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