I Reserved the Booth Space....... Now What?

You've got the space, now the real fun (and work) begins. Every project, no matter how big or small needs

.
a plan


Your booth space needs a MARKETING PLAN and a PLAN OF ACTION.


WHAT do you want to accomplish by exhibiting and HOW are you going to accomplish it? The "what" and the "how" must be linked. Without knowing what you want to accomplish you are in danger of working everyone to death, but not accomplishing much. If you have ever worked a booth, you know what I mean. At the end of the show, everyone is exhausted and no one knows what happened. The accomplishment is not exhibiting...it's meeting the goals you set in your marketing plan.



The actions taken to design and purchase the exhibit display, train the staff, developed pre- and post show mailings/contacts, designing giveaways, etc. ,etc., ALL should directly link to your marketing plan. You don't have to be a great writer to write a plan. It can be as simple as one or two sentences that simply note the outcome you wish to achieve from exhibiting at the show. Your action plan should be more detailed, listing the exact steps you intend to take to achieve your outcomes. For every goal in your marketing plan, there should be at least 2 to 4 actions.

MARKETING PLAN & PLAN OF ACTION

Every show is different and has a different audience. Know who your customers are at each show and how what you want to accomplish by exhibiing. Be exact. If you want to increase your market share, be specific - note a percentage increase.


If you have a new product/service note that you want to introduce it but also how many customers you want to introduce it to during the show and how many new markets you want to target, if you don't have a new product/service, what do you want to highlight at a show.



Trying to showcase everything can be a mistake (unless you have a very large space). Instead, pick one or two products for each show to highlight and leave the rest as a sidebar in your literature.


THE EXHIBIT

If you have an old exhibit. Evaluate it. List the good, the bad and the ugly. If it is more than 5 years old, consider a new one. Every year new designs are developed. Consider going green. Soon, everyone's exhibit will have to be green. Gone are the days when exhibits were used once and trashed in the land fill. For ideas check out the Evo Element line: http://www.evoexhibits.com/element.htm


An exhibit pays for itself if the design and message matches your marketing plan and your plan of action matches your marketing plan. All 3 must tie together.


PROMO PLAN

Pre- and post show marketing are as important as the show itself. Direct mail, advertising, sponsorships, and all technologies (Your Website, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter) all help to get your message across. Again, be sure your message matches your marketing plan goals. Create a tag line (brief message) that defines your theme and ties into your plan and use it with everything.

USE YOUR OWN CONTACTS

You already have a strong list of customers and prospects - use it. Start mailing out about 4/5 weeks before the show - one a week. Be sure the piece has a compelling image and defines your strengths and benefits. Be sure to link it to your website and other technologies.

INCENTIVES

Why should I visit your booth? Incentives sometimes see hokey, but they definitely entice attendees to come to your booth space. Everyone wants to see something new and different. Give them a reason to come by even if your product is not knew. Note this in your mailings and on your website.


Invite current clients to your booth by offering them something they want - maybe to meet your owner or president, a special pre- show event just for them, a white paper not yet released, a special giveaway. If they bring a referral, be sure to offer something to the client and the referral. Give prospects a reason to stop by - a giveaway, a chance to get an autograph from a local celebrity, an appointment to see a special demo....

GIVEAWAYS

Use these as a reward for coming by or as a thank you. Be sure to brainstorm with your staff - this does take thought and planning to be most effective. You can have different giveaways for different target audiences. If a prospect just stops by briefly, give them something to help them remember you; if a prospect stays to watch a demo or meet with you and seems genuinely interested, give them a premium giveaway. Always have something special for your current clients.
In the end, armed with a plan, your exhibit will reap rewards for months to come by drawing in new qualified leads and reinforcing loyalty from current clients.

Article Author
Kathy Lorenzo Gheen, Evo Exhibits

www.evoexhibits.com

919-443-1371