Most people I talk to about trade shows always seem interested in the best leads they can create. They don’t realize that some of their best leads are slipping through their fingers. They are right they should be the most interested in the best leads they can get however there are secondary leads that may not seem as strong but could come strong next year or create a contact list during the slow times. I can give an example of the largest sale I ever had at a show, it was from a clothing store in and I sold handmade wooden products. This company had come by and casually looked at our products and handed me their card showing that they were a clothing department store. I classified this company as a three prospect, which will make more sense as you read this article.
The method I used to collect my leads was quite simple and still works to this day. My customers I tell about this process call me back and let me know at this process really works, is simple and very effective.
The first thing you want to do is purchase a spiral-bound notebook and a stapler, yes I said it was real simple. Whenever a customer comes to your booth ask for business card and start taking notes about this person, what their interests are and any way that you can help them. You must do this as the customers are in front of you if you try to remember even a few minutes later you’ll forget a lot of the important details.
There’s two main items I tried to gleam from our conversation and that is, "how important is this customer" and "what are potentials to purchase my product". I have my own rating system where I rate them between a one and a three, one being the highest and best customer I could possibly hope for. My number two customer will be someone that was interested in my product but was not ready to purchase or needed more time to think about it. And my number three customers were the customers that were still a year or more off from buying the product showed some interest but I knew they work in a buy right away.
The good thing about rating people as they came by was when I got back to the office, I had already figured out my game plan on how to contact these people. Your number ones of course, would come first and you could give them to your most important salesperson, contact them yourself or send them a special gift. You really want to work the ones first because they are your highest potential for sales.
Now when you get back from the show you have a list of one twos and threes you can decide who and how to contact these people. For example a number two might rate a mailing, email and a personal call at some point in time. Maybe your number threes become an email list and you stay in contact that way. Call maybe once a year or tell them the next show that you’re going to be at in their area. This is just an example of the way you can work your tradeshow leads and be able to build a strategy when you get back to the office, quickly and effectively.
One other item I would like to mention is writing down something special about that customer that comes to your booth. Write something like where they in a hurry to catch their plane, where they sick or some other detail you can recall later. Why gather this information? To help will your cold calling, nobody likes to cold call because you know the person you’re calling is working at their desk not really wanting to be interrupted, so how do you break through so you can talk to this person. With the small little detail that you have from the show you can call your client and say we met at the show are you feeling any better? You have now broken what’s called the “cold call ice”. Just think of yourself working at the desk in getting this call, do you think this sounds a lot friendlier that someone actually remembered you at the show. You’re probably lean back in your chair and chat with this person, and it will probably be a very warm conversation.
You have now gone to the show, had all the people visit your trade show exhibit booth space and collected some real information that will help you and what is the most important part about it tradeshow is the follow-up. Yes everybody’s using scanners now but what do they really tell you, they just capture the email and basic information of the person passing by and only digital mailing list. Lists are handy but personal contact will bring you more sales than any amount of emails sent to the same person. Keep these notes on the shelf you can pull them down any time and for years contact people like you just met them. Try your own idea of this method and get better results.
Banner stands are probably the simplest but the most versatile display in the trade show industry. They’re not only for trade shows, but they are also for one-time events, trade fairs, office buildings and anywhere you need get a message across using graphics.
You can try finding somebody that has first-hand knowledge but they probably had the same difficulty you did picking out a banner stand that was right for them. The other way is to reach out socially and see if you can find consensus among different users. Or you can do what you’re doing right now and go out and find articles and read about the different banner stands that are out there.
Another way to decide on a banner stand is go on the web and call suppliers to see what their opinions are. Virtually 99% of all banner stands hardware is made overseas. Ask if the banner stand hardware carries a lifetime warranty and is sold by an American manufacturer that does the assembly of the banner stand in America. I cannot emphasize how much garbage hardware is out in the industry now. Unless you want a cheap product, you need to weed through all them to ensure your company has a quality product.
We here at Smash Hit Displays only carry banner stands from one manufacturer. We have found a supplier will that has delivered a winning product for a great price. We just don’t get these banner stands back for repair will which makes a big difference in our bottom line because it costs to return items to have them repaired and send back to the customer and hurts our reputation. We want you to be thrilled with our products which is why we only carry high quality banner stands.
The other thing I really like about the displays we carry is that it has a non-curl graphic. This means when the graphic is pulled out and allowed to sit for a while the ends will not curl in or out, leaving a nice flat looking graphic which looks professional year after year.
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I hope this has helped you did pick out a display that will last you for years and years. If you have any questions please call us at Smash Hit Displays. We answer our phones and will be glad to help you. 877–215–5355.
