Depending on your industry, tradeshow season is either upon you or quickly approaching. One or two days of hanging out at a booth and chatting to people may seem like nothing, but a lot of prep work needs to go into making your tradeshow attendance both meaningful and profitable for your company. Here are some quick tips to help guide your planning:
• If your company does not have a dedicated event coordinator, create an event planning team of your own. A good mix of creative people, such as graphic designers or marketing specialists, as well as sales people, will give you a well-rounded group that will help keep you on track.
• Know your timeframes. Determine how long tradeshow pieces that typically have multiple revisions or long lead times, such as graphics or content, need to be planned out to ensure you are not sacrificing quality.
• Prep your attendees. We’ve found that sending a postcard with your booth number to prospective attendees is a great way for them to quickly find you the day of the event – it often gets saved more frequently than emails do.
• Don’t just stop at pre-show communications! Plan your post-show emails, calls and mailings ahead of time so they are ready to go as soon as the show is over. Building and nurturing the relationships you make at tradeshows is a crucial step in getting more business.
• Try to choose a booth location that isn’t off the beaten path: those closest to the entrance, or ones close to other big booths, will put you in the best spot for increased foot traffic.
• Ensure that your booth is bright, friendly and approachable and that your tradeshow team is well-dressed, standing up and engaging with booth visitors.
• Take advantage of any electronic badge scanning resources the show has to offer. Although it typically costs a bit extra, they will ensure you collect accurate information and will be much faster than manually writing it all down.
Mark your calendar! You’ll be able to visit Midwest Direct at the following upcoming events:
• National Postal Forum (C.TRAC Direct and Midwest Direct): May 21st – 24th
• >Proforma National Convention: July 23rd – 26th
• Bridge Conference: August 2nd – 4th
