Prepare a One Page Post-Show Report to Give Management an Idea of What Happened Immediately

STEP 1: CREATING THE ACTION PLAN

A) Why are we going to the show? (Goals/objectives)

Generate sales

Obtain leads

New product introduction

Increase brand awareness

Press coverage

Meet with current customers

Recruit distributors

Gather marketing information

Gather competitive information

Demonstrate products

Other ______

B) Who is our target audience?

1.  What is the make-up of the entire audience? (Get info from show management or other exhibitors)

2.  How do we define the characteristics of our target audience?

a. 

b. 

c. 

3.  How many of our target audience do we expect at this event?

4.  How do we want to attract our target audience to the booth?

Pre-show mailings

Targeted give-aways

Product-specific demos

Pre-set appointments

Other

Note: Find out how your target audience prefers to receive communications and design your promotions using those vehicles.

Remember to set timelines and budgets for each of the above!

C) What will be our measure of success?

Cost per lead/contact and/or potential sales

Counts (leads, total contacts, number of visitors receiving demos etc)

Pre /at / post show surveys

Slice and dice lead information and/or other data

Other

Note: Mix your metrics – quantitative and qualitative to tell the whole story.

Remember, once you decide which methods you want to use to accomplish your measurement goals, you need to set your tactics for obtaining your measurements!

STEP 2: DESIGNING YOUR EXHIBIT/GRAPHIC TO OPTIMIZE YOUR OBJECTIVES

A) Answer the following questions when meeting with your exhibit designer or production person:

1.  Why do visitors attend this show?

2.  Why do they visit our exhibit?

3.  When they visit us, what do they want to do?

4.  When we attract visitors to our exhibit, what do we want to do with them?

Note: Once you answer these questions, you’ll be able to start designing your exhibit.

B) Designing and exhibit requires you to Visualize, Define, Identify and Optimize:

a.  Visualize: What kind of image do we want to convey through our exhibit design?

b.  Define: What are we need in the exhibit to accomplish our goals?

Meeting space – open, private or semi-private

Product demonstrations – on demand or continuous

Live theatre – seated, standing

AV to communicate our messages

c.  Identity: What size exhibit will work best to accomplish our needs?

In line (10 x 10, 10 x 20, 10 x 30 etc)

Peninsula (exhibit space facing out at the end of a row)

Island (exhibit with aisles open on all four sides)

What is the largest configuration we will need and smallest?

Largest? x

Smallest x

d.  Optimize: Of the following, which elements do we think we should include in our exhibit design?

Flexibility

Truss systems

Light weight pop-up banner stands

Fabric graphics

Custom/modular components

Lightweight construction materials

e.  Space Requirements:

Products to be displayed

Products to be demonstrated

Computer – e-details

Video workstations (how many)

Monitors (size and quantity)

Information/reception desk Yes No

Lead / selling stations (if different from any above)

Conference / meeting area(s)

Size

Quantity

Degree of Privacy

Demonstrations/Live presentations Yes No

If yes:

-  Type of projection Front Rear Plasma

-  Seating (please indicate what type of seating you want)

-  Standing (indicate if there are specifics for this)

C) Graphics and Signage:

Based on our goals and target audience, what is the primary thought that we want to convey in our booth, on our graphics and communicate to every visitor?

Our powerful message:

Note: Remember that powerful messages should accomplish the following:

·  Create interest

·  Attract attention

·  Make the exhibit memorable

·  Pre-qualify visitors (by specifying clear benefit statements

·  Tie into overall company branding message

(Use this list to make sure you’re not missing anything)

STEP 3: PROMOTIONS PRIMER

A) Determine your promotional goals

q Communications Goals

Affect perceptions

Establish/enhance awareness

Reinforce/change or create a position (i.e. market leader, dominance etc.)

