Trade Show Booths

1. Use A Headline: The banner you hang on your booth should not state your company name in huge letters; rather, it should read as a headline. The headline should call out to the reader to get him thinking about important and relevant issues related to what you sell. Consider using questions or, how to, headlines to pique readers interest.
   
2. Seed The Entire Market: Give out a free report or audio CD that educates people to the advantages of doing business with your company. Give the report to everyone...even if you're not sure if they're a potential customer. Then, when they read or listen, the prospect will qualify (or disqualify) himself...then call you.
   
3. Use A Pre-Show Promotion To Build Traffic: If possible, get a list of attendees who have pre-registered for the tradeshow and send them something that will make them want to come visit your booth. Here's a good idea: Send a scratch off card that has a potential free prize under it, but that the attendee must wait and scratch in your presence at the show to claim. This can bring in, depending on the show, hundreds of people who otherwise would have just moseyed on by your booth.
   
4. Size Does Matter. Get a double booth if you can afford it, and get an "island" booth if you can afford that. Bottom line is that the more space you have, the more likely you are to get noticed. Little tiny booths are generally reserved by little tiny companies. Nothing wrong with that if that's what stage of business you're in right now,but as soon as you can graduate up, do it.
   
5. Use Advertising Specialties: You know, stuff like pens, magnets, caps, etc. Just make sure your ad specialties have a headline on them....to continually sell the advantages of doing business with you. Don't be stingy either,go ahead and give them out to anyone who shows up to your booth; don't try to hoard them for "only real prospects." Avoid things that are cheap but worthless, like cheesy tall mesh ball caps like your granddad used to wear, or generic coffee mugs with your name on it. My favorites include things with utility value, like: leather coasters, letter openers, post it notes, rulers, and so forth.
   
6. FOLLOW UP!!! Don't be the doofus who spends a fortune to show up at the trade show and gather a thousand business cards only to never let those leads see the light of day again! Instead, utilize the MYM Hopper web based software that allows you to automatically send out pre-scheduled emails and postcards with NO EFFORT AT ALL. For more details, fill out MYM Hopper interest form below.