Trade show displays can be one of the best investments you can make for your business. This marketing tool will effectively promote your products or services at trade shows, conferences, and even at your place of business. As you begin shopping for the perfect display system for your upcoming event, there are several criteria to look for when picking out the one that will fit your needs and budget. Here are some things to look at when shopping for your display.
If it Seems too Good to Be True, it Probably is
If you are planning on going to several shows over the years, you most likely will want a booth that will last. Some exhibit designers may offer exhibits that look amazing on their website with a surprisingly low, low price, but there’s probably a reason they charge practically nothing for their products. Their products may not be USA-made, which means they are designed with low quality, cheap materials. This means these displays will only last for one or two shows.
Versatility
How well can the display be adapted to fit the changing needs from one event to the next? Can the graphics easily be changed? Can it be broken down from a 20 foot display into a 10 foot display if needed? Can it be reconfigured? Whatever your future needs may be, its important for you to think about which booth will work best for the multiple shows you plan on being apart of.
Customer Service
It’s not always about the look of the exhibit that you should look for, but also the helpfulness and friendliness of the staff that will be designing the booth for you. If the staff is rude, doesn’t answer your questions, and doesn’t respond to emails or phone messages in a timely manner, then putting your exhibit design in their hands could be a huge mistake. The last thing you would want is to miss a deadline because your booth wasn’t delivered to you when it was supposed to be.
Word of Mouth
Sometimes the best way to search for the right exhibit is by asking colleagues, friends, and family what companies they have worked with and would recommend. Also, take a look at reviews of the company online to see what other people had to say.
In part one, we discussed a few of the critical aspects that affect how your design impacts your audience. But what are some of the other considerations outside of the importance of having an effective, eye-popping design?
Substrate (graphic material) and display configuration - which display is best for you? If your design has a lot of fine photo quality detail, you may want to consider a pop up or truss display that can support Lambda graphics. Lambda is a high definition print that is best suited to photo intensive designs. Fabric is a good alternative, and depending on your budget there are some high quality fabric displays out there to satisfy even the most finicky graphic connoisseur. Generally speaking, fabric is not a bad way to go.
Budget plays into this as well - investing in a good quality display and graphics will give you a good return on investment in the long term. A well built display will hold up show after show, year after year. If you're planning on switching out your graphics a lot then you may want to explore a cheaper alternative for your substrate. Likewise, if you're only using the display for one or two shows a years, you might be able to get away with a cheaper display, which can last for many years if properly handled and stored. But you don't want to go with something too flimsy either; a badly made display may barely be usable enough for one show. It’s worth the time to shop around and consider all options, but in the end you usually get what you pay for. Always consider return on investment, and the importance of first rate customer service.
Visibility - is your booth is positioned on an end aisle? Curved displays are more ideally suited for corner booths, but some people simply prefer them for their 3-dimensional appearance, and they look great for non-corner booths as well. Or if you're looking for something more specific in terms of visibility, you may want to consider a custom option. Coyote pop up displays can be custom created to accommodate nearly any back wall shape or size imaginable, and can still be used as a standard 10 foot/8 foot display. On a Coyote pop up this can often be accomplished without much extra cost. Truss displays, while being heavier and requiring more assembly time, are truly impressive to behold and fully reconfigurable. Trusses are also more sturdy and offer more options for mounting monitors, shelves and other accessories.
In part 3, we’ll get further into the nuances of planning for your display. Sometimes, last minute requests are unavoidable (and are often a must), but in most cases waiting until the last minute can be avoided, and will more than likely result in a more professional, less ‘rushed’ display.
Planning and properly executing your trade show booth is critical in order to get traffic to your display and become a trade show success story. However, if your results aren’t being measured, then all of your efforts have been wasted. There are a number of things that can be done before, during, and after the show to tell you and your staff if the event was worth your time. Below are the top 5 ways you can measure results and find out if you were a hit or a flop at the show.
1. Pre-Show Marketing
Get that competitive edge by having a targeted marketing campaign that will give your audience information about your booth, contests or giveaways that will take place, and anything else that may draw current or new customers to your exhibit. Keep track of how much was spent on your marketing items and how many people it brought to your booth. One way to do this is by sending out postcards that attendees must bring to the booth in order to get a prize or enter a drawing.
2. Know Your Budget
Have a good idea on how much is being spent on booth space, travel accommodations, etc., and compare these numbers with what your budget actually is. This is an excellent way of finding out if your budget needs to be adjusted for the next trade show or if less/more money should be spent in other areas of your show arrangements.
3. Tracking Leads
Lead forms, whether on paper or electronically, can be used to jot down all of your leads’ information. After this has been done for each possible new client, rate them by writing an A, B, or C above the form, A being a high-quality lead.
4. Trade Show Display
Some people won’t know about your display until they walk by it down the aisle, so having a design that pops can bring in tons of new and relevant traffic. Measure how well-designed your booth is by counting the total number of people who walk by and look at it for 10 seconds. Do this every hour and then multiply by 6.
