Would you like to get extra mileage from your trade show display at you next trade show? Of course you would! Anyone who has ever manned a display booth knows how it feels to attract a great deal of activity, and the depression when you spend a lonely day waiting for visitors to approach your trade show display. Success at trade shows depends on more than just a sellable product—it requires implementing the three “P's” . . . "Planning, Practicing and Presenting."

PLANNING

Good marketing with a trade show display doesn't just happen. It is the result of a well thought out plan that identifies your trade show display objectives with the targeted audience. Every trade show offers a new opportunity to reach a different population. A basic marketing approach that allows enough flexibility so it can be revised as the audience changes, is one of the most valuable tools you can have in your trade show display “kit”.

Developing a marketing approach for a trade show display is not difficult. Changing a previous plan is also easy. In both cases, if you are able to answer the following five questions :
1. What are your objectives in attending this show? i.e. are you image building, expecting to sell your product line, looking for partnering opportunities, testing the market?
2. Who is your target audience? i.e. Do they need to learn who you are? Would you like to sell products to them during the show?
3. Based on your answers to questions 1 and 2, what will your core message on your trade show display be?
4. Based on your answers to questions 1, 2 and 3, what personal image on your trade show display would best support your product?
5. What product image would best carry your core message?

PRACTICING

Once you have planned your event by answering questions 1 through 5, practice your core message and focus on the needs of the audience. As the product line expert, you must know your audience as well as your product. Knowing your audience includes understanding their needs, their likes and dislikes. It demands that you practice focusing only on those product attributes that apply to the attending audience. Practice means learning.

PRESENTING

Your personal appearance and the presentation of the product line using a trade show display is important because it becomes the image that your target audience remembers. Matching your personal appearance to the expectation of the product line, and projecting the product image in a format that is easily recognizable, will do more for product acceptance than a twenty page brochure. Giving attendees something they can use after they have left your trade show display booth with your product name on it, will remind them of your image long after they have left your exhibit.

The goal is to support your image with visuals, words and “giveaways." Your exhibit booth graphics need to have a message that stands out in the crowd and words need to be simple and clear. When they are, “branding” will occur automatically . . . because people identify a product by memorable trade show display, custom graphics and concise words.

WHERE DO YOU START?

Talk to the experts . . . those individuals who have spent years developing marketing approaches for trade shows, trade show display booths, point of purchase displays and are still involved in convention presentations today, either behind the scenes or marketing their product line. Investigate all the ways you can display your produc with your trade show display. Pick the “giveaways” that support your product and will be used by attendees after they leave the show. Find a way to make your words meaningful, concise and clear. Ask for help with graphics because your image is most important... "Remember, your competition knows your image is important!

Last but not least, choose the trade show display booth that meets your needs—i.e. portable, easy setup and knockdown, lightweight, modular expandable, multipurpose, graphic friendly.

“Planning, Practicing and Presenting” will help to ensure a solid product introduction at your next trade show. Building the image personally, visually and verbally will ensure that your product is remembered long after the trade show ends.