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| | The Marketing, Channels/Partnership & Sales Execs Network is not currently active and cannot accept new posts | | Trade Show Questions | Views: 462 | | Sep 25, 2004 3:18 pm | | Trade Show Questions | # | 
Denise Michaels | | I apologize for not being around more the last couple days. I've been busy getting ready for a local trade show for small business owners - it took place today. I was a vendor in one of the booths. Trade shows can be one great way to get exposure in one or more days to a lot of people who are in your focus market.
This was my first time doing this. I've attended huge national trade shows like the Book Expo, but never something local.
Never again will I go into a trade show as a vendor or even just a seminar/conference attendee without asking a lot more questions. The woman who put on the event was well-intentioned and very sweet - but - at least at this moment in her life - she didn't have the moxie to really pull it off.
Here are some questions you might consider asking next time you get approached about going into a trade show:
How many times have you done this same kind of event before?
How many people did you have in attendance last time?
How many vendors?
Can you send me a diagram of the vendors display area?
Can I have any control over where my booth is located? Or at least what kinds of businesses are close to my booth?
Who will be MCing the event for the day? Is this person a dynamic and experienced speaker who can keep the energy up in a room?
Who are the guest speakers? What topics? Are they dynamic speakers who can keep the energy up in the room for the duration of their talk and be knowledgeable on their topic? Will they have a Power Point presentation? (Power point engages audiences on more levels.) Will the speakers provide handouts?
How long will breaks be? I want to make sure there is enough break time for people to mill over to my booth but not so much time that people are leaving the entire area because they're bored.
What's the focus market of the people who are being invited? More men or women? (This only matters if you offer products and services that are gender-specific. Like TFM.)
What will the promoter be doing to attract attendees and vendors to the event?
I'm going to keep this list of questions handy the next time I'm asked to do something like this. And I might even think of a few more questions over the next couple days, too.
All the best,
Denise Michaels
TFM Network Moderator
PS: It's official! My TFM Teleclass started last Thursday and another one will start soon. People are already registering and signing up. Don't miss out! Go to http://www.denisemichaels.com/TFM2.htm Private Reply to Denise Michaels | | Oct 01, 2004 4:52 am | | re: Trade Show Questions | # | 
Dean Jones | |
Hi Denise,
In my past experience of both exhibiting at as well as creating trade shows, your list of questions (as a potential client) are very good.
And the trade shows that answer (most) of these up front in their sales materials are the ones that you should give serious consideration to participating in. Those trade show companies that need you to "coax" this info from them - stay away.
Dean Jones
Marketing YOU, co-moderator
http://marketingyou-network.ryze.com
> Denise Michaels wrote:
> I apologize for not being around more the last couple days. I've been busy getting ready for a local trade show for small business owners - it took place today. I was a vendor in one of the booths. Trade shows can be one great way to get exposure in one or more days to a lot of people who are in your focus market.
>
>This was my first time doing this. I've attended huge national trade shows like the Book Expo, but never something local.
>
>Never again will I go into a trade show as a vendor or even just a seminar/conference attendee without asking a lot more questions. The woman who put on the event was well-intentioned and very sweet - but - at least at this moment in her life - she didn't have the moxie to really pull it off.
>
>Here are some questions you might consider asking next time you get approached about going into a trade show:
>
>How many times have you done this same kind of event before?
>
>How many people did you have in attendance last time?
>
>How many vendors?
>
>Can you send me a diagram of the vendors display area?
>
>Can I have any control over where my booth is located? Or at least what kinds of businesses are close to my booth?
>
>Who will be MCing the event for the day? Is this person a dynamic and experienced speaker who can keep the energy up in a room?
>
>Who are the guest speakers? What topics? Are they dynamic speakers who can keep the energy up in the room for the duration of their talk and be knowledgeable on their topic? Will they have a Power Point presentation? (Power point engages audiences on more levels.) Will the speakers provide handouts?
>
>How long will breaks be? I want to make sure there is enough break time for people to mill over to my booth but not so much time that people are leaving the entire area because they're bored.
>
>What's the focus market of the people who are being invited? More men or women? (This only matters if you offer products and services that are gender-specific. Like TFM.)
>
>What will the promoter be doing to attract attendees and vendors to the event?
>
>I'm going to keep this list of questions handy the next time I'm asked to do something like this. And I might even think of a few more questions over the next couple days, too.
>
>All the best,
>
>Denise Michaels
>TFM Network Moderator
>
>PS: It's official! My TFM Teleclass started last Thursday and another one will start soon. People are already registering and signing up. Don't miss out! Go to http://www.denisemichaels.com/TFM2.htm Private Reply to Dean Jones | | Oct 03, 2004 2:18 pm | | re: Trade Show Questions | # |
W | | Denise,
You are correct about asking lots those questions. There are many "event organizers" out there that simply try to sign up sponsors and exibitors without knowing how to plan, organize and execute a large scale event.
Some other questions to ask as well:
* How are you marketing the event? What's the lead time for them to start marketing the event?
* Does the event require payment to attend or is it free? (paid events are always better, as no one wants to waste money they've paid by skipping out on the event). Free events always have a large % of no shows
* What kind of audience attended before (is it the right target market for you)?
* How many attendees do they expect? (also always keep updated on the actual attendance/registration figures - it's almost always guaranteed they'll quote you more than the actual attendance)
Just some questions from my own experience.
Cheers,
Wayne Po
http://www.ethanhathaway.com
http://www.asiapreneur.com
> Denise Michaels wrote:
> I apologize for not being around more the last couple days. I've been busy getting ready for a local trade show for small business owners - it took place today. I was a vendor in one of the booths. Trade shows can be one great way to get exposure in one or more days to a lot of people who are in your focus market.
>
>This was my first time doing this. I've attended huge national trade shows like the Book Expo, but never something local.
>
>Never again will I go into a trade show as a vendor or even just a seminar/conference attendee without asking a lot more questions. The woman who put on the event was well-intentioned and very sweet - but - at least at this moment in her life - she didn't have the moxie to really pull it off.
>
>Here are some questions you might consider asking next time you get approached about going into a trade show:
>
>How many times have you done this same kind of event before?
>
>How many people did you have in attendance last time?
>
>How many vendors?
>
>Can you send me a diagram of the vendors display area?
>
>Can I have any control over where my booth is located? Or at least what kinds of businesses are close to my booth?
>
>Who will be MCing the event for the day? Is this person a dynamic and experienced speaker who can keep the energy up in a room?
>
>Who are the guest speakers? What topics? Are they dynamic speakers who can keep the energy up in the room for the duration of their talk and be knowledgeable on their topic? Will they have a Power Point presentation? (Power point engages audiences on more levels.) Will the speakers provide handouts?
>
>How long will breaks be? I want to make sure there is enough break time for people to mill over to my booth but not so much time that people are leaving the entire area because they're bored.
>
>What's the focus market of the people who are being invited? More men or women? (This only matters if you offer products and services that are gender-specific. Like TFM.)
>
>What will the promoter be doing to attract attendees and vendors to the event?
>
>I'm going to keep this list of questions handy the next time I'm asked to do something like this. And I might even think of a few more questions over the next couple days, too.
>
>All the best,
>
>Denise Michaels
>TFM Network Moderator
>
>PS: It's official! My TFM Teleclass started last Thursday and another one will start soon. People are already registering and signing up. Don't miss out! Go to http://www.denisemichaels.com/TFM2.htm Private Reply to W | | |
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