Part 2: Exhibitors and Sponsors Listen Now!

Part 1 of this article series was geared toward attendees and making the most out of this summer's conferences and trade shows. For Part 2, I will delve into the responsibilities exhibitors and sponsors have to ensure they have a successful experience and positive ROI as well.

At?Edge Marketing, Inc.?it is our goal as experts in the field of legal and accounting marketing and public relations is to help our clients have the best experiences possible. Many of our clients are exhibitors at trade shows and conferences and we work with them daily to prepare and get the most ROI out of events.

Exhibitors and Sponsors Listen Now:

Exhibiting and sponsorship opportunities should not be taken lightly. It can be expensive and time-consuming. To maximize your return on investment, below are some actionable steps that should not be taken lightly!

Set your goals: Set clear and measurable goals prior to every event. Outline what you hope to accomplish, how many contacts you hope to make, what messages you want to convey about your company, etc.

Clarify your elevator pitch: Have at least three key messages you want communicated about your service/product offering and company while at the show. Make sure your staff is aware and trained on these key message points. You only have seconds to make a good first impression and having these points ready and rehearsed will ensure you make the most of it.

Know the attendee make-up: Make sure you know the distinct types of people who will be attending the event and educate your staff on what messages work for which types. Be sure to ask qualifying questions of those who approach your booth to identify what they will be most interested in learning about. If someone comes by your booth that perhaps isn't an ideal fit for your product or service, it is okay to greet them as well as you just never know who they know, and a positive greeting might lead to another introduction that perhaps would be more productive for you.

Staff your booth appropriately: Have your booth staffed at all times and be careful not to over-staff it. You need the right number of staff to make the booth look inviting. Some conferences encourage booth staff to attend sessions. This is a fantastic opportunity for your team to go listen, learn and perhaps bring back some new ideas for product or service development.

Look professional and welcoming: Make sure your staff is dressed appropriately for the event and do not allow them to sit, eat, drink, or work on cell phones or e-mail while staffing the booth. There is nothing less inviting than walking by a booth where the booth staff has their noses in their phones or laptops. Opportunities are being lost.

Engage with attendees: Prepare at least three engaging questions prior to attending the show and communicate these to your staff who will be working the booth. This is a wonderful way for you to “pull” people into a conversation to judge whether they are a good fit for your offering.

Rent a lead retrieval device: If possible, rent a lead retrieval system from the show organizer and scan people’s badges. This provides you with an effortless way to follow up with people who show interest in your offering after the event has ended. Many conferences are starting to incentivize attendees to go get more badge scans. Again, while the person you are scanning may not always be the perfect fit for your product or service, they may know someone that is.

Take notes: Keep notes on the people you visit with at the event. If they leave behind a business card, jot down information that you learned about them while they were visiting. When you follow up after the event, they will be impressed that you remembered them and what you discussed.

Perfect your follow-up: Make sure you develop a post-show marketing plan that enhances memorability and adds value to your message. Timing is of the essence, and there needs to be a delicate balance between reaching out not too soon and not too long after the event.

Without proper pre-, during-, and post-show planning, you may be leaving some ROI on the table. Finding the expertise, time and resources to do so can be challenging. If you find that you're in a bind or want to truly amp up your conference and trade show success, feel free to reach out to me today.