Trade Show Emporium

Every company and every trade show are different, which is why deciding what trade show event your company should attend is never an easy choice.

Planning for a show requires a great deal of time, money and mental resources. Many variables go into to the evaluation of trade shows and how your company could possibly benefit from exhibiting at the show. Many times the decision comes down to whether or not the show will net you solid leads that could potentially grow your company. Other times the decision is based on what your competition does. But in all cases, your company should avoid exhibiting just for the sake of it.

You can break down trade show exhibiting companies into three parts. The first is larger companies, who have an established track record at trade shows, small companies who exhibit at industry shows and local shows and first-time exhibitors.

The companies who have the hardest time choosing shows are the first-time exhibitors. Smaller and larger companies have established a niche or refined their trade show strategy, while the first-time exhibitors may not have the knowledge of how the show will be or the reception of its product or company.

Things to keep in mind when researching trade shows is the companies’ current marketing strategy, the potential return on investment, and the overall costs of attending trade shows and following up with potential leads

To help locate trade shows your company or for trade show displays contact Trade Show Emporium at 1-866-764-2968 or visit the Web site at www.tradeshowemporium.com.

A fairly common question for companies exhibiting at trade shows is the number of people that is needed to staff its booth. Having too low of a number means people will visit the booth and leave, a possible lost sale or lead walking away. Too many staffers and the booth may look overcrowded making people hesitant to visit.

Using the following mathematical formula will help you figure out how many staffers you need at any given time to be stationed at your booth. You’ll need to do some research first and figure out a few key numbers before figuring out the formula. First contact the conference organizer and get an anticipated count of attendees and figure out how you what percentage will potentially visit your booth. This number can range from 12 to 20 percent, with higher figures representing more interest among attendees in your company, booth or product.

Once you have those figures you have to determine if the show is either highly targeted or a general show towards your company. The more targeted the show, the lower your percentage will be. If the show is highly targeted use numbers between 30 and 40 percent, and 50 percent if the show is broad to your industry. Finally, get the total amount of exhibiting hours.

After you figure out these important figures you can use the following formula to determine the number of staffers needed to work your booth.

Attendees x Popularity of Exhibit = Visitors to Booth
Visitors x Type of Show = People Interested In Booth
People Interested x Hours Exhibiting = People Visiting Per Hour
Per Hour Visitors x Amount One Staffer Can Handle An Hour = Total Staffers Needed

Example:
You work for a highly reputable and successful company in your business. The show is one of the larger more important trade shows in your industry and you expect 20,000 people to attend the convention. Your company recently purchased a new custom trade show display that will be located in a 40×20 booth space. Since you have a new booth and it is one of the larger industry shows you anticipate a great deal of buzz about your display and new product being launched.

The show is four days long with six hours each day for people to visit exhibits on the floor, giving people 24 hours to visit your booth. Typically your customers come in groups of four people and it takes approximately 30 minutes for someone on your staff to explain your company and its products to potential clients.

20,000 attendees x 20 percent = 4,000 potential clients visiting your booth
4,000 visitors x .40 (large show) = 1,600 people truly interested in your product
1,600/24 / 24 hours exhibit is open = 67 number of people per hour visiting your booth
67 / 8 each staffer can handle per hour = 8 staffers needed

Assuming these figures are fair representations for the amount of people visiting your booth and the expected buzz that your company and its booth generate, you should expect to have at least eight staffers at your booth.

If you have exhibited at any trade show, then you know the importance of obtaining reliable and steady leads. Many people stop by your booth, but what is the best way to make sure you have the ability to follow up with each person that visits your booth.

Once people visit your trade show display, the next step is making contact with them, explaining your product and finding out how it can relate to them. Make sure to use the 80-20 rule, 80 percent listening and 20 percent talking. Also let them lead the conversation and they will be more open to sharing information. But before they lead make sure to obtain their information.

In previous years the best way of maintaining a lead way exchanging business cards, but with the advancement of technology everything can now be gained by the simple swipe of your pass. These passes contain all the usual information, such as name and company, but can also contain information such as the size of your company, industry served and how many times you have visited this specific show. This information all comes from the online registrations that are mandatory for shows.

Today, the most effective way of managing this information is through a variety of computer programs that helps organize this information more thoroughly. These programs are capable of handling entire process from beginning to end. Once the information has been programmed into any of these programs it is up to a dedicated member of the sales team to be the point contact for the company.

For more information regarding trade show tips and marketing information contact Trade Show Emporium at 1-866-764-2968 or visit the Web site at www.tradeshowemporium.com.

