Marketvice

No matter what type of product you’re trying to sell, advertise, market, and otherwise profit from, there’s bound to be a trade show to promote it. Sometimes these shows are overlooked as a lot of hassle for not a lot of pay-off. But the reality is, trade shows can be very valuable in a number of obvious and not-so-obvious ways. The obvious ways include: getting your product out there where people can see it, being able to network with a lot of people in the same area of the business world as yourself, and seeing what the competition has to offer. Some of the more obscure advantages to attending a trade show include: seeing how your staff works, picking up tips on what to do (and not do!) from other vendors, and simple practice at evaluating how you execute a plan. Yes, I said a couple of dreaded words: evaluate and plan. It is important to have a plan for the tradeshow, though you need not spend 24/7 planning it for two weeks. Put thought into who is going to attend the tradeshow, which products you’re going to highlight, develop some literature (pamphlets, brochures, flyers, even a new business card) that is cost-effective but gets the point across (i.e. print the lit at your own office! No need to spend a ton of money at a printer in this day and age of advanced home-and-business office printing technology), and then debrief when it’s over. Follow-up on contacts that you’ve made, see if your staff felt successful and productive, and apply what you’ve learned to the next trade show. Like many things, your attitude plays a part in what you will get out of the trade show, so expect something positive and ye shall receive.