Baseline Knowledge Centre

But there is a better way which involves a simple planning process that will give you a much better return on your investment. Hopefully this simple ‘checklist’ will help you.

The Show

Is this a once-off show or multi-venue show? (Yes) (No)

Will this show target the right audience? (Yes) (No)

Is it well known and well attended? (Yes) (No)

Is it a show with other non-related products? (Yes) (No)

Is the size of our stand suitable? (Yes) (No)

(Who are we located beside, will their stand overpower anything we have?)

Have we agreed electrical points, internet access, fixtures and fittings? (Yes) (No)

Is a Carnet document required? (Yes) (No)

Staff

Who is going to man the show?

(For example if it is a twelve hour day you will probably need three people at a minimum).

Have they any experience? (Yes) (No)

Have travel arrangements been made? (Yes) (No)

If someone falls ill is there a replacement? (Yes) (No)

The Stand

Is it a bespoke stand? (Yes) (No)

Who is building it and who is dismantling it?

Are the organisers supplying the stand and graphics? (Yes) (No)

Show Material

Are you sending out invitations? (Yes) (No)

Are promotional items being distributed? (Yes) (No)

Have you got support material? (Yes) (No)

(brochures, product information sheets)

Have you a proper enquiry pad? (Yes) (No)

(who is going to follow them up?)

The Return

Have all contacts been properly sorted, (Yes) (No) logged and followed up?

Have you set up a tracking system (Yes) (No) to measure return on your investment?

The Cost

Have you allowed for all of the above? (Yes) (No)

We would like to look at the whole area of cost in more detail and identify each of the areas that will affect your budget. Companies make a decision to enter a trade show for a number of reasons. Whatever the reason it is important to look at the true costs so that you can gauge the the potential for your business.

The Stand

Identify the actual size of the area you are getting. Is it sufficient for your needs? Could you work within a smaller space? Use a sheet of grid paper and mark in the items you will have with you such as machinery, computers, displays, furniture etc. You may also need an area for small meetings and hospitality. This will give you an accurate picture of the space required.

Important - make sure that you get support from manufacturers/distributors whose products you are selling. This may be financial, technical staff supplied or a contribution to advertising costs. It is in their interest to help you as much as possible.

Cost One - Space

You will then need to identify other items for the stand.

Option 1 - shell unit

These are the walls provided by the promoter. You may also get X number of lights and a socket. You will also need graphics of some sort and there are restrictions on how you apply these to the walls.

Cost Two - shell unit

Option 2 - build your own unit.

This is for the experienced exhibitor. If you intend to exhibit on a regular basis or need to make a large impact then this is worth considering. Costs here include stand design, transport, building on site, removing from site and storage when not in use. You will definitely need public liability insurance (you may not be allowed on the site without proof from your insurers).

Cost Two A - specialised unit

Some stands come with basic lights and may or may not include an electrical socket. Will you have sufficient lighting and sockets? If not you will need to order them in advance and give their location points.

Cost Three - lights and sockets

Documentation & Transport

You may need a Carnet document to allow you to move your samples in and out of a country without having to pay duty. This can be done through the Dublin Chamber of Commerce and involves a fee. You also need to allow for the costs of shipping your samples/stand material.

Cost Four - document and transport costs

Staffing the Show

How many people will be needed for the stand? The costs here include travel, time lost from normal duties, accommodation and meals. Can the stand be left unattended, if not you need at least two people and with many exhibitions open for up to twelve hours you may need three.

Cost Five - staff

Promotion

You will have to inform people that you will be attending the show and this can be done through direct mail and advertising. The direct mailer can be sent to existing customers or you may decide to buy a database list. You may advertise in trade journals, newspapers or in the promoters catalogue. You should also cost in a follow up mailing with your full catalogue to all people who attended.

Cost Six - direct mail/advertising*

What will you give people on the day of the show? Will you have special literature or a promotional pack?

Cost Seven - stand collateral*

Get advice*

it is important to talk to your Marketing Director or seek advise from your Design Agency well in advance of the show. Both of these areas when planned carefully will make a huge difference to both the response you get and the amount of money you can save.

You need to have realistic budgets in place if you are to make a success of it.

Maximise your investment. Some of the items mentioned may seem trivial but they do make a difference.

The stand

Many people order furniture for a stand for the wrong reasons. It looks nice, its handy to sit down when you are tired or perhaps it will be used as a display for the brochures. The problem with furniture is that it becomes a barrier. Unless you need to sit down to write orders you are probably better off without it. For example if you place brochures on a table you will probably do what most people do and that is arrange them in a nice pattern. Believe it or not most people do not like disturbing items arranged in a nice pattern so they probably won’t take one. You are better off either having a proper brochure stand (which you can hire) or handing them out. Free samples and promotional items left on a table will be picked up by everybody. If you are happy with that, fine, but if these are expensive items you can be more discerning by handing them out. Furniture also restricts movement on a stand and people like the ability to move about unhindered.

The people on the stand

If you are not use to standing all day, then you will find that Trade Shows are one of the most tiresome, energy sapping, crippling exercises around. Long hours on you feet, hot lights and the quiet, boring moments that seem to be endless. This affects the attitude of the representatives on the stand and usually manifests itself with arms folded, bored looks, and a mental picture that says ‘do not disturb me’ - certainly not the place to go if you are a visitor. The seasoned rep. knows how to handle visitors, put off time wasters, use spare time to look at other stands and collect information on competitors. As with all things in life there is a right way and a wrong way but the good news is, there is a short cut to learning the art - training videos (contact me for details). They are a great tool and should be viewed by all those intent on exhibiting.

Collecting the information

You set up a stand to a) sell your goods to a new or existing audience or b) introduce yourself or a new product line/service - in other words you want to add to your database. You will not do that efficiently unless you have a clearly defined method. You should either design an enquiry pad in advance so that you have worked out the information you require (make sure that you have a stapler to clip business cards and also make sure your people write legibly) or allow people to register online.

Backup and follow up

It is important that the executives on the stand have office support. All enquiries, contact notes and orders should be collected as soon as possible, brochures/quotes sent immediately and appointments made. It is amazing sometimes to find that all of the expense and enthusiasm put into a trade show ends up with a potential customer’s first experience being a negative one. Information collected and lost, promises of brochures/quotes sent weeks after the show or not sent at all and appointments not made. The worst part of it all is that the show whether it is good bad or indifferent will be blamed for being a disaster.

Finally, I hope that the information supplied is of value and that the world of Trade Shows has been made more accessible. Good hunting.

Alec Drew