5. Measure ROI
Once the event is over, add up what the return was against total costs in order to tell you if the show was worth it and what can be improved upon for the next event.
There’s no doubt that trade shows can be extremely rewarding for you and your business, but going into it blindly without any goals, budgets, and result measuring tactics at all will set you up to fail. Keep these ideas in mind as you prepare for your upcoming trade show.
The goal is to create a design that is eye-popping and will grab people's attention in that very short window of opportunity when they're walking by your trade show booth. You typically want to avoid having too much text on your display (and focus more on a strong visual that will stand out in a crowd.) Bullet points and tag lines are ok, but most people don't want to stop and 'read' your display.
You have about a 2 second window as people are walking by your booth before they're thinking about moving on to the beer garden or the next aisle. You typically want to avoid having too much text on your display and focus more on an eye-popping, attention-getting layout Bullet points and tag lines are ok, but most people don't want to stop and 'read' your display. The goal is to draw people into your booth with a strong visual, and let your literature/brochures do the rest.
So how do you go about creating that visually stunning display that will literally stand out in a crowd?
A.) Finding the right photo(s) can go a long way to conveying your message and getting peoples' attention. If it's specific to your product or service you may want to consider hiring a professional photographer, or else take your own pictures with a good camera. The goal here is something clear, crisp, high resolution, vibrant colors. Alternatively, you can find a stock photo on a third party library like shutterstock.com or istockphoto.com where you can search on any subject. Many designs incorporate a single image stretched across an entire display combined with other elements in the foreground, or a collage of different photos. Also something else to consider, some of the better displays I've seen do not incorporate photos of any kind.
B.) Consider your overall theme - do you have a specific color scheme in mind? Contrasting or complimentary? There are many unique ways to tie your different elements together, but sometimes less is more. A layout with a lot of curves can affect how the eye will follow your message, depending on how your layout is designed this can work for or against you. The trick is to try several different ideas, then narrow it down through process of elimination. Your choice of color scheme and design elements can have a huge impact on the impression your graphics will make. Some designers get really imaginitive, others find the simple approach works best for them.
In part two we will explore other various considerations for planning the layout for your next booth, and how every little detail can make a huge difference.
It is no secret that the more we hear something, the easier it is to remember. In the advertising world, they call this "effective frequency". Well, the same goes with trade show displays; if a marketing message is consistent, attendees will remember your booth and company when they are in the market for a service or product you offer. Only positive results can come from repeating a message and here are a few reasons why repetition is key to a successful marketing campaign and booth.
On average, it takes 9 or more times for a message to be remembered, so the more a person hears what your company has to offer, the easier it is to be retained.
Consistently using the same company motto will make your brand stand out. Think about the last television commercial that you remember. Most likely, a catchy motto is used in order to stay in your mind.
The marketing message is usually missed or overlooked the first time around, so repeating it will get the attention of people who did not see it the first time.
Print the marketing message as short and sweet as possible on all trade show materials, including brochures, displays, giveaway items, and anything else your audience will see.
Keep your marketing campaign going before, during, and after the show in order for it to really sink in. This could mean sending out mailers to inform attendees that you are going to be at the event and where your booth can be found, as well as sending out thank you cards with your logo and motto on it to all leads.
Use the same colors throughout your exhibit, including the staff’s uniforms, giveaway items, and exhibit graphics.
Look into sponsorship opportunities at the event. This will put your company’s name all over the floor.
The average person retains only 10% of the information they are exposed to, so repetition will increase your chances of being remembered by potential new customers.
In most cases people believe if they had a good show their display stand did its job. Has it done its job, there are a lot of other things that should be considered before you can reach this conclusion.
First consider the purpose of the stand at a trade show, which is to get people to notice your product and why they should stop and get information. Here are some things you need to look for:
· Do people comment on the stand or say I saw this on your graphic and want to know more.
· Watch people as they walk by, look at their eyes. Does your stand hold their interest and for how long. Even if they are not looking for your product did they read or see your message.
· Do people see your trade show stand and immediately turn in and ask questions?
· Do they notice your display walk by and turn back to talk to you?
· Do the people stop, stare and then leave.
· Walk right by without looking?
Most of these things will happen during a trade show, for a lot of different reasons. What you want to look for is a pattern in behavior or a lot of the same things happening. This little trick can tell you a lot about your booth stand and maybe something about the attendees.
Now what can we conclude from our observations and what can we do about it? First we want people to notice our exhibit, if they are noticing; pat ourselves on the back for this show, knowing it might change at the next. What can we do if we are not getting noticed? Think about the following:
· Is it clear what we are selling, if not add some props or change your message. Use a tag line that tells them clearly what you do and how you do it better. Don't try to explain everything you do on your stand, it will make it cluttered and possibly send a wrong signal. Keep it clear and simple and make them stop and ask questions.
