By Curt Bennink, Senior PR Editor, Lessing-Flynn —
Want to get the most out of your trade show experiences? You’ve got to start prepping before you even sign up. Attendance should help drive desired business outcomes, but this can only happen with proper planning and preparation.
Evaluate if Trade Shows Align With Business Goals
Start by answering the most basic question: Why should I participate? Choose trade shows that can help you make progress toward your business goals. While this seems obvious, it’s easy to get caught up in a herd mentality.
Early in my career, I attended an annual tradeshow with very little traffic. Despite its national billing, most attendees were regional. When we asked exhibitors why they attended, the common response was, “Our competitors are here.” That show eventually ended after a couple of industry leaders pulled out.
Trade shows are meant to connect potential customers with the right vendors. That means increased brand awareness, lead generation and relationship building are reasonable objectives for attendance.
Determine Which Trade Shows Are Right For You
Once you’ve decided trade show attendance supports your business goals, invest time learning about the event. You’ll need to make meaningful contact with enough current and potential customers to justify the total cost of exhibiting — including your exhibit structure, machine transport, exhibit space, hospitality and travel expenses. Here are some questions to ask yourself before you commit to a show:
- What is the key area of focus for the trade show?
- What is the reputation of the organization hosting the trade show?
- Is the show easily accessible or are there logistical challenges?
- What is the trade show’s attendance track record?
- Who are the attendees? Are they local, national or international?
- How many attendees fit the profile of my target customer?
If it is a new show for your company, consider participating as an attendee in your first year. You can still network and set meetings at the show even if you haven’t committed to an exhibit. This gives you the chance to observe the competition and see what it takes to stand out. Do some reconnaissance and document your competitors’ messaging. Talk to other attendees and find out why they came to the show.
If you’re already familiar with the trade show and its attendees, a little research still pays off. Plan to attend preshow exhibitor meetings to learn about the new opportunities so you can make the most of them. Some of the biggest trade shows routinely roll out technology such as RFID tracking and presentation opportunities with attendees and the press. Getting your hands on a list of the media outlets attending the show can also help planning efforts and amplify any public relations efforts.
Set Goals And Track Your Results
Set clear, measurable and achievable goals ahead of the show to help track success. They will also help you determine if you need to make changes before attending again. Define objectives that ladder up to these business goals. Objectives could include:
- Generate X qualified leads
- Capture data from X attendees
- Meet X potential business partners
- Sell $X in equipment
- Get X placements in media that target the desired audience
Key performance indicators (KPIs) based on these objectives create an empirical metric to help determine success.
We’ve all seen those exhibitors on the floor who seem to have almost no engagement with the attendees. The booth may be staffed, but little is happening to drive business success. Measurable goals will help you avoid this pitfall by providing an incentive for booth staff to interact with attendees. They will also help identify if a course correction is required before the next trade show.
Find a Message That Resonates
Trade show attendees are bombarded with messages on the show floor. That means attention spans are short. You need to be memorable to stand out.
What are your key strengths that differentiate you from competitors? How can you shape them into a message that resonates with your target audience? If you need somewhere to start, your message should address a critical issue for attendees. Ask yourself this key question: What keeps the attendees up at night? The answer may lead you to a message attendees will remember long after the show wraps up.
Develop a plan before you sign up for that next trade show to help ensure that you get the results you want from your investment. A successful trade show experience doesn’t just happen. It requires connecting with the right audience, creating the right message and making a plan to amplify that message.
Curt Bennink is Senior PR Editor at Lessing-Flynn, the longest-standing independently owned advertising agency in America. Bennink has been a staple in the construction media industry for 25 years, serving as an editor for various publications before joining Lessing-Flynn in March 2022.
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