FAQS

Increase Your Show's ROI with Measurable Objectives
Design Your Display to Sell
Identify and Attract the Right Buyers to Your Booth
10 Ways to Save Money at Your Next Show
Strategies to Sell More at the Show: How to Select and Train your Booth Staff
Follow Up on Your Show Leads Before Your Competitor Does

Increase Your Show's ROI with Measurable Objectives

Why should l create measurable objectives for my next show?

If your company doesn't have a clear picture of what it wants to accomplish at a show, you will never know if the show was a success. Research proves that companies that set measurable objectives are much more likely to have successful shows than companies that do not set objectives.
How will setting measurable objectives help my company at a show?

Measurable objectives will help you target your marketing budget to your desired audience.
Besides improving my pre-show marketing efforts, how else will measurable objectives increase my show's ROI?

Measurable objectives will help to shape your PR efforts; create your display's theme, graphics and floor plan; decide which products and services to spotlight in your booth; select the premiums and literature to distribute; and design your sales lead form and follow-up campaign.
Who should be involved in setting measurable objectives?

Your sales department must be involved in setting show objectives. Also, be sure to get approval from top management.
Who can I contact at Diversified to help me set show objectives?

Contact us at 207.842.5550 or email us at exhibitoradvantage@divcom.com.

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Design Your Display to Sell

When should I start designing my display?

Don't begin designing your display until after your company has determined its measurable objectives for the show. Once you know what type, and how many, attendees you want in your booth, then you can design a display that will accomplish these objectives.
How much does it cost to rent versus buy a display?

Buying a new custom display averages $180 per square foot. Buying a portable or panel display averages $60 to $75 per square foot. Renting a display varies in price from $10 per square foot to over $40 per square foot, depending on graphics, accessories, shipping, drayage and labor. Click here to access "Rent or Buy Your Display" by Bob Thomas for additional information.
Where can I see what different types of displays are available to rent or buy?

Go to www.freemanco.com, www.myfreemanonline.com, www.skyline.com and www.nimlok.com for various types and sizes of displays plus additional information to help design your display.
Do you have a checklist to help me decide what colors, flooring, furniture and special effects to use in my display?

Click here to access "Exhibit Design" by Susan Friedmann for tips on designing your display.
Why are counters important?

Research shows that every 100 square feet of exhibit space requires at least one 20 inch wide podium type counter for sales staff to use as they talk to attendees and fill out lead cards. Click here for "Does Your Exhibit Have the Correct Sales Floor Plan?" by Allen Konopacki.

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Identify and Attract the Right Buyers
to Your Booth

Why should I do pre-show marketing?

Attendees visit an average of 26 companies at a show and they schedule half of these visits before they leave for the show. To get on these attendees' agenda – tell them, in advance, that your booth will have something of such value they have to visit.
When should I start my pre-show marketing?

Begin your pre-show marketing campaign two months before the show and continue it until the week of the show.
How many times should I invite my customers and prospects to visit my booth?

Use direct mail, e-mail, faxes, telemarketing, and face to face visits from three to six times.
How much should I invest in pre-show marketing?

Approximately 15% of your show budget should be spent promoting your company's participation in the show.
How can I find out what types of attendees went to last year's show?

Go to your show's web site and look under "Exhibitor Info" for "Who Visits".
Should I use my in-house list for my pre-show marketing effort?

Yes, start with your house list. But, because 20% of any business list is out of date each year, augment this list with new names from publications, your partners and other sources.

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10 Ways to Save Money at Your Next Show

When should I send in my advance orders?
Send your services and furnishing orders in approximately 30 days before the show and save up to 25% off the late/on-site pricing.
Do I have to cover the floor in my booth?
Yes, and you can order carpet or tile from Freeman.
Should I send my freight to the warehouse or to the Convention Center?
There are advantages to each option. Click here to learn the pros and cons of each plus other shipping and material handling/drayage tips. (please refer to pages 11-13 of First Time Exhibitor's Handbook).
How can I estimate my drayage bill before the show?
Click on www.myfreemanonline.com, find your show, go to "Material Handling" and click on "Material Handling Estimator".
When should I arrive at the show to set up my booth?
Arrive as early as possible, pick up your exhibitor badge, check out your booth and go to the Exhibitor Service Center to confirm all your orders.
Do my shipments need certified weight bills?
To ensure your material handling charges are accurate, either provide weight tickets to your shipper or ask them to go to a scale before delivering your freight.
How do I store my perishables in a freezer or refrigerator and how much does this storage cost?
Use the "Freeze" or "Refrigerate" labels in your Exhibitor Service Manual behind the "Shipping/Delivery/Labor" tab. This service is provided at no charge.
How do I order flaked ice for my booth and how much does it cost?
Leave the "Please deliver ice" label in your booth the day before the show opens and at the end of each show day and ice will be delivered. This service is provided at no charge.
Can my electrical be distributed in my booth before I arrive?
Yes, send in a detailed floorplan of your display, clearly indicating where you want the power dropped, and inform the electricians that you want your outlets installed before you arrive at the show.
When is show power on and do I need to order 24 hour power?
Electrical is turned on approximately one hour before the show opens each day and turned off one hour after the show closes. Order 24 hour power only for the outlets that need uninterrupted power.

