Let’s face it…new technology comes and goes and separating real trends from the latest gizmo can be difficult.  The Rogers Company put together a brief overview of some of the important technological drivers for tradeshows.  Keep in mind, these trends are driven as much by what the industry needs as what it offers.  It’s important for exhibitors to recognize what they can get from technology and not be driven by the ‘latest and greatest’ thing out there.  From the book:

When it comes to technology, yesterday’s new toy is tomorrow’s indispensable business tool.  We’ve seen this happen with everything from desktop computers to cell phones to GPS systems.  Keeping this in mind when approaching technology for tradeshows is a good idea.  A fancy booth toy could just be a waste of money, but the right investment in technology could help attract attention, achieve business goals at a show, or help create an unforgettable branded environment.

Looking at some overall trends in event marketing can reveal where new technologies can be most effective.  We examined some of the prevailing trends in event marketing and compared them to new evolutions in technology to help you choose which might help build business at your company’s next tradeshow or event.

You can view more videos at our YouTube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/tradeshowfeed

This article from Terry Stanfield, outlines the basics of creating relationship via the telephone. It’s an interesting aspect of sales and generating leads that’s often over looked. While email makes communication fast, it is also very impersonal. Face to face meetings are always best but fuel costs can make some think twice before crossing the country…or even crossing town.

The good old fashioned telephone however, is intimate, cheap and very personal. The focus of the article on creating relationship is key. Afterall, most of our experiences with unsolicited phone calls is negative. Like all sales, the rejection rate must be horrific, yet the investment in time does build relationships with prospects that could lead to a sale. Depending on your product that could be either a phone call away or a meeting set up during the call.

Oddly (or not so oddly) this article along with many others on sales, stresses relationship building and listening. Is the ‘Always Be Closing’ rule going out of fashion or is it just ineffective? Has selling changed on the telephone and the tradeshow floor?

Kind of. The other point of this article is persistence. Maybe “Always Be Selling” is just another way of keeping at it, facing rejection, listening to needs, and responding to problems.

From the article:

“Teleprospecting is using the phone wisely, without doing any selling. However, when utilized properly, teleprospecting is the most effective tool in the lead generation program. It will deliver sales ready leads.

The reason it works so well is because of the human contact, one person talking to another person. Without human contact it is impossible to build relationships, which become profitable to customers and sellers alike. Human contact is the only way to get to meat of a situation, which means you must have lengthy and sincere conversations with the potential clients.

Every time you have a productive conversation with a potential client your knowledge of that potential client will increase. Think about it if you having a conversation with someone, eventually you can earn their trust. They will tell just about anything you want to know.

By the end of a couple of conversations you will know when this business will be ready to place an order. You will already be talking to the decision maker, so you will learn all about how the process works. You will have learned what the prospective client likes about the product and what he doesn’t like. You will learn who your competition is and what the potential likes and dislikes about them.

The leads generated from these telephone conversations will be ready for your sales personnel to make the sale. Your sales will increase significantly. Your sales department will be able to maintain a positive attitude, which is an important element when it comes to making sales.”

Read the full article here: Link

Sukki Jahnke of the Rogers Company speaks at Event Expo in Cleveland on exhibit design and how Rogers helps its clients build business. There are a whole slew of videos from the event hosted on New Image Media’s website.

Since exhibiting comprises so many different components and functions, it’s no wonder that we make blunders trying to remember everything that needs doing. However, some are more lethal than others and as such should be avoided at all costs. The following seven points fall into that category.

Learn to avoid them and you will increase your chances for a more successful and profitable tradeshow.

Sin #1: Failing to have a proper exhibit marketing plan.

In order to make tradeshows a powerful dimension your company’s overall marketing operation, there must be total alignment between the strategic marketing and your exhibit marketing plan. Tradeshows should not be a stand-alone venture. Know and understand exactly what you wish to achieve – increasing market share with existing users; introducing new products/services into existing markets or into new markets; or introducing new products/services into new markets. This is the nucleus on which to build your program, which should include pre-show, at-show and post-show promotional activities. Know whom you want to target and then consider having different promotional programs aimed at the different groups you are interested in attracting.

