Trade Show Tip Sheet

Before the Show

> Set the goals you need to hit.

Though this may seem obvious, this is one of the most missed steps for brands. It’s crucial to clearly define what you want to get out of the show so you can effectively determine your ROI. Sure, it can be assumed that sales are your north star – but what are the other lofty ambitions your team has set to get the most of your experience?

You need goals that are clear and measurable, and that everyone on your team can work to achieve. Hold a pre-event briefing meeting to outline why your team is participating, what your key purpose is, key audiences, messaging and the value you’re getting from it. Everyone from marketing to sales should know their role, and the KPIs you’ve set so you can accurately measure your success and hold yourselves accountable. Once you’ve gone over it all, send it through as a PDF that your team can reference anywhere, at any time during the show.

> Get ready to scope out the competition.

Get your team up to speed on who will be there. Give them any and all of your well-rounded competitor documentation. From product reports and PODs to market trends and customer purchase behaviours, this information can help your team gain a deeper understanding of your competitors. While they’re researching, encourage your team to look into any recent partnerships, collaborations or new technologies your competitors may be promoting.

Don’t forget to include competitors’ booth numbers, so while you’re there you take note of:

• Visual Treatments: How are your competitors visually depicting themselves?
• Innovations: What innovations or hot products/services are they selling right now?
• Messaging: What types of messages are they leading with? How are they talking about their products/services? How are they differentiating themselves?
• Takeaways: What marketing or promotional materials are they giving to attendees? Are they interesting, different, fun?

Exhibiting? Look at your own brand messaging to ensure you have distinct, desirable and deliverable PODs to help you stand out from the crowd. Be sure to also have enough staff at your booth so they can effectively answer questions and make connections.

> Attending or exhibiting? Shout it from the rooftops.

Telling people beforehand that you’ll be attending will instantly open the lines of communication – from organizing coffee connects to pre-scheduling meetings with prospective clients or collaborators. Make a call, send an email, create some social posts and spread the news. Use trade show hashtags to connect with others who might also be going, or who might be watching the highlights from home.

> Prep that airport playlist.

If you’re travelling far, tap into that valuable downtime at the airport or on the plane to catch up on podcasts that can help get your attitude amped for the show ahead. Here are our top 3 favourites to help narrow down your search:

The ConTech Crew

The Building Code

The Build Show

During the Show

> Capture your audience. Not just the data.

Yes, the data you collect is incredibly valuable and critical. But what if you could get more than just someone’s contact info? In the time it takes to scan a badge or business card, you can start to learn more about their pain points, business size and ideal customer details. Or encourage them to follow your social media pages and have them sign up for your newsletter. By thinking bigger in this moment, you can capture audiences in a more meaningful way, allowing for further communication and relationship growth. Make sure the data you collect also connects with your existing CRM so it can be seamlessly added to your marketing communications.

> Drop the elevator pitch.

People want to hear more of your own story, rather than a rehearsed sales pitch. Think about how you can bring authenticity to your brand or products by connecting on more of a personal level. Do your products help customers in different ways? How does your brand foster loyalty and trust? How has your business evolved over time and what insights have you discovered along the way? Keep the conversation genuine but concise. Ask to hear their story. Show interest by asking open-ended questions and summarize what you’ve heard to ensure you’ve understood them. Think about scenarios from your own life and work experiences and use those to find common ground.

> Learn. Share. Repeat.

Of course, educational sessions provide massive value when it comes to learning how best to navigate the industry and get noticed. But remember, you can take those learnings and leverage them even further. Share valuable nuggets with your online community, tag presenters and create your own blog content on topics you found interesting. There are so many ways you can use this newfound knowledge to drive brand awareness and connect with your online community.

After the Show

> It’s go time for your sales team.

It’s time for your sales team to connect with those leads. Remind them to make it personal, valuable and prompt. Each message should be personalized, including the contact’s specific interests and details they’ve captured from past conversations. Encourage them to reach out as quickly as possible to start nurturing that relationship.

> Use the learnings to your advantage.

Document all of the keynote topics, trends, new products and innovations that really made an impact for you. What key messages did you learn? What innovations could drive new opportunities for your building materials brand? Use that quiet airport lounging time to gather the team and discuss their biggest takeaways. Here are some thought starters to try:

• Biggest trends
• Hottest products and innovations
• Most interesting lead or potential collaborator
• Competitor messaging that stood out from the rest
• Their personal highlight from the show

Had a booth? Ask your sales team to provide key statistics, including the total number of leads, cost per lead, customer pain points, customer locations and more. This will give you a well-rounded overview of your booth’s traffic and interest.

> Every connect matters.

It’s not enough to just add your new contacts to your LinkedIn community or email list. It’s about nurturing that new relationship. Find unique ways to connect. Whether it’s sending them a curated playlist of their favourite bands or industry podcast recommendations – valuable content that matters to them will help you continue the conversation and your relationship well after the show.