Exhibit in Trade Shows?

Deciding to exhibit in Wholesale Trade Shows may be one of the biggest decisions you make with in your product based business. Doing a trade show involves serious commitment of time and resources, and is not to be considered lightly.

Personally, I have exhibited and visited several trade shows on the northwestern coast, and I know how overwhelming they may seem.

In Boaz David, from the Human B, newsletter last month, he made some very good points:

If you do decide to do a trade show….

1.    Research & careful planning – choosing the right show for your brand is half the battle. There are many … trade show, big ones, small ones, ones that are geared towards specific markets. … You should do your homework and research them. Look them up, see if you can ask store buyers or your exciting accounts what shows they visit and why. Check your competition … Look at the exhibitors list for the shows … Contact the show if you have any questions …Keep in mind that finding the right show starts with you being very clear about who is your target customer/stores. So make sure you have that down first.

2.    Define your expectations – a key point to evaluate if a show was good or bad has to do with what you expecting. … managing your expectations can make the experience a lot more positive for you….

3.    Get appointment – this point is a big key to the success of the show. It is assumed that being in a show that generates lots of traffic from buyers all you need is to have a booth and buyers will stop. … what you want to do is contact your existing customers and to set appointments to meet them at the show…

4.    Line presentation – once you have a buyer at the booth you want them to feel that this is not your first time and that you are professional, you know how things work and what you are doing (yes, even if you fake it), therefore your presentation should support that. …

5.    A welcoming booth – your booth should be clean, approachable with easy access to the samples, and enough room to present the line and work with a buyer. Avoid having heavy furniture that blocks the buyer from reaching out to the samples or from interacting with you. … Making a buyer welcome and comfortable will set the tone for their impression of you and the line.

6.    Get noticed – In a crowded show you’ll need to find a way to have the design of your booth and your presentation stands out to get the attention of buyers who running from one booth to another. Off course this should be done in a way that is consistent with your brand identity and within your budget. …

7. Know your stuff – …you have one chance to convert when a buyer walks into your booth. Make sure your presentation is polished! You … Again, you want to make the buyer feel that you know what you are doing.

8.    Follow up – The show went well, you had some nice orders and some new leads, but your job is not done yet. Now you should follow up with those who visited your booth, thank them, confirm the orders with buyers and follow up on any new leads….