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Trade Show Success Tips: Strategies for Small Business Owners

by BlogEdmiston Group

Trade shows are an invaluable resource for small business owners looking to expand their network, showcase their products and services, and gain a competitive edge. Whether you are planning on sponsoring a booth or participating as an attendee, this article has trade show success tips and strategies to help you make the most of your experience.

Sponsoring a Booth: Sponsoring a booth at a trade show offers a unique opportunity to make a big impact on potential clients. You can control the narrative and immerse potential customers in a captivating brand experience. When you engage face-to-face, you begin to build a relationship with the prospect. This face-to-face contact enhances credibility, fosters trust, and allows you to form lasting relationships that can lead to increased sales and brand loyalty.

Attending as a Participant: Participating as an attendee at a trade show can be just as beneficial. It is an efficient way to research industry trends, evaluate competitors, and discover new innovations. It’s also a chance to network with peers, industry leaders, potential partners, and suppliers. These connections can lead to valuable partnerships and collaborations.

How Trade Shows Enhance Your Marketing Strategy

Trade shows are an integral part of a successful marketing strategy, offering a unique blend of direct interaction and brand building. It allows you as a business owner to create a memorable experience around your brand, to generate leads, and build relationships, all while staying abreast of industry trends. This marketing approach blends seamlessly into an overall strategy by providing opportunities for content and valuable insights in your industry for future marketing efforts.

Trade Show Success Tips for the Big Day! 

How to Make the Most of Sponsoring a Booth

  • Create an Interactive Experience: Instead of simply showcasing your products, create an engaging environment that draws attendees to your booth. Think touchscreens showcasing product demos, virtual tours of your facilities, or interactive games related to your industry. 
  • Have a Plan for Capturing Leads: If feasible, integrate technology to efficiently gather attendee information. Badge scanners expedite the process, minimizing manual data entry. If you don’t have a scanner, have printed email signup sheets readily available. Or you can also have a QR code for attendees to scan and signup digitally.
  • Plan Your Follow-Up: After the show, act promptly. Send personalized emails within a week, expressing gratitude for their visit. Segment your leads based on their interests and tailor your follow-up communications accordingly. Pro Tip: Keep notes during the show so you can quickly customize the emails.
  • Project Your Best Self: Get a good night’s sleep the night before and then do your best to show up alert, enthusiastic, and well-rested. This is essential to making a positive impression. Remember, as a representative of your company, your demeanor and energy reflect directly on your brand.

How to Make the Most of Attending a Trade Show

  • Define Your Objectives: Outline specific goals you want to achieve before you get to the show, such as identifying potential suppliers, networking with industry leaders, or researching competitor offerings. 
  • Schedule Strategic Meetings: Don’t leave networking to chance. Schedule meetings in advance with key individuals from companies you’d like to connect with. Leverage the show’s mobile app or website to identify potential leads and plan your itinerary to maximize your time on the floor. 
  • Don’t Limit Networking Opportunities: Engage in conversations with attendees during breaks, in line for coffee, or at networking events. Be open to unexpected conversations—they often lead to valuable connections. 
  • Follow Up Promptly: After the show, follow up with new contacts within 72 hours. Connect on LinkedIn, send a personalized email, and suggest a follow-up call to continue the conversation.

Trade shows offer a unique avenue to share your brand message, build lasting connections, and gain a competitive edge. Whether you’re sponsoring a booth or attending as a participant, strategic planning, an engaging presence, and timely follow-up can make all the difference in your trade show success. The connections you make and the insights you gain can have a lasting impact, propelling your business toward greater visibility and success.

About the author: Autumn Edmiston is the CEO and owner of the Edmiston Group. The Edmiston Group is a multifaceted Pittsburgh-based marketing consulting firm providing senior-level marketing management services to businesses and non-profit organizations on a short or long-term basis. Core areas of service are business development strategies, website creation and management, social media management, marketing, strategic planning, and public relations. The Edmiston Group has consistently delivered and implemented real-world, proven business marketing ideas and strategies for business.

representation of marketing display items to brand for a trade show. Orange and white banners on a brown background.

3 Steps to a More Impactful Trade Show

by BlogEdmiston Group

Trade shows offer a wonderful opportunity to showcase your brand, network with industry peers, and gain valuable leads for business growth. If you plan on sponsoring a booth at a tradeshow, getting ready can be overwhelming. However, with the right guidance and planning, you can pull off the perfect trade show in 3 simple steps.

Step 1:  Create Marketing Materials

Preparing for a trade show requires careful planning and strategic creation of marketing materials. We recommend that you begin this process two to three months in advance. This gives you time to focus on creating cost-effective, high-quality flyers and promotional materials. 

You’ll want to share a clear and consistent message about your business across all your marketing materials. Many of these materials will be part of your display to attract attention to your booth, where you can provide engaging materials such as client testimonials and case studies.

