Using your Website to Promote your Trade Show

Posted by Karl | promotional ideas | Friday 26 February 2010 4:05 pm

You want to attract as many people in your target market as possible to come visit you at a trade show. You can appeal to many more people by using online marketing to get your message out and to get people interested in visiting you at your next trade show.

You can use your website as a marketing tool to inform visitors to your website when they can come see you in person at a trade show. Besides just giving them information you can also use your website to give them incentives to come see you.

To make your online marketing effective there are certain things that can be done. You will want to list all of your upcoming events and as much detailed information as possible. This means your will have to do some research and find out the particulars of each trade show. This way your potential visitors can plan ahead and make time to visit your trade show exhibit.

A person should be able to find all the vital information about an upcoming trade shows from your website. Things to make sure you include in the details are, the date and time, the exact location and the products that will be available.

It is very important to give detail directions on how to find your exhibit once the person reaches the trade show floor. Include detailed maps that are highlighted with your exhibit location.

You can also provide incentives to make people want to visit you at the show. You can provide online coupons that visitors can download and bring to the trade show for a special discount or prize.

By using your website as an online marketing tool you are reaching a multitude of people, without spending much time or cost on promoting your trade show exhibits.

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Trade Show Crowd Pleasers

Posted by Karl | promotional ideas | Monday 22 February 2010 4:02 pm

Trade shows are becoming more glitzy and have a show business element to them anymore. Trade show exhibitors are finding that celebrities or their look a likes, athletes, comics and scantily clad females are great attention grabbers. Things like this can draw people into your exhibit.

You can do the obvious and hire show stoppers. However, if your budget doesn’t allow for that you can do other things to get your trade show exhibit noticed. Having a well trained, fun and energetic staff can attract visitor traffic to your exhibit. Your staff should be out going and showing a sense of humor is always a good ice breaker.

You can make your exhibit exciting by incorporating color, action, lights and movement into your displays. There are many new technologies today that will help bring drama to your exhibit. Another way to make your trade show exhibit stand out is to give away exciting and fun prizes.

Have an attractive big prize drawing or contest to get people to sign up to win a fabulous prize. You can then you this information at a later date to use as potential leads. Everyone likes to win something, so the prizes can be large or small as long as they leave a lasting impression.

You can use the Internet in your trade show exhibit to showcase your products and services. A real attention getter is to make your exhibit interactive. You want to get your visitors involved by using sight, sound and touch. If they are involved in the process they will remember your company name long after the trade show is finished.

There are many things that you can do to bring the show biz element into your exhibit. You just have to think creatively and find ways to get your exhibit noticed.

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Trade Shows Tricks

Posted by Karl | promotional ideas, trade show displays, trade show giveaways, trade shows | Friday 27 November 2009 4:40 am

Sometimes it is hard for the small and medium sized businesses to compete against the larger companies.  Knowing who and what you are up against is the first step in planning a good strategy. You should gather as much information about the show as you can so you will be able to make informed decisions. You will need to know the layout of the show, the size and location of your exhibit and information on the organization running the show.

You will want to arrange your trade show exhibit properly. Make sure larger items are in the back and smaller item are in the front. Everything should be on eye level so visitors don’t have to strain to see your products or marketing material. You want your exhibit area to be uncluttered and easy to move around in. You can have a PowerPoint presentation that is continuously playing and showing off the products and services you have to offer.

To get the most out of your trade show you can use giveaways, prize wheels or promotional gifts to lure customers into your exhibit. You can have demonstrations or presentations to draw in potential customers. Another good way to attract attention to your exhibit is to use a money machine or something similar. Any of these things will get the visitors attention and they will want to come over to your exhibit to see what all the excitement is about.

Trade shows are an ideal way for small and medium size business to get their brand and company recognized. Your exhibit has to make an impression and be used to lure people into your space to find out more about your company. If you prepare in advance and make your exhibit interesting and interactive you will be on your way to having a very successful trade show.

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Things Will Go Wrong on the Day at a Trade Show

Posted by Karl | promotional ideas, trade show displays, trade shows | Sunday 22 November 2009 4:39 am

Trade Shows are a hectic time and something is bound to go wrong. There are many different things that could happen, such as bringing the wrong marketing materials or someone on your staff becoming ill. The key to avoid a catastrophe when exhibiting at a trade show is to be prepared. The difference in succeeding or failing at a trade show is all about advanced preparation that starts way before the actual trade show.

