five tips to maximize trade show roi as

Exhibiting at a trade show is one of the most expensive sales and marketing activities that any company incurs. Insuring that the investment in booth space, travel, personnel and other miscellaneous costs is returned through future sales is essential for any company. A business that has dedicated itself to having a sales culture recognizes the tremendous opportunities presented by trade shows and focuses on maximizing the return from their show investment. Here are 5 keys to having a successful show.1. Make 1 person responsible for the show's success. In my experience, shared responsibility is a main reason for show disasters. One person takes care of the booth, another is responsible forthe product, the sales manager decides who attends the show and the marketing manager schedules everyone to work in the booth.Instead of this chaos, smart companies have one person who pulls everything together. This person has the authority to get things done without excuses. Starting well ahead of the show, he or she calls planning meetings, orders the product, reserves the hotel, lays out the booth and is the center of all activities. Everyone knows whom to contact and who is in charge. After being involved in 100s of shows, believe me this one tip will make trade show success much more likely.2. Always send out invitations to your customers to visit you at the show booth. I know many of you will say why worry about seeing customers whom you can talk to at any time when you are at a trade show. But having the opportunity to show them products they may not have seen, to introduce them to your management or other team members, and to spend some extra time visiting can be very helpful in building a stronger relationship. If possible, try to set up a specific time to meet in your booth so that you can be ready with your presentation. Having lunch or dinner with a customer at the show is always helpful also.3. Have a theme or central message for your booth. I've seen too many companies that simply tell their booth personnel to show up on time, take a quick look around the booth at any new products and put on a smile. The salespeople are on their own from there. But in order to make the most of their trade show investment, companies with sales cultures develop a central message to be delivered to all booth visitors. It might be product or sales oriented; or be about a new marketing campaign. No matter what the theme is, it must be used over and over by everyone in the booth. For instance, if there is a new product, it must be mandatory for each person working in the booth to bring their customers and prospects over to the product and give a sales pitch. The salespeople should know the product intimately and be able to explain it and answer any conceivable questions.4. Be sure everyone in the booth can discuss every product in the booth. When I was younger, I worked in the booth for companies that made very technical electrical equipment. Because I was in marketing I was obliged to attend shows but when I was in the booth I was terrified of showing my technical ignorance. Looking back, I realize that I should have been nowhere near the booth. Don't embarrass your company by having untrained people in the booth. I've known accounting and even some management people that have worked in the booth but couldn't really answer more than the simplest questions. That gives a terrible impression of your company and can waste valuable face time with customers and prospects.5. Track and respond to everyone who visits the booth. I shouldn't have to include this but I have seen too many companies break this cardinal rule. With today's hand held scanners and other electronic gadgets to help, there is no excuse for not capturing information about everyone coming to the booth. Of course a name without more information can be useless. It is mandatory that some indication of product or service interest also be captured for every person you meet. Then, when someone follows-up with the contact they can focus on which product or service most interested the visitor, moving the sales process ahead at a quicker pace.By following these simple rules companies will increase their sales from trade shows and recoup their investment in a very costly sales and marketing endeavor.

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