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Tradeshows:
Planning And Implementing For Success |
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Are you one of
the following:
Restaurant, Hotel & Conference
Center, Conference Manager, Meeting Planner, Event Planner, Audio-Visual
Equipment Company, Caterer, Wedding Planner.
Planning an
Event? - (Make
an ENQUIRY!) or call
866-859-1174
We provide a variety of services that are specifically
tailored to your needs. Our experienced staff will work
closely with you to insure a successful event. We specialize
in basic meetings, corporate meetings and special events.
We guarantee to help you communicate more effectively. Let
us show you how to make a positive impact that gets results.
Any
keynote event,
meeting or small gathering that
requires Audio-Visual equipment to help articulate the
message of the speaker.
Large scale events that require
Audio-Visual equipment and support. To entertain and support
a theme event, or a larger meeting setting. The most common
Corporate Event could be national sales meetings, new
product launches, corporate stockholder meetings.
We are a full service audio, visual, video, lighting,
staging, and computer rental company. Serving clients
nationally, we offer one of the most comprehensive
inventories in the industry for small businesses events,
conventions, tradeshows, expositions, event planners,
training seminars, and live entertainment shows. With the
latest in technology from leading manufacturers, we ensure
your event will be a total success.
Rent
Tradeshow
AV
Equipment |
|
Trade
Shows: Planning And Implementing For Success
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
by Don Woodard
Developing Your Exhibit Plan
Exhibiting at tradeshows and events is a simple concept that
requires a complex set of activities to make it a successful
method of marketing, promotion and sales. Exhibiting
requires strategic planning.
A proven method to organize your exhibiting opportunities is
to create an "Exhibit Plan." What is an Exhibit Plan? It is
a written document that lists all the reasons for
participating in tradeshows and events. It should consist of
two parts.
First is the Strategic Plan, which defines the mission of
your exhibiting efforts as they contribute to your company's
long-term growth. This plan is often referred to as the
"Road Map".
The Operational Plan is the second part and it will define
the operations of each show. It is a working document that
will provide guidance in six specific areas:
1.) Show Audience
2.) Show Goals
3.) Exhibit Plan
4.) Booth Selection
5.) Promotions
6.) Budgets
You may ask why have an Exhibit Plan? A number of exhibit
managers were asked this same question and the 4 most
repeated answers are:
To establish a direction for your exhibit program.
To get approval from upper management so that you can be
confident in your direction.
To develop a true understanding of your company's marketing
goals.
To ensure that everyone involved is heading in the same
direction.
Next you need to determine which shows may be valuable for
you to attend as an exhibitor. (If you need assistance in
learning what shows are available please contact me at
303-469-3471 and I will be happy to provide you a list of
sources). After determining which shows may be of value to
you, then you need to start your research that will initiate
the process of developing your Operational Plan.
1.) Show Audience - You need to gather information about a
prospective show audience to determine if it is a good fit
for your company. Following are sources to consider when
gathering information about a show's attendees:
Demographics of previous year's shows- Evaluate the
demographics of several of the past year's shows. Is there a
trend or change, such as the geographic areas that the show
draws people from, the job titles of the attendees, etc?
Show Prospectus- Who is the show targeting with their
marketing and promotions?
Show Management- The management for most shows has become
very helpful and they will do all within their power to help
their exhibitors (note: their customers).
Independent Show Auditors- These independent research firms
can provide invaluable information regarding a shows
previous performance.
Attendee and Exhibitor Lists- Lists from past year's
"industry" shows are generally available to purchase. Again,
look for trends regarding "who" the attendees are...have
their general classification of job titles changed over the
past several years? Are the current job titles pertinent to
buy or recommend your products or services? This kind of
information is a key for successful exhibiting at many
industry shows.
If you are exhibiting at consumer shows the titles of the
attendees may not be relevant but their household income,
geographic locations, number of children, etc. can be
helpful and will most likely be indicated in the
demographics.
Competitors- Ask your friendly competitors about specific
shows. Sharing information can be of great value to both
parties.
Current Customers- Do your existing customers attend a
specific show? If a large percentage of your customers
attend a specific show it probably is a show that you should
consider exhibiting at. If none of your customers attend a
show that you are considering, you may want to ask why not?
2.) Show Goals.
How many reasons or goals are there to exhibit at tradeshow
events? This question has been asked many times over the
years and the answers have ranged from one to an infinite
amount. The real answer is that nobody really knows.
However, in order to help you focus on some specific reasons
that your company may want to exhibit at tradeshow events I
have assembled a list of "81 REASONS TO EXHIBIT." This list
is developed to provide you food-for-thought.
To receive a Free copy of "81 REASONS TO EXHIBIT" call
303-469-3471.
