EXHIBITING IN ANOTHER CITY

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The reality of trade shows is that the best ones are never close to home, right? Those long-distance trade shows add a new layer of complexity to an event that already requires a lot of preparation and thought. But the benefits of visiting trade shows in another city are exceptional, getting your brand out there for other regions to see is a vital part of many marketing plans. Plus, you get to meet new people in your industry and broaden your network. It’s obvious: attending this long-distance trade show is a must. Now what?

Your budget and your planning will have to be flexible to accommodate for the additional expense and considerations of traveling for a trade show. That’s a no-brainer. We’ve put together this checklist for you to help with your planning and budgeting before you travel to a trade show far away. Use it well before your next long-distance trade show so you can get the most out of your preparation and have the highest degree of success!

  1. Decide what you want to focus on.
    Unfortunately, a distant trade show means travel. Travel means that you’ll have to be a bit conservative with your presentation and what you want to exhibit. What’s most important to your brand image? What do you hope to gain from the show? Is it about brand awareness? New customers? Networking? Are you launching a totally new product? What your objective for the show is regarding these questions will help you to identify what you need to bring with you for your booth. Ask yourself, does it fit into your objective? If yes, ask yourself if it’s economical and fits into your budget. If it’s a resounding yes, bring it with you.
  2. Consider your budget.
    You budget for a distant trade show needs to be a bit larger in most cases than for a local trade show. This is pretty obvious. You need to factor in flight and hotel costs for you and whoever you’re bringing with you from your staff. Will you be renting a car? How long are you staying? How much will it cost to transport your booth materials? Factor these into your budget to determine if your attendance at the trade show is economically feasible for your brand. It’s okay to say no. A trade show is great for brands in many aspects, but it’s not worth exerting financial strain on a brand if you don’t absolutely need to. There’s always next year! But if you do say yes…
  3. Make your bookings.
    Yep! It’s that time. Reserve your booth (this should typically be done about a year in advance to get the best spot and size for increased visibility, plus it’s usually cheaper to book far in advance), and soon you should book your flights and hotels, and rent a car if you need to. Flights should be booked at least three months in advance, and you’ll also save money on your hotel and car if you book sooner rather than later.
  4. Communicate your attendance.
    Just like with any trade show, you need to let people know that you’re going to be there. What good is going if nobody knows it? Let your email list know you’re going and send regular reminders on what you’re planning for the show, advertise it on social media, and post it anywhere else that you think is relevant. Keep your audience updated with happenings related to your presence at the event. Are you speaking? What are you showing? Let the world know!
  5. Plan your networking with other attendees.
    Before you go, check and see who else is going. It’s always good to be prepared for those you might run into so that you’re not caught off guard. You’ll likely be seeing competitors, suppliers, distributors, and a whole slew of other people that you can benefit from networking with. Know who is going to be there and what their company is all about so that you can be prepared for a conversation with them.
  6. Ensure your staff is ready.
    You should be picking the best of the best on your staff to bring with you. It’s advised to bring salespeople and perhaps even somebody to help you get and stay organized. Explain your expectations clearly to them, and what their objectives are. Give them training if need be. Your staff needs to be comfortable with being at the show, and bonus points if they’re excited too!
  7. Pack up and get moving!
    See? Getting ready for a far-away trade show isn’t so much different than a local show. Just adapt your preparation a little bit and you’ll be ready to go in no time. Good luck and safe travels!

5 TRICKS TO STAND OUT AT TRADE SHOWS

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It’s time to take a new approach. The traditional round of tricks have already been tapped dry – everybody is doing them. Everybody has a huge booth with a fancy logo printed on a fancy-looking pen (but the ink runs out within the first three days, right?), and a local 4-star restaurant is booked solid the week of the trade show for big wigs meeting with even bigger wig clients. Am I close?

If everybody is using the same method, how is anybody standing out? And if nobody is standing out, how does a client decide who to go with? The answer is: they choose pretty much at random. Maybe they liked the green logo better than the orange one. Maybe one booth had better-looking staff than another. Maybe they wanted a lanyard instead of a pen. Are you willing to be reduced to being chosen at random?

