Trade shows can be an extremely valuable way to promote your business and make industry connections.

They are also, unfortunately, expensive and time-consuming. You need to put in a lot of effort to make the most of each trade show experience and get a good ROI.

Before You Go

Being poorly prepared for a trade show will only create a stressful experience for your team and lead to a bad experience for the people you interact with there. Being well-prepared can help your company make a better impression.

Know the Show

Before you even register for a trade show, do your research. Is it a B2B show or a B2C show? Are you making sales at the show or are you making connections? How many vendors and attendees are they expecting?

Knowing this basic information can help you set goals for the show and help you prepare your booth and materials.

Get Registered

Once you’ve decided that a show will be good for your business, it’s time to register. Registering will give you access to information you can use to be better prepared, like the booth dimensions, what will be provided, and what you have to pay extra for.

If the show allows you to pick a booth location, take advantage of that. Make sure you’re in a section relevant to your product and aim for booths on corners or near entrances. You might not get exactly what you want, but the sooner you pick the better your chances will be.

Eventually, you will also have access to a media list or attendee list of some sort. These are good resources to help you make contact with people you really want to meet at the show. A polite email asking for a meeting can go a long way.

Start Planning

Once you know you’re going to a show, you need to decide how many people from your company are going. Then you can work out travel and lodging arrangements. The sooner you do this, the better – no one wants to get left behind.

Chances are you won’t be traveling with your booth set-up and marketing supplies, so it’s important to make note of when and where packages need to be in order for them to be available to you at the beginning of the trade show.

The shipping deadline should be your guide so you know when all of your supplies need to be ready to ship out in order to arrive on time.

Order Materials

What supplies will you need for your booth? What marketing materials do you want to hand out at the show? Make sure you have everything you need ready to go well before the shipping deadline.

If you want flyers or brochures get them designed, approved, and ordered as soon as you can. Make sure you have an appropriately sized table for your display and any tablecloth, backdrop, or technology you may want to have there.

The sooner you order these things, the less you’ll have to worry about shipping delays and incorrect items.

Promote It

Promoting your company’s presence at trade shows is a great way to attract the attention of people going to the shows, helping you make connections before the show even starts.

Post about the show on social media or announce it in a newsletter – anything you can do to get the word out.

At the Trade Show

A good trade show experience relies on your presentation and behavior just as much as it relies on your preparation.

Dress To Impress

The first step to making sure your team has a positive experience at a trade show is to be dressed correctly. Yes, that means dressing professionally and in a way that represents your company, but it also means wearing shoes that you’ll be comfortable standing and walking in for 6-10 hours each day. Layers are also important – you never know how warm or cold the convention hall will be.

Be Engaging

Don’t just wait for people to talk to you at your booth at a trade show – take the initiative to start conversations with people and draw them in. If you have enough people working the show, it can also be a good idea to have someone walking the floor to engage with people or hand out samples or freebies. This can drive people to your booth and help you meet people who would not have noticed your brand otherwise.

Take Notes

As you meet people and exchange business cards, remember to make note of what you talked about and if you promised them anything. You may think you’ll remember everything after the show, but you won’t. Try making notes on their business cards to make it easier on whoever has to organize the cards later.

After the Show

Your work doesn’t end when the convention does.

First, take the time to reflect on your experience. Did you meet the people you hoped to meet, and are you happy with the new contacts you made? What was your ROI on the trade show? Is this show worth doing again in the future? Determining the value of each trade show experience can help you prepare to make the most of future trade shows.

Remember to follow up with any contacts you made, too. If you took good notes at the show, it should be easy to know what each contact was interested in. Start with the ones who requested more information or who you asked for information, but remember that other contacts are important as well. They may not be ready to work with your company yet, but sending a simple “it was nice to meet you” email is a good way to get your foot in the door for future business.

Conclusion

The work you put into a trade show becomes the value you get out of it. If you go into a show well-prepared and with a goal in mind, you are more likely to leave contacts with a good impression of your company.

Going in well-prepared can help you make the most of your next trade show and will improve your ROI for the show.