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224 Your Idea, Inc.

(several hundred dollars) on top of their commission to have your
products in their booth at a show. Sometimes this may be the only
affordable option to have a small presence at a show.

How to Find a Good Rep

If you want to use a sales rep group, use your researching skills,
which are no doubt finely honed now. Try these tactics:

• Get a referral from another company that has been successful
with the rep firm.

• Put a sign up in your booth at the trade show. Reps within the
industry usually walk the shows and will see you're interested.

• If you see a product that is complementary to yours (not com­
petitive) and is sold in the stores that you want your product to
be in, contact that company and ask who reps their line.

• Check websites for products that are complementary to yours.
Some companies have their rep information on their website.

• Go to the closest big city and walk the showrooms or Mart build­
ings (see Step lO for more on Marts). There, you can see all the
lines that a rep has and see if your line fits into his or her assort­
ment. (You can also usually go to the Mart's website and search
for products and see who reps them.) Set up some appointments
before going to the Mart.

Trade shows are a really terrific way to launch your product
and give it the exposure it deserves within the industry.
Exhibiting at a trade show makes you feel like a part of your
industry. You've arrived. If you are organized and prepared,
you will be ready to put your best foot forward and begin a
major marketing campaign at the show. Who knows, you could
leave with a really, really big purchase order! Just knowing
that it's possible makes it exciting.