8 Tricks of the Trade Show

Trade shows can feel overwhelming, especially when it seems like there’s so much at stake. But with a little preparation, you can turn your tradeshow into an opportunity for success. Take a look at these eight tricks, and then be sure to sign up for Safeguard’s giveaway — a unique gift that will be sure to spark some of your own ideas for giveaways

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Be on the offense, not the defense.

Some companies who think of trade shows as an expense attend to defend their turf from new competition. Others see trade shows as investments: Those are the companies that end up building real relationships on the floor. “Don’t just buy space and expect miracles because that’s like Russian roulette,” says trade show coach Susan Friedmann. “Maybe you win, maybe you won’t. It’s an expensive exercise just to find out it doesn’t work.” In order to make your trade show experience an investment, set measurable objectives before the event and stick to them.

Focus on quality over quantity.

“People have this idea that a successful trade show is one where you have 10,000 people walking past your booth,” says Malcom Gilvar, vice president of sales for the Trade Group, a trade show design and consulting service. “But that can be a barrier to your success.” Getting the right kind of traffic to your booth starts before the trade show, with pre-show activity such as e-mail blasts or marketing campaigns. “Define who you want to come to your exhibit and target them specifically,” Gilvar continues. “If people did nothing but that, it would be an amazingly successful event.”

Strut your (new) stuff.

Showing something new to your customer is an easy way to succeed at a trade show””only shows aren’t exactly timed to fit with the launch of your new product or service. You can circumvent this in two ways. First, try promoting an established product you’ve never featured before. Or, if you have a new prototype, feature it digitally. “You have to make your product fit with the timing of the trade show,” says Peter Stevenson, president of Realtime Technology, a 3D visualization company that designs models for trade shows. “That’s the beauty of digital information.”