7 Simple Steps to Trade Show Success

Whether you’re new to trade shows or a seasoned exhibitor, the central question remains: “How can my company achieve trade show success?” The answer is with a comprehensive trade show display strategy.

As the COO of a tradeshow marketing company, I’ve been personally asked this question hundreds of times.  My answer is always the same. “Take full advantage of this opportunity to be better than your competitor.”  Those that took it to heart, saw results.  Those that didn’t… well, we don’t see much from them anymore.

Trade Show Strategy

Trade shows are a critical battleground for gaining visibility and forging connections in B2B marketing. Follow these simple steps to help ensure trade show success at future events.

Step 1: Create A Comprehensive Trade Show Budget

I know… the booth space is costly. The hotels are all charging premium rates. The sales team is working overtime. The product demos aren’t cheap either and the email campaign leading up to the show was time-consuming. These are non-negotiables when your company exhibits at trade shows. The key is to develop a comprehensive budget that will identify the total cost of not only the booth design and the booth staff but the whole trade show. You need to understand every variable and then you can decide where you can save money.

Step 2: Lead The Charge!

This trade show is an investment back into your business… stand next to your competitors at the event and show off… lead the charge for your team! Foster innovation and enthusiasm among your team! Use this trade show to increase brand awareness. Your trade show booth should cultivate more trade show participation amongst prospects in the audience. There’s nothing more successful than a courageous leader. Also, allow your team to bring new ideas and thoughts to the trade show.

Step 3: Capture Leads At Trade Shows

The show floor and more specifically your trade show booth is an opportunity for immediate success. Yet, over and over again I’ll enter events and… notice a salesperson in a daze, sitting at a table, wondering, “Why am I here?  I could be home right now.”

Set objectives with the sales reps and schedule meetings with them before your next trade show. Discuss what maximizing trade show ROI looks like. Define important metrics for lead generation.

• How many potential leads?
• How many qualified leads?
• How many booth visits equate to new prospects?

You must be aligned with your trade show goals if you expect to see any return on investment.

In addition, the sales funnel can be stubborn, you must incentivize your sales and marketing teams to succeed at the event. Role-play before the trade show. Make sure booth staff are moving around… engaging with prospects and converting leads. A successful trade show will be judged on the total leads generated.

 Step 4: Attract Visitors To Your Trade Show Booth

You’ve invested money, created an amazing campaign, and trained your staff on proper booth etiquette, and then… you’re stuck in the corner by an emergency exit with no traffic. Be proactive and do something about it.  

If you know you are in a less-than-ideal booth space ahead of time, be smart.  Use social media platforms to invite potential leads to your booth. Relationship building is an art. Invite influencers or other media contacts to speak about your brand.

Consider hiring talent or a personality to sign autographs…  whatever it takes to get people to walk over (and they will for something “different”.)  Also, make sure you are using the space above your booth. Signage can catch the eye of attendees. A little trade show planning goes a long way.

Step 5: Be Unique At Trade Shows

There’s nothing that says “Don’t walk over here” like the dated booth with old graphics.  Freshen it up. Look for a designer that specializes in large format trade show graphics to give your brand a new life.

If budget permits, consider a custom booth rental. You want a larger than life presence on the trade show floor that gets people wondering where you’ve been all this time. Think about your experience walking into a trade show… what were the key elements and at show services that got your attention?

Step 6: Media Performance Post Show

Arguably the best marketing is word of mouth. You want new leads generated and new contacts talking about your business post trade show. Spend the time to research with your promotional team the RIGHT giveaway for your company.  Think about your target audience.  What would they do with the item?  Will it lead them to you?  Does it create the right impression for your company?  Return to the budget and add in enough premium items for any media contacts and qualified leads. If you’re going to give something away, make sure it fits with your brand and image.

Step 7: Sales Generated And Trade Show ROI

You MUST measure trade show performance. Trade shows are supposed to make your business more profitable. You should be flying home with more leads captured and preferably more media contacts created. Collecting business cards is cute, but we want more revenue.

Evaluate success through key metrics like lead conversion rates, cost per lead, and post-show brand perception. This will help you assess the impact of your trade show efforts and calculate trade show ROI.

If your trade show strategy worked and you captured leads, prompt post show communication is vital. Nuture the leads you collect. Remember, a lack of response is not necessarily a lack of interest, so build your follow-up campaigns with calls, emails, social media and keep working the leads.  

Years ago I went to a show and found two companies that were selling the same product I was looking for.  I told them, “You are just what I’ve been looking for.  Here’s my contact information because I have limited time and need to walk the whole show today. Please call me in two days.”  One company called me and got our account (which is still going strong today). The other company called me five days later to ask why we weren’t doing business. It’s that simple.

In Short

Trade shows are a vital part of B2B marketing, blending traditional interactions with modern digital approaches. They offer an invaluable opportunity to engage with qualified prospects and enhance your brand, therefore trade show participation is a must.