You have to have a well trained show staff to make your exhibit a success. It doesn’t matter how nice your displays and graphics are, if you don’t have trained staff that can interact with the visitors and close the deal. All your staff should be cross trained to be able to help if an emergency situation comes up. They don’t have to be experts in all areas but at least know enough to help out in a pinch. You should also choose a team leader to be the go to person in case of emergencies.

One of the biggest headaches that could happen at a trade show is to not have marketing material available. A simple solution for this is to have a CD backup of all your literature with you at the trade show. That way if you have to you can run to a local print shop and get more copies made.

Advance preparation is the key to having a successful trade show display. If you stay organized and have alternative plans set up in case an emergency arises you will be able to save your exhibit from being a failure. Going over all of the different scenarios that could happen and figuring out a solution if it does happen will give you an edge over your competitors. Just keep in mind preparation is the key.

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Using Trade Show Promotional Items Effectively

Posted by Karl | promotional ideas, trade show displays, trade show giveaways, trade shows | Monday 28 September 2009 8:03 am

Trade show promotional items when they are used properly can result in a successful trade show for your company. Some companies don’t use them to their full value and are ineffective in getting people to remember their products or services. You want your giveaways to be something that ties into your products and services. It should be practical so your company message when be seen repeatedly for a long time.

Promotional items should be part of the budget from the beginning when you are in the planning stage of creating your trade show exhibit. There are many companies that throw in the promotional items as an afterthought if there is any money left over in the budget. This is not a good marketing strategy. If your use them as part of your company’s trade show marketing plan they can be used as a valuable tool.

To get the most value out of using giveaway items is to actually have multiple items that are given out to specific people. Promotional items and giveaways will draw visitors to your exhibit. However, not all of these visitors will become qualified leads. If you give high quality promotional gifts to every visitor you will quickly drain your budget and will get nothing of value in return.

You should invest in at least two different giveaways. One of the items can be less expensive but still of good quality and will get your message out there. You can then also have a higher quality giveaway that you only give out to your best customers and qualified leads. You can also tell your present customers to come see you at the trade show to get their promotional giveaway.

Promotional items and giveaways are great way to thank your present customers for their business and to generate new leads. They are well worth the expense if you use them properly. If used properly they will increase your exhibit traffic, get your message across and produce more leads for you to follow up on.

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Making an Impression on the Trade Show Floor

Posted by Karl | promotional ideas, trade show displays, trade show giveaways, trade shows | Tuesday 22 September 2009 8:01 am

Trade shows are a way for a company to increase public awareness, generate new prospects and generate more sales. When you are planning your trade show exhibit it sometimes helps to step back and look at your exhibit from the visitor’s perspective. To get a better idea about what your target audience is looking for you can visit other trade show exhibits and collect their giveaways and marketing material. This will give you an idea about your competitors and also might give you a new perspective on setting up an appealing display.

Trade show giveaways and promotional items are a great marketing tool. Your giveaways should support your marketing message and should be more than just inexpensive novelties. You want something that ties into your company’s products or services. For instance, if your company provides software solutions you could giveaway flash drives with your slogan, logo and contact information. If your business is food related you could hand out miniature booklets on healthy recipes or potholders. No matter what your company provides as far as services or products you will get more value out of a promotional gift that ties into your company’s message.

Your promotion products should be of good quality and offer value to your visitor, such as thermal cups, calendars, or calculators. This way your company’s message will live on long after the trade show is over. They should also reflect your company’s message or services.

Giveaways and promotional products are a very effect marketing tool and should be part of your trade show marketing strategy and not just an afterthought if the budget allows for it. Using these tips will also put you ahead of your competitors who dispense novelties that will probably get tossed away or broken before the show is over.

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Tips, Tips and More Trade Show Tips!

Posted by Karl | promotional ideas, trade show displays, trade shows | Tuesday 15 September 2009 8:00 am

When you have an exhibit at a trade show your main goals are to draw attention to your booth and to have people remember you after the trade show is over. To accomplish this you should have plenty of giveaways or promotions such as, business cards, pens, brochures, magnets or anything else that has your company name and logo on it. Most trade shows visitors expect these things. You should also have a display rack with brochures, flyers, and special promotions for your visitors to take with them.

You can offer trade show only discounts and mail out coupons or flyers to your present customers. Having a drawing for a prize is a good way to get visitors into your exhibit. You can have them fill out a ticket or have people drop their business cards into a bowl. Not only does this get more traffic to your exhibit the information can also be used later to make follow up contact.

