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NEWSLETTER January 08
This newsletter is a forum open for your ideas, questions, suggestions and information. |
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Quick Tips for a More Successful Show Before I joined The Bead Renaissance Show to work on the promotion side of bead shows, I spent some time as an Event Manager in Los Angeles, where my primary focus was planning for, and participating in trade shows. After I had made the strategic selection as to which shows my company would host an exhibit, I spent a considerable amount of time creating a plan of action to maximize staff effectiveness and sales potential during show hours. Here are some pointers that, through market research and experience, I found helped improve customer interest and sales: " Plan your exhibit with your audience in mind o For each show, define who your target audience is. Strategize how to appeal to this demographic. o This also includes aesthetics. What décor or display will work well to represent your product? " Advertise in advance o Most trade show promoters include general event advertising in their contract, prior to the show. Let established and potential new customers know where to find you by placing your own ad(s) in print and online publications. " Set clear goals for the show o Is your primary objective to reach a certain number of buyers for retail sales transactions? Or is your goal to network with new potential wholesale buyers? " Use a raffle to draw a prize or host a contest at your booth. o The information you gather from customers can later be used as a contact list for future sales leads. (Make certain the customer is somehow notified that by entering your contest, he or she may be contacted in the future.) " Have your booth manned at all times. o As a manager I cannot stress this point enough. It is optimal to have at least two representatives working throughout the entire show. This enables break times for the employees and a chance to do a little walking around. It also ensures that employees won't be worn out as the weekend progresses. " Treat your booth space as a traditional store front. o Retailers consider it poor customer service for employees to eat or drink in front of shoppers, sit down, or talk/text on the phone. Working at a trade show is no different. This is another example of providing ample staff at the booth so that employees can take meal breaks, make phone calls and rest when they need to. " Actively engage trade booth visitors. o Greet each party who visits your booth. o Instead of approaching shoppers with the traditional "Hello, how are you?" which is what they'll likely hear from most other vendors, ask the customer an "engaged" question. "Is there something in particular you are shopping for today?" "Are you familiar with our products?" "Would you like to enter our drawing for ___?" |
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