· People are not stopping at your booth? Does the message on your trade show stand tell the attendee who you are and what makes you different. Does your exhibit booth represent your company the way you want it too? Keep it modern, clean, inviting and uncluttered.
· With a trade show full of graphics now days, how well is your graphic drawing attention. It should catch the eye and get the message across without looking too busy.
· Ask neighboring booths or people walking up and talking to you about whether your booth is effective.
· Walk down the aisle and see what your booth looks like to you. Do you get the message, are you taken in by your trade show stand.
· Call a professional with pictures of your booth and get their opinion.
Next to Facebook, Twitter is one of the most popular social media outlets out there, with millions upon millions of viewers (tweeters) a day. While some people use it for personal reasons, others use Twitter to promote their brand and draw awareness to their business. Not only does this social networking tool work great for advertising, but it can also be used to bring attention to an upcoming trade show or event that your company will be at. Here are some ideas on how to promote your trade show booth and connect with other exhibitors and attendees before the show even starts.
Use Hashtags
Most exhibits have an official hashtag that will allow you to follow the conversation of both exhibitors and attendees who are using that hashtag. Join the conversation and throw your booth number out there, drawing attention to your show display.
Find out What Events will be Taking Place and Tweet it
Ask around the trade show venue to find out if any booths will have live entertainment, lectures, presentations, demonstrations, or anything else that may intrigue your audience to attend the event and post it on Twitter.
Hold a Contest
Everyone likes to win a contest, especially for a free product or service. Let your fellow Twitter users know that a contest will be held at a specific time and that they must be present to win. This is a great way to increase traffic to your exhibit system.
Carry Your Smart Phone or iPad
Take pictures of your trade show display and other cool things you see at the show, as well as posting comments about the pictures. After the event, respond to any comments other people have left.
If done correctly, Twitter can be an effective way of promoting your business and display system at trade shows.
Sore feet are a complaint I have heard hundreds of times at trade shows but most people push through the pain. I still don't understand it. From hard surfaces to high heels, people don't seem to understand if their feet hurt they thinking about their feet and not the task at hand, selling.
Please understand I know what I am talking about. I'm 6'5 and 290lbs. with small feet for my size. I feel your pain. We really need to think what our feet are telling us, "I hurt get off of me." We all know the body doesn't lie to us and we need know we are headed for a life time of problem that may not be reversible.
I don't claim to be a doctor but there our some common sense things we can do at the shows.
1. How about talking to a doctor first and see how the old feet are doing. I did and ended up with custom arch supports, what a difference. Helped for a lot of the day, still hurt at the end of the day
2. New shoes. I found out Mailmen wore Mason shoes made just for them. Worked great a little hard to buy. Went to the Walking Shoe store where they had me stand on a machine that showed my feet where not evenly touching the floor. I bought good shoes and arch supports this helped for about 6-8 hours. I don't what to tell women but high heels are never a good idea for your feet (ask the women hobbling around) but 8 -12 hours, ouch! Find an alternative to 8 or more hours in uncomfortable shoes.
3.Trade show flooring. Thousands of dollars to be at a trade show and the flooring is where most companies try to save a dollar. Spent the extra money it is foolish not to. For a few hundred dollars you can buy interlocking flooring carpet squares. Make sure you buy the high density foam flooring and not the light foam, it only a little cheaper and is junk. Get padding under your carpet, wooden and vinyl flooring.
4. Take a load off. My favorite trick in the trade show booth was to have a bar stool where I could take some of my weight off my feet by half way sitting on the stool with my feet still on the floor. I looked like I was standing up waiting for the next customer but my feet new I was resting them.
I am sure there a lot more ideas out on the show floor, let me know, but the bottom line is to take care of those feet they are the only ones you have.
Most people I talk to about 
In 
Planning and properly executing your 
It is no secret that the more we hear something, the easier it is to remember. In the advertising world, they call this "
In most cases people believe if they had a good show their display stand did its job. Has it done its job, there are a lot of other things that should be considered before you can reach this conclusion.
Next to Facebook, Twitter is one of the most popular social media outlets out there, with millions upon millions of viewers (tweeters) a day. While some people use it for personal reasons, others use Twitter to promote their brand and draw awareness to their business. Not only does this social networking tool work great for advertising, but it can also be used to bring attention to an upcoming trade show or event that your company will be at. Here are some ideas on how to promote your 
Sore feet are a complaint I have heard hundreds of times at trade shows but most people push through the pain. I still don't understand it. From hard surfaces to high heels, people don't seem to understand if their feet hurt they thinking about their feet and not the task at hand, selling.