Page 242 - Duct Tape Marketing

226 Part IV: Getting the Word Out without Advertising

ߜ Decide whether you need to invest in a booth or whether you can
achieve visibility by buying an ad in the show guide, making a presenta-
tion, hosting a reception, or simply working the floor.

ߜ If you host a booth, know whom you want to attract to your booth, what
you want to communicate, and what action you want to inspire.

ߜ Know how you will capture trade show visitor information and how you
will follow up with your trade show contacts.

Table 14-1 offers suggestions to guide your trade show planning.

Table 14-1 Trade Show Do’s and Don’ts

Do Don’t

Do prospect before the show, using Don’t count on prospects to seek you out
personal letters, direct mailers, and or even to find you on their own. Big
phone calls to invite and encourage shows, especially, simply have too many
prospects to visit your booth. distractions.

Do arrive at the show with preset Don’t expect to simply catch time with key
appointments for meetings with contacts at the show. Take the time in
your top-choice media reps, advance to introduce yourself and estab-
journalists, customer prospects, lish scheduled appointments.
and vendors.

Do use your staff well. Be sure they Don’t let your whole team hang out in your
wear business identification or, show booth — it gives the impression of a
better yet, logo shirts or uniforms. dull spot. Aim instead to have ongoing
Have a staffing schedule that client or media meetings underway, a
lets you present with your best greeter visiting with passersby in the entry
presenters, turning other team area, and other staff members out working
members loose to meet with the show.
suppliers and do competitive
research.

Do have moderately priced Don’t set up for “trick-or-treaters.” You
handouts and logo items available don’t have to give something to every visi-
for distribution, along with a means tor, and you shouldn’t waste money (or
for collecting prospect names for weight down your prospects) by giving out
follow-up. After the show, send a expensive or heavy literature or catalogs
thoughtful letter and gift to at the show. They’ll appreciate the infor-
prospects who were serious mation more if it arrives by mail.
enough to complete a short
form to qualify their interest.