Nutmeg Exhibit

Pre-Show Preparation

Invitations & Promotions

  • Today's exhibitor must inform and entice prospects to visit their exhibit. According to industry research, about 75% of current show attendees come to a trade show with a predetermined agenda. If they are unaware of your presence prior to the show, they may well miss your booth. Exhibitors who do not take specific, positive action to get on a prospect's scheduled list of exhibits in advance of the show may be letting up to 40% of their target audience slip by.
  • Improving booth traffic can be accomplished through a pre-show program of invitations and promotions. Following are some of the most common pre-show promotion techniques.

Personal Invitation of prospects by your sales force and the use of guest tickets is quite effective and provides an opportunity to discuss new products, services, etc.

Telemarketing should be done with a benefits oriented script that arouses curiosity. The use of show specials, premiums, etc. can be quite useful. Ideally, schedule a show appointment at this time.

Direct Mail is most common and has proven quite effective. Stimulate interest through demonstrations, premiums, etc. Consider the following guidelines.

  • Use a qualified mailing list consistent with your target audience.
  • Address to an individual.
  • Use color or unusual postcards.
  • Ensure the mailing arrives before the show!!

Advertising in trade and industry publications, newsletters, or on radio and TV are possibilities depending upon your budget and audience. Pursuing cross-promotional opportunities where you can combine your product or service with that of another exhibitor can reduce cost.

Lead-time for pre-show promotions is about 60 days for international events and about two weeks for domestic shows. Be sure to add on sufficient time for mailing. Utilizing the above techniques, schedule as many appointments as possible in advance. This allows you to plan booth staff schedules and utilize slow floor times to meet with known prospects.

Lead Tracking

Industry research has shown that companies that track and respond quickly to trade show prospects more often get the sale. In addition, the cost of closing a qualified trade show prospect is about 40% of closing a sale in the field. Unfortunately, in excess of one-third of all trade show exhibitors do not track their leads to ensure timely follow-up. This represents significant lost sales opportunity. The best way to avoid this kind of failure is to prepare your lead tracking process and follow-up materials. The responsibility for coordination should be assigned to a specific staff member.

Implementing a lead tracking process does not have to be complicated. If your volumes are small, the process can be entirely manual. If you have sizeable volumes, you should consider utilizing a PC lead tracking system. A brief overview of the lead tracking process follows.

Lead
  1. information captures
    • Prospect name, title, company, address, and phone
    • Source of the lead (e.g., trade show name)
    • Specific product or service of interest
    • Readiness to buy
    • Potential purchase size
    • Lead date
  2. Assign lead I.D. number for tracking the lead
  3. Prioritize leads based upon the prospect's perceived readiness to buy and the potential purchase size. Separate leads into three groups: (1) immediate, high potential prospects, (2) future high potential prospects, (3) long-range/low potential/unlikely prospects.
  4. Assign leads to sales staff based upon priority, and other criteria (territory, product type, etc).
  5. Record date and results of sales contact(s).
  6. Analyze leads:
    • Have all been followed up?
    • Which resulted in sales?
    • Which were lost to competition?
    • Which shows generate the most leads?
    • Which shows generate the most sales?
    • Which salespeople are the most productive?

A lead tracking process allows you to follow-up with clients more quickly and provides the basis for improving your sales process.

Critical Paperwork

The following materials should be brought to the show:

  • The Exhibitors Manual provided by show management contains all show rules and key person contacts.
  • A copy of the original booth space contract confirming your booth location, charges and responsibilities of show management.
  • Phone numbers of key contacts, including home numbers or pagers of people at your display house, shipper and setup firm in case of emergencies. It is a good idea to have a backup contact in case your account representative is unreachable. Because move-in and move-out times often extend after 5 p.m. or run on weekends, you need to know where you can get in touch with your suppliers.
  • Paperwork documenting special arrangements. Bring copies of letters or forms sent to show management making any special arrangements, from using an independent contractor for setup, to extending credit, to allowing early move-in.
  • Proof of payment for show services. Copies of canceled checks or charge receipts provide evidence that you have paid for electrical, cleaning or other services in case there is a disagreement with the show contractor.
  • Copies of all service order forms that were sent in advance including cleaning and florist orders. If a supplier misplaces your file, you can prove your advance order and avoid paying the higher at-show rate.
  • A copy of your shipping schedule or correspondence confirming in and out shipping arrangements with your freight handler. Be sure this includes origin and destination points, piece counts, arrival dates, phone numbers and charges. If you have any questions about when your exhibit will arrive or be picked up, or where it will be shipped to next, this documentation will let you know the schedule and whom to call.
  • An inventory list of the contents of each crate, total crate count and any identifying markings on the crates. This will help you identify whether any crates are missing from your shipment or if the contents are missing from any crate.
  • A duplicate set of setup drawings in case the set in the crates is lost or damaged. Also duplicate keys to any locking cabinets or storage containers.
  • Photographs of your exhibit to serve as visual aids for the setup crew.
  • Travel and housing information such as your travel agent's number for changes in travel plans or in case of emergencies, hotel registration numbers, room assignments and travel schedules for your staff.
  • Copies of literature and scripts for presentations or demonstrations. You will have the materials so that if your shipment does not arrive, or your speaker comes down with laryngitis, you can make last minute replacements.