First, Keep It Simple. The job of an exhibit is to gain exposure, build credibility and find new prospects. Use your exhibit to provide a quick glimpse of what your company offers. A trade show display or exhibit is a serious representation of your company’s brands and business philosophy. Here are some things to think about to maximize the value of your investment:

• Give promotional items… they are meant to be given and not taken.
• Create an atmosphere that generates leads. Limited space does not mean limited selling potential.
• Record your leads. Create a system to remember what type of lead you have, who you talked to, etc.
• Realize when people stop, they want to talk to you.
• Remember you are always selling… before, during and after exhibit hours.

Next, remember to staff your booth… don’t wait for prospects to stop at your booth. Be proactive. This also means: don’t stand behind the table–in fact, don’t put a table in front of your booth. Stand out in the aisle and greet people with questions and eye contact. Even though most shows do provide seating for exhibitors, always remain standing. This way you appear more approachable. Think about it this way… do you want to approach someone who is sitting down with their arms folded?

Now, here are the things you DO NOT want to do: It’s not the words you say, but the non-verbal communication that you do that leaves the largest impact and impression upon visitors. What are the ten pitfalls to avoid?

1. Don’t sit, read, smoke, eat, drink or chew gum in the booth.

2. Don’t use the cell phone in the booth.

3. Don’t gossip or badmouth competitors.

4. Don’t leave the booth unattended or leave without informing colleagues.

5. Don’t be late for booth duty.

6. Don’t use negative body language. Instead, smile and look at person when speaking. Use affirmative comments. Don’t close off conversation by crossing your arms. Remember, open hands promote honesty.

7. Don’t let the booth get cluttered, untidy and unorganized.

8. Don’t wear your badge on the left hand side. Instead, wear your badge on the right hand side so it can be seen by your visitor when shaking hands.

9. Don’t be unprofessional.

10. Don’t try to sell. Make appointments to call back or visit, and follow up immediately after the show.

So, what is the best way to maximize the leads you get?

• Use pre-show promotions and invitations to your exhibit one to two weeks prior to the show. Studies show promotions can boost your lead counts by 33%.
• Train booth staff to reiterate the benefits expressed in the pre-show promotion.
• Engage in a 30-second dialogue of open-ended questions.
• Determine what to present to this prospect within two minutes.
• Present product(s) that benefit the prospect in a ten-minute timeframe.
• In a minute’s time, complete your lead card or agree on the next step and move on.

Most importantly, make your leads matter! Have your booth staff fill out any lead generation card rather than the prospect or customer. This way you are sure to get all of the pertinent information as well as make a personal connection with that lead. It also gives the staff member a better opportunity to find out the exact needs of the prospect. 90% of all sales literature distributed at an event is discarded at the trade show, either by sales people or attendees themselves.

The success of a trade show is often measured by the number of leads created (especially qualified leads). However, trade show staff often forgets to get the visitor’s contact info or to indicate what products or services those visitors truly may or may not have an interest in. As a result you end up with either very few leads or unqualified leads that the sales team discards later.

Start Following Up On Leads BEFORE The Show Starts! So, before you leave the show, write (and, if not personalized, even print) the follow-up letter and prepare the follow-up packets. Be sure to have a stockpile of any brochures you may need, and if you’re going to promise to send anything after the show, be sure to have it already back in the office. Time is not on your side. Be prompt.

Good luck at your show! Wishing you success. The Factor Guru.