Have a mix of detailed brochures for serious prospects and more general flyers for the wider audience. By ensuring everything aligns with your brand and including a call-to-action, such as setting appointments or newsletter signups, you can maximize your trade show impact.

Step 2:  Prepare Displays

Reach out and contact your display vendors 6-8 weeks in advance to explore what display options are best for you and your budget. This first step is a great opportunity to get feedback on your display design. Budgeting is crucial and is in part dependent on how long you plan to use the display. It is also important to consider the logistics of getting the display items to the show and the ease of setting them up for display. 

By carrying a clear and concise message from your marketing materials to your display items, with appealing graphics, your display will capture attention quickly. The goal of your display is to create interest within 3 seconds. Your company representatives can then engage and follow up with potential customers.

Step 3:  Finalize Promotional Items

Last but not least, choosing the right promotional product for a trade show is essential for maximizing return on investment. By planning ahead, you can integrate the promotional item into your overall marketing strategy, from pre-show invitations to post-show follow-ups. 

Focus on high-quality items that appeal to your target audience rather than generic giveaways. This will help build trust as your audience knows you understand their needs. Personalizing the promotional item to the audience’s preferences can enhance overall engagement and effectiveness.

Trade shows are a lot of work, but they can also be very rewarding both personally and financially for your business. By implementing the 3 steps above, you are well on your way to making your next trade show more impactful in terms of growing your audience, strengthening your brand, and creating relationships that impact your total sales and revenue. If you need help creating materials, preparing displays, or deciding what promotional item makes sense for your business, call the Edmiston Group at (724)612-0775. We would love to help!

About the author: Autumn Edmiston is the CEO and owner of the Edmiston Group. The Edmiston Group is a multifaceted Pittsburgh-based marketing consulting firm providing senior-level marketing management services to businesses and non-profit organizations on a short or long-term basis. Core areas of service are business development strategies, website creation and management, social media management, marketing, strategic planning, and public relations. The Edmiston Group has consistently delivered and implemented real-world, proven business marketing ideas and strategies for business.

Businesspeople With Digital Tablet Having Meeting In Office one-to-one meetings

The Power of One-to-One Meetings at a Trade Show

by BlogEdmiston Group
Businesspeople With Digital Tablet Having Meeting In Office one-to-one meetings

Trade shows have long been a cornerstone of networking and business growth, offering small business owners a unique platform to showcase their products and services. Amid the busyness and vibrant displays, one aspect stands out as a game-changer: the one-to-one meeting. In a sea of handshakes and business cards, these personalized interactions offer invaluable opportunities for small business owners to make meaningful connections, foster relationships, and drive success. 

Here’s why these meetings are so relevant:

Tailored Engagement: One-to-one meetings allow you to customize your pitch or discussion to each individual. This personal touch showcases your commitment and understanding of their needs, setting you apart from competitors.

Relationship Building: Trade shows are about more than immediate sales – they’re about building lasting partnerships. One-to-one meetings provide a chance to connect on a deeper level, forging relationships that can lead to collaboration, referrals, and mutual growth.

Efficient Use of Time: In a busy trade show environment, time is precious. One-to-one meetings let you focus on high-priority prospects, maximizing your time and efforts for the best possible outcomes.

Information Exchange: These meetings offer a two-way street for information sharing. You can learn about potential clients’ pain points, goals, and preferences, enabling you to tailor your offerings and solutions more effectively.

Problem Solving: One-to-one meetings are conducive to problem-solving discussions. Whether a prospect has reservations or queries, you can address them directly, turning hesitations into opportunities.

Qualifying Leads: Not every interaction leads to a solid lead. One-to-one meetings allow you to qualify prospects, ensuring you invest resources in prospects that align with your business objectives.

Memorability: In a crowded trade show, personalized attention leaves a lasting impression. When you take the time for a one-to-one discussion, potential clients are more likely to remember your brand and message.

Versatility: These meetings are adaptable – they can be casual, structured, spontaneous, or planned. This flexibility enables you to accommodate various prospects’ communication styles.

The more technology comes into our lives, the more important these one-to-one interactions are. They are invaluable. At trade shows, these personal meetings offer an opportunity for small business owners to connect, engage, and thrive. This connections empowers you to deliver tailored pitches, build relationships, and gain insights that can steer your business toward greater success.

If you are getting ready for your next trade show and need help with organizing your exhibit or planning your strategy, the Edmiston Group can help! Give me a call at 724- 612-0755.

About the author: Autumn Edmiston is the CEO and owner of the Edmiston Group. The Edmiston Group is a multifaceted Pittsburgh-based marketing consulting firm providing senior-level marketing management services to businesses and non-profit organizations on a short or long-term basis. Core areas of service are business development strategies, website creation and management, social media management, marketing, strategic planning, and public relations. The Edmiston Group has consistently delivered and implemented real-world, proven business marketing ideas and strategies for business.