Generate a specific message

Indentify capabilities

Differentiate your company from competitors

q Logistical Goals

Attract attention to those not familiar with our organization

Generate excitement in the exhibit and around the show floor

Increase pre-show awareness of our participation

Educate customers/prospects about solutions offered at our display

Generate desirable traffic flow around the exhibit

q Measurable Goals

Total number of prospect vs. qualified prospects

Percentage increases/changes in number from previous shows

Total number of quality leads you need to generate via promotions

Establish qualified leads

Build database

Establish new distributorships/suppliers/reps

Recruit employees

Press coverage

B) Determine your pre-show, at-show and/or post - show promotions:

Pre – show:

Pre-show mailer

Room drops

Website ads

Email invitations

Sponsorships

Speakers

Public relations

Advertising

In booth meeting planning

Pre-show surveys

Other

At - show:

Program/exhibit guide

Premiums/give-aways

Prizes

Live presentations

Games/educational activities

Videos

Specific product/service/promotional graphics

Booth surveys/exit interviews

Sales promotion offers

Staff attire

Press conference(s)

Convention center advertising/banners,/signage etc

Airport/hotel/transit/outdoor advertising

Shuttle bus wraps

Other

Post – show:

Post-show public relations (PR) and PR analysis

Post - show surveys

Post - show advertising

Sales promotions

Other

C) Questions to ask yourself/team when setting promotional objectives:

1) Is the show vertical or horizontal?

Vertical - high percentage of attendees are our target prospects

Horizontal - wide variety of audience members, smaller percentage the target audience

2) Where are we going to get the list from which to target our promotion?

Show management

- pre-registered list for this year’s show or list from last year’s final?

(can we select by title, business size, or industry?)

In-house

- Get from sales or marketing team?

- Check quality of list.

D) Develop a proposal for each promotional idea to include:

(make copies of this page if needed)

Show name and date

Our powerful message

Theme/tagline (if any)

Target audience

Briefly describe the promotion idea

How will it be applied before, during and after the show

Before

During

After

Explain why it will appeal to our target audience

STEP 4: STAFF SELECTION

A) How many and what types of staffers do we need to be successful in implementing our goals at this show?

Technical

How many ?

Why ?

Marketing

How many?

Why?

Sales

How many ?

Why ?

q Demonstrators

How many ?

Why?

q Other (i.e. greeters, floaters etc.

How many?

Why ?

B) Performance attributes of a successful booth staff member

o  Necessary product knowledge

o  Does not have a personal agenda

o  Attended previous shows

o  Good mentor for less experienced staff

o  Can create valuable leads and follows up afterwards

o  Comfortable talking with strangers

o  Understands qualification process

o  Outgoing and friendly

o  Persistent and focused

o  Assumes personal responsibility

o  Team player

o  Goal setter

o  Consistently courteous

o  Well organized

o  Able to listen to visitors and respond accordingly

o  Extremely flexible

o  Confident speaking one-on-one or to small groups

o  Is willing to accept and adhere to a schedule

o  Will participate in training/orientation

o  Understands importance of role in achieving show goals

o  Will spend time greeting and talking with booth visitors—not other staffers

(Note—if you are not the one who chooses your staff, you can send this checklist to individuals who will be choosing staff members to work your show)

STEP 5: STAFFING SKILLS

A) Remind staff that at a trade show they have an opportunity to create an event in the mind of every visitor – Ask and answer the following:

How do we want prospects to feel?

What do we want prospects to think about your company and its brand?

What do we want visitors to know when they leave their exhibit?

What do we want prospects to do after having visited with you in your exhibit?

B) Make sure staff knows and can communicate key message(s)

What is our powerful message that we want every qualified visitor to receive?

What are our product/service benefits and differentiations? (Note: Make sure to get benefits and not just features)

Exercise: Have staff write down competitive advantages, product differentiations and key message(s) so they will know how to incorporate them into their communications

C) Remind staff of the differences in “selling” at a show:

·  Usually have about five - eight minutes with potential clients at a show rather than a half hour or more on a traditional sales call

·  At a show, you are most often looking to move to next step in the sales process - not close the sale

·  You often need to handle multiple prospects at one time

·  Customers are coming to you

·  They won’t know what a customer needs until you qualify them

·  The staff will be working long hours on their feet – they have to be up and fresh

·  They’ll be part of a team and will need to know what role they play to help reach overall goals and objectives

D) Teach staff the 4 R’s:

q Reach Out

·  Be proactive, not reactive

·  Greet and acknowledge all visitors with eye contact, a handshake and/or a smile

·  Engage using open-ended questions i.e. Tell me…

-  about your operation…

-  what brought you to the show...

