Are Trade Shows Dead?

I read on Twitter that Trade Shows are Dead.

Gordon Haff from CNET news wrote how technology has made many Trade Shows irrelevant. You can see the article here. It's a good article and has some solid arguments. But I disagree.

Scobleizer blogs that Social Networking has also killed, or at least wounded Trade Shows. But I disagree.

Of course I would think that. I make money consulting to Trade Shows and companies that exhibit at them. Let's look a little further, beyond the initial cynical reaction.

I think that Trade Shows as we knew them maybe dead, but not completely dead. Trade Shows are an incredibly expensive exercise. Floor space, booth costs, staff costs, promotional items, pre-event marketing, post-event follow up and opportunity costs can total to staggering amounts. Naturally, senior executives are considering ROI numbers and asking is it worth it.

Are Trade Shows Worth It?

The answer is a definite maybe. So many companies are not smart about their Trade Shows. They hemorrhage money for little return. Their booths are way over the top in an effort to be "the best", their give aways are ridiculously expensive and not aligned with their message, they do not qualify prospects, they have the wrong people on the stand, they don't followup effectively but worst of all, they have no idea why they are really there at the show. Naturally the ROI numbers are not there.

Trade Shows are speed dating for your customers. Your target market is walking up to you and saying "sell your stuff to me". Prospects go to willingly buy from you, or at least do further research on your products/services and your direct competitors. A smart operator will make a Trade Show pay off big time. It is knowing why you are there, doing the pre-event marketing to get your prospects and clients in, having the right people in the booth with the relevant training about what they are to do, qualifying your prospects (even have them tiered), creating a buzz at the booth to get people in, following up within two days and then having a post-event review to look at what can be improved next time.

A smart operator will also realise while their competition is pulling out of shows, they will have a bigger market share. If they work the show well, their ROI can be increased.

Social Networking and Trade Shows

Social networking and technology in general has had a significant impact on Trade Shows.

Webcasts, Teleconferences, Viral Videos and many other forms of technology now mean that messages once given at these shows, can now be delivered far more effectively. As Haff says, companies like Apple have an easy access to the market place via their stores so you can touch and feel the product without the hustle bustle of the show.

Social networking also increases the buzz. Look at Twitter. Whenever their is a show on, blow by blow descriptions of presentations, booths, exhibitors and even the people attending are posted with pictures for all to see. This then attracts those thinking "is it worth it this year."

It's not Dead, it's Resting

In the words of Monty Python, the Trade Show is not dead, it's resting. It's format is tired. The old way doesn't work. Once the Trade Show does a bit of navel gazing, you will find the invigorated New and Improved version!!

The technology will never replace the face to face meetings of clients, colleagues, customers, suppliers and random interactions that you have at a Trade Show. But the technology of having virtual trade shows, webcast product launches and announcements, blogging latest releases and other forms of social media to interact with "your herd" mean that there will be an integration of this technology with the traditional Trade Show.

I look forward to it.

I look forward to the continual evolution of this market place. But some things will never change. The need for planning, setting KPI's, knowing how ROI will be measured BEFORE the show/marketing activity, having the right people in the right place at the right time, pre-event marketing, post-event followup and the role that the senior management team have in the event.

The intent is the same, but the execution will be different. Face to face, technology to technology or just watching it all happen on your PDA.

I am looking forward to it immensely.

Warwick Merry
The Get More Guy
http://www.warwickmerry.com/
http://www.getmoreblog.com/
http://www.getmoreshowsuccess.com/

The Survival Trap

Just a quick blog for you.

A good friend of mine, and brilliant sales and marketing guru has just released a free ebook on "The Survival Trap". It is not a "get this free and then you can buy other stuff" kind of offer, it is simply him giving to other small business owners who may be starting to panic in tight economic times.

To get the ebook, visit his website http://www.survivaltrap.com/

Check out what he has to say, I am sure you will find it worthwhile.

Enjoy!

Warwick Merry
The Get More Guy
www.warwickmerry.com
www.getmoreblog.com
www.getmoreshowsuccess.com

Now is the Right Time for Marketing

From a previous blog you may have read how Adobe are not having a booth at Macworld this year. It seems that they have started a trend. AppleInsider has reported that other big names like Belkin and Seagate are also not having a booth. You can read the article here.