You can do better than random. You can earn your clients the old-fashioned way: by working smarter, not harder. Use these five tricks to stand out from the crowd and gain clients that actually want you, not just your trinkets.

  1. Step away from the booth! We get it. You spent a lot of money making that booth perfect, right? I’m sure it is perfect. But a booth isn’t going to sell your message. You are. Get yourself a shirt to match your booth and go walk around.
  2. What do you think really sells your message? Like I said – you are. This means you have to foster great relationships. This doesn’t mean you should ditch quality signage, no no no. Instead, you should keep a reasonable amount of marketing materials and invest more in your own attitude. Are you personable? Are you friendly? Would you hang out with yourself at a barbecue? If you answered no to any of these, you either need to change yourself or find someone who is a 3x “yes”. Plus, after you create these relationships you need to work hard after the show to maintain them. Follow-up and maintain these relationships.
  3. If your content isn’t worthwhile, no amount of flashy signs or contemporary logos will earn you credibility. People need to know that they can count on you to get things done. They need to know that you have something worthwhile to say. If they know this, they will come to you.
  4. Make friends with the board members of the trade show. They know who’s who and who will be there. A friend on the board gets you an advantage that nobody else has. You can prepare more thoroughly for specific targets and expect a few personal handshakes from your new friends. A handshake is a much better client magnet than a pen.
  5. Take a risk and let yourself have a little fun. Sure, it’s about business. But at the end of the day, who wants to spend their time with a business who is serious all the time? Most people don’t. A solid strategy and a great attitude will take you further than any giant booth could.

EXHIBITING TIPS FOR SMALL BUSINESSES

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Trade shows are still very much alive and well, and are still important for growth and success of a business. But many companies, especially small businesses, are hesitant to dive feet first into exhibiting. It’s understandable why. Trade shows are known for the big bucks it takes to set up an impactful booth. Plus, you have to just keep upgrading to stay on top of the game. Is the investment even worth it?

Yes. If you’re smart about it. The key to successful exhibiting comes from intricately balancing booth investment with potential success. Doing this as a small business without any trade show experience is tough. There’s no shame in starting small, in fact, it’s the smarter thing to do.

Take Accenta’s Supreme exhibit display system. Both product cost and delivery cost are low. Supreme was developed with small businesses in mind. Thus, it’s affordable to buy and it’s portable. Transportation is a huge cost concern for trade show regulars and businesses suffer because of how much money has to be dumped into transporting booth materials. It doesn’t have to be that way. By sticking to something that is lightweight and designed to be portable, you save money and hassle in the long run.

Plus, Supreme is perfect for small businesses because it focuses on evolution. Supreme’s main agenda is to be not only customizable but continually customizable. Supreme is a modular system that can be customized into various sizes, shapes, and configurations. This means that your display system is perfect no matter what size trade show you’re attending.

Small businesses also need to consider their potential for success. Purchasing an expensive display system is daunting. What happens if you want a bigger booth one day? Or you need more room for more promotional materials? Supreme changes as you do. It’s able to grow with you.

A smart small business is one that plans for its future without sacrificing its present. Trade shows might seem like a thing of the past, but they’re not. A small business needs to know that it can participate with a beautiful, unforgettable display without completely breaking the bank. With Supreme, small businesses can do this and continue to grow as their revenue does.

The most important thing to consider when designing your exhibit is what your exhibit will do for you. Does it showcase your company’s style? For example, are you clean and efficient or thorough and vibrant? Is it functional? Is it attractive? And most of all: does it effectively help you communicate your message and your capabilities along with it? If not, it’s time to start from scratch. The most effective thing a small business can do in the trade show world is make their booth reflective of their company. If you’re selling greatness and your booth reflects it, clients will come.

WAYS TO START PLANNING FOR UPCOMING TRADESHOWS

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You’re a few months away. Suddenly, you swear the clock is ticking louder and the room temperature has gone up at least a dozen degrees. A bead of sweat forms on your forehead. “A few months, that’s plenty of time”, you tell yourself. But you know better than that. Planning accordingly for trade shows isn’t an overnight ordeal. But you have no idea where to even start this time. There’s so much to do!

