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example, