Okay so we’re borrowing a phrase to make a point but it’s true. If the goal is to just be there or to “wow the audience” with the best giveaways you are missing the point!

Investing and truly getting ROI starts and stops with a successful plan. Like most things, careful planning, timing, resources, and budget all play a part in a successful trade show. Here is a closer look at those components:

Timing: Companies that don’t properly plan often will try and force their way into an event/exhibit, overlooking who will be attending and who will be exhibiting. Fundamentally, this directly leads to the wrong target audience and ultimately a total waste of time, resources, and budget.

Location: Did you ever sit behind a support beam at Fenway Park better known as “Obstructed Seating”? I have when my friends and I walked up ten minutes before the first pitch and got what was available. Don’t use this strategy to book your exhibit at your next trade show. Rest assured you will find you and your crew will be setting up in a dark corner, a dead end aisle, or next to the annoying life insurance guy for the next three or four days.

Match your product or services with a more than adequate staff: This means if your product requires in depth knowledge and expertise, your staff should be trained to at least engage with your target audience and “shuffle along” those who just stopped for free giveaways. Ideally, you would also want to have at least one expert on-site, someone who can build instant credibility and make a great first impression by being able to answer the tough questions.

Wow Factor: If you sit around and decide your exhibit is going to consist of “Pipe and Drape,” you better have an iron clad plan to succeed.

Here’s the real WOW Factor to a successful trade show plan: hire an outside firm to:

• Warm up your prospects
• Have pre-set appointments booked and confirmed
• Ask attendees to fill out a brief survey
• Educate while making the trade show experience fun!
• Follow-up! Follow up! Follow up!

The key is to talk to and identify hot prospects, that is prospects who have the authority to influence buying decisions for their company. That’s the real return on your investment. Every company should come away with a tangible treasure chest of new prospects and leads! Anything short of that and you’re just spinning your wheels. So if I could ask, do you have a TREASURE CHEST of new leads from your last trade show? I bet I know the answer…