and special promotion—or use the archive feature of your email newsletter to generate a url to share. Snap photos with industry leaders who are speaking at the event, as well as photos with your key clients, for easy mobile posts during the show. Tweet a quote from an industry leader and hashtag it for the event. (Most event coordinators set up a #hashtag word or phrase to track what people are sharing on Twitter.)

Contact Apex Signs & Graphics at 678-795-0775 to develop the visual marketing elements for your next trade show. www.ApexSignsGA.com

13

Trade Show $uccess TIP #14:

Tell Stories

People relate to compelling stories. Have a collection of stories illustrating the history of your organization and how your products and services provided solutions for customers’ problems. Stories can be from your personal experiences or from your company’s collective experience.

Contact Apex Signs & Graphics at 678-795-0775 to develop the visual marketing elements for your next trade show. www.ApexSignsGA.com

14

Trade Show $uccess TIP #15:

Make Notes on Business Cards

Every time you speak to an attendee, you have an opportunity to collect their business card.

Take the next step and make notes on that business card about what products they might be interested in. Use the cards and the notes to tailor your after show follow-up to their specific interest. Those cards are like gold for future contact. Larger trade shows have technology to scan badges and capture contact information of booth visitors, but you can still make notes on a business card as a memory prompt for follow-up conversation topics. It is said that even the weakest ink is better than the strongest memory.

Contact Apex Signs & Graphics at 678-795-0775 to develop the visual marketing elements for your next trade show. www.ApexSignsGA.com

15

Trade Show $uccess TIP #16:

Walk the Show

Hand out business cards and personally invite attendees to stop by your booth. When a “host� issues a personal invitation, it is more likely to get accepted.

Contact Apex Signs & Graphics at 678-795-0775 to develop the visual marketing elements for your next trade show. www.ApexSignsGA.com

16

Trade Show $uccess TIP #17:

Have a Follow-up Plan

Prompt follow-up is essential. Input those leads into your system and make contact within four days. Have a plan and execute it promptly! Trade show leads older than a week smell like rotting fish!

Contact Apex Signs & Graphics at 678-795-0775 to develop the visual marketing elements for your next trade show. www.ApexSignsGA.com

17

We Can Help Need help developing visual marketing elements for your next trade show?

Apex Signs & Graphics creates memorable trade shows and events by helping you to sell your message. It’s your MESSAGE that builds top-of-mind awareness and causes customers to BUY…from YOU…and to buy REPEATEDLY.

Call Dave today at 678-795-0775. www.ApexSignsGA.com Apex Signs & Graphics is located at 600 North Main St, Alpharetta, GA 30009.