There are several factors to consider when companies decide to participate in a trade show. With tighter budgets these days and a heightened importance of strategic planning, businesses have make the most of every trade-show dollar they spend. Exhibitors will get better results if they ask themselves important questions beforehand, according to Martin Knott, vice president of Czarnowski Exhibit Services Specialists.
“Why a company is at a trade show is the first question to be answered. Today, what you want to achieve by going to a trade show and defining your objective is more important than how you want to look there. The company should articulate their goals and what they hope to achieve.
“Another thing to watch out for is the ‘So what?’ factor. When a company attends a trade show, it should answer different questions. Where is the message directed? What does it mean to the attendees and the management of the company? The company should find the unique proposition that they will bring to the table. The top two or three messages, benefits or products should be identified. Exhibit messages should be benefit-oriented for attendees, not feature-oriented for the company itself.
“The company should establish a design and production budget, which is one-time, and also the operational budget, which should take multiple uses of the exhibit into consideration.
“More money should be earmarked for messages and marketing. Things like shipping, handling and labor should use minimum money. Therefore, a cost-effective supplier who delivers maximum value for a dollar is essential.
“After any trade show, most companies look forward to the next one. It helps, however, to look back at the goals that the company set for this particular show and if they were met. The No. 1 mistake companies make is forgetting to analyze the show that just happened. This way, they often lose leads that can help make their next exhibit a better one. Sometimes it helps to look back and measure.
“It always pays to put every message in a trade show through the ‘Why should an attendee care?’ test. Trade shows are becoming sophisticated and the bar is being raised.”
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