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7 Exhibitor/Event Staff Sins (Part 1)

At any event, the exhibiting company expects to showcase its best – products, services and staff. But what happens when the exhibit was great, the products and services super – and the response as not up to expectations?

One possible reason could be that Management was haphazard in selection of its staff – the subtle and not-so-subtle behaviors of its most visible representatives were not up to par.

Choosing your Event/Exhibit staff should be one of the critical decisions you face. In the midst of preparing your marketing plan and “sales pitch”, buying retainable promotional giveaways, and effectively setting up your exhibit, the decision of WHO to send could be a make it or break it decision.

Keep any eye out for these ‘7 Event Staff Sins.’ I’m sure one or more may be all too familiar to you!

Event Staff Sin #1 – PRIDE

PRIDE is excessive belief in your own abilities – also known as vanity.

AT A SHOW – Your staffer is a peacock, strutting around. They are the know-it-all, the one who interrupts conversations, talks over the demo and gives unsolicited opinions. They talk twice as much as they listen because they like the limelight.

Event Staff Sin #2 – ENVY

ENVY is your desire for others’ traits, status, abilities, or situation.

AT A SHOW – Your staffer is the gossip-monger, the one who makes snippy comments, drops pseudo-truths about competitors and passes along company secrets. They think that by denigrating others, they raise your own stake and others will choose you over your implied competitors. Remember, bad mouthing competitors or attendees only makes you and YOUR company look bad.

Event Staff Sin #3 – Gluttony

GLUTTONY is your inordinate desire to consume more than you require.

AT A SHOW – Your staffer is the addict, maybe not in the literal sense – but regardless of their vice, they push it too
far.  They may slough off show duties or more commonly show up with a hangover, glassy eyes or a thick tongue.  Sure these events are there to network as well as showcase your products or services, but are your staffers going too far and losing the professionalism you would expect from them in representing your company?

Keep an eye out for "Part 2" and the other 4 Exhibitor Staff Sins!

7 Things To Remember To Have a Successful Trade Show

7 Things to Remember to Have a Successful Trade Show

To summarize the key points of the "7 Deadly Mistakes Trade Show Exhibitors Make When Purchasing Promotional Products for Trade Shows let me quickly recap some of the highlights. These “Rules” should burn in your mind the next time you think about purchasing promotional products for your next show.

Poor Richards Rule #1: Retention, Retention, Retention. Remember, do not EVER buy any product that will not be retained and re-used. Keep in mind, you can’t expect 100% results – but when someone calls you 3 years later and they are still drinking out of your stainless travel mug… You will know you did something right.

Poor Richards Rule #2: Quality, Quality, Quality. Would you want your company represented with cheap items? (I am not talking price cheap, I am talking about products and are perceived to be low quality and that do not last.) I didn’t think so!

Poor Richards Rule #3: Objective, Objective, Objective. Any promotional product you buy MUST be tied into an objective. Wise buyers do not buy “give-aways.” They buy tools to increase traffic, manage booth time, qualify, disqualify, build loyalty, retain customers, and convert post show sales. The point of buying any promotional item must be to increase the results of your specific objective.

Poor Richards Rule #4: Be wise if it’s last minute. The turnaround time should not cause you to double your expense. Focus on the objective first and then the best product to fit your time horizon. “Wise Buyers” buy early. Ben Franklin wrote “He who riseth late must trot all day and shall scarce overtake his business by night.” Order early or adjust.

Poor Richards Rule #5: Execute, Execute, Execute. There have been many great plans left on the drawing board due to poor execution. Make sure everyone involved in the show not only understands the goals and objectives – but they commit to following them through.

Poor Richards Rule #6: Finish, Finish, Finish. Believe it or not, the post show is where the money is made. Hold people accountable and find a way to measure results.

Poor Richards Rule #7: Educate, Educate, Educate. There’s a saying, “Ignorance is the mother of failure.” We must strive to consistently keep up with the latest information available. Trade shows are a science. And it really is easy to tap into other people’s experience. Time
to put your ego aside and learn from other’s mistakes so you don’t repeat them. Remember, just because you saw someone doing it at the show doesn’t mean it worked.

