In a recent meeting I had with a potential client, I realized that there are a lot of organizations that struggle with their trade show strategy, especially start-up or early growth companies. Each company, of course, has it’s own objectives they want to meet at a trade show, but here is a checklist that every organization with limited budget, people, and time should consider.

Every Dollar Spent Should Count Toward a Qualified Lead

Show organizers put a host of marketing vehicles in front of you to help get your company “noticed” at a conference or trade show: bus signs, hotel TV kiosks, print ads in the conference program – just to name a few. However, just because these marketing opportunities may seem easy to execute, it does not always mean that these marketing efforts will generate qualified leads for your sales pipeline. Every dollar should be calculated based on targeted reach (how many individuals will receive your marketing message that fit your specific target audience) and the number of times or impressions your target audience will be exposed to the marketing message. For most early stage companies, the name of the game is qualified trade show booth traffic. So, if you going to spend your marketing dollars at a trade show you need to make sure you are driving qualified booth traffic – otherwise you’re going to be disappointed with your trade show ROI.

First of all, you could never spend enough money. If you’re a small company or a start up, the big guys are going to out spend you at least $10 to $1. With amphitheater booths, awesome graphics and expensive giveaways, it’s really going to be tough for you to compete for attention. But, don’t let that get you down. The point is, you can’t out spend the tier-one competitors, so you’ve got to out smart them. Winning this battle starts with creativity and ends with a great plan executed well before the show opens its doors.

Show Time

In my last gig, I had to roll out our company’s new product focus at the industries’ biggest show in Barcelona, Spain. In attendance was the top executives and directors of the world’s largest telecommunications and wireless companies, RIM, Motorola, ATT, Orange just to name a few. Not to mention the industry press and analysts. There was no way we were going to get any of these guys to notice us just from the show floor. Understanding that going in, we focused on what we could control by getting their attention ahead of the show.

Plan Ahead

We developed a pre-show email campaign targeting our sales & executive team’s contacts that will be attending the show. Next we targeted companies on the attendee show list that were on our radar to talk to. Targeting with laser precession was the key. We didn’t waste dollars on blast email to everyone on the show list. Not everyone at a show is your customer.

Building Relationships

To attract people, we needed a hook that would appeal to everyone. So in addition to pre-show campaign, we sent out personalized direct mail invitations to attend a party we hosted at the world famous Buda Bar. As a party town, Barcelona is right up there, being from New Orleans I knew a little bit about party towns. After all, building relationships is what its all about and what better way to do it but in a cool social setting with food and your favorite beverage. Through in transportation to and from and we had a first class event. While confirming everyone’s attendance to our event, we were able to set appointments with potential customers, the press and some analysts to come visit us at the show in our VIP Demo lounge.

The Hook

The show floor itself required a great deal of creative thinking. To have a booth presence at this show was unbelievably expensive, so we had to come up with an idea that would be both cool and cost effective and appeals to an international audience….. no pressure there.

Instead of spending dollars on a massive booth only to be dwarfed, I opted for the smallest space I could get and rented a hospitality room at the show. As we had achieved our initial goal of setting up appointments before we ever set foot on a plane, the show floor became less of panic and opened up more possibilities. We set up the hospitality area as a VIP Demo lounge complete with full product demo gear as well as a product video, a place to rest their feet with food and beverage. After they went through our presentation and saw a demo, we handed them a cool company branded soccer bag and branded soccer ball along with collateral. I know, soccer, where’s the tie in? I’m getting to it. Here again we created a relaxing setting, completely in our control without having to compete for my prospects attention.

Be Creative

As for the little show floor space I rented, we designed a soccer stadium field mural to cover the entire back wall of the space. On it, our logo and a simple message. In the front, we had a digital camera aligned perfectly to mural to make it look like you were on the field. That was cool, but not really going to bring them in droves. It was what accompanied them in the photograph that made all the difference. We employed four young ladies, dressed tastefully in soccer outfits representing various nations, matched purposefully to the countries of origin of our target prospects in France, Germany, England and of course our host Spain. Attendees lined up to take their picture and show their national pride.

In addition to our country representatives, we had skilled sales reps taking the pictures and speaking with the attendees in line, asking questions and qualifying them as they fill out their picture redemption form. In order to receive the picture, attendees had to go to our VIP area where they were presented with the opportunity to a see a demo and get our soccer packed giveaway, again all without competitive noise and distraction. Europeans love a good party and they love their soccer.

It was a great event; we accomplished everything we set out to do and spent a fraction of the cost doing it.

A recap of recommendations that can help you get all the leads you want for your next trade show.

Plan ahead – a pre-show campaign is a powerful weapon

Create a hook – you’re asking for them to take time out of a busy show schedule to come see you, make sure it’s worth their while.

Be creative – conventional tactics are for people that can afford them, think outside the building (even the box is too limiting)

Think relationally – everything you plan should be designed to give you the maximum opportunity to create a relationship with your attendee.

Captavi -- Go Hunt and Capture!,

   Categoried under:  Trade Show Lead Generation