The most effective way to use this list is to make a copy
for each show at which you are planning to exhibit. Then
circle all the reasons that may pertain to your company for
that specific show.
Next comes the hard part, yet the most useful. You need to
narrow your selection of reasons or goals to exhibit at that
specific show to 3 to 5 if your booth space is 20'x20' or
less. The reason? The more focused you are the more
successful you will be in accomplishing those goals. Too
often exhibitors try to accomplish too many goals at a show
and consequently they are less than satisfied with their
show results.
3.) Preliminary Plan. Listed below are components that will
help you develop your Preliminary Plan:
First you are encouraged to define your exhibit concept.
There are 3 basic concepts that can be accomplished.
Product Position - this concept focuses on your product or
service offerings. It works well for new companies.
Company Identification - this concept focuses on creating
awareness and the branding of your over-all company. If you
are looking to enhance or change your company's image this
concept works well.
Company Position - this concept focuses on your marketing
position. Is your company a leader within your industry? Is
your company "Trying Harder" (such as Avis)?
Another component for defining your Preliminary Plan is
defining your communications message. What do you want to
inform the show attendees about? What needs to be said?
Next is defining what you are going to display. Which
products or services are best to showcase for the audience
of each specific show you are considering?
What structural requirements (exhibit structures) are you
going to use to showcase the products or services and/or the
graphic messages that you are going to display? Your exhibit
structure options are ever increasing. From custom designed
and manufactured to portable & modular systems, backlit
options, truss systems, extruded aluminum systems,
dye-sublimation printed fabric displays & banner stands,
interactive information systems, fiberoptic displays,
robotics and the list goes on. And don't forget about your
rental options as well.
I&D (Installation & Dismantle) requirements. Do you want or
need to hire an I&D crew to setup and dismantle your chosen
exhibit structures?
Logistics. How are you going to transport your products and
exhibit structures to and from the show?
Determine your booth staff. Who is going to be working in
your exhibit booth? For more information on how to select
your best booth staff for each specific show, see the
article in Issue #3, vol.1 of "Solutions..." titled,
"Selecting Your Booth Staff to Meet the Needs of Your
Potential Audience".
4.) Pre Show
One of the primary concerns for companies in today's economy
is the return on investment from any business decision.
Those of us who exhibit our products and/or services at
tradeshows and events are faced with the concern of how to
increase the return from our exhibit programs.
A significant factor for improving your ROI from exhibiting
is to figure out how to draw the maximum number of your
qualified "potential audience" to your exhibit. Let's
explore proven methods to do just that.
There are only two groups of people that attend tradeshows
and events! Those people that you are "Aware of" and those
people that you are "Not Aware of". (Granted there are also
those people that are aware of you, due to your successful
advertising methods or by word of mouth, but since you do
not know who they are, they are classified as those that you
are "Not Aware of.")
The best way to attract those people that you are "Aware
of", people who are either your customers or known prospects
is through the use of Pre-Show Promotions. And the good
news, according to Exhibitor Magazine, is that in 2003
exhibitors have increased their promotions budget on the
national average from 3% to 6.1% of their total exhibit
budget.
Following is a list of Pre-Show Promotion methods:
*Personal Letters
*Personal & Broadcast Fax
*Invitations
*Emails
*Personal Phone Calls
*Direct Mail
*News Releases
*Website Ads
*Telemarketing
*Voice Mails
*Phone-hold Messages
*Press Releases
*Personal Visits
*Media Interviews
Studies have indicated that the five most successful methods
of Pre-Show Promotions include: Personal Letters with an
Invitation; a Personal Fax; A Personal Phone Call; a Direct
Mail piece; and a Personal Email. However, do not exclude
the other methods as insignificant.
The more methods you use the more successful you will be in
getting people that you are "Aware of" to visit your
exhibit. A key to successful exhibiting is for you to become
a "target", a must see exhibit for your potential audience.
You accomplish this through Pre-Show Promotions.
However, it is equally important to identify what the
benefit is for your potential audience to visit your
exhibit. Just because you are going to be exhibiting at the
show is not a good enough reason for them to take their time
to visit you. Their time while at the show is just as
valuable as your time. Give them a "valuable reason" to
spend part of their time with you.
Exhibitor Magazine reports the national average for a
company's potential audience that will actually visit their
booth is 44%. That also means that 56% of a company's
potential buyers are walking past their exhibit...more than
half of their prospects! Don't let this happen to you.
Thoroughly explain what the benefit is for them to visit
you. As we know, a persons primary concern is what's in it
for them. Make their decision an easy one...provide them a
good reason, a clear benefit that they can use. One that
will make their life more enjoyable, easier, less stressful,
more enlightened, less hectic, more productive, less
demanding, more profitable, etc.
