Trade show marketing idea

[The Infotainer]

Hello

to answer this question put yourself into a position of

you have just spend $3K to $10K on a trade show stand which runs for 3 days
you are not making any leads and your looking worried and your losing hope
(It's not your money- it's the companies) but you are responsible for generating results.

I guy walks up to you at the stand and offers to get more traffic at no cost right now.
he looks good, well dressed, smells nice, well groomed (almost like me)
he shows pictures of what he has done for other companies

do you

A: tell him to get lost
B: give him a chance to prove it.

why do I ask, because thats what I am going to be doing in the future once the new website is finished, and I need some courage to do it (because I have been kicked out before)

[NathanB]

I would ask what's the catch?

[AdvancedPetSitting]

I would have to agree with NathanB - nothing in life is free. There is always a catch.

[The Infotainer]

the catch is you might want to book me down the track- if you like what you see if not it's OK and I walk away. Also- other companies (especially those opposite the stand) will see me in action

It's not easy to market to the exhibition industry without cold calling by phone all the exhibitors, and that can work but most exhibitor lists online don't have direct contact details so you have to "get through" the receptionist or the PA which is not easy, and I don't want to cold call, because you then send a proposal and why not demonstrate there and then on the floor

there are no lists to rent
the association doesn't help
organisers don't promote services (you'd think they would)
Marketing magazine has every single story on social or online marketing NEVER about trade shows


My best sale is demonstrating what I do- it's honest, this way people buy into the solution as apposed to the idea

NEW WEBSITE COMING!

[The Infotainer]

There are free things in this world- AIR for one

and its a demo is what it is with no loser, they don't book there and then for the next show they get my details and I am seen performing it's relationship building as well.

google is for free
facebook is for free

sure there are paid advertising but essentially it's free to use.
sending an email is free, sending 100 is spam.

the question is- where are my customers? they are at the trade show, and sure I was kicked out of a few back 2 years ago, but I have a better approach and on hand documents that I can show them, (I might even buy an ipd2 for a video demo before they allow me to perform. there is no talk of price it is free for an hour or so, so they can compare. I remember doing it about 3 years ago and got a video testimonial from it- I delivered more leads in 5 minutes that the client had in the previous 2 hours
http://www.tradeshowcrowdbuilder.com...tcustomers.htm 5th video down, the one above it is from the stand opposite my client at another show.

if the question is whats the catch then - thats cool as long as your first instinct is not to say sod off, then I would have the confidence.

to make it easier I may end up calling the organisers and offer my services for free to help weak exhibitors- this way I am at the expo on an official capacity making the sale easier down the track.

[AdvancedPetSitting]

He-he - AIR is for free now Wait until they tax that too

Also I have noticed that a lot of people who are doing the trade shows are not the people that make the decisions.

Maybe working with the organisers would be a better approach. You can see if there is a way they can include your services in their welcome packages to the participants. Just an idea.

[The Infotainer]

Originally Posted by AdvancedPetSitting

He-he - AIR is for free now Wait until they tax that too

Also I have noticed that a lot of people who are doing the trade shows are not the people that make the decisions.

Maybe working with the organisers would be a better approach. You can see if there is a way they can include your services in their welcome packages to the participants. Just an idea.

your right

In the USA- marketing bosses are at the show after spending thousands of dollars

over here the stand are populated by new staff and the marketing manager is back in the office.

I'll be hitting the big companies as apposed to the large amount of smaller companies.

I guess call the organiser first- if no success and they don't have other big shows I will cold call the expo.

I used to offer a pre show seminar for free to organisers under the hope that by doing the seminar I would get exposure but many organisers now don't hold pre show "how to exhibit" over here yet once again in the USA they still do

(yes I am thinking of moving over there, but the GFC is bigger over there)

[BranchingOut]

What about asking the organisers if you can run a pre show seminar for free and then let the exhibitors know that you will be around to demostrate specifically for their product?

Maybe through this you can start positioning yourself as the expert, by showing goodwill to get them started and then show your "real" wares during the exhibition.

Good Luck with it all

[Cat - GLC]

Hi Infotainer,

I know quite a few business that exhibit in trade shows. I for one am exhibiting in one in a few months. Would love to know a bit more about what you do and how your do it etc.

Feel free to shoot me an email.


Regards

Cat

[King]

well if you approached me, I would say OK, you have 30 mins, do your stuff!