Indicator 5.04

1. Indicator 5.04 Understand the use of trade shows/expositions to communicate with targeted audiences.

2. Discuss types of exhibits found at trade shows • Pop-up Displays • Banner stands • Literature racks • Tabletop panels • Power Point or other similar electronic presentations • Panel Trade Show Exhibits • Hybrid Displays • Truss • Tension Fabric Displays • Hanging Displays • Graphic tent logo canopies • Pipe and Drape

3. Describe factors that contribute to an exhibit’s visual appeal • Color • Lighting • Motion • Sound • Smell

4. Describe factors that contribute to an exhibit’s visual appeal • Color: The color and tones you choose for your display can help you stand out, as well as convey your message. Cool colors like blue, green and white appear slick and professional, yet may not be strong interest grabbers. • Warm colors like red, orange, and yellow attract more attention, yet need to be used selectively because they can be seen as too strong or carry other connotations. • Lighting: Creative use of lighting can help draw focus to your booth. You can choose to spotlight a new product or creative a warm, inviting atmosphere that beckons attendees. • Motion: Few exhibitors use motion technique to draw visitors to their display area or a specific trade show booth graphic. Yet, projecting a DVD onto a large screen, having product demonstrations, using colorful streamers, or other moving objects can be highly effective. • Sound: Having nice music, playing nature sounds (if appropriate to your product), featuring live entertainers or other sounds that appeal to auditory senses may help entice people to your booth. Yet, be careful that sound levels are appropriately set so they can be heard in your area, yet don’t disturb other exhibitors around you. • Smell: Like the alluring scent of cinnamon buns found in shopping mall stores, having cookies or another tantalizing smell emanate from your booth will attract visitors. Many exhibitors use popcorn as an enticement. • http://www.trade-show-advisor.com/trade-show-booth-graphic.html

5. Explain techniques that can be used to increase booth traffic • Demonstrations • Contests • Giveaways • Social Media such as Tweet • Tweet your followers and let them know what’s going on at your trade show booth and where they can find your exhibit on the show floor. • Booth Demonstrations • Appealing Aromas • http://www.trade-show-advisor.com/trade-show-booth-traffic.html

6. Describe types of displays used in exhibits • Pop-up displays • Panel • Displays • Table-top displays • Pull-up displays

7. Describe types of displays used in exhibits • Pop-up Displays: Feature a light-weight folding frame covered with magnetic-backed fabric, vinyl, or plastic panels. Pop-up displays create curved or angled walls for your exhibit area. • Truss Displays: Made of lightweight aluminum and steel tubing for a modern, high-tech look and flexible utilization. Truss can be configured in a variety of shapes and sizes - and can be used to construct entire booths, special exhibit features, display walls, islands, entrance ways, and more. • Panel Displays: Consist of fabric-covered rectangular sections that are connected to make a wall. They can be readily adapted to different booth sizes and configurations. • Table-Top Displays: Offer a less-expensive exhibiting option for smaller events and feature a lightweight display that sits on top of a table. These displays usually have three panels with velcro-attached graphics and headlines that can be easily changed and updated. • Pull-up Stands: Provides a lightweight, easy method to accent your booth. These banner stands function like a window shade in reverse and can be placed together or in different booth locations based on your design needs.

8. Identify types of giveaways used at exhibits • Canvas totes: A canvas bag printed with your logo gives trade show attendees a way to carry all the brochures and objects they’ve collected during the trade show. Because guests will carry your bag throughout the convention, this ad specialty doubles as a powerful moving billboard for your company. • Bottled water: A refreshing private label bottled water is always accepted with a warm welcome by trade show guests who have spent the day doing a great deal of walking and talking. When you customize the label with your logo and company name, customers will carry it throughout the convention and do your advertising for you. • Pens/pencils • Candy: Did you know that you could private label your own snacks? You can and it’s incredibly inexpensive. Hungry trade show guests will happily stop by for a bag of chips, pretzels, candies, or other snacks in package with your name on it. Guests appreciate your gesture of kindness and will often stop and chat for a few minutes to return the favor. This gives you the ideal opportunity to engage in a conversation and make those important connections • http://www.trade-show-advisor.com/trade-show-booth-ideas.html

9. Discuss purposes of giving out promotional items at trade shows • Help to attract traffic • Create recall after the show • Provide contact information

10. Describe pre-show marketing activities that can be used to attract booth traffic • Do Pre-Show PromotionExperienced trade show exhibitors don't wait for the show to start to try to see customers and make new contacts. To get the most traffic at your booth, send out mailings and announcements before the show inviting your customers and prospects to stop by your booth. Insert announcements in bills you send out, on your web page, and in ads you run near the show date. A couple of weeks before the event, call important customers and prospects and set appointments with to meet with them at the show. • http://www.businessknowhow.com/tips/tradesho.htm

11. Explain marketing activities that can be used during a trade show • Live entertainment • Hands-on activities • Games • Prize wheel • Drawings • AV programs • Food • Cash cube money machine

12. Discuss post-show marketing activities that need to be carried out to increase return on investment • Send a personalized handwritten note, along with a customized company information packet or other appropriate material, to booth visitors within a week following the trade show event. For top leads, add a personal phone call to make a lasting impression and reinforce your commitment to service. • In this time of intense texting, email, and messaging through social networking sites, a personal phone call to your valued prospects makes a powerful impact and may help solidify the sale. Warm, personal contact is the consistent thread in every aspect of marketing and trade show promotions. • Strong, thoughtful relationship-building strategies before, during and after the show can effectively separate you from your competitors - and make the difference between generating a lead and making a sale. • Each contact you make reinforces your company's commitment to quality and customer care, which are essential attributes in the competitive marketplace. • In addition, trade show marketing strategies that focus on relationship management and personalized attention are just as important when you are participating in virtual trade shows as they are for traditional, face-to-face events. • http://www.tradeshowstuff.biz/page.aspx?page_id=25

