Running a trade show is a lesson in endurance. You work for months to organize, plan, negotiate, browbeat, nag, harass and worry. Then it’s showtime, and you must answer for everything including the weather, acts of God, labour strikes and ensuring your exhibitors get the biggest bang for their bucks.
Although you can’t control weather, acts of God or labour problems, you can at least ensure your exhibitors get the most bang for their buck by following a few easy guidelines.
Many exhibitors—as you can probably tell by the swiftness with which they tear down their booths at the end of the show—view exhibiting as a necessary evil. It’s their job to be there, but the reality
is they don’t really know why. If you ask them after the show if it paid off or if they got any business, many will inevitably say they don’t know. In hopes of helping your exhibitors think your show is a stellar experience, here are 10 things you can do to help them reach their goals (and ensure their business next year):
1. Do they have an objective?
There are more 100 valid reasons for exhibiting. Your exhibitors should identify one or two that make good marketing sense. This gives your exhibitors direction for creating their display and a way to measure their results. When they register, ask them what they expect from the show. Their answer will give you important clues so you can be proactive in helping them along the way.
2. Get them information early
Exhibitors need a lot of information from you as early as possible. The problem is, they won’t read it. Why not schedule 20 minutes on the phone with each exhibitor working them through the maze of forms they need to complete. Some exhibitors will need more time and with others you can do it quickly. Haven’t got the time to hand-hold exhibitors who should be able to do this on their own? Consider the amount of time you can save on last-minute problems.
3. Help them promote
Many exhibitors still think it’s your job to do all the show promotion.
Show them why it’s not. Their promotion is designed to get people to their booth, your responsibility is to get quality visitors to the show. Help your exhibitors understand that you are working in partnership; each of you has a role to play to make the show a success. You need each other. If you live and breathe this philosophy and build a level of trust, their cooperation will be forthcoming.
4. Offer them tools for success
Let’s face it. You have an objective view of exhibiting, and probably have an intrinsic knowledge of what works and what doesn’t. Once or twice a year exhibitors enter into this unknown territory. To help them look good, be on the lookout for products and services you can either incorporate into your show package or offer as add-on services that will help the exhibitor achieve success. Some of these services include: lead retrieval systems; staff training; follow-up coordination; contact management systems; new booth hardware; audio-visual equipment; promotional items; and advertising incentives.
5. Move in and move out assistance
Every facility is different. There is nothing more frustrating for exhibitors than waiting in line for their turn at the marshalling yard. Or once the show is over, waiting for their boxes. You go to great lengths to ensure that move in and move out are handled with the utmost efficiency, but there may still be snags in the process and your exhibitors may not be understanding. Consider having a customer service representative on hand to keep your customers (the exhibitors ) happy. How about a cup of coffee while they are waiting?
6. Train, train, train
I have often heard the following phrase: "Our exhibitors are old hands at exhibiting. No need to train them." If this were true why do the same show managers feel attacked by exhibitors who express how lousy a show was? The companies may come back year after year but the people change. New people require training to ensure they take the challenge of exhibiting seriously.
You can conduct a session well in advance of the show to talk about planning issues and a chance to meet the suppliers or a session immediately before the show opens to get people charged up and ready to succeed. You have lots of other options such as tip sheets, audio recordings and individual consulting.
7. Reward excellence
Best-of-show awards are taken seriously. If you are considering rewarding excellence, the first step is to let people know about your reward program. Then be creative. Some awards may include awards for best booth staff, most innovative display, best post-show follow-up, best new product or service, most cooperative exhibitor or a best pre-show marketing. Make the award worth winning. A flashy plaque is terrific but you also want to promote the winners in trade magazines, on Web sites, a big sign at the registration area and future show literature.
8. Do a post-show survey
Within two weeks of the event, you should do a post show survey. These are questions that will help you create a statistical base of information to share with future exhibitors. In order to get the surveys answered, offer a draw for a free booth in next year’s show or some other prize. The value of the information will more than offset the cost of the prize.
9. Create an exhibitor steering committee
Your exhibitors are your customers and partners. Now it’s time to walk the talk. A steering committee consists of exhibitor representatives of all sizes (the smaller exhibitors often feel left out). Organize one or two meetings where you all get together to talk, listen and share ideas. These meetings can be live or by teleconference. Exhibitor input goes a long way towards creating new and exciting initiatives for future events.
10. Say thank you
Even if you don’t feel appreciated, a thank you goes along way towards cementing relationships. Send a follow-up fax, e-mail or, better still, how about a phone call where your only motive is to say thank you.
– Barry Siskind (www.siskindtraining.com) is president of the
Terra Cotta, Ont.-based International Training and Management Company, which specializes in trade and consumer show training.
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