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Can A Trade Show Boost Your Small Business?
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Article 3: Choose The Right Show
If you decide that a trade show exhibition makes sense for your small business, the first step is to choose the show or shows that will deliver the most bang for your bucks.
A good starting point is your industry trade association, which can probably give you details on all of the major shows taking place in your industry. Also check with your chamber of commerce for details on shows happening locally.
In addition, Tradeshow Week and Trade Show News Network offer extensive online directories of trade shows searchable by industry categories, trade show names, locations and more.
Once you narrow your search to a handful of shows that look like good prospects for your small business, do in-depth research on each show. Susan Friedmann, The Tradeshow Coach, is a consultant who helps clients get more results from their trade show exhibits. She’s also the author of “Meeting & Event Planning for Dummies” (For Dummies, 2003). When researching potential shows, Friedmann recommends that you ask show management these questions:
How long has the show been running and what trends exist for the last three to five shows? What is special or unique about the show that differentiates it from competing industry shows? How do the attendance and exhibitor figures compare for the last three to five shows? What is show management’s marketing program, and how far in advance of the show does the marketing program begin? Do the show’s dates coincide with another major event, whether locally, regionally or nationally? What percentage of attendance is pre-registered, and what percentage of pre-registered attendees are no-shows? What attendee profile information is available? What industry segments do attendees represent, and what is the geographic visitor breakdown? What is the average amount of time attendees spend on the show floor, and which other shows do attendees visit? What types of companies currently exhibit at the show? How many of these companies are industry leaders, and how many of them are your competitors? What after-hour events are organized so that exhibitors can meet attendees, and what exhibitor sponsorship opportunities exist?
Stephen Schuldenfrei, president of the Trade Show Exhibitors Association, the national trade association for event marketing professionals, recommends that, if possible, you attend a show before signing up to exhibit at it.
“You want to walk the floor and get a good feel for the attendees and other exhibitors,” he says. “Are attendees buyers or just tire kickers? And don’t forget to ask your current customers what trade shows they attend.”
Also be sure to read the trade show prospectus carefully, Schuldenfrei adds. “While it is a marketing piece designed to ‘sell’ you on the show, there’s usually valuable information in it about the show and its attendees that can help you make the right decision.
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Can A Trade Show Boost Your Small Business?
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