With a large number of trade shows to choose from, both here in the U.S. and abroad, and an ever- increasing number of new trade shows exploding onto the trade show scene each year, the job of an exhibitor selecting the right trade show(s) to attend can be an overwhelming challenge.

The veteran trade show exhibitor knows, however, that the best way to meet this challenge is to have a solid plan in place by first determining their company’s market, sales goals and promotional objectives.

Once a company fully understands the reasons why it needs to exhibit in a trade show, then, and only then, can it begin to identify the proper trade show that will meet their marketing objectives.

According to Skip Cox, president of Exhibit Surveys Inc., a trade show industry research firm based in Red Bank, New Jersey, the trade show selection process should begin with serious background research. Here are a couple of his tips on how you can research the right trade show for your company:

1. Research the trends in your industry–new technologies, competitors’ preferences, customers’ bias, etc. Then search for trade shows that reflect these trends.
Read trade publications in your field as they are a very good source of the latest
news in your industry. Opportunities abound for companies that are able to capitalize on these developments. Contact the editorial staff of trade publications to learn more about the latest breakthroughs in your business arena. Go to the Internet and research companies that are making news by introducing exciting new products or services in your field.

Contact your trade associations to explore what companies they believe are leading the way. Then, seek out trade shows that are in tune with these trends for your trade show exhibit or your trade show display rental as trend-setting trade shows will be the ideal showcase for your trade show display.

2. Interview your co-workers and people in your field as to what trade shows match up with your client’s needs.

By zeroing in on your client’s profile, you can determine what trade shows mirror your needs. Get input from your top marketing and upper management staff to determine what your market is. In addition, get feedback from your product and marketing managers and also your field sales reps. The sales reps are able to get face- to- face with clients and have a real understanding of their needs.

In fact, according to an Exhibitor Magazine survey of trade show exhibit managers who sought help in selecting trade shows to attend, the most influential input on selecting trade shows came from the sales staff (35%). They were followed by: marketing staff (32%), show management statistics (24%), upper management (20%), following where the competition goes (20%), customer suggestions (18%), other (12%), and the product development staff (8%). The respondents checked off all of the resources that applied.

By doing your research on what is hot in your industry, matching up trade shows that mirror these trends, and answering your client needs, you will be able to select the right trade shows for your company. Then you will be well on the way to a successful trade show exhibit experience. This is true wherever you have your custom trade show exhibit, custom modular exhibit or trade show exhibit rental, whether the exhibit is at the Las Vegas Convention Center, the Moscone Center in San Francisco, the Santa Clara Convention Center or the San Jose McEnery Convention Center.

By: Dick Wheeler

About the Author:

1. Set Your Goal

Why are you doing this show? Is it to sell product, get leads, create top of mind awareness, or to preempt your competition? Be sure to have a very specific goal in mind, write it out and track your results as the show progresses. Without a specific goal in mind it will be impossible to determine if the trade show was a success.

2. Promote Your Trade Show Booth Before The Show Begins

One of the most important aspects to a successful trade show is the number of times you can “touch” your prospects. The general rule is that you must touch them at least 3 times prior to the show to generate top of mind awareness. Less than 15% of exhibitors do a pre-show promotion. Be in that group! Attendees only spend time at 15% to 20% of the exhibits so if you want their time, you need to invite them to your trade show booth before they get there. If you want to generate “guaranteed” prospects – this is how to do it!

3. The 1 Minute Pitch



Fact: You have 6 seconds to capture a prospects attention when they are walking past your booth on the trade show floor. If your booth design and message are great (we will discuss later) and the prospect stops- you must be prepared! Have a condensed 1 minute pitch that covers everything you need to qualify the lead and most importantly, a pitch that meets the goal you set for this show. Practice this pitch as many times as possible prior to the show to ensure you have it down cold and fire away! Remember your pitch should be all about the prospect – NOT YOUR COMPANY that comes later.



4. The invitation – Have a good Great reason to visit your booth



This is simple – come up with a reason for your prospects to visit your booth – then invite them. Whether it’s your giveaway, raffle, new product, a demonstration, discount on services for all VIP visitors or an announcement of a merger or partnership, you must have a compelling reason to come to your trade show table. If your reason is compelling enough they will make plans to visit your booth.

5. Qualify Your Prospects

Many trade show exhibitors will use giveaways to attract prospects to their booth. While giveaways are good way to increase traffic to your booth they do not produce strong leads. A great way to qualify prospects and weed out people that are just there for free stuff is by doing a raffle.

