| The success or failure of your trade show
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| | 3. You construct a poorly designed Web
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| rests heavily on how well you market your
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| | site.
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| event. Marketing, when done right, can
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| | You'll feel like a relic left over from
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| project a positive image of your event,
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| | the pre-Electronic Revolution days if you
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| entice exhibitors to sign the dotted
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| | don't have a Web site. However, many
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| line, and attract loyal customers.
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| | trade show managers, in a rush to
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| However, critical mistakes in your
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| | construct and display a Web site, wind up
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| marketing campaign can have the opposite
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| | with sites that lack compelling graphics
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| effect. Here are five costly errors that
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| | or information that will be useful to
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| are common in our business, along with
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| | their potential exhibitors. Without
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| some sound advice on how to avoid making
| |
| | proper guidance you'll waste money ...
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| them.
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| | and project an image of a business that
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| 1. You select the wrong exhibition hall.
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| | isn't ready for this millennium.
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| You've got the perfect trade show -- or
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| | The solution: Find a reliable Web site
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| so you think. The products are a great
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| | designer who is familiar with the trade
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| fit for the demographics you're going to
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| | show business and will hire writers who
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| attract. The city you've selected is
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| | can create Web site copy that is
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| glamorous, loaded with cultural and
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| | powerful, persuasive, and informative.
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| entertainment opportunities, is easily
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| | But don't put a site up until you're
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| accessible, and has ample hotel space
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| | ready; you wouldn't want your Web site
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| near the exhibition hall. And you've done
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| | debut to fall flat.
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| a crackerjack job marketing your show --
| |
| | 4. You have a great Web site, but nobody
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| you've sold all your exhibit booths and
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| | sees it.
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| advance ticket sales are off the charts.
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| | Those who aren't Internet savvy sometimes
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| What could go wrong? Plenty, if the
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| | think that once they create a Web site,
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| exhibition hall you've selected is a poor
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| | their prospects will automatically find
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| fit.
| |
| | it -- after all, that's what Web search
|
| For example, suppose the exhibition space
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| | engines are for, right? Wrong! Search
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| is too small for the crowd you'll
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| | engines are great if someone wants
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| attract. With thousands of people pushing
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| | general information about trade shows,
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| and shoving each other to find the
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| | but there's no guarantee your show will
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| exhibits, your show will quickly get a
| |
| | be at the top of the "hit list." Because
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| bad reputation as an uncomfortable event
| |
| | there are millions of Web sites on the
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| where it's impossible to see all the
| |
| | Internet, the only sure way to
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| products. And negative word of mouth
| |
| | differentiate your site from the rest and
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| travels almost as fast as the speed of
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| | drive traffic to it is through collateral
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| light.
| |
| | advertising. Make sure your Web site
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| The solution: Do your homework! Get the
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| | address is prominently displayed on all
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| inside scoop from other trade show
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| | your advertising and marketing materials,
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| managers who have done shows at that
| |
| | including your stationery and business
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| exhibition hall. Find out what was
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| | cards. An expensive, snazzy Web site is
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| positive about their experiences. Conduct
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| | useless if no one visits it.
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| an on-site inspection before committing
| |
| | 5. You put together an ineffective ad
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| to the exhibition space, paying close
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| | campaign.
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| attention to such factors as exhibit hall
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| | Bad advertising is worse than no
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| space, bathroom facilities, and air
| |
| | advertising at all. Unless you have a
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| circulation.
| |
| | great in-house advertising department,
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| Consider location (is it in a dangerous
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| | resist the temptation to create your own
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| part of town?), accessibility (are there
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| | ad campaign. Advertising is not a good
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| traffic problems?), and service (are
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| | place to start a budget-cutting
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| ticket counters adequately staffed?).
| |
| | initiative. But just because you hire
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| Better yet, do your inspection while a
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| | pros to do your advertising doesn't mean
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| trade show is going on at the exhibition
| |
| | you'll have an effective campaign. It's
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| hall. You'll get to see for yourself
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| | best to find an ad agency that has had
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| whether shows operate efficiently there.
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| | consistent success in the trade show
|
| 2. You compile an ineffective prospect
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| | industry.
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| database.
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| | To find such an agency, do your research.
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| You might be trying to cut corners by
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| | Consult with other trade show managers
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| doing your data management in-house, but
| |
| | and look through the Advertising Redbook,
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| if you don't have database pros on staff,
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| | available in the reference section at
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| it's best to seek professional help! A
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| | most public libraries. Ask for examples
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| list that has unlikely prospects or
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| | of an ad agency's work with other trade
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| out-of-date addresses is a waste of time
| |
| | shows. Steer clear of campaigns that
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| and money, and you'll lose precious
| |
| | might be a turn-off to your prospects by
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| opportunities to zero in on hot potential
| |
| | appealing to a specific generation rather
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| customers. You might hesitate to spend
| |
| | than a wider audience. And remember that
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| more money on a solid database management
| |
| | humor and creativity are important
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| firm, but you could lose twice as much by
| |
| | attention-getting devices in advertising,
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| failing to reach the right target
| |
| | but don't let your message get lost.
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| audience.
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| |
|