Don’t panic. You’re not too late.

Trade show season is coming upon us much like Winter in Game of Thrones. Peaking in October and November, you know others have already had their preparations well underway for months. What do you do?

Don’t worry. You’re not alone.

Many people don’t need much time to prepare, some do. Regardless of which you are, we’ve put together your to-do list for the remainder of the summer that will get you ready for trade show season. There’s no need to worry about missing something or being unprepared. We’ve got you covered.

  1. What message do you want to communicate to your visitors? Great. Now condense it to be delivered within 30 seconds. Got all the key points in there without sounding manic? Perfect. Now its time to rehearse that message with everybody who will be working at your booth.
  2. What do you need to attract the people you’re looking for? Is it vibrant signage? Is it an interesting layout? Is it a killer logo? Now is the time. Actually, last week was the time but now will work too. Get these designed either by yourself, a freelancer, or a local design firm and get them made as soon as possible.
  3. Did you forget lights? Don’t forget lights.
  4. What materials do you need to help you deliver your message? It’s a good idea to have both impactful giveaways (something big more fun than pens and lanyards, please) and promotional materials such as brochures and business cards. It’s time to design these and get them sent away for manufacturing.
  5. Take a week to breathe. You’ve earned it.
  6. Have you breathed enough? Great! Check back through all the materials you’ve considered. Did you miss anything? Does your 30-second message still work? Make necessary changes and orders at this stage.
  7. How are you getting there? Plan and confirm your travel now. Flight (or drive), hotel (if necessary), car rental (if you need it), AND delivery for your booth materials all need to be factored in here.
  8. Start marketing your booth at the trade show via blogs, social media, and whatever other methods you use to get your news out. How are you going to entice people to come?
  9. Is everybody trained that will be working at your booth? If not, train them now.
  10. Are all of your travel arrangements made? Did you make arrangements to have dinner with Bob, that one guy you promised last year that you’d take out for a steak this year? Make that reservation. Bob remembers.Voila! You’re ready to go.

HOW TO DRIVE TRAFFIC TO YOUR BOOTH USING SOCIAL MEDIA

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There are very few people out there who aren’t using social media. Why not use it to help drive traffic to your trade show booth? You might be surprised at the results you get when you have the driving power of social media behind you. With a few simple tips and tricks, you can take full advantage of what social media has to offer. Use these to help generate a lot more interest in what you have to offer, and maximize your exposure by doing so.

Use your pages to conjure up lots of interest before the event.

Don’t just use Facebook to publicize yourself. Get creative and post on whatever you can get your hands on. Twitter, Pinterest, and YouTube are great outlets for getting the word out about events coming up. Be sure to use tags and hashtags to target people in a specific location. Get creative in your advertising, too! If people know you’re fun, they’re more likely to get on board with you. You can even consider doing a free giveaway for those that attend.

Start advertising at 1-2 months before the event. Post once a week or so until about two weeks before the event. Then, once a day. In the 2-3 days before the trade show, increase your posting to 3 times a day. Small bursts of information are easy for people to remember and keeps reminding them so they don’t forget. Use your posts to share news, information, and booth teasers.

Don’t stop just because it’s show time!

Keep your momentum up for the entire duration of the trade show by making your booth a “check in” for Facebook users, creating a hashtag for your event, and respond to the social media inquiries and reviews that you get. Keep posting updates, as well, about anything going on that might be of interest and help draw a crowd. Photos and videos have a much bigger impact than just text, too!

After the event ends, your job goes on.

By using social media to attract attention to the trade show, and your booth, you may have gotten yourself a whole new list of contacts that are buying what you’re selling. Don’t leave them hanging. Keep posting and sharing relevant news, hold contests every now and then, and post highlights from the event. Be sure to send out a “thanks” to appreciate those who attended!

Trade shows are great for building new customer relationships and making yourself well-known and well-loved. Customers in this day and age want to feel that they’re a part of something, and trade shows and social media help them do that. While you’re getting a lot of new traffic to your social media pages, be sure that you have a booth to make their visit worthwhile for all of your new fans. Accenta.com and exhbitiorideas.com are fantastic resources for all your trade show display needs! Check them out!

