Have you ever wondered why companies participate in tradeshows? Where do they get the money and the time? Here are some of the secrets of tradeshow selling that I've learned over the years:
There are two basic reasons why companies showcase their products at a trade show:
- To get the undivided attention of the visitors who pass your booth
- To maximize your floor space so that prospects can enter your booth
To accomplish these goals, you have to follow some general rules:
- Make your enclosure deep and wide
- Secure a good location for your booth
- Create the maximum useable floor space
- Create accessibility from all sides of your booth
In addition to booth location, which is a major tradeshow success factor, there are nine other secrets of successful tradeshow selling:
- Gather intelligence - get to know the competition and conduct on-the-spot market research
- Make your booth attractive with bright colors
- Minimize furniture usage (if that is not your product)
- Use Signage -You booth should capture prospects' attention
- Use adequate lighting -Good lighting attracts attention, so keep your booth well lit.
- Aesthetic appeal — Use attractive color and layout to design your booth
- Lasting impression – Give visitors a booklet or product brochure to support your product
- Use bait — like a drawing, raffle or contest — to draw visitors to your booth
- Be outgoing — If you have to, get in the aisle to talk with people and entice them to your booth
Using the 9 tips above, you can turn a run-of-the-mill tradeshow into a revenue and prospect building machine!