My favourite bit in the article is where it says that smaller booths who had previously been placed out in the low traffic areas are being moved much closer to the Apple stands and the majority of the traffic.

This principle applies not only in Trade Shows but in marketing in general. Many business are taking on the mind set that business will be tough so I will cut marketing expense. This can lead to a decrease in customer awareness which in turn, leads to decreased sales which will guarantee you tough economic times!!

I am not saying "Spend like you have never spent before!!!" (That seems to be the Government line at the moment.) What I am saying is now is the time to continue working your marketing strategy. If Trade Shows are part of it, continue doing them. Continue your normal marketing as well. Some of your competitors will get scared of economic times and so will cease their marketing work, this means you have less competition for your message. If big players drop out of the marketing space (like at MacWorld) you can now get a real boost to your message.

Stick to the strategy and take advantage of the economic times. They won't last forever and when everything picks up again, you will be in a stronger position than when they started. How cool is that!!

Enjoy

Warwick Merry
The Get More Guy
www.warwickmerry.com
www.getmoreblog.com
www.getmoreshowsuccess.com

How to be a No Show

It is always the big question. Should you exhibit at a trade show or not? Especially if you are a bigger player in the market where people will be expecting you there. If you decide not to show you have to take action on it.

As and example, Adobe have decided not to show at Macworld this year.

What would have been disastrous would be if they just didn't show, or worse if show organisers said they were going to be there so Adobe would have to go on the defensive. Now I am sure Macworld wouldn't do that, but other less scrupulous event organisers may try and "bully" or "influence" a significant player to exhibit at their show. What Adobe did was communicate via the media that they were not exhibiting. You can read the article here.

You will notice that although they are not exhibiting, they will still have a presence at the show. Some are saying that, along with a large number of layoffs, Adobe are feeling the pinch of the current financial crisis. Whatever their reason, their approach to managing their "No Show" has been well done.

While I am still of the belief that now, more than ever, exhibiting at a trade show is a great thing to do, if you are going to be a No Show, you need to manage it well. You may not have the bucks that Adobe's PR department does so lets learn from them!

Enjoy!

Warwick Merry
The Get More Guy
www.warwickmerry.com
getmoreblog.blogspot.com
www.getmoreshowsuccess.com

Booth Location

Over the weekend, I spent time at the Mind, Body and Spirit expo in Melbourne. I was there to work with a client of mine and also to check what others were doing at the Trade Show.

I was chatting with a booth holder who had a large corner booth right near the food area (which was next to the toilets). They took that booth because it was at the far end of the room away from the exits. They learnt last year that too close to the exit/entrance means that people rush past you in the excitement to get in or the desire to get out.

What they were finding this year was rather than the access to the crowds that were dining that they expected, that they got ignored completely! They thought it was just like being near the entrance. People either were in a rush to go to the toilet or were having a rest and something to eat so had zoned out of the show completely. They just wanted to sit and rest.

So based on their experience and one what I have found over time, here are a few tips on booth location:

• Not next the toliet/dining area
• Not next to the entrance/exit
• Be wary of aisle ends - while they have two sides, people are sometimes so focussed on getting to the next aisle that they miss you
• Try to get 1/3 to 1/2 aisle away from the entrance, by the time the patron gets to you they will be ready to buy/ask questions. They first 1/3 to 1/2 is just "getting the feel".

Because you are investing significant time, effort and resources into your Trade Show, you want to get the best location you can!

Enjoy!

Warwick Merry
The Get More Guy
www.warwickmerry.com
getmoreblog.blogspot.com
www.getmoreshowsuccess.com

Freebies - do you need them?

Have you seen the freebie trolls?

You know the ones I am talking about, they walk around the trade show or expo taking freebies from every booth they pass. They are sort of like the anti-Santa. They just keep filling their sack with all of the treats available.

It is enough to make you ask the question, do you need freebies on your booth? I mean what's the point if it is just the trolls who are going to take them all?