-  how long do you…

-  how do you use…

-  what are you looking for in the way of …

q Relate - to visitor’s needs and concerns

·  Focus on the visitor first—not your products/services

·  Probe for usage of key core messages

·  Maintain focus - listen more, talk less

Respond to the visitor

·  Resist the urge to “info dump”

·  Keep it two-way

·  Be brief, clear and succinct

·  Think differentiation, specialization, benefits and added value

q Record and close

·  Treat every lead as if it were your own

·  Take good notes for follow up - examples:

-  “What do you see as the next step?”

-  “Would you like us to send you more information?”

-  “Do you feel that we can meet your needs?”

E) Remind staff that they are ambassadors for your company’s brand. When people see the staff at a show, they see your company - Tips to remember:

·  Be up! Be fresh!

·  If not on booth duty - be somewhere else (don’t distract other staffers)

·  Take breaks during slower times

·  Drink water - it keeps you hydrated and actually freshens your breath better than mints

·  Visit with attendees only

·  If you don’t know the answer to an attendee’s question, it’s ok to say, “I don’t know, but I’ll find someone who can help you.”

·  Treat each attendee as though s/he is the first person you’ve spoken to all day

F) Booth and show logistics

q What size is our space?

q Where are we located in the hall?

q What are the show hours by day?

q List dedicated show hours when it will be particularly busy (if any)

STEP 6: ONSITE STAFF EVALUATION

A)  Use the following list of checkpoints to evaluate your individual exhibit staff for your use (make copies as needed)

Staffer Name

Attitude

Shows up on time

Positive demeanor

Ability to engage

Appears warm and inviting

Approaches visitors walking by

Makes eye contact and welcomes visitors

Uses open-ended questions

Ability to qualify

Qualifies quickly and efficiently

Probes first to determine needs

Asks all qualifying questions (who, what, when, where, how much?)

Ability to present solutions

Understands the need before speaking

Qualifies before presenting a demo

Knows how long a typical interaction should take and tries to adhere

Is able to talk to multiple visitors at once

Is able to include new visitors that approach conversation in progress

Ability to close and capture

Articulates closing comments

Captures some type of commitment for follow-up

Completes lead forms, including comments

Nonverbal skills

Talks with other staffers rather than watching for visitors

Eats, sits, uses mobile phone or computer in the exhibit

Looks professional

Looks approachable

B)  Use the following checklist to evaluate overall staffing at show for future reference

Number of staff Adequate Too few Too many

Was a staffing schedule used Yes No

If yes, how well did the schedule work?

Very well Sufficiently Not well

Was the booth adequately covered during peak times in attendee flow?

Yes No

How well did the staff work together?

Very well Sufficiently Not well

C)  General observations/comments

Note: After the show, send a thank you to all staff and also send a thank you to their managers for letting them take the time to come and work the show.

Reiterate:

·  Show goals and objectives

·  The importance of the role the staff as a whole plays in achieving the objectives

D)  Post– show staff report

(Note – May use the following to send to individual who chose staffers after the show)

Staffer Name

Attended pre-show orientation (if provided)

Engaged visitors proactively

Able to overcome territorial issues

Introduced themselves before prospecting

Qualified visitors to determine needs before communicating/demonstrating

Communicated properly to visitor’s needs

Captured key points on lead forms for future follow up

Used the lead retrieval system in place for show

Used promotional materials properly

Disengaged by thanking the visitor for stopping

During time in booth did this staffer regularly:

Sit down

Talk with other staffers

Talk on mobile phone

Chew gum, eat or drink

Wander away from work station

Leave the booth

Stand behind detail/work stations rather than in front to be more accessible

Would you recommend this staffer to work this show again? Yes No

Why or Why not?

STEP 7: POST SHOW REPORT

A)  Prepare a one page post-show report to give management an idea of what happened immediately after the show (within two weeks)

·  Tie the report to pre-set goals and objectives (predicted ROO)

·  Include year-to-year or show-to-show comparisons

·  Identify problems (what they are and how you plan to fix them)

·  Competitive analysis and emerging trends