Have you ever attended a trade show and noticed unused booth spaces? Those are either companies that did not show up or space the convention center could not rent. Have you noticed how horrible it looks when there is an empty space at the show? You’re not alone. The convention center management notices too and they rather have the spaces filled then be empty because it makes the overall show look more successful.

Next time you are at a show and notice an empty booth, and you have the extra trade show materials, ask the show management if you could take over the empty booth. This is really crucial if your neighbor decides not to show up. You could rent a 10′ x 10′ booth and wind up with a 10′ x 20′ booth. It never hurts to ask!

Most convention centers will gladly rent you carpet to use during the trade show for between $200 and $500 a day. The rental agreement will likely include a clause requiring you to cover any damage to the carpet – which could cost you even more.

You can save money and cuts costs by purchasing your own trade show flooring. The beauty is that the flooring comes in 2′ x 2′ inter lockable pieces that fit together to form the desired configuration. These squares come in a variety of colors and effortlessly pack into a transport case for easy shipping and transport. Plus if a spill occurs, you can replace the square or squares for cents on the dollar versus replacing an entire traditional carpet.

Interlocking carpet tiles are a great alternative to renting carpet and you can own your own carpet for the price of renting carpet for 1 show.

If you want to get really creative you can even print your company logo on your trade show flooring.

Contact one of Trade Show Emporium’s customer service representatives for details on the types of trade show flooring available.

Realtors have used scent to sell homes for decades, heating a bowl of vanilla in the over during a showing can inspire a buyer to subconsciously thing about the delicious treats they too can bake in this oven… once they buy the home.

Do the same thing at your next trade show.

Instead of transporting fake plants or flowers to the show, use live plants and fresh cut flowers. Not only are live plants less expensive than fake plants but they will add a pleasant fragrance your trade show booth. (Daisies would be the exception!)

Display your floral arrangements or plants attractively on podiums or countertops—all available through Trade Show Emporium.

Plus, the best part is that you can give away the flowers to a trade show attendee in a last minute drawing. That trade show attendee is sure to remember you for the gift! Or take the flowers and plants home with you to enjoy yourself.

Convention center trade shows are managed and controlled by a designated convention production company – one that imposes restrictions that all participants must adhere to. It’s customary to see variations between the regulations show to show, but usually there is a basis that is common to all shows – especially those requiring union tradesmen to help set up and tear down the show.

Knowing what will be expected in advance of the show is helpful. It’s a lot like knowing the driving laws before you get behind the wheel. Ignorance on the streets will net you a traffic violation; ignorance at a trade show will likely cost you money.

Expect that union laborers will be required to help set up your trade show booth. If your display is under 100 pounds, you can usually transport it yourself onto the convention center floor. Over that weight, the convention management company will likely require you to use their union laborers to transport, set up and tear down your display. The cost of these services are usually based on the size, weight, and amount of man power/time it takes. It’s called drayage and it can be expensive.

Another word to the wise: many convention management groups will limit trade show participants to one single trip into the convention center. If you can transport your booth in one trip, you may not be required to employ union help to transport your display onto the floor. One convention attendee tells the story that after she rolled her 95-pound display (in a wheeled case) onto the convention center floor and set up her display, she and her sales reps were thirsty and hungry. The convention center food services division was not yet open, so the business owner left the convention center, drove to a nearby market and bought sandwiches and canned sodas for her team. Upon her return to the convention center, the management company and union reps weren’t going to let her walk her own fast food into the center because they were counting her second entrance as two trips.

Believe it or not.

As the story goes, she pitched a fit and complained legitimately that there was no other resource for food or beverage available. Finally the union workers relented and let her back onto the floor with the turkey sandwiches and sodas she’d brought back to her staff.

It could have been an expensive lunch if the union had not finally given in and let her carry a second “load,” as they called it, onto the floor.

The beauty of portable displays is that they can be designed to have huge visual impact and as well fit into one shipping container. Portable displays, the type sold by Trade Show Emporium, fill this bill.

Trade Show Emporium has a full line of portable displays ranging from 6’ table-top displays to 20’ pop-up displays, Burst Mural Displays, Topper Table Top Displays, Alumalite Displays, Fabric Panel Displays and Banner Stands. Because of our compact packaging and portability, all of our products can be set up with no union help or elevated drayage costs.

If you are looking to create a one-of-a-kind display, then designing a custom modular display is the right choice. If you are looking for a display that will still set you apart from the crowd but save you time and money, then portable trade show displays is the direction to go.

To find out what type of display will best suit your needs, please contact one of Trade Show Emporium’s sales consultants and they will gladly walk you through the selection process to identify the best display booth suited to your specific purposes. Please contact sales@tradeshowemporium.com or 866.764.2968.