Of all the marketing methods that companies use, one stands out for the lack of attention it typically receives, despite its high costs: exhibiting at trade shows. Companies of all sizes spend thousands upon thousands of dollars on trade shows, yet rarely is much done to ensure their success.
Over the course of the next few blog posts, I’ll highlight some of the most common mistakes in trade show marketing, and offer suggestions for overcoming them. Here’s mistake #1:
Not having a goal for each trade show.
Every time you sign up to exhibit at a show, ask yourself what your objective is. Do you want to:
• Generate more leads
• Close sales
• Build relationships with current customers
• Sign up distributors
• Research the market for a new product
• Introduce a new product
You may have more than one goal for a show. Your goals may change from show to show. But always have a quantifiable goal. Know how many new leads you want to generate, how many sales you want to close, or how many customers you want to meet. Share your goals with everyone working the show. And have a plan in place for achieving them. More on that next time.
