How can you create a comprehensive Trade Show preparation checklist?

Choose the Right Show: -Research and select trade shows relevant to your industry, target market, and specific goals. -Consider factors such as location, size, audience, competitors, and cost. -Register early and secure booth space after narrowing down suitable options.

Trade show strategy. Are you there to get leads? The booth with the coolest giveaway always leaves with the most leads. Think about the attendees, your business, and work with a professional promotional products company (in person) to determine a strategy for your giveaway. Is your back drop and table cover up to date? Are your business cards current? Don’t forget to Bring them. Put your QR code on the table cover so people can scan quickly on their own. And lastly, make sure your team isn’t on their phone. At all. While at the booth.

When designing your trade show booth, ask yourself what story you're trying to tell. Each element of the booth should be intentional to telling that story clearly to your ideal attendees. Is there a new product launch that you want to showcase? Consider the flow of the booth to lead to exposure of that product. If you have a smaller booth like a 10x10, double check your equipment and tools before you get to the show! Too often people show up and realize they need to run to target for more tape or a screwdriver. For larger booths, find a trusted, full service vendor that handles install and dismantle for you.

Design Your Booth: -Craft a booth layout that stands out, attracts attention, and aligns with your brand identity. -Pay attention to signage, graphics, lighting, furniture, and functionality. -Ensure the booth communicates your value proposition effectively.

Ensure that your booth has a clear vision that is cohesive and flows naturally. It should be welcoming and inviting encouraging attendees to want to enter and engage with your staff.

Plan Your Marketing: -Develop a comprehensive marketing strategy covering both pre-show and on-site activities. -Utilize invitations, emails, newsletters, press releases, and social media for pre-show marketing. -Prepare eye-catching banners, flyers, brochures, giveaways, contests, and demos for on-site marketing.

Events and trade shows are like stage plays. Your staff are like actors. You wouldn't let actors show up to a play without practice, right? Train your staff not only on the products or info you're showcasing, but on how to interact with attendees. Eye contact and a smile go a long way in inviting someone into your booth. Once the attendee is there, have your staff engage them with an organic conversation without being pushy. Qualifying criteria can be discovered by asking genuine questions.

A booth is useless without great staff to support your exhibiting efforts. Imagine two booths side by side, one with two people sitting at a table, working on their laptop, and the other one with two people standing, smiling and greeting attendees walking by. Who would you rather talk to? You wouldn’t want to interrupt someone who is too busy working, right? Training your staff to be knowledgeable and approachable. Practice before going on the show floor.

100% yes to this! One of the biggest aspects I see overlooked at shows is doing the pre-work to get everyone selling on the same page with their pitches. This partially starts with effective and comprehensive sales training, but prior to the event it’s worth reiterating. In addition it’s supportive for folks there who might not specifically be selling to have gone through some of the same training to ensure they can speak intelligently enough to the folks they’re engaging with. By having everyone on the same page you’re ensuring that your audience is able to engage with anyone on your team informed and clear on what it is your company does and how they can be supported by your offering. There’s nothing worse than confusing folks!

Train Your Staff: -Equip your staff with in-depth knowledge of products, services, and goals. -Provide professional training in communication, customer service, and lead generation. -Assign roles and responsibilities, and ensure staff are well-prepared for engaging with attendees.

Follow Up with Leads: -Develop a structured follow-up plan to nurture and convert leads obtained during the trade show. -Sort and prioritize leads based on interest, urgency, and potential. -Contact leads within 24 hours, expressing gratitude, reiterating value proposition, and proposing next steps.

Always have contingency plans because something will go wrong. We built a fully functional kitchen for a client at a show once. On the second day of the show, the client arrived to find all the pots and pans stolen overnight. We had an extra of each in case anything like that happened and were able to arrive with the backup equipment before the opening. There will also be things you can't plan for or foresee. So remember to be flexible, trust your partners, and take a breath.

Pack a Trade Show Kit: Prepare a kit including items like pens, notepads, chargers, water bottles, snacks, etc. Also, include attire appropriate for the trade show and any social events scheduled around it.

Craft a thorough trade show preparation checklist by including key elements such as booth design, promotional materials, staffing, technology needs, and follow-up strategies to ensure a successful and organized event.