Selling at Trade Shows the Best Reasons to Go

Selling at Trade Shows
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By Marc L. Goldberg  ].Y:at8b!o
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In sales and marketing conference rooms all across America, the burning question "Why are we going to another trade show?" comes up again and again.
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[color=DarkGreen]Without clearly defined trade show goals and a plan for achieving them when you get there, you might as well kiss your company's investment good-bye. [/color]Hy([ B,\^E#C

5qI1}CiD.A Trade shows are not sales calls, carefully worked out marketing plans complete with logo, ad campaign and market studies, nor are they perks, boondoggles or a waste of valuable resources, with little opportunity for economic return. In fact, they should provide their own sales link to marketing objectives.U-m'O"lg!id
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When your exhibit manager asks about attending a specific show, ask yourself three questions: 1) Why are we going? 2) Who are we targeting and will they be there? 3) What do we expect to accomplish at the show?7@4qm$LEz1mu5z t3l
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If you can provide specific answers to those questions, then by all means either sign up for the show because it meets your company's criteria or go back to the planning board to re-examine how attending the show will help you meet your sales and marketing objectives.
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Question # 1: Why are we going?
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If your answer includes any of the following....rethink your mission.
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'cp:Vf+L CSz{ The competition will be there.1Mk#uzM T
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We don't want to be missed.)J|6OS},mW
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We always support the association.
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We have always gone.c.N [7M i3\

2U4Z?lcS To avoid wasting valuable time and money on a trade show that has little to offer, step back and re-examine what role the show will play for your company.J|rS-p s\
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Can you introduce a new product and receive feedback?+xT/a cqi B]2Mw
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Can you locate new distributors?
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@6G,p`p)\8A:y Can you recruit new sales personnel?7CC:tK;l(F

s\\&d{7D Can you reinforce your position in the marketplace?
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Zz8x(b[z;G txJ Z Can you educate attendees about technological breakthroughs that will impact them?
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Can you sell your product or service?3d3N y:M{{%h+e
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Don't assume anyone else has gone through this initial planning. Use this questionnaire to check whether your exhibit manager has really thought through the value of a particular trade show.$Wm FU(y[,z@d6v_
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Name of the show
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gR.R^s/Y Date and location of the show
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Focus of the show
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*O?'^m/H @,elf Attendance (last year)Wt7Y4E)o

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H8y Attendees by professional categories)g r.yP6D%NL9b0O

o0bB)|~f&q Marketing objectives exhibiting at the show supports~,}1vW*e'Hq][%n
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Target audience F.NRL${4J o:M/gy3G%d

WN8n8m4s8r+g What do we want to accomplish?
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!K T/} CB$}ad What is our measure of success?
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Go? Not go?
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Whatever the reason for exhibiting, the objectives you set for yourself should be meaningful, focused, quantifiable, achievable and measurable.
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(l)b8{i3c Question # 2: Who are we targeting?
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1a2ou2{-j Since marketing communication dollars are difficult to justify, ask yourself, "Who is our target audience and will they be there?" Identify your target in specifics -- operating room nurses, offshore drilling contractors, PC users, users of industrial packaging and materials handling equipment. Ask show management about the demographics of their past audiences. See if your targets are listed. If there is a chance that your audience will be reluctant attendees because they are in doubt about your exhibiting, then specifically invite them to come to the show and visit your booth.SN~T)o A

e.w?Pz?7K Audiences change, therefore you have to keep challenging show management to prove their attendance demographics. If you don't check and re-check, your audience may shift to another show leaving you holding the bag with few positive show results.
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Question # 3: What are our goals?0G(U3yY1d*@B
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s Before making the commitment to attend, ask one last question: "What is it that we want to accomplish at the show?" If the answer is sales leads, the natural question is, "How many?" Without a specific number of leads to shoot for it becomes a best effort event. If you are introducing a new product, how many demonstrations of it are you targeting? And how many response cards do you want which will provide feedback about the innovation? Answers to these critical questions will make exhibiting a successful ingredient in your marketing mix.`m3v2diZawC Q
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[[i] Last edited by skyfly at 2008-5-9 13:23 [/i]]