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Strategies to Sell More at the Show: How to Select and Train your Booth Staff

How do I select my booth staff?
Booth staff selection is the single most important factor in your exhibiting success. Please click on First Time Exhibitor's Handbook and go to page 17 for Susan Friedmann's "Avoid Booth Duds: Thirteen Essential Questions You Have to Ask" as you staff your booth for your next show.
Why does my sales staff need exhibit staff training?
Your sales staff needs to understand that selling on at a tradeshow is different from an office sales call. At tradeshows you have to interact with a fluctuating flow of attendees in a very distracting environment. Basic "boothmanship" training will help rookies and remind experienced staff that conversations with attendees need to be quick (no longer than five minutes) with the goal of getting an appointment after the show. For more techniques to train your staff please click here for "How to Get the Most out of Your Exhibit Staff" by Candy Adams.
When should I have this meeting; how long should it be and how do I get staff to attend this meeting?
Give lots of advance notice, schedule it the day before the show opens for no more than ninety minutes, have an executive open the meeting, serve food and distribute your staff's show badges and shirts at this meeting. Learn more about running successful staff training sessions by clicking on "How to Train Exhibit Staff" and "Exhibit Orientation".
What is an "elevator speech" and why do we need one?
Some attendees won't know your company or your services. To introduce your company to these attendees, give your staff a 30 second speech that explains what your company does, some of your well know clients, some of the best features/benefits of working with your company that ends with question or a call to action about their needs.
What resources are available to help me train my booth staff?
Have your staff go to www.exhibitoradvantage.com and take the Tradeshow Advantage On-line, a self-paced, exhibit staff training course.
How do I create an effective lead capture card?
Click on First Time Exhibitor's Handbook and go to page 19 to read how to design a winning lead card.
How much literature and promotional items should I bring?
Click on First Time Exhibitor's Handbook and go to page 18 and learn accepted guidelines on home much sales literature and premiums to bring.
How do I engage an attendee in my booth?
Please click here and read Barry Siskind's "Approaching Prospects on the Show Floor".
How do I disengage from an attendee?
Please click here and read Barry Siskind's "Once the Conversation is Over – It's Over!"
How many attendees should we plan to meet with per hour?
Your staff should have approximately 8 meaningful discussions (each being approximately 5 minutes) per hour with attendees.

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Follow Up on Your Show Leads Before Your Competitor Does

FAQ’S Courtesy of Ruth Steven’s Trade Show and Event Marketing

Why should I follow up on my leads?
Half of all business people who make product inquiries will at some point make a purchase.

Why are show leads so valuable?
Show leads are the potential customers who sampled your product or saw your demo at the show. They are usually decision-makers or influencers in the buying process who came to the show to source product and/or solve a problem.

Why do I need to follow up with my leads immediately after the show?
If the prospects you met at the show don’t hear from you, half of them will buy from someone else. So send them a fax, email, or give them a call immediately after the show thanking them for visiting and confirming what you promised them and when they will get it.

When should I follow up?
Ideally, follow-up should take place within 24 hours. A week is reasonable if the prospect is still at the show for a few days. After 30 days, you are probably too late to serve the prospect’s needs.

What happens if I don’t follow up within 30 days?
Your fulfillment performance is seen by prospects as an indicator of what it’s like to do business with you. Can they rely on you to deliver? It’s your company’s first opportunity to establish your credibility with a potential customer.

How can I value leads?
Calculate the cost per lead generated at the show by dividing the entire show budget (including all variable costs, like travel and hotels) by the number of leads generated at the show. Or estimate the value of a converted lead to your company, which is your company’s average order size, multiplied by the lead conversion rate. So, if your company typically sells $12,000 worth of product at a time, and each qualified lead is likely to convert to a sale at a 30% rate, then the value of a qualified lead is $3,600. This amount represents the opportunity cost of not working the lead.

When should I plan for post-show follow up?
Create a plan before you leave for the show that includes: