Part 3: PLAN Before Completing a Trade Show Strategy

So there’s strategy, and then there’s execution.  Which one matters more?  Well if you come up with the most brilliant trade show strategy ever, but don’t know how to put it into motion, then what?  Since both of the two work hand and hand, it’s important to develop a strong, well thought out execution plan before you consider your trade show strategy to be complete.

Below are some questions to help guide you in the process of planning for a trade show.  There will always be more things you can ask and research, these are more to get you thinking. 

 

To start define what you want to get out of this event.

• What would you love attendees to do when they visit your booth?
• How do you plan to get them to remember you?
• How many leads would you like to aim for?
• How many sales seem reachable to make?

Once that's figured out, think about what will make those goals happen.

• How will you get attendees to want to visit your trade show booth walls?  
• What kind of colors and display will catch their eye?
• Who is going to do the booth display?
• Will you have any props, if so what ones?
• Will there be any videos, pamphlets, gifts, etc?
• Would providing a demonstration about your product/or service be reasonable, as well as possible?

 

Next, think about your staff's part in this.

• How would you prefer them to interact with visitors?
• What should their sales approach be?
• Will different people be in charge of different things or will everyone try to be "selling," to people?
• How many employees will be attending?
• How many can you afford?
• Most importantly, what is everyone’s role before, during, and after the event?

 

Lastly, who is responsible?

• Once you decide how you want your booth to look, who is in charge of the creating the display?
• If you want to do pamphlets, who will be making those?
• If you want to do a demonstration, who is best suited to do that, and so on?

Overall, who is responsible for making this all happen?   

Thus, meaning for the planning, coordinating, and execution of the entire process.  It could be one person, it could be several but make sure you know who before you set things into motion.

We hope this helps steer you in the right direction!

Feel free to contact us if you have any questions, ideas, or comments.