13. Discuss post-show marketing activities that need to be carried out to increase return on investment • Follow-Up - Immediately! • Post-show planning includes a multiple contact plan.  Call the most serious prospects first.  You should follow-up with all your leads within 48 hours of the show by email or phone.  Continue to execute good prospecting and sales techniques to develop a professional relationship. • Email all booth attendees who provided contact information (regardless of whether they are good prospects or not) • Say "Thank You" for stopping by your booth • Extend the offer of the trade show • Offer your product/service solutions • With qualified prospects, still send an email, but also state that you will call to arrange a time to meet or discuss next steps. • Trade Show ROI • Your trade show follow-up process should be planned just as well as your pre-show planning.  Consider that each trade show lead has a cost, a cost you have already spent.  If you spend $5000 on your trade show and came away with 500 leads, then every lead cost you $10.  If on average you convert 25% of those leads, then each new customer cost you $50.  On the other hand, if you don't manage your trade show leads and 75% of them aren't followed up on quickly, your conversion can cost you four times as • much.  $200??  That's expensive! • http://www.tradeshowstuff.biz/page.aspx?page_id=25

14. Discuss post-show marketing activities that need to be carried out to increase return on investment • Categorize Trade Show Leads • If you've done the trade show properly, you should have notes about certain hot prospects...what they want, connections that you've made and important things to do.  Separate these from the rest of the leads and start with these first.  If you have indeed made that connection at the trade show, you will likely be remembered the next day.  Something most trade show exhibitors forget is that not all leads can or should be followed-up in the same way.  Prioritize them.What happens if a trade show reaps you too many leads?  That's a nice problem to have.  You still want to touch base with them, to preserve as much business opportunities as possible.  Consider a post-show letter or email follow-up.  By using an integrated system like Word or Constant Contact, you can turn out a pretty nice "personalized" note to each of them.  You might tell the reader that you will be in contact in the next couple weeks, but if they need you before that to not hesitate to call.Trade Show EvaluationIn addition to following up with leads obtained at your trade show, one of the most important post show activities is to conduct a post show analysis.  By answering some basic questions you will identify things that will help you when planning future events.  Some of the key questions to ask are: • What worked? • What didn't work? • Was the booth functional? • http://www.tradeshowstuff.biz/page.aspx?page_id=25

15. Discuss post-show marketing activities that need to be carried out to increase return on investment • Was the booth in the right location? • Was this the right trade show for my business? • Did I meet the right people? • What did I learn from others? • What did I learn about the competition? Although ROI is one of the ways to measure your success, you should always consider the other benefits as well.  These benefits can include establishing your brand, community awareness, educating the public and building new relationships and alliances with other companies.  You will have to do your own analysis on these non-monetary benefits.How Much Business Did You Close?What is the monetary benefit of the closed from your trade show?  You should measure in 1-month, 3-month, 6-month and 12-month increments when looking at the value of this business.  If you have made your investment back in new business in the first month, you've done reasonably well.  At the very least, you should have made your money back plus 50% by the end of three months.The six and twelve month measurements are to determine the long range profitability of any given trade show.  At some point, you have to determine that you cannot participate in every trade show that comes along.  Therefore, it is imperative that you determine over the long run, which trade shows give you the best performance that you can build your long term business goals on. • http://www.tradeshowstuff.biz/page.aspx?page_id=25

16. Explain reasons for exhibiting at trade shows • Generating sales leads • Making sales at the show • Enhancing image and visibility • Reaching a specific audience • Establishing a presence in the marketplace • Improving marketing efforts • Meeting face-to-face with customers • Prospecting • Introducing new products • Demonstrating products • Recruiting distributors/dealers • Educating the target audience • Gaining new industry information and contacts

17. Describe factors to consider in selecting a trade show • Target audience • How long the trade show has been held • Number of attendees • Geography • Timing • Cost • Sponsor’s reputation

18. Describe factors to consider in selecting a trade show • What do you want to accomplish through trade show participation? • How do you plan to use your exhibit to meet your objectives? • How large are the events in which you plan to participate? Do they attract national, regional or local audiences?. • What location type (in-line, corner, end, island) and size of trade show exhibit display space will you reserve? • How many events will you participate in annually? • What type of image and messages do you need to project with your exhibit display? • How much is allocated in your trade show budget to ensure you can meet your company's exhibiting requirements? Your exhibit, banner stands, lighting and accessories can range from a few thousand dollars to more than $50,000+ for a top-end customized display. • How will you transport your display to each show? Will you require a company that specializes in trade show freight services or will you be shipping and storing the exhibit yourself?

19. Identify sources useful in identifying relevant trade shows • Trade Show organizers • Helps to obtain a list of last year’s attendees and exhibitors. • Websites • Trade Show News Network, Biz Trade Shows • Scout the Competition • Network • http://www.logicblock.com/_blog/Logicblock's_Blog/post/How_to_Find_Trade_Shows_in_Your_Industry/

20. Trade Show Activity Your job is to assist our school counselors to prepare for Career Day during CTE week. • Create a list of businesses representing each career cluster. • Prepare a recruitment letter inviting the business representatives. • Create a student schedule. • Design the layout/map of the exhibits. • Design a Career Day Exhibit Entrance Poster • Research and Propose promotional items to give to students from the CTSO’s. • Create/Design a game or contest booth run specifically by CTSO’s. • Prepare evaluations: • Students • Business representatives