Trade shows can be a great way for businesses to showcase products and services to potential customers and partners. Often they are sales teams' primary way of generating leads. This makes the events very high value, but that value comes at a very high cost. The cost of exhibiting at trade shows ranges from expensive to hugely expensive.
Trade shows are risky. The high cost and the possibility of not capitalizing on the potentially huge value, make them one of the riskier things that most companies invest in.
To ensure you secure the value from a show you need to follow a handful of best practices.
Best practices for making your trade show spend worth it
Set clear objectives for what you want to achieve at the show.
Plan your pre-show marketing activities to generate interest and attract attendees to your booth.
Choose an effective booth design that supports your objective for the show.
Train your staff to be knowledgeable and approachable, and provide them with the tools they need to capture leads and follow up with prospects after the show.
Take advantage of community networking opportunities at the trade show.
Capture as much as you can at the show to maximize the value of being there.
Have a detailed show follow-up plan, collect what you need at the show, and then execute it!
Tune in on 3/30 at 10 AM CT to get into the specifics of your show planning to ensure you aren't wasting your trade show spend.