Look at that throng of people crowding the trade show
floor. People come from all over the country to walk these aisles, eager eyes
flitting from booth to booth, scanning the exhibits for?what, exactly?
Research shows that the vast majority ? 76% -- come to
trade shows to discover what?s new and exciting. Maybe it?s a new product, or an innovative
bit of technology, or a snazzy new application, or even an entire company that
they were never aware of before. In an ideal world, every company would be
constantly innovating, creating cutting edge products at phenomenal savings
guaranteed to meet the customer?s needs.
But as you and I know, business doesn?t work that
way. There are years when companies
struggle to survive. Other years, it
takes every ounce of effort just to maintain market position. And still other times, things might be fine,
but the newest innovation is six, twelve, even eighteen months on the horizon.
Is it even worth exhibiting during these times? Do the results of participating in a trade
show while your company?s in a lull phase justify the costs?
Absolutely! In
fact, it is precisely at these times when not participating could hurt your
bottom line. Businesses rise and fall
based on the strength of personal relationships. There is no better place to form new
relationships and maintain and reinforce existing relationships than at a trade
show.
To do this, you need to create a positive impression with
your exhibit. Demonstrate something new
and exciting. Give the people what they
want. How can you do that, you ask, when
you don?t have any new and exciting products?
Here are five focus strategies the pros use when they?re
in a similar situation:
1. Focus on Features: Purveyors of high-tech or
complicated products often don?t realize how little consumers know about the
items they purchase. For example, take the
average word processing program. It has
countless features ? yet how many does the everyday user know about, much less
use? Realize that your buyers may not
even know what they don?t know. Here?s
an opportunity to offer seminars, tutorials, or other interactive options
centered on the more obscure features.
This way, you?re demonstrating that you value your customers and want
them to make the most of your products/services. You could win their loyalty for life.
2. Focus on the Future: If the next big innovation is in
sight, but you?re not ready to spill the beans just yet, you?ve got an ideal
opportunity to create a buzz. Some of
the most effective excitement generating campaigns say little, if anything,
about the new product, yet still create an impression that something noteworthy
is about to happen. Signage, graphics,
and literature all declaring ?It?s Coming!? let the public know that you?re
excited about the new product ? and that they should be too.
3. Focus on Finesse: Is there a way to make your product
new and improved? You?ll sometimes see
this technique that I?ve called the Proctor & Gamble strategy. Every so often, you?ll see a new and improved
version of a product introduced ? laundry soap, shampoo, deodorant, and so on ?
yet you?d have to be a chemical engineer to notice any discernable difference
between the old product and the new one.
Still, consumers flock to the new, even if it?s only slightly different
than the product they were previously satisfied with. If you can?t change your
product, what about the packaging?
Glidden changed their paint can while still keeping their actual
product, the paint, the same as it ever was, and saw sales rise as a result.
4. Focus on People: Great products wouldn?t exist without
great people. Consider putting a human face on your operation by centering your
latest exhibit around the people who make, test, or use your product. Post Cereal, Reynold?s Wrap, and NAPA auto
parts have all used this strategy successfully during periods when their
product line was fairly static ? and then carried the idea forward, altering it
as needed to introduce new products!
5. Focus on Service: Many times, we?re asking buyers to
make a huge investment to buy our products. If something goes wrong, the buyer
worries that they will be left holding the bag on a very expensive
mistake. Reassure consumers that they?ll
never be alone if there is a problem. By
promoting service plans, support networks, and other types of assistance,
you?re demonstrating that you?ll be there for your customer ? through thick or
thin!
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Your Bio: Written by Susan A. Friedmann,CSP, The
Tradeshow Coach, Lake Placid, NY, author: ?Meeting & Event Planning for
Dummies,? working with companies to improve their meeting and event success
through coaching, consulting and tradeshow training. For a free copy of ?10 Common Mistakes Exhibitors Make?, e-mail:
article4@thetradeshowcoach.com;
website: http://www.tradeshow-training.com
copyright: YES