You want to make sure that your promotional items clearly identify your company, product and services. There are a variety of different types of items available that can have your information put on it. It is a good idea if the items are things that people may see or use everyday such as a magnet or pen. That way your company name is always visible and seen repeatedly.

Demonstrations and presentation are also a good way to draw people into your exhibit. Make sure your team is prepared and can give an engaging and effective demonstration. After the demonstration you can hand out business cards or promotional items for the visitors to take home with them.

The key to having a successful trade show exhibit is to make sure you have plenty of promotional items and giveaways to draw people to your area. This is a good way to get your company name recognized and remembered even after the trade show is over.

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Trade Show- Press Relations

Posted by Karl | promotional ideas, trade show displays, trade shows | Thursday 27 August 2009 8:13 am

One of the most cost effective and successful methods of generating large volumes of direct inquiries and sales are using the trade shows press relations effectively. You can ask the trade show’s management for a comprehensive media list and also ask about publications that are planning a special trade show edition. You can send out newsworthy press releases focusing on what is new about your products and services.

You will also want to prepare press kits which include information about industry trends, statistics, and production information. You want to make sure that you include high quality product photos and key company contact information.

You want to use your trade show exhibit as a tool to make a strong statement about your company and how and what you do. Your exhibit should leave a strong and lasting impression on visitors. Your exhibit should be a welcoming space and provides a focal point that has a strong key message about what you do. It is better to opt for large graphics rather than putting everything in print. Large graphics will leave a lasting impression on your visitors.

To project a unified and professional image at a trade show, staff training is essential. Your staff needs to be prepared and know to sell and close the interaction with a commitment to follow up. The key to having successful follow ups is to plan ahead before the show. You can organize a lead handling system which would include set time lines for follow-ups and a spreadsheet for tracking purposes. You can also make sure sales representatives are accountable for leads given to them and that way you can measure the results and make improvements if necessary.

Trade shows require a lot of work and effort to be successful. You can reap the benefits if you plan ahead and stay organized.

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Trade Show Marketing

Posted by Karl | promotional ideas, trade show displays, trade shows | Thursday 20 August 2009 8:12 am

One of the keys to having success at a trade show is marketing. A good starting point is to have a strategic exhibit marketing plan in place. This plan should include promotional plans that include pre show, at show, and post show goals and objectives.

You first have to determine who you want to target and consider having different promotional programs aimed at the groups you are interested in attracting to your trade show exhibit. You can choose to use a variety of different venues, including direct mail, advertising, sponsorship and the Internet to reach your target audience.

Direct mail is still one to the most popular promotional avenues that trade show exhibitors use. Use your own customer and prospect lists to target the people you want to have come visit you at the show. Make sure your direct mailing is designed well and made an impact. About a month before the show you should send out a mailing and then try to send out at least two more mailings at regular intervals before the show and always mail first class.

No matter what promotional venue you use you want to make sure that you give them incentive to want to visit you at the trade show. Most people are interested in learning about the latest technologies, or products that will help save them time and money. Even if you don’t have a new product or service to introduce you can think of new angles to promote your products.

Having a successful trade show exhibit involves planning ahead and designing a marketing and promotional plan. Promoting your company and making sure that you plan ahead to give your customers and prospects incentive to come your exhibit is the key to building relationships and attracting future customers.

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Trade Show Tips-First Impressions

Posted by Karl | promotional ideas, trade shows | Wednesday 5 August 2009 8:10 am

There is a lot of preparation that goes into a successful trade show and just having a good looking exhibit isn’t enough. You have to look at a trade show like it is a nonstop series of beginnings. From the time the trade shows doors open until closing time you will be meeting prospects and customers for the first time.

The first interactions you and your staff have with the people who visit your exhibit could launch a profitable relationship. On the other hand, if the impression you create is not positive then you could be losing valuable customers. The key to success is creating a favorable first impression time and time again over the entire period that the trade show lasts.

The actual product or service you are selling doesn’t really matter; when you are at a trade show, what you are selling is you. Today’s buyers are skeptical and are cautious about trusting someone with their business. You might be surprised to know that a big percent of buying decisions are made by people trusting their “gut feelings”. This means the first few minutes when you are checking out the prospect, they are also checking you out.

Non verbal communication plays a big role in creating first impressions. If your body language conveys that you don’t want to be at the show or that you are just going through the motions. A person will pick up on that.

To be successful you have to approach, engage and welcome visitors into your booth. Talking is important, but listening is more important. Being totally engaged and involved with the person and answering their questions is the key creating a positive first impression. A good first impression is the first step in starting a new profitable relationship.

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