Clarify Your Trade Show Objectives

This entry is from Part #7 of the 7 Deadly Mistakes Exhibitors Make When Purchasing Promotional Products For Trade Shows – “One Size Does NOT Fit All”

Clarify Your Objectives

Truth is, every successful exhibitor has a clear set of objectives for every trade show. They know exactly what their goals are – and what they will be using their trade show giveaways for.

Keep this in mind. Your exhibiting effort should be supported by your promotional item and not driven by it. The objective MUST come first. Then pick your products accordingly.

Let me give you some examples of objectives that you should be thinking about for your next trade show. These are the main objectives that promotional products will help you to execute. Which will you focus on?

• Increase pre show awareness
• Drive traffic to your booth
• Generate qualified leads
• Manage “trick or treaters”
• Solidify brand recognition
• Strengthen customer loyalty
• Reinforce a new product, service, or message
• Increase post show results

Once you are clear about your objectives, you will then have a strategy and idea of what direction you should go in with your promotional products.

One Size Does NOT Fit All

This entry is from Part #7 of the 7 Deadly Mistakes Exhibitors Make When Purchasing Promotional Products For Trade Shows – “One Size Does NOT Fit All”

Now pay attention… because just because this is the last lesson doesn’t mean it’s the least important. Here it is in a nutshell – If you’re giving
customer gifts at your show, you NEED to carry different levels of customer gifts to give to different customers.

Think about it this way – say you get 80% of your business from 20% of your customers. Don’t you think those 20% deserve the MOST of your attention and appreciation? I can’t stress this enough. You need to give that 20% something fitting of their contribution to your success.

If you’re giving out a cheaper priced trade show traffic builder at your booth and one of your high end customers comes over? What are you going to do… hand them the same item? Don’t do it! Think and plan ahead to reward your best customers with something that will make them feel appreciated. There are plenty of higher end executive gifts that come in small quantities.

Now keep in mind, for the average customer it may not be important to spend a lot, but it is still important to give them something nice. Remember, they are still your customer… and this is a great way to secure their loyalty. And don’t forget… your competition is likely lurking somewhere around the same show looking for an opportunity to gain your old business.

Here’s something else you might not have thought about. What do you think it says to your customers when the “gift” you give them is one of the items that your company makes? Say I’m a widget maker and I gave you a nice widget as a gift. What would you think? Pretty cheesy right?

It all comes down to this. Your customers will acknowledge the fact and appreciate it more if went out and bought something.

Remember my story about the T-shirt supplier who gave me a pen? I distinctly remember that pen. I remember thinking “Wow this is different – they didn’t hand me a T-shirt or some other product they get for next to nothing.” That thought sticks with me… and it will stick with your customers too.

Two Part Promotions & Pre-Approach for Trade Shows

This entry is from Part #6 of the 7 Deadly Mistakes Exhibitors Make When Purchasing Promotional Products For Trade Shows – “No Follow Up”

Pre-Approach

So we’ve covered some different ways you can follow up with prospects AFTER the show. But what about BEFORE your next trade show??

Check out this statistic: Research shows 76 percent of trade show attendees have decided BEFORE they get to the convention which booths they will visit.

Before you know it, a year will pass and it will be time for the next trade show. Make no mistake about it – you will want to approach those original leads again and try to get those who you didn’t convert to customers yet back to the booth.

Remember they are no longer “new prospects” They are warm leads who know who you are.

Two Part Promotions

A great way to get your old prospects back to the booth next year is with a “two part promotion.” Do you recall my Pre Approach lanyard story from Mistake #3?  It was about how I sent out colored promotional lanyards to customers so that I would know who they were. Well, the same type of promotion can be used for those prospects you did not convert.

Here are some examples. You can do as I did and send a colored lanyard. Another effective tool is to send them a postcard that displays a Free Gift you will have for them if they stop by your booth again.