It is a good question, do you need the freebies or promotional item. A better question would be whats the value of having a promotional item? With your trade booth, you want to always consider what is the value. With your promotional item there are several things to be considered:

Cost per impression - Don't just consider the cost of the item but think about how often you get a chance to lock in your branding. This is why t-shirts and coffee cups can be effective items versus a disposable toy or golf tee.

Relevance - To strengthen your brand and your message, go for items that match your theme, organisation and message.

Streamed - Consider streaming your promotional items so that only qualified prospects get the higher valued promotional items and having something of lesser value for unqualified prospects and freebie trolls.

While these are not the only things to consider for your promotional items, they will definitely aid you in Getting More value from them.

Enjoy

Warwick Merry
The Get More Guy
www.getmoreshowsuccess.com
www.warwickmerry.com

Back to Booth Basics

I am never surprised at how un-common common sense is. Nowhere is this more obvious than in the business arena.

I was just working with one of my Trade Show clients who was getting ready for next weekends Mind, Body and Spirit Festival and he couldn't believe the biggest issue in having a successful trade show. Rather simply it is defining what success is. The simple question of "What do you want to get out of the trade show?"

The simple concept of what gets measured gets improved HAS to be applied to trade shows. This all becomes part of defining your Return of Investment. I am not saying they always have to pay for themselves (the first couple probably won't) but you need to know whether it has or not.

So what do you want from your next trade show?

• Increased brand awareness
• Increased sales (and what figure would that be?)
• Qualified sales leads
• A stack of business cards (from the fishbowl lucky dip)
• Intelligence on your competition (you will be looking at their booth won't you?)
• An opportunity to present to the conference

Now that you know what you want from the show, make sure that everyone working in your booth knows too!!

Good luck with your next show.

Warwick
The Get More Guy
www.warwickmerry.com
www.getmoreshowsuccess.com

The Bane of Booth Babes

You have seen them at nearly every trade show you go to. Attractive women (and men) handing out brochures. If you start asking them some questions about the product or service, they almost deflate in front of you! I have seen them pick up their script, refer to the cheat sheet, check with their colleage and even refer me to the store outside the trade show!!!

Like all things in you booth, you have to ask the question, "does it add value?"

If it add's real value to have a booth babe, great do it! More often than not, one of your employees is more knowledgable, more enthusiastic, more interested and more clothed than the booth babe.

If you decide you do want a booth babe, at the very least make sure they have the confidence and knowledge to actively engage a prospect or customer and get the correct details for a followup. Good looks may get people to your booth but real service will keep them there for the sale.

Enjoy!

Warwick Merry
The Get More Guy
www.warwickmerry.com

What is Success?

As with all things in life, you cannot measure what you cannot define.

Famously, Ralph Waldo Emerson had this to say about success:

To laugh often and much;
To win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children;
To earn the approbation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends;
To appreciate beauty;
To find the best in others;
To give of one's self;
To leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch, or a redeemed social condition;
To have played and laughed with enthusiasm and sung with exultation;
To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived

This is to have succeeded.

But what about for our Trade Show?

The first questions must always be, what do you want out of the Trade Show? Is it sales, leads, exposure, contacts? Only by asking what you want can you measure the shows success.

At a recent trade show I was speaking with a clothing wholesaler who was interested in getting retailers for his product. It seemed peculiar to me. The attendees were all consumers, they may have had a clothes retailer business but there would not be coming to the show in that context, they would be coming to buy. The wholesaler did not have a large supply of product so when people stopped to ask to buy from them he actually said, "I'm sorry these are not for sale". Only on Day 3 (of a 3 day Trade Show) did he start recording client details to email them sales opportunities.

His mission was to find a retailer. Yet at no time did he leave the booth to go and speak to other retailers who had booths at the trade show.

I don't know if he measure the show as a success. From my observations, it did not appear to give the return I would demand from a trade show like that one. While he knew what he was after (new retailers) he did not consider the primary audience at the show or how he could maximise the benefit from them.

What about you? What do you want from your next trade show? How will you measure if you have achieved it or not? How will you know if the Trade Show was worthwhile?

Until next time, I wish you much Trade Show Success.

Warwick Merry
The Get More Guy
www.getmore.com.au