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Five Reasons Why Trade Show Exhibitors Fail by satish negi
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Five Reasons Why Trade Show Exhibitors Fail |
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Business
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This is your first time (or you’ve only exhibited a few times) OR you’re a seasoned veteran; in either instance you’ve turned sour on trade shows with such conclusions – ‘they’re too expensive for what you get out of them’, ‘the last show I went to was so poorly attended I’ll never go to that show again’ or some other comment equally disparaging. Well you’re right and you’re wrong. The whole trade show industry has been dramatically affected by the economy since 2007. When business travel is off 65%, you’re right; it’s hard to make sense out of all the details that go into developing a trade show budget that works. However, you’re wrong to give up on trade shows in general and here’s why. Trade shows are the most cost-effective way to meet the most motivated buyers face-to-face. Sure attendance is down but those that are there are the ones the companies have deemed the most qualified to make decisions on purchasing new products and services – so if you’re not at the trade show with your new products and services then how can you possibly expect to succeed at trade show exhibiting. Did you ever stop to consider it might be your approach to trade show exhibiting that’s causing you to be so negative about your company’s performance? Here are five main reasons Trade Show Exhibitors fail; ask yourself if you’re positively exploiting each of these areas? And when you pay attention to these areas you’ll be extremely gratified with the outcome. Here goes; First, Trade Shows are a complicated form of Marketing- they encompass practically every sales and marketing tool available – Direct Mail (Postcards before the show in particular), trade journal advertising, some mass media advertising (TV, radio, newspapers), public relations and now, more than ever, social media. Developing a strategy utilizes the best mix and at the same time effectively implements many, if not all, of these tools is essential. Most organizations overlook the different synergies that may be applied or, worse yet, fail to recognize the unique potential these tools encompass. Second, Every Show is Different- and because of this exhibitors fail to consider the characteristics that make each show unique. For example, factors such as attendance, time of year, competition, the state of the industry, educational opportunities (seminars, symposiums, etc), even geography (I went to Atlantic City only to be caught in a blinding snowstorm). Approaching each show the same way you have done it before is not a good idea. Using your best management practices analyze the show’s potential and develop the best strategy for that particular show to achieve maximum success. Third, Most Organizations Exhibit for the wrong or unrealistic reasons- How many companies go to a trade show because they are told there will be thousands of attendees; yet wouldn’t know what to do with the crowds if they came? If you go to these types of shows do you have plans in place to qualify leads and follow up properly once the show is over? And how many organizations go because ‘We’d be conspicuous by our absence’? Trade shows are an extraordinary opportunity when used properly and realistically. Unfortunately, most organizations don’t understand the truest measure of anytrade show is it’ss overall purchasing power and how much they can realistically expect to harvest. Fourth, Most Corporations don’t know how to measure trade show success- when it comes to measuring ROI; most organizations are in the dark. That’s precisely what’s happened to the trade show industry during this economic downturn (2007 to the present). As a result, the vast majority of corporations in the US have either have cut back or curtailed there trade show budgets (it’s one of the first line items to be cut). Unless exhibitors know how to put a realistic forecast in place to measure ROI with an achievable strategy for sales; then this becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. And fifth, Most staffers don’t know why they’re there and/or what to do-most organizations place little or no emphasis on training exhibit staffers on what to do once in the trade show display area and how to sell at a trade show. There is a vast difference between selling in the field and at a trade show (call me @ (888) 440-0377 for a copy of ‘Boothsmanship 101 and other articles about how to sell from the trade show display space). Yet, in the final analysis, the exhibit staffers are the face of the company at that show and should be the most highly qualified to answer any and all product and service questions. There are a couple more reasons why exhibitors fail; so call me and we’ll discuss them. To make your next trade show experience the most profitable it can be, call Jim Deady (Day-de), a 42-year Marketing Veteran and president of www.showstopperexhibits.com. I want your next show to be a Showstopper For more information about Trade Show Displays please visit: http://www.showstopperexhibits.com/
Related Articles -
trade show displays, trade show exhibits, trade show booths, table top displays, banner stands, portable trade show displays,
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