Top Seven Tips For A Successful Expo

  1. Make New Contacts: The Business Expo gives you an opportunity to meet more people in one day than you might meet in an entire month (or more!). Make the most of this opportunity by creating a booth that encourages people to come speak to you. Also make time during the day to walk the show floor and increase your exposure.
     
  2. Follow-Up For Success: You will meet hundreds of people at the Expo, and follow-up is the key to success. Keep business cards and contact information and make a plan to get in touch with your new contacts after the Business Expo.
     
  3. Promote Your Booth: Give your current and prospective customers a reason to visit you at the Expo. Promote your booth in the weeks leading up to the event with emails, post cards, notes, in-store posters, etc.

    Some ideas:

    •  Special expo pricing
    •  A chance to win a prize if they visit your booth: This also gives you an opportunity to collect business cards from people at your booth that can be used for leads later.
    •  Introduce a New Product or Service: Stimulate their curiosity and let them know you'll have a surprise at the Expo.
    • Demonstrate Your Products: You have only a few minutes to make an impression, so keep it short and sweet.
    • Promote Your Expo Booth: Do inserts in your billings to customers to promote the expo; do something small that would not incur additional postage. If you have one, use your newsletter to promote your expo participation.
       
  4. Bold Colors for Best Visibility: Black lettering on a yellow or orange background is more likely to be read than if it's on a white background. Don't hold back- use colors like red, yellow or orange. Bright colors indicate an important message.
     
  5. Eye Contact and Body Language: Give immediate attention to people entering your booth. If possible, have at least two people at your booth, so you can greet everyone. Don't look like your standing at attention, or put your hands in your pocket. If it helps, carry something in one of your hands. Greet people with a smile and act interested in their needs. In smaller exhibits don't stand in the center; stand off to the side, near the front corner of the exhibit.
     
  6. Make Your Give-Aways Count: Eliminate the "grab and run" attendees. Don't stack your free giveaways on the table unless you want everyone to have them. Display only one to create interest. The best way to use giveaways is to carry a few with you, and after each conversation give the item as a thank you gift for visiting your booth. With this approach maybe you can afford a more valuable give-away now that you know they will be given only to those actually interested in your company's product or service. Another approach is to tie giveaways to some form of registration and questionnaire.
     
  7. Did We Mention Follow-Up? Follow-up after the show is the best way to guarantee success. This is where many exhibitors drop the ball. Make use of the names you have gathered; send thank you notes, send out your informational brochures, follow-up on your sales leads, and fulfill your promises to send information immediately.