Direct Marketing Trainer • Motivational Speaker • Trade Show Success Course
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Discover how trade shows can be the No Cost solution to growing your business!
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Trade Show Success
Do More Than Just Exhibit... Get Outstanding Results!
It's All About Direct Marketing
As covered in my Best Selling book, your graphics should be grabbing and easy to transport.
To Save $15.95 on my book just order direct by phone at
888-438-3944
Tell them Troy said give it to you wholesale!
888-438-3944
Tell them Troy said give it to you wholesale!
As your company prepares to exhibit at a trade show, you will undoubtedly have extensive contact with an exhibit manufacturer who will design and put together a professional display for you. Most display companies can also perform numerous additional tasks for you based on your needs and your budget. Aside from the design and purchase of the display unit itself, your exhibit company can take care of the logistics of delivering the display to the show venue, make hotel reservations for you, plan out your needs for contracted labor at the show, and other services. What exhibit companies generally assist with, however, is your pre-show marketing plan. It has been my experience that most ‘one-stop-shops’ lack the knowledge and resources to set up a definitive marketing plan for your company. Since this element of your exhibiting strategy is so essential in attracting a crowd, hitting your target market, and getting the leads you want, you should be sure to take advantage of our FREE “Trade Show Marketing Consultation” .
The Importance of Marketing
On average across industries, less than 23 percent of exhibitors do any kind of pre-show promotion. Most companies buy a display, rent booth space, and show up with plenty of brochures. Their sales representatives stand in shifts in their booth and talk to anybody that randomly ambles by. They often give away a “personalized” souvenir such as a stuffed bear or pens inscribed with the company logo, but they often fail to even request this prospective client’s business card. What is unfortunate is that these seemingly aggressive contacts are actually wasting their time and their company’s money. Although it may seem an effective way to make contact with the sea of prospects floating past, it is certainly no way to exhibit successfully at a trade show. In fact, most attendees come to a trade show already knowing which companies’ booths they want to visit. By failing to make that ever important pre-show contact and getting on that short list of interesting companies, you are missing out on a world of opportunity. In an ideal world, you want to be the one hot company that most attendees come to see. In reality, however, you need to invest in some pre-show marketing in order to get as many attendees to come see you as possible.
Customers
An often-overlooked group when planning your pre-show marketing campaign are your company’s current customers. Your current customer base is very important and a rich source of continuing revenue. As such, they should be a top priority when sending out your pre-show marketing message. Wise business people keep in regular contact with former customers and your upcoming show gives you a solid purpose to contact them again further reinforcing your relationship with them. A face-to-face encounter may be just the thing to spur new ways in which you can help them with your product or service.
Prospects
The next group you should heavily market in your pre-show campaign is your company’s current prospects and leads. Your sales team surely has lists of companies that they have recently called on. Certainly you are aware of companies that have bought from your partners or representatives in the past. Perhaps, you can sway them to buy from your company in the future. Combine these lists, and you will have a comprehensive database of hot prospects to market.
Potentials
When it comes to this third target group and pre-show marketing, the defining lines grow a little dim. This group consists of companies you suspect would be good prospects for your product or service but you haven’t solidified your belief. I call these the ‘potentials.’ You can begin to determine who a good potential prospect will be for your company by consulting with your staff. Your marketing and sales managers, as well as your product managers, should be able to tell you whom they would consider a good prospect.
One-on-One Appointments
Another crucial aspect of your pre-show marketing is to seek a one-on-one show appointment with your target groups. You should include a request for such a meeting in your marketing pieces. In the event you have a current business relationship with a target, you can go as far as presetting the meeting with a date and time. This gives you a jump on your competition and many of your targets will adhere to the schedule and appreciate your aggressive approach. This method, however, should be reserved for only those clients with whom you have a close working relationship. Taking this approach with all your targets will certainly put some of them off. Once you send out the pre-show marketing pieces, you should place that ever important follow up call. During this call, you can explain to your target the content of your meeting and offer the opportunity to reschedule if the allotted time is inconvenient. Even though you may feel awkward making such proposals at first, you will find that interested prospects will be flattered at the personal invitation. There is no reason that, with careful planning, you can’t have a number of pre-set appointments even before the show starts.
If your company decides to host a hospitality function in the nearby hotel or in another setting during the show, your pre-show marketing pieces should invite your customers and prospects to attend your function. You can invite your prospects to your booth to pick up an invitation. This provides yet another enticement to visit your booth.
The main goal of all your pre-show marketing efforts should be consistency and simplicity. Your marketing message should be clear and easy to understand, and it should support your show objectives.
Want an easy to set up exhibit at a great price? Just Ask!
Want great advice on drawing a crowd to your booth? Just Ask!