To get the most out of the raffle you must ASK some qualifying questions. Qualify all entries – they must fill out ALL information on a form to enter the raffle. You should ask for E-MAIL so you can build your opt-in e-mail list, be sure to let them know that you will be e-mailing them from time to time with specials and promotions – get their interest level, purchase time frame and decision makers in the process and whatever else you need to create a REAL, QUALIFIED LEAD. When you do your review later on you will know exactly who is interested in your product or service, and who is not.

6. The Booth Message

The biggest and most common mistake I see on trade show displays is a company’s names scrawled across the top of their booth. Remember you are there to capture the PROSPECTS attention simply posting XYZ Company at the top of your booth is unlikely to do that. Hopefully, you have developed whatever message you want to convey prior to the show, make sure your booth is conveying that message quickly and clearly! Remember you have just 6 seconds to capture a prospects attention and creating a powerful message is the best way to accomplish that.

7. The Booth Graphics

Great trade show graphics will convey your great message. Having your graphics produced by a qualified professional will make the difference between a “decent” show and a “blowout”!

So when your graphics are being designed and produced you want to keep some things in mind.

o Message, Message, Message

o Colors and images that convey your message

o If your designer doesn’t know the emotions elicited by different colors – get a new designer. (remember the 6 seconds rule)

o Your booth and graphics are a big investment and should be designed and produced by a qualified professional who will consult with you on developing your message within your budget.

o A good trade show booth does not have to be expensive and an expensive trade show booth does not have to be good.

8. FOLLOW UP, FOLLOW UP, FOLLOW UP

After a trade show a prospect has a lot of information to digest. Most likely they visited a number of booths after visiting yours, but there is a sure fire way to get them to remember you- BE THE FIRST ONE TO FOLLOW UP!



Remember you need to touch your prospects up to 12 times. Three times before the show, once at the show and at least 4 follow ups after the show. Send useful information each time, ads, newspaper mentions etc. Don’t give up – you will be surprised at the power of consistent “informational” follow ups.

9. FOCUS ON YOUR PROSPECTS



I’ve said it a number of times throughout this article and I am giving it its own section because it really is that important. The most essential thing you can remember about trade show success is that no one really cares what you sell, what you do, who you are, who you’ve done business with, why you are here or anything else about you. It’s sad but its true and it is vital to your trade show success or failure. The only thing prospects care about is how a service our product can benefit them! Have a message that accomplishes this, be prepared to present that message and you are guaranteed success.

10. Bonus Tips

- Killer mini tip #1 – Don’t EVER sit down in your booth – Studies show that people will pay 26% more for the exact same product if the vendor is standing!

- Killer mini tip #2 – Smile, always be smiling, don’t frown, and smile (get it?) If you can smile at the prospect then say their name, you have successfully opened the door – now just apply your 1 minute pitch!

- Killer mini tip #3 – Look relaxed / be relaxed – Body language is extremely important – many prospects walking by are actually “nervous” about stopping because you might ask them a question they don’t know the answer to. If you are relaxed then you are approachable and they are more likely to engage you.

- Killer mini tip #4 – Make them feel important – BECAUSE THEY ARE! Make every discussion about them, not you. Which approach will be more effective?

By: Matthew Valentine

About the Author:

Never underestimate the value of the proper lighting of your trade show exhibit.

Creative lighting for your trade show booth is sure to lure more visitors. On the other hand, a poorly lit exhibit detracts from the trade show exhibit space and can leave it largely ignored. Your trade show lighting professional can use dramatic illumination techniques to create a show stopping effect or simply use lighting to highlight graphics and/or products.

It is essential for the lighting designer to know the exhibitor’s goals, exhibit design and budget before presenting lighting options. Once this is established, the trade show lighting professional can offer multiple options to maximize the visual appeal of the exhibit display.

By innovative use of different types of lighting, the same trade show booth can have a completely different look, effect and mood. There is a wide range of lighting choices ranging from a simple clamp on arm, to high quality fluorescent lighting, track or rail lighting, recessed lighting or fully programmable, changing color LED lighting fixtures.

Each of these forms of illumination serves a different purpose. The selection of the proper lighting product is therefore based on what effect the exhibitor desires to achieve.

For example, in the more decorative trade show booth using tension fabric, the fully programmable, changing color LED lighting creates a dynamic, dramatic effect that is certain to draw the attention of trade show attendees.