Remember, a trade show gift that will be something they can use at the show is always a good idea…and it can get you on their list of people to see first.

Two part promotions are a great way to re-attract traffic back to your booth. Especially when you are targeting existing customers and prospects from prior trade shows.

And think about this… if they show up and hand you the postcard you sent them, you can plan your pitch accordingly.

But I’ve found one snag… and it’s with cold leads. I’ve found that two part promotions are still effective with cold leads, but the conversion rate is often lower. Remember, they’re not “qualified” leads, so you won’t have the same results.

The solution? Keep your warm leads warm. It’s not easy to break people’s buying habits. In fact, studies show it takes an average of 7-9 contacts with a new prospect before they become a customer – so make sure you stay in front your prospects consistently.

Quantify Your Results

Here’s something your probably already know about… The question is – “Do you do it?” Do you track where your new customers come from? If not, it’s time to get on the ball.

Most accounting programs make it easy enough for you. They include a field to enter where the customer came from. (referral, trade show, internet etc.) You can even review monthly reports with you staff to see how the show follow up is doing.

Map out where your customers come from; check your source codes every year. You know what’s great? Look at results after 5 or 10 years. When you see it in black and white, you will realize the true return and value of your follow up efforts.

Fail To Plan And You’ll Plan To Fail: Post-Show Follow Up

This entry is from Part #6 of the 7 Deadly Mistakes Exhibitors Make When Purchasing Promotional Products For Trade Shows – “No Follow Up”

Let me ask you this… Do you have a follow up plan ready for action even before you go to your show? You should!

Check this tid bit out – A study by Baylor University showed dimensional mailers with a promotional
product got a 57% better response rate than an envelope with only a promotional item.

Ok, sounds great, but what is a “dimensional mailer?” Have you ever been sent a piece of “lumpy” mail with a promotional pen in it? That’s a dimensional mailer – it could also be tubes, boxes etc. Believe me – these mailers get opened! Human curiosity will keep it from the junk mail pile.

Dimensional mailers are a great way to get your samples and your literature looked at… put a promotional product in there to reinforce your trade show message!

Let me say this again…Do NOT put off your follow up until you get back. Have it ready to send before you go to the show. Come back, put the labels on it and send it. Think about it… You will be too busy after being out of the office for a few days to start from scratch and it is important to act while the
lead is hot.

Want to keep that ball spinning? Be sure to mail to your prospects periodically throughout the year.

Strike When The Iron is Hot

This entry is from Part #6 of the 7 Deadly Mistakes Exhibitors Make When Purchasing Promotional Products For Trade Shows – “No Follow Up”

Put Yourself In Their Shoes

Have you ever attended a show as a buyer? The amount of information you will receive and the number people you will meet is overwhelming. Putting the company names, faces, and promotional products together is a major challenge.

As an exhibitor, you actually do remember specific prospects. The lengthy conversations you had, or how exited they were. And you actually mentally counted the money they are about to spend. But here’s the real kicker…

You call them up a week later, and can’t distinguish you from the next exhibitor. Maybe they think you are someone else, from a different company, with a different product. So it takes 5 minutes just to re-introduce yourself and start from scratch!  Has this happened to you?

Hey, it’s not their fault; trade shows are overwhelming and follow up is an essential to acquiring customers.

It’s Me, The Guy Down Here On Your Paper Cube

Consider these two facts:

1. 71.6% of trade show attendees could recall the name of the company they received the promotional items from after the show.

2. 76.3% of attendees had a favorable attitude toward the company that gave them the promotional item.

Sure, they may forget you, your company, and what you sell. But you know what they’ll remember? The trade show giveaways you gave them.

I use to mail out information after the show, but I also used to make a phone call to all my leads. And that call would always include the line “I’m the guy with the putting green who gave you the Promotional T-shirt.” Once I mentioned the gift I gave them, they immediately knew who I was. From there, the selling process picked up where it left off at the show.

Strike While The Iron Is Hot

Think about it… Whether you are going to call, postcard, mail a catalog, or set up an appointment, it is important to keep the leads warm. And there is no denying that the continuous exposure of promotional giveaways will help.

