Trade Show Emporium

Are you tired of going to trade shows and feeling like your booth doesn’t stand out from the crowd?  Is your business preparing for its first trade show?  Let Trade Show Emporium get you up to speed with the  latest advancements in trade show technology.  Today’s trade shows have gone digital.  People are so used to being stimulated by computers, and television that staring at a static display doesn’t generate much interest.  So how do you create the ultimate trade show display?  With eye-catching booths that incorporate television monitors.

Trade Show Emporium is offering three types of displays that easily accommodate television monitors through the use of monitor mounts.  Among these digital-ready displays is the alumalite display.  This modular display is eye-catching in itself, and adding monitors to this pretty little package will have the trade show crowd swarming your booth.  Another digitally-friendly display is the pop-up.  Pop-up displays provide versatility with the capability of both graphic and fabric panels and the sturdiness to support your precious monitor.  Looking for something a little more eco-friendly?  Thankfully, our green line of displays will give you the eco-edge on your competition, but also allow you to keep up with this digital trend.

No matter which of the displays is right for your company, Trade Show Emporium can help you bring state of the art technology to your booth.  Don’t be lost in the crowd; stand out with a cutting-edge image.  Call us today to create your booth 866.764.2968.

Pre-show planning is crucial to your company’s success at trade shows. To insure that you start the show on the right foot, make sure pre-show promotions are sent out in advance to prospective clients.  Double check your trade show display, try setting it up and taking it down if it has been a while since you’ve had it out.  This will insure that your display is in good condition, and ready to go.

Remember to set realistic goals on how many people you expect to talk to over the length of the trade show.  Consider both leads and “good leads”. You might get 120 leads, but usually only 12 of those leads are people that you can expect a sale from.

There is a simple formula use to estimate the number of people you will talk to per hour and how many leads you will expect to capture by the end of the show. First, find out how many attendees the convention center expects.  Next, determine the percentage of attendees you expect to fit your customer profile. Here is an example:

Number of attendees: 7,000
% of people that fit your customer profile: 10% or 700 people
The average time a person will spend talking to you: 10 minutes
Length of show 24 hours (minus downtown, set-up/teardown, and speakers): 20 hours
To find out the number of people you will talk to per hour:
20 hours x 60 minutes = 1,200 minutes 20 hours x 10 minutes = 200 minutes
1,200/200 = 6 people per hour in your booth over 20 hours
To find out how many leads you will expect to capture over 20 hours you:
1,200/10= 120 leads over a 20 hour show.

Remember that you might have 120 leads or people’s information but you probably only have about 12 good leads from people you had in-depth conversations with. The more good leads you can get will result on a better ROI on your trade show display.

Company exposure is a good thing…right?  Drawing attention to your business can be an excellent way of gaining new clients, and attending the right events is equally important.  Events are expensive to attend—they cost money, take time, and use your most valuable resources (your employees) to keep them running.  Choosing the appropriate setting is a crucial aspect of selecting events.  So how do you know which events are right for you?  Well, it all starts with knowing your audience.

First, figure out who your target market is.  Be realistic.  Not everyone on Earth is a suitable customer for you.  So who is?  You can determine this by creating a “customer profile.”  This profile identifies your customer by demographic (such as age, zip code or income).  Ask yourself, “Who is my customer?” Psychographics (such as traits, attitudes, interests, or lifestyles) are another important piece of the puzzle.  To determine your customer’s psychographic, ask yourself, “What does my customer do?”  The best way to determine the demographic and psychographic of potential clients is to look at the ones you already have.  What patterns do you see?  Why do they buy your product or service?  How do they benefit from it?  Once you created a customer profile you are well on your way to determining what events are right for you.

Event marketing is no longer limited just to trade shows.  Today there are tours, road shows, conventions, seminars, conferences, hospitality events…and much more.  So which ones are right for your business?  Let’s take a look at some of the most common events:

Trade Show
Audience:  Typically one particular industry
Pros:  Atendees are interested in the industry you represent.
A wide range of exhibitors and activities under one roof.
Cons: Competitors can take away your potential leads.  Requires intensive staffing.

Road show
Audience: Reaches regional audiences
Pros: Appointments are set up prior to the event—this allows your message to be customized for each potential customer.
Cons:  Your most well-versed personnel are on the road.

Seminar
Audience:  Prospects who are interested learning about your company’s areas of expertise.
Pros: Educating customers while networking.
Cons: Run the risk of your ideas being replicated.

Hospitality Event
Audience:  Can be tailored to suit a particular audience
Pros:  Great for networking with other industry colleagues.  A positive PR tool.
Cons:  It can be difficult to sell in a social situation.  The services of an event planner are needed.

Conferences
Audience: Targeted representatives who are part of a professional group.
Pros:  Great for networking, learning, and meeting customers, with tight control over attendees.
Cons:  Exhibit traffic can be irregular.

Finally, to choose the right event for your company you should consider four important points:
1. Logistics—Can you reasonably plan for your attendance at the event?
2. Budget—Can you adequately fund your attendance at the event?
3. Ability—Does your company have the knowledge, skills, and services to stand out at the event?
4. Geography—Is the your company or services relevant to customers in the area?  Can you reasonably attend the event?
If you can answer “yes” to all of the above questions, you have found the perfect event for your company!