TIPS FOR NEW EXHIBITORS AT TRADE SHOWS

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If you want to present your business in front of your audience properly, you need to attend trade show exhibitions. These will allow you to get more exposure, generate a lot of sales and you can also make a lasting impression in front of a new audience. However, trade shows are full of companies that want to do the same thing. So, what should you do in this regard, are there any solutions you can focus on? Here are some great ideas to keep in mind!

Make your exhibit stand out

Depending on your financial resources, you have a limited amount to invest in marketing. But no matter how much you want to invest in this, you want to make it count. You will need to make sure that the exhibit stands out. Try to bring in lots of visuals that pertain to your business, showcase your logo openly and make sure that you talk with your audience as much as you can. Plus, you can also rent some exhibit items that will make it easy to decorate your exhibit fast and easy. Visuals are everything.

Generate social buzz

If you are a new trade show exhibitor, you have to create some social buzz. Announce your presence at that event on social media, encourage people to share it and so on. The idea is to make sure that you make people interested in your trade show presence. The more buzz you can generate, the better it will be.

Create or purchase items to share with your audience

Promotional giveaways are offering you the perfect way of generating leads and conversions. Depending on your industry, you have thousands of options to focus on. From wearables to trinkets, stickers and many others, there are lots of great options you can pick from. Don’t rush, just try to find the one that suits your needs. As long as you take your time and bring in a healthy dose of creativity, you will find that results can be very good in the end. Just try to do that right away, invest in your business, and you will not be disappointed!

Attend the show a year prior to your exhibit

Before you have an exhibit, it’s important to attend the show as a regular visitor. This is the best way to get a feel for the show, and it will be a lot easier for you to handle the experience and enjoy it as you see fit. It shines, and that’s why you need to consider giving it a shot. Plus, you will get to research and optimize your exhibit for the next year.

Understand the overall costs

New trade show exhibitors don’t always have a good idea of how much it costs to have a trade show booth. Depending on where you are and what type of trade show you attend, prices can go anywhere from $500 to $20000 or even more. You also need to figure out where you need to rent items like floor mats, digital scanners for badges and any other items needed for proper trade show booth functioning.

Send a press kit

If you want to improve your reach further, make sure that you talk to the press beforehand. Announce your presence at that trade show and maybe even generate some buzz via a giveaway. After all, that’s what matters the most if you want to get a better exposure for your business. Media can be your friend here, so try to make sure that you address the situation in a proper manner.

Networking is very important

You can cut costs if you split your booth with other relevant business. Also, you can share some of your items with other company so they can promote you as well. The possibilities are limitless; you just have to promote yourself in a proper manner and results can indeed be second to none.

Create a backup plan

No matter how well things might be at this time, you have to make sure that your trade show presence does have a backup. Bring more product samples, put the high-resolution images for your products and services on your thumb drives and use a business card. If necessary, try to bring in your generator to ensure proper trade show booth functioning even if there are power surges.

Understand that you can always save costs

Yes, if you want to save money, you can do that with your exhibit. You should try to find what spot is less expensive because visitors will end up checking out the entire trade show. Also, it’s a good idea to rent a professional booth instead of using a permanent structure. It’s a much better option and one that will help you save costs quite a bit. You can also try to ask for a booth at the last minute and negotiate a price if possible. As we mentioned above, another solution that allows you to cut costs would be to share the booth with another vendor.

Try to put new products and services in front

A booth without goods and/or services that people can try out isn’t exactly appealing. Try to make sure that you showcase your latest products and services because that does pay off big time. It’s a delightful experience that does pay off very well, and results can indeed be very well worth it. Obviously, you can showcase some of your older products or services, but the new stuff should always be in front. It’s easy to see why that happens; you will get to have better exposure for the newer and more expensive offerings, while the remaining stuff will still be available and ready for testing (even if it costs less). This way you can generate more sales, and that’s incredibly rewarding.

In the end, being a new trade show exhibitor can be rather challenging, but these tips should offer you the help you need. Don’t hesitate and try out all these great ideas as they will help you acquire an incredible experience in the end!