So instead of hoping they remember you, remind your prospects of you previous meetings. Take control to ensure that your contact will in fact be a follow up call – and not a cold call.

The Show is Over… Or IS IT?

This entry is from Part #6 of the 7 Deadly Mistakes Exhibitors Make When Purchasing Promotional Products For Trade Shows – “No Follow Up”

The Show is Over… Or IS IT?

Hall of Famer Yogi Berra was talking about baseball when made the famous statement, “It ain’t over till it’s over,” but he could have easily been talking about trade show promotions.

You know feeling at the final hour, right?   Phewfff… it’s over.  If you are like most exhibitors, you pack up your booth and your leftover trade show giveaways and wait until the next show to market again. But here’s the truth – companies that get the BEST results will market continuously to the contacts they met at the show until the start of the next show the following year.

I’ll rephrase Yogi for trade show purposes. “It ain’t over till… next year’s show starts!”

Don’t Drop The Ball

If you think it’s nothing, think again.  The most successful exhibitors continue to build on their original presentation with consistent follow up.  And they do it along many different channels.

Picture it like this.  Have you ever spun a basketball on your index finger? Well, when you leave the show the ball is spinning and the momentum from that first contact will keep the ball on your finger for a short time.

But remember – in order to keep that momentum, you must tap the ball or it will fall off your finger.   Just little taps every so often will help the ball spin forever.  The same goes for your prospects.

Don’t forget – once you lose momentum and the ball falls off – you’re back to starting from scratch.

Post show follow up is essential to maximizing results.  It makes all the difference between a successful show and a mediocre show.   Thinking last year’s show was a bust?  Asking yourself if you should even bother doing it again this year?  Well before you answer, take a hard look at how your follow up was.  If you didn’t get the results you were looking for, there’s a good chance the ball was dropped in your post show follow up.

More Tips for the Procrastinating Trade Show Gift Buyer

This entry is from Part #5 of the 7 Deadly Mistakes Exhibitors Make When Purchasing Promotional Products For Trade Shows – “Ordering Late”

Ship It To the Hotel, I’ll Take It In The Cab

Ok, so we know you should try to avoid ordering late, but here are 3 things you can do if you find yourself under the gun.

• First, send your art to your distributor immediately. Even if you don’t know what product or quantity you need, the distributor can get your art converted and ready to go. This could save 1 day.
• Adjust your product decision to fit your time frame. If you need a Trade Show Traffic Builder, use something that has better terms for rush service.
• Order something lightweight and small so the shipping won’t break you. Remember you will probably end up shipping this to the hotel and walking it into the show so think small and light.

This Is Not Your Last Show

Here’s another tip that will make your life easier. Order for multiple shows and you will save money and worries! Having these items in stock is one sure way to avoid rush charges and the stress associated with last minute orders
for trade show giveaways.

To top it off, if you order higher quantities of items, you will be able to take advantage of cheaper end quantity pricing.

You know what else? Re-orders produce faster than initial orders. So if you are late, sometimes it is best to stick with what you have done in the past depending on that product’s turnaround time and shipping cost.

Wise Buyers

Before we go any further, I want to set something straight. The resources and tips in these mini-courses are worthless to you if you do not follow through with them. I’m sorry to have to plug my site at this time but the truth is – knowing the main features and benefits of www.poorrichardspromos.com will help make your follow through easier. Fair enough?

Here’s what you should know:
1. Poorrichardspromos.com has over 20 products that ship in 24 hours with no rush charges. You can easily find them by checking out our "Rush Service” page

2. We offer a smart limited selection of products because we want them to be retained. You won’t be overwhelmed by 100’s or 1000’s of products Also, the suppliers we represent can be relied on to ship when they say they will.

3. Remember, also as a Wise Buyer, you get free art preparation service (We do this to encourage you to send your art EARLY in case you have a rush order). You can submit your logo to us at any time and we will covert and store it in our database until it is needed.