You need to analyze what your marketplace needs to make
their lives better...their primary concerns. When you target
the right ones your potential audience will target you!
5.) Work: At-Show
The second concern for increasing your ROI from exhibitions
is determining how to attract your potential audience that
you are "Not Aware of"(those people who are not your
customers or existing known prospects). Let's explore proven
methods to do that.
The first method to attract is by presenting a visual
message that allows people to qualify that what you are
offering is something that they need, want or will be of
benefit to them. This method can be accomplished by
presenting signs and graphics that meet the needs of your
buyers. Consequently, to be successful you must identify the
needs of your audience. (Note: see "Solutions..." issue #3,
vol. 1 for more information on how to identify the specific
needs of your audience.)
If your company is well known and recognized for its unique
or excellent products and/or services your company name or
product name may be sufficient to draw your potential
buyers. This is especially true if your company has recently
introduced something interesting either through advertising,
public relations or has been published recently within your
industry.
However, if your company or product is new and not well
recognized, your company or product name will generally not
offer much "drawing power". Therefore you need to explore
other ways to present a message that will draw your
potential buyers. Several examples of different types of
successful messages were presented in "Solutions..."
issue #4, vol. 1.
The second method to attract people that you are "Not Aware
of" is through successful At-Show promotions. Following is a
list of At-Show promotion methods:
Keynote Speaker...
Conference Speaker...
Show Issue of Trade Publications...
Kiosk Ads...
Press Kits & Releases...
Signs & Banners...
Special Events & Receptions...
Taxi Signs...
Show Directories Billboards...
Premiums & Giveaways...
Voice Mail Messages...
Live Presentations...
Drawings & Contests...
Demonstrations...
AV Presentations...
Daily "Show Newspapers...
Hotel TV ads & Door Drop Ads...
Mobile Truck Ads...
Airport Advertising.
To be successful, any At-Show promotion must influence the
viewer that what you are offering at the show is something
that will be of value or benefit to them and create a strong
desire for them to visit your booth.
At-Show advertising and promotions often pay off by
convincing the show attendee that you are offering something
that they were not aware of or convinces them to learn more
about it.
According to Judi Baker-Neufeld, a leading authority of
marketing promotions, "A promotion is not a gift item, a
prize drawing or a live demo on the show floor. It is not a
cute gimmick. The promotion is your marketing strategy...it
is the creative approach you use to deliver your message."
Don Woodard is the owner of Don Woodard International, a
tradeshow marketing consulting firm. Don provided exhibits
and graphics for over 30 years to both large and small
companies who displayed their products and services
throughout the world. In addition to consulting services he
presents speaking programs on tradeshow event marketing
topics and business development, as well as career and
personal motivational topics. |
|
Are you one of
the following:
Restaurant, Hotel & Conference
Center, Conference Manager, Meeting Planner, Event Planner, Audio-Visual
Equipment Company, Caterer, Wedding Planner.
We provide a variety of services that are specifically
tailored to your needs. Our experienced staff will work
closely with you to insure a successful event. We specialize
in basic meetings, corporate meetings and special events.
We guarantee to help you communicate more effectively. Let
us show you how to make a positive impact that gets results.
Any
keynote event,
meeting or small gathering that
requires Audio-Visual equipment to help articulate the
message of the speaker.
Large scale events that require
Audio-Visual equipment and support. To entertain and support
a theme event, or a larger meeting setting. The most common
Corporate Event could be national sales meetings, new
product launches, corporate stockholder meetings.
We are a full service audio, visual, video, lighting,
staging, and computer rental company. Serving clients
nationally, we offer one of the most comprehensive
inventories in the industry for small businesses events,
conventions, tradeshows, expositions, event planners,
training seminars, and live entertainment shows. With the
latest in technology from leading manufacturers, we ensure
your event will be a total success.
Rent
Tradeshow
AV
Equipment |
|
Corporate event
management & trade shows from audio visual consultants.
Established since 2001 offering our clients not just an
audio visual equipment rental service but a complete
corporate event management solution for all your trade shows
and exhibition needs. We specialize in Conference and Event
Management with 5 years of experience providing you with the
platform to get your message across. Large or small, we can
provide the experience, knowledge, set and presentation
equipment to ensure that right from the first moment,
everything that you see hear or feel will be nothing short
of spectacular.
Planning an Event? - (Make
an ENQUIRY!) when you need to make some impact,
call the professionals - we can advise, design and install
complete audio visual presentation sets for all your special
events, trade shows and exhibitions incorporating video
projectors, glitzy PowerPoint presentations, laptop and
exhibition stand rental services, stage lighting and a
multitude of special effects.
We strive to be the most
competitive company in pricing while offering superior
service and product quality.
Please call me at 866.858.1174
to discuss how we may work together to make your event a
success.
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