|
|
 |
Trade
Shows:
Great Food. Great Key Chains. Great Networking Opportunities
Whether you're
exhibiting or attending a trade show, networking opportunities are abundant.
Yet, most exhibitors sit behind a table snacking and visiting with co-workers.
Attendees wander aimlessly from booth to booth searching for the best
freebie. With a little planning, you can turn a trade show experience
into a business extravaganza.
- Have
a plan before you enter the trade show. Whom do you want to meet?
What booths do you want to see? Study the layout and map so you don't
waste time and energy.
- Make
a date in advance to have a cup of coffee at the show with colleagues.
This is an efficient way to stay connected.
- Spread
out your resources. Don't roam the room with your co-workers.
- Learn
from those who attend as well as from those who exhibit. Talk to people
who wander from booth to booth. Discover their interests. What draws
them in? Invite them to your booth.
- Carry
a small tape recorder to record things you want to remember to do
or people to see. Capture new ideas. Adapt ideas from other industries.
- Project
interest and enthusiasm. Smile. Smile. Smile.
- Bring
plenty of business cards. Collect cards and note pertinent information
on back. Collect more cards than you give out.
- Instead
of visiting a long time at a booth, set up an appointment.
- Attend
trade show hospitality suites. You don't have to be invited.
- Attend
educational sessions that people you want to meet are attending. Meet
them, talk, share your learning experience. Now you have something
in common. You've already begun a relationship.
- Rest.
Freshen up often. Your bunions show on your face.
- Organize
and toss materials at the end of each day.
- Send
post cards from the trade show site to key people in your network.
Tell them you've got some great new ideas for them. Call as you return
home.
- Follow
up immediately with important contacts. Even a brief note will remind
them of you and your company. Handwritten notes are so unusual that
the recipient will be impressed. If someone requested information,
get right on it.
- If
you're working the show, get out from behind the table. Be proactive.
Ask visitors about their businesses so you can show them appropriate
products or information. This means you must listen attentively. Don't
sell your product or service. Sell the product of the product; what
the product will do for them.
- Be ready
with "case histories" of your successes. Help visitors by painting
pictures of how the could use your products. Just imagine...
- Set
up appointments to meet before you arrive. You can usually get a list
of exhibitors and attendees beforehand. Ask that the attendee list
be sent to you.
- Challenge
your team to see who can meet the most people and set up the most
appointments. Give a prize.
- Offer
to speak at an educational session at the trade show. Let all your
customers know you are a featured speaker. This positions you as an
expert. Let all your customers know how your presentation went. Send
them four of the ideas you presented. Leverage your activities.
- Sponsor
an award or contest. This could be a drawing or an award for guessing
the number of products in your booth. Or, have a contest for the most
creative way your products can be used. Sponsor an award for trade
show or industry person of the year, emerging leader, etc. This will
give you national recognition.
- Make
appointments with CEO's, HR folks, Purchasing, etc., when you're in
their cities. They may not attend your trade show, but as long as
you're in the neighborhood, take advantage of the change to get face
to face. Even if they choose not to meet with you, you have made contact
yet one more time.
- Send
press releases to local media in the trade show town about your hot
new ideas. You could be interviewed in the paper, TV or radio. Offer
something and have a toll free # for people to order or get a free
whimwham. You could offer a tip sheet on the top ten ways to use your
kind of service or product.
- Have
a laptop set up at your exhibit where visitors can enter what kind
of information they'd like from you. Then follow-up.
- Have
a laptop set up at your exhibit where visitor s can enter a goal,
i.e. sales or incentive, etc. Then you can fax them ideas that are
specific answers to their needs.
- If a
trade show you're exhibiting at has a web site, be sure to be listed.
Offer to write an article for the web site. Be sure your contact information
is included. In fact, don't write an anonymous anything.
- Offer
to train the other trade show exhibitors in how to get the most out
of a trade show.
- Be inquisitive
about different industries. Not only could other industries be your
next new niche, but you can learn what works for them an adapt the
information for you business.
- Attend
trade shows that you're not exhibiting at but where your customers
are likely to be. Don't just visit the booths. Talk to the attendees.
- Attend
trade shows that you're not exhibiting at but where your customers
are exhibiting. Good way to keep in touch with lots of people at once.
- Drop
in on trade shows while you're in a hotel or convention center. See
who's doing what. Trade shows are chock full of potential customers.
- Offer
to write an article for the trade show paper. Be sure your picture,
logo, booth #, contact information are included. Or, if you're not
exhibiting, offer to write an article for your customers' newsletters,
trade magazines, etc.
Finally, (drum roll, please).
- Follow
up! Follow up! Follow up! Follow up! Follow up! Follow up! Follow
up! If you're not willing to follow up fast, just stay in your bunny
slippers and wish for more business. Networking is work. Networking
at a trade show, if you do it right, is hard work. But if you want
to build your business and boost your bottom line, you can't top trade
shows.
By Karen
Susan - speaker, trainer and presentation skills coach. Her guidebook
50 ways to Improve Your Laugh life: How To Have More Fun At Work
is in its second printing. Networking, presentation skills, balance, stress,
change and humor are her areas of expertise.
Valuable
Info & Links | Showroom
|