Creative power and Powerful ideas business innovation concept with a red glowing boxing glove shaped as a light bulb representing strong innovative new thinking and competitive imagination.

ARE YOU PREPARING FOR A BUSINESS COMEBACK?

by BlogCommunicationsEdmiston Group

Creative power and Powerful ideas – new thinking and competitive imagination.

When there is a business halt, are you preparing for a strong comeback or sitting paralyzed in the silence? Because business owners are fearful of what is to come next, we often will sit back and do nothing. A business may never return to the way it was and just like the businesses that failed to embrace social media, those that choose to stand still and do nothing will lose.

Savvy business owners are taking this time to think of the future and what new lines of business or target clients they want to reach out to. Should their sales pitch change and if so what would that look like? Will the presentation desk, social media channels or website need updating? How will these changes impact their sales staff and will they need retraining? Could staff training be done remotely while the sales force team is working at home?

Try to work down the line deals. Now is the time to negotiate. If your conference has been canceled, negotiate rates on a tentative date to rebook the conference in the future. Pass along the savings to your customers to relaunch a successful event. Instead of doing nothing, you’ve become a problem solver.

If your fundraiser was postponed, can you create a go-fund-me campaign or an online event? There is so much need, you want to be certain your mission stays top of mind.

Meet your customers where they are. Yoga studios and gyms are providing online classes with instructors via Zoom and staying connected to their tribe through private Facebook groups. Chambers of Commerce are offering free classes on how to use Zoom. Restaurants have shifted from dine-in to take out and brick and mortar stores have opened on-line stores. Think about it. They have provided a solution to our present-day situation that could result in an additional revenue stream in the month’s ahead post COVID-19.

Barbara Corcoran, self-made millionaire, real estate mogul, and ‘Shark Tank’ star believes there is great opportunity in every crisis. She has survived 9/11 as well as other critical times in her business. “But here’s what I’ve learned on all these crises through all the years, Corcoran recently shared on her Business Unusual podcast. When things go south, they come back like gangbusters.”

Are you ready to breathe in and move forward to polish up your business? Let’s chat – give me a call at 724-612-0755 or email [email protected].

About the author: Autumn Edmiston is the CEO and owner of the Edmiston Group. The Edmiston Group is a multifaceted Pittsburgh based marketing consulting firm providing senior-level marketing management services to businesses and non-profit organizations on a short or long-term basis. Core areas of service are business development strategies, website creation and management, social media management, marketing, strategic planning, and public relations. The Edmiston Group has consistently delivered and implemented real-world, proven business marketing ideas and strategies for business.

Edmiston Group

Plan Ahead to Make the Most of Your Tradeshow (Part 2)

by ArticlesCommunications

Getting ready for a trade show can be overwhelming, but with the appropriate direction, pulling off the perfect trade show can be as easy as 1 * 2 * 3.  In part 2 of this 3-part series we focus on creating the perfect Display for your Booth.  Part 1 (Marketing Materials)   Part 3 (Promotional Products)

Step 2:  Prepare Your Booth with the Perfect Display

“3 Seconds!  That’s how long you have to capture the attention of a potential customer.  Grab it with an eye-catching display”

We talked with Lynne Arrington of Speedpro Imaging in Cranberry Township regarding best practices for selecting trade show display items.  Here’s what Lynne had to say.

Q: How far in advance should exhibitors contact you for new displays?  Lynne:  The ideal answer is the sooner the better.   6 – 8 weeks gives time to think about options and get feedback on proofs. Even when updating graphics on an existing display, time is needed to order replacement hardware.

Q:  What budgeting tips can you provide for deciding which display items to purchase?  Lynne:  Before selecting a display product, think about how long you will be using the display and for what purposes.  Do you want the display to be used repeatedly?  Can you repurpose the display and use it in your store, at a chamber event, at presentations?   Should the display be portable, should it have changeable graphics?  As an example, retractable banners stands can used to promote your brand or can be made for use with additional graphic cartridges that will promote a rotating theme or promotion.   Your expected usage will help to determine which display will best fit your needs.

Q: What is your #1 tip for creating the perfect display?  Lynne: Hone your message.  Your message should be simple, your graphics clean.  You have 3 seconds to grab someone’s attention, so you don’t want to overload information.  You DO want to pique interest.   Once your display has caught your potential customer’s attention, your trade show rep can get to work determining the best way to be helpful.

About the author: Autumn Edmiston is the CEO and owner of the Edmiston Group ~ The Edmiston Group provides senior level marketing management services to businesses and non-profit organizations on a short or long term basis.  Core areas of service are business development, marketing, strategic planning and public relations. The Edmiston Group has consistently delivered and implemented real-world, proven business marketing ideas and strategies for business growth.