Page 223 - 597 Business Ideas You can Start from Home - doing what you LOVE! (Beginner Internet Marketing Series)

Step 1 1 . Make Your Trade Show Debut 217

dinner with foods that you know agree with you. Also, try to not eat
foods that "stay" with you, like garlic.

It took me years to realize that the shows are not a vacation.
They are more like a three-day job interview. So if these suggestions
sound really boring, especially if you are in a fun city like Vegas or
Manhattan, all I can say is I've lived it and learned.

Make Trade Show Friends

On set-up day, the atmosphere is casual and laid-back. Every­
one is dressed in jeans or sweats and sneakers, and it's fun to chat
with people while setting up your booth. It's a good idea to set up
first thing in the morning so you can be done by midday to wander
around the floor and check out other booths.

If you continue to exhibit your product at shows, you'll likely see
the same faces again and again, so it's worth it to invest a few min­
utes to meet some people. I have made a group of friends at trade
shows who mean a lot to me. We swap trade-show stories and laugh
about mistakes, problems, or even buyers that we encounter during
shows. It's like being part of a support group.

Also, consider the show an opportunity to network with others
who don't compete with you . They are usually surprisingly honest
and open. Then you get the opportunity to help other entrepre­
neurs. The friendship fuels a feeling of camaraderie instead of fierce
competition.

Give Show Samples and Discounts

You likely have samples of your product on hand for occasions
just like this. If you can't give them away, you still have many tactics
you can use to help garner a sale.

SA M PLES

Everyone loves samples at shows. If your product is not some­
thing you can give away, find a way to let people test it out at the