Sin #2: Failing to set quantifiable exhibiting goals.

Goals, or the purpose for exhibiting, are the essence of the whole tradeshow experience. Knowing what you want to accomplish at a show will help plan every other aspect – your theme, the booth layout and display, graphics, product displays, premiums, literature, etc. Exhibiting goals should complement your corporate marketing objectives and help in accomplishing them. Make sure they can be measured after the show to establish how well you did.

Sin #3: Failing to build brand awareness with your booth.

On the show floor your exhibit makes a strong statement about who your company is, what you do and how you do it. Everything your company stands for, no matter how large or small, is being exhibited on the show floor. This means that there needs to be total consistency, congruity, clarity and focus in every aspect of your exhibiting program, before, during and after the show. The purpose of you exhibit is to attract visitors so that you can achieve your marketing objectives. In addition to being an open, welcoming and friendly space, there needs to be a focal point and a strong key message that communicates a significant benefit to your prospect. Opt for large graphics rather than reams of copy. Pictures paint a thousand words while very few attendees will take time to read. Your presentations/demonstrations are a critical part of your exhibit marketing. Create an experience that allows visitors to use as many of their sense as possible. This will help to enhance memorability.

Sin #4: Failing to give visitors an incentive to visit your booth.

Whatever promotional vehicles you use – direct mail, broadcast faxes, advertising, PR, sponsorship, and the Internet, make sure that you give visitors a reason to come and visit you. With a hall overflowing with fascinating products/services, combined with time constraints, people need an incentive to stop at your booth. First and foremost their primary interest is in “what’s new!” They are eager to learn about the latest technologies, new applications, or anything that will help save them time and/or money. Even if you don’t have a new product/service to introduce, think about a new angle to promote your offerings.

Sin #5: Failing to have giveaways that work.

Tied into giving visitors an incentive to visit your booth is the opportunity to offer a premium item that will entice them to stop. Your giveaway items should be designed to increase your memorability, communicate, motivate, promote or increase recognition of your company. Developing a dynamite giveaway takes thought and creativity. Consider what your target audience wants, what will help them do their job better, what they can’t get elsewhere, what is product/service related and educational. Think about having different gifts for different types of visitors. Use your website to make an offer for visitors to collect important information, such as an executive report, when they visit your booth. Giveaways should be used as a reward or token of for visitors participating in a demonstration, presentation or contest, or as a thank-you for qualifying information about specific needs etc.

Sin #6: Failing to realize that your people are your marketing team.

Enormous time, energy and money are put into organizing show participation – display, graphics, literature, premiums, etc. However, the people chosen to represent the entire image of the organization are often left to fend for themselves. They are just told to show up. Your people are your ambassadors. They represent everything your company stands for, so choose them well. Brief them beforehand and make sure they know: why you are exhibiting; what you are exhibiting and what you expect from them. Exhibit staff training is essential for a unified and professional image. This means making sure that they sell instead of tell; they don’t try to do too much; they understand visitor needs; they don’t spend too much time with visitors; and finally, they know how to close the interaction with a commitment to follow-up.

Sin #7: Failing to have a proper follow-up plan.

The key to your tradeshow success is wrapped up in the lead-management process. The best time to plan for follow-up is before the show. Show leads often take second place to other management activities that occur after being out of the office for several days. The longer leads are left unattended, the colder and more mediocre they become. It is to your advantage to develop an organized, systematic approach to follow-up. Establish a lead handling system, set time lines for follow-up, use a computerized database for tracking, make sales representatives accountable for leads given to them, and then measure your results.

Written by Susan A. Friedmann,CSP, The Tradeshow Coach, Lake Placid, NY, working with companies to improve their meeting and event success through coaching, consulting and training.

Author: “Meeting & Event Planning for Dummies,” and “Riches in Niches: How to Make it BIG in a small Market” (May 2007).

Website: www.thetradeshowcoach.com