Here's how you can stay competitive in the Trade Shows industry using trade shows.

Plan a year ahead. Apart from booth design and content, make hotel bookings in advance for your team. A fresh minded team is the best to engage with. Avoid hiring 'booth managers' unless it is absolutely necessary. Pick experts from your team to represent the brand. If you can bring put up a working model on display, it grabs attention better than samples.

Trade shows are interesting venues in which to sell - especially IF you are NOT the PRIMARY customer of the exhibitor. My company is a service provider to the exhibitor - and I am aware that my customers at the show are there to primarily meet/talk with their customers. For established customers, planning ahead is always key - just the idea that you plan to stop by their booth helps set the stage. I always make sure to have ONLY the most "necessary words" ready upon entering a booth - be it a new product we are launching, a reminder about coming attractions or as always, just a thanks for the business. For NEW prospects, often times just tracking down the right contact to follow-up with later is the best result.

When at a busy trade show, start with what can you do as a value add to the attendees - dive deep into their profiles. Not about your products or services. Come to them with ways they can elevate them as professionals. Ideas, communication playbooks with the c-suite, new ideas to gain more attendee attention acquisition, ways they can stand out of the crowd. Come to them as strategists. For your partners or even the competitors on the show floor, put time aside during the show to create relationships, ways to collaborate, even if it's a collective insight piece.

Effective trade show planning is essential for success. Early preparation ensures you choose the right events, craft captivating booth designs, and develop compelling marketing materials. It also provides ample time to train your staff for engaging visitors, amplifying your impact. Proforma Amplified stands by you throughout this journey, offering expert guidance and resources at every turn. With us, your trade show presence will radiate professionalism and readiness for success. And don't overlook the importance of branded merchandise—it's a reflection of your brand's essence!

Unbedingt das richtige Team für eine Messe wählen! Immer wieder sehe ich unbetreute Stände oder Personal, das gelangweilt Nägel feilt oder ins Smartphone starrt. Motivierte und freundliche MitarbeiterInnen sind heute - leider - schon ein großer Wettbewerbsvorteil und ein Muss für eine erfolgreiche Messe Teilnahme.

Be the energy hub for the show. It's not only about the design of your booth, bring staff that have a certain level of energy. That aren't afraid to go in the aisles and say hello, not to sell. But to create conversations that lead into relationship that lead into sales.

It doesn’t matter how small your booth is, if you have your brand messaging that shows you hat your company offers and a cohesive look and feel to your booth, plus a team working the show who is trained well, you can’t do anything but succeed.

Careful planning can yield long-term results. Think ahead regarding your communication flow (from first interaction to long-term stakeholder engagement). Carry the tone of your booth through to that initial outreach, and remind attendees how they felt when they engaged with you in person.

Preparing good questions has priority over the elevator pitch. Asking the same question to different people will give more market insights than any sales talk. It will open doors to deeper talks about business as well. Getting the conversation going is the highest goal.

Networking is key to trade show success. Have a strategy with clear goals for connecting with potential clients, suppliers, or influencers. Interact with potential clients after hours at events, sessions, and social functions where conversations are more relaxed. Prepare an elevator pitch that highlights what your company does and what sets it apart, making it easy to share in any setting. Effective networking can lead to partnerships and opportunities that extend well beyond the trade show floor.

As an expert in promotional branding, I can't stress enough the importance of networking at trade shows. Your brand's presence needs to be more than just a booth with branded gifts and custom apparel. It's about the connections you make and the relationships you build. Having a clear strategy for networking, including a compelling elevator pitch, can set you apart in a crowded marketplace. Remember, the conversations you initiate today can become tomorrow's business opportunities.

Networking is a strategic way of content exchange. More than anything, it is about just listening. Seek what they are truly trying to tell you. Their insights, their challenges, and their convos will bring you gold if you just listen, and you are not in selling mode. And always. Always. Introduce people to other people. Create the network - they will remember you for that. Always.

If an app is offered for a conference you’re attending, download and scan through the attendees to see if you can set up meetings with potential mentors, employers or company representatives for products or services you’re interested in ahead of time. Other attendees will surely welcome a request for a cup of coffee or glass of wine and a conversation. Who knows where it can lead?

Your trade show presence should shine online. Use social media to generate buzz before, during, and after the event. Share fun and interactive posts, and use event hashtags to connect with attendees. Post updates and live content to engage followers who can’t attend in person. Stay active and responsive, creating a lively online presence that amplifies your reach and makes your brand stand out.

Here's a missed opportunity. Create 'additional' value add content that won't be shared at the show. And share that via social. Almost like a hidden vault of content gems. :)

Your best knowledge won't only come from the sessions - best learning will come from ad-hoc meetings around the coffee, in the hallways, and synchronized meetups. Always always include the first timers or the emerging professionals. Fresh perspectives.

E-Mails bitte nur mit Einverständnis schicken und keine Massenmails. Immer individuell formulieren und auf das geführte Gespräch beziehen! Details wirken besonders aufmerksam. Am besten schon während der Messe vernetzen, zb mit dem LinkedIn QR Code.

Understand others’ body language and make sure to be aware of your own. Crossed arms, looking at your phone, hanging out in the aisle, or hanging out as a group in the booth are all off putting behaviors to attendees. Be open with your demeanor aware of your surroundings - that will attract attendees to you to step up and ask questions. Be aware of their body language, as well. If they’re looking around, checking their watch, they need to be released. If they lean in with eye contact, they’re interested in your pitch - scan their badge!

What does that title even mean “Here’s how you can stay competitive in the trade shows industry using trade shows”. I swear my brain gets smoother every time I read an AI generated prompt to contribute to on LinkedIn.

Add visual appeal with lighted graphics, and don’t forget to decorate with plants. A sitting area will help add an island of rest on a busy trade show floor and you’ll be surprised how many people take advantage of it. At Kodak we had the Kodak logo Bags to help visitors cary their loot and the free advertising was priceless.

1. Learn how to qualify quickly. Have a series of questions that will lead those who do not need your product or service to rule themselves out. 2. Know your presentation from beginning to end before the show begins. Role-play and practice with other top people in your company or industry. When you have internalized a script perfectly, you can then confidently make it your own. 3. Be prepared to hear the most common objections and have a game plan to overcome those with qualified prospects. Have good questions peppered throughout your presentation. This will make your presentation feel more conversational and less "canned".