Getting The Most From Attending A Trade Show
Trade shows are an excellent opportunity to network and find new contacts, check out new companies and their product lines, or find qualified candidates for a position. But trade show attendance also is about attending at least one seminar that can help your business in some way. And it’s not just the big guys who hold seminars-chances are there will be at least one side session worth your time and attention.
Another important aspect of trade show attendance (or any conference for that matter) is the ability to maintain contact with attendees after the event ends so you can have built relationships with them. And the people you network with at a show could become important sources of referrals and leads for your business.
Many people will bring a notebook, pad or laptop computer to the show and jot down notes that may lead to good contacts later on. Others will print out information from their laptops to keep on file for future reference. These are tools you should consider also.
If there is a seminar or side session that sounds interesting, then attend it-especially if there’s some type of discount available for the attendance. And if there are free seminars, don’t pass up on them-maybe you can learn something new about your industry or about sales and marketing in general, which might help your business down the road.
The info you get at the show may lead to some new business ventures, too. For example, say you hear about a company whose services could be useful to your business. After the show, contact that company and see if they can help you with your project. If it works out, then write up an ad to appear in their newsletter or e-zine advertising your services.
If there is a seminar at the show that sounds worthwhile (and not just promoting products), go and take notes so you can refer back to them later and even use them as a reference for your own seminar or presentation if you want to go that route in the future.
If there are exhibitors at the event who have non-related products and services, then contact them after the show is over and see if they can give you some leads on new business. For example, an exhibitor for a green environment-friendly product might be someone to approach about helping you clean up your office or building. Or a printer might be able to point you towards other prospects in your market area who also print out flyers and brochures for their businesses.
As mentioned before, use this time to build relationships that can help your own company later on. Perhaps some of the contacts you make at the trade show will help find and hire employees for your company or refer interested clients to you later on.
So what’s the bottom line for properly preparing for and getting the most from a trade show? If you’re going to leave home, dress up nicely and look professional. And, plan on spending at least two hours per day attending seminars or side sessions. And take notes, take notes, take notes!
Slightly modified from a very informative article by marketing manager Ryan Moran on trade show preparation, published in “The Business Coach” column of The Plain Dealer, Sept. 20-24, 2004 edition. (http://www.cleveland.com)
Paul Schaeffer is a business coach serving northern Ohio including Cleveland and Akron as well as Erie County in Pennsylvania. Paul specializes in coaching individuals to take control of their business and finances. E-mail: schaeffercoach@gmail.com
The Business Coach is published biweekly (every other week) by The Plain Dealer, 1570 Superior Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio 44114.
http://www.cleveland.com/business/index.ssf/2005/08/getting_the_most_from_attending_.html
Category: Business Coaching, Effective Business Coaching Techniques, Non Profit Organizations | Comments Off on Getting The Most From Attending A Trade Show...
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Getting The Most From Attending A Trade Show... posted on: Aug 11, 2008 | author: Paul Schaeffer (schaefcoach@gmail.com) | filed under Business Coaching, Effective Business Coaching Techniques and Tips | tags: attending a trade show, business coaching success tips, business coaching techniques, trade show tips | categories: business coaching category, business coaching success tips category, effectiveness of this article is questionable, resources and links for more information on this topic
The article above was taken from the August 11-17, 2008 issue of The Business Coach - an ezine that shares powerful ideas and strategies to help businesses prosper and succeed. Published every other week by The Plain Dealer, 1570 Superior Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio 44114. To subscribe to the The Business Coach ezine, visit http://www.cleveland.com/business/businesscoach/.
Category: Business Coaching | Comments Off on Getting The Most From Attending A Trade Show...
Comments are closed.
Getting The Most From Attending A Trade Show... posted on: Aug 11, 2008 | author: Paul Schaeffer (schaefcoach@gmail.com) | filed under Business Coaching, Effective Business Coaching Techniques and Tips | tags: attending a trade show, business coaching success tips, business coaching techniques, trade show tips | categories: business coaching category, business coaching success tips category, effectiveness of this article is questionable, resources and links for more information on this topic
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Successful Trade Show Sales Presentation Tips posted on: Aug 11, 2008 | author: Paul Schaeffer (schaefcoach@gmail.com) | filed under Business Coaching, Effective Business Coaching Techniques and Tips | tags: attending a trade show, business coaching success tips, business coaching techniques, trade show tips | categories: business coaching category, business coaching success tips category, effectiveness of this article is questionable, resources and links for more information on this topic
The article above was taken from the August 11-17, 2008 issue of The Business Coach - an ezine that shares powerful ideas and strategies to help businesses prosper and succeed. Published every other week by The Plain Dealer. To subscribe to the The Business Coach ezine, visit http://www.cleveland.com/business/businesscoach/.