Page 228 - 597 Business Ideas You can Start from Home - doing what you LOVE! (Beginner Internet Marketing Series)

222 Your Idea, Inc.

The effort that you make to meet buyers and network with exhib­
itors is always valuable. So, while you are there, "work" the show.

Take advantage ofthe fact that you are in a room with other people

that are active in the same industry. Learn. Experience. Take it in.

Leaving the Show

When it's time to wrap up, pack your booth into boxes. Be glad you
have come organized and prepared with preprinted address stick­
ers to save time. You may see bargain hunters, who walk around at
the very end of the show to see if exhibitors want to sell samples
cheaply, so they do not have to pay to ship it back. You can sell as
much or as little as you want.

The Show Aftermath: Follow-Up

The show has ended-now the real work begins! If you didn't gar­
ner a lot of orders at the show, here are some tips to turn the leads
into future sales:

• Make a database from the business cards you received or scanned.
• E-mail those contacts and thank them for visiting your booth.
• After a few weeks, e-mail them again and offer to re-extend the

show special or offer a discount on their initial order. They will
have paid off the trade-show bills and it may be a better time for
them to purchase some products that they were interested in.
• Ask them for feedback on your product. Maybe they didn't place an
order because of one simple thing that you can remedy for them.
• Make up a new postcard and mail it to the database a couple of
months later. They will see the product in a new light.

If someone was interested enough to come into your booth and
give you a business card, he or she should be considered a good
lead. Be in touch with as many of the attendees as possible at some
point. You may learn how you can improve for the next show.