Exhibit and Corporate Services
• Consultation and Design
• Corporate Entertainment
• Keynote Speakers
• Live Talent
• Live Demonstrations
• Trade Show Magicians
• In Booth Marketing • Lead Development
• Direct Sales Training
• Logo Design
• Custom Graphic Solutions
• Database development
• Identity Premiums
• Branding Strategy
Troy Milligan
9477 Winewood Circle
Elk Grove, CA 95742
888-438-3944
eMail
As your company prepares to exhibit at a trade show, you will undoubtedly have extensive contact with an exhibit manufacturer who will design and put together a professional display for you. Most display companies can also perform numerous additional tasks for you based on your needs and your budget. Aside from the design and purchase of the display unit itself, your exhibit company can take care of the logistics of delivering the display to the show venue, make hotel reservations for you, plan out your needs for contracted labor at the show, and other services. What exhibit companies generally assist with, however, is your pre-show marketing plan. It has been my experience that most ‘one-stop-shops’ lack the knowledge and resources to set up a definitive marketing plan for your company. Since this element of your exhibiting strategy is so essential in attracting a crowd, hitting your target market, and getting the leads you want, you should be sure to take advantage of our FREE “Trade Show Marketing Consultation” .
The Importance of Marketing
On average across industries, less than 23 percent of exhibitors do any kind of pre-show promotion. Most companies buy a display, rent booth space, and show up with plenty of brochures. Their sales representatives stand in shifts in their booth and talk to anybody that randomly ambles by. They often give away a “personalized” souvenir such as a stuffed bear or pens inscribed with the company logo, but they often fail to even request this prospective client’s business card. What is unfortunate is that these seemingly aggressive contacts are actually wasting their time and their company’s money. Although it may seem an effective way to make contact with the sea of prospects floating past, it is certainly no way to exhibit successfully at a trade show. In fact, most attendees come to a trade show already knowing which companies’ booths they want to visit. By failing to make that ever important pre-show contact and getting on that short list of interesting companies, you are missing out on a world of opportunity. In an ideal world, you want to be the one hot company that most attendees come to see. In reality, however, you need to invest in some pre-show marketing in order to get as many attendees to come see you as possible.
Customers
An often-overlooked group when planning your pre-show marketing campaign are your company’s current customers. Your current customer base is very important and a rich source of continuing revenue. As such, they should be a top priority when sending out your pre-show marketing message. Wise business people keep in regular contact with former customers and your upcoming show gives you a solid purpose to contact them again further reinforcing your relationship with them. A face-to-face encounter may be just the thing to spur new ways in which you can help them with your product or service.
Prospects
The next group you should heavily market in your pre-show campaign is your company’s current prospects and leads. Your sales team surely has lists of companies that they have recently called on. Certainly you are aware of companies that have bought from your partners or representatives in the past. Perhaps, you can sway them to buy from your company in the future. Combine these lists, and you will have a comprehensive database of hot prospects to market.
Potentials
When it comes to this third target group and pre-show marketing, the defining lines grow a little dim. This group consists of companies you suspect would be good prospects for your product or service but you haven’t solidified your belief. I call these the ‘potentials.’ You can begin to determine who a good potential prospect will be for your company by consulting with your staff. Your marketing and sales managers, as well as your product managers, should be able to tell you whom they would consider a good prospect.
One-on-One Appointments
Another crucial aspect of your pre-show marketing is to seek a one-on-one show appointment with your target groups. You should include a request for such a meeting in your marketing pieces. In the event you have a current business relationship with a target, you can go as far as presetting the meeting with a date and time. This gives you a jump on your competition and many of your targets will adhere to the schedule and appreciate your aggressive approach. This method, however, should be reserved for only those clients with whom you have a close working relationship. Taking this approach with all your targets will certainly put some of them off. Once you send out the pre-show marketing pieces, you should place that ever important follow up call. During this call, you can explain to your target the content of your meeting and offer the opportunity to reschedule if the allotted time is inconvenient. Even though you may feel awkward making such proposals at first, you will find that interested prospects will be flattered at the personal invitation. There is no reason that, with careful planning, you can’t have a number of pre-set appointments even before the show starts.
If your company decides to host a hospitality function in the nearby hotel or in another setting during the show, your pre-show marketing pieces should invite your customers and prospects to attend your function. You can invite your prospects to your booth to pick up an invitation. This provides yet another enticement to visit your booth.
The main goal of all your pre-show marketing efforts should be consistency and simplicity. Your marketing message should be clear and easy to understand, and it should support your show objectives.
Want an easy to set up exhibit at a great price? Just Ask!
Want great advice on drawing a crowd to your booth? Just Ask!
Exhibit and Corporate Services
• Consultation and Design
• Corporate Entertainment
• Keynote Speakers
• Live Talent
• Live Demonstrations
• Trade Show Magicians
• In Booth Marketing • Lead Development
• Direct Sales Training
• Logo Design
• Custom Graphic Solutions
• Database development
• Identity Premiums
• Branding Strategy
Troy Milligan
9477 Winewood Circle
Elk Grove, CA 95742
888-438-3944
eMail
Troy Milligan
9477 Winewood Circle
Elk Grove, CA 95742
888-438-3944
eMail