Outsmart Rather Than Outspend: Tips for the Small Exhibitor

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Outsmart Rather Than Outspend Tips for the Small
Exhibitor

• Presented by
• Marc L. Goldberg, CME
• Marketech, Inc.

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Small Exhibiting is Strategic
You cant outspend them You have to out-think
them!
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A thought upon which to build

• Small exhibits are not a microcosm
• of a large exhibit

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A Basic Formula

• Plan Completely
• Execute Aggressively
• Follow-up Thoroughly

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10 Critical Ingredients

• Selecting booth locations
• Selecting the staff
• Conducting preshow meetings
• Use of literature
• Handling buyers when the exhibit fills-up
• Making the most of your graphics

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10 Critical Ingredients

• The competition is next door
• Avoiding staffer burn-out
• Common selling problems
• Trade shows work for
• small exhibitors, too

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A Good Location Isnt Critical, But It Sure Helps!

• Center of Influence
• The Pyramid
• Birds of a feather - locating near others in
  similar businesses
• Path of least resistance
• Follow the leader
• Narrow aisles
• Right side of the hall

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Good Locations

• Follow the leader
• Narrow aisles
• Right side of the hall

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Birds of a Feather
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Corner locations
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20
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Hall perimeter locations
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Spaces that dont work as well Front center
Left Side Fatigue
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Near the necessities
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Near columns
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85 of Your Results are Vested in Your Staff

• Staffing the exhibit 1 for every 50 sq. ft .of
  unoccupied space
• Characteristics of effective staffers
• Attitude wants to be there
• Personality open, warm, friendly
• Product knowledge - 1 attendee desire
• Good communicator - listening
• Mix of disciplines / locations - flexibility
• Experience knows the process
• Reaching out, Relating to, Reacting and
  Responding, Recording

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Conducting a Preshow Meeting

• Doesnt matter where - just so it is appropriate
  to learning
• Preshow briefing paper electronic or mailed
• Objectives
• Clear, Specific, Quantified
• Written, Measurable
• Communicated

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Conducting a Preshow Meeting

• Your Organizational Message
• clear, specific, focused
• identify key points
• suggest possible hooks
• identify commitment desired
• what is the Big Idea?

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Booth Interaction

• Demonstrations
• Audio Visuals
• Team Selling Roles
• Using Literature and Giveaways
• Using Lead Cards
• Contests and Premiums

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Using Literature

• What is the role of literature?

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Using Literature

• Taking the cost out of literature
• print on demand
• if you must, bring minimal literature, but ship
  with the exhibit
• monitor usage - avoid tabletop literature
• dont hand it out, send it
• avoid four color pieces
• use literature as a disengaging tool

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Handling Buyers When the Exhibit Fills Up

• Plan for busy times
• Assign a greeter
• Keep visitors busy
• Prioritize - Qualify quickly

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When the Exhibit Fills Up....

• Time tips
• Reward them for waiting
• Use collateral materials
• Above all, acknowledge them, value them!

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Graphics

• We communicate in a variety of ways
• Verbally
• Visually
• through Graphics
• 3 seconds - who we are, what we do and what is
  our offer

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Five Graphics Dos

• Be
• large
• a minimalist
• colorful
• clear
• bold
• smart

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Graphics

• Reuse the same photos with new copy
• Choose photos with people that can help make eye
  contact
• Bigger images are better
• Take your own photos, then enlarge them
• Use desktop publishing

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The Competition is Next Door

• What do you do?

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The Competition is Next Door

• Change locations
• Preshow promotion
• Call ahead and set appointments
• Target your audience with preshow mailers
• Offer show specials
• Dress up the exhibit
• Focus on relationships
• Sell Yourself
• Source Aisleview

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Avoid Staff Burnout

• Use a booth duty schedule and keep to it
• Use staffing periods of 2-3 hours
• Let staff take frequent breaks - 1/hour
  preferably
• Check the show schedule and plan for peak times
• The show directory/schedule will identify when
  the peak times times will occur based on show
  activities

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Avoid Staff Burnout

• Let staffers take breaks during slow times
• Its a good time to see the show and take a brisk
  walk
• Plan for a ten minute break each hour
• Drink plenty of liquids, but water and juice
• Know your limits - know when to stop
• Get plenty of sleep
• Avoid the canned pitch - its boring for both
  parties

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Common Selling Problems

• Be backs - try to get them the first time
• Too many visitors - exhibiting is group selling
• Bringing buyers into the exhibit space
• Stopping traffic - a SMILE

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Common Selling Problems

• Qualifying prospects - have a prospect profile
• Maximizing the sale - work all aspects of your
  organizations offering
• Organizing the exhibit to reflect the companys
  image

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Common Selling Problems

• Handling objections - dont argue, dont attack
• Making show specials - be selective
• Use of catalogs - they are time consuming
• Adapting the sales talk to various audiences -
  flexibility
• Condensing the sales presentation - time is the
  competition

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Common Selling Problems

• Holding the buyers attention - listening more
  than talk
• Starting the sales presentation - timing, timing,
  timing

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Trade Shows Work

• Plan Completely
• Execute Aggressively
• Follow-up Thoroughly

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• Contact Info
• Marc L. Goldberg, CME
• Marketech, Inc.
• www.marketech360.com
• Ph 508/836-2633
• Cell 508/740-4820
• Email marc_at_marketech360.com

• Exhibitor Staff Training
• Live on-site
• Distance internet
• Self-paced intranet
• Performance Measurement
• Competitive Audit
• Intercept / Exit Interviews
• Quantitative Analysis
• Customer Journey
• Visual Reach
• Audience Interest
• Cost Per Analysis
• Post Event Surveys