For a clean appearance in the same trade show booth, very white fluorescent lighting works well. If, however, dramatic shadows are desired, certain types of targeted track lighting may be preferred. Quality clamp on arm lights can be versatile enough to deliver good white light on focal points or to wash lighting evenly on backwalls. High quality white light ensures that colors and graphics are accurately displayed. Since light can also alter color, it is essential that your white light renders consistent and true color.

Keep in mind that when searching for the right lighting effect, there are a number of price options that can help you reach your goals. Be mindful that there are rental options available for very high end lighting that may be an appropriate way to satisfy your trade show budget constraints.

Rob Cohen, Vice President/Owner of Display Supply & Lighting, Inc. of Itasca, Illinois, offers examples of how a professional trade show lighting company can help you avoid two of the more common exhibit mistakes. They are:

1. Be aware of the electrical codes, capabilities and constraints in exhibit halls. Find out in advance what is allowed or disallowed in the convention hall to meet local lighting requirements. Find out requirements for exhibit halls whether they be the McCormick Convention Center in Chicago, the Kaiser Convention Center in Oakland, the Moscone Center in San Francisco, the Las Vegas Convention Center, the San Jose and Santa Clara Convention Centers, etc.

Be sure your trade show booth lighting products meet the exhibit hall’s specified criteria for trade show exhibitors. For example, trade show halls require 3- wire grounded plugs on all lighting fixtures at the trade show. These fixtures are not commonly available at large volume box stores.

2. Scope out the location of the exhibitor’s trade show site.

This is important as not all types of light bulbs are allowed in some facilities. Recent regulations restrict a couple of major conference facilities from using certain types of light bulbs often for safety reasons.

Cohen says it is critical that your exhibit house either understand their lighting options or have a relationship with a company that can advise them on trade show lighting opportunities and concerns.

Remember, lighting can either attract or detract visitors to your trade show booth. It is best to know what your exhibit display emphasis is and what your lighting options are before you design a lighting system for your trade show display.

By: Dick Wheeler

About the Author:

Ever wonder why some trade show exhibitors succeed while others do not?
Ever think that making a statement at a large trade show is impossible to do?
You are not alone. There is help, however, for those who want to have a successful trade show display at a major trade show.

Let’s take the example of the 16th annual RSA

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Non custom trade show displays manufacturers (pop up booths) have pidgeon-holed everyone into cookie cutter booths. Custom trade show displays to be effective should be unique. Now create custom trade show displays that are unique and memorable. Design modular trade show display booths that are not cookie cutter curve popups. Custom trade show displays can create a unique image for your company. Don’t settle for exhibits that are all alike— now you can stand out by designing a custom trade show display. Design you own booth, it is simple. Start with a rough sketch what you want then any reputable display dealer can put together a CAD rendering of your booth. If they can’t, then I wouldn’t trust them to be able to provide your booth. The custom built booth is almost a thing of the past. Using modular components pre-made in almost any size and shape, you can now create a unique look that doesn’t require every booth to be built from scratch. A reputable display company work out your design on computer from that point. Your idea slowly becomes a detailed CAD. Then you can add graphics to it; try different colors or textures; add shapes, counters, kiosks, back lighted boxes, shelves or banners. Without wasting money on hardware!! We can usually come up will a design that is VIRTUAL in a few days, saving you a huge amount of time.

Custom Modular displays are a very attractive alternative to cookie cutter exhibits, and it allows the flexibility to have easy reconfigurability. Simply put offers you more features than a portable booth.

The better custom display manufacturers offer advantages. Look for panels that are connected with hidden slide clips resulting in a completely seamless look. To activate the clips, slide the panels together and they automatically lock into place.

Brilliant colors, vibrant textures. You should be able choose from dozens of finish options. Slatwall, backlit panels, storage doors, countertops, and monitor panels are only a few. Every booth should give you the flexibility to use multiple colors and textures. Make sure to check that the exhibit’s prices include covering both panel sides, not just one. Find out if as a money saving option they can sell these exhibits with a very inexpensive vinyl covering on the unseen side of the booth. You should be able save money by specifying the one side vinyl option.

In addition, your system of choice should offer the flexibility to create endless configurations simply by rearranging panels and components. systems offering the flexibility to adapt to various shows provide far more utility than those that don’t. Smaller displays can be created from a larger display and visa-versa.

Lastly be sure that your custom modular display can be assembled – No tools needed!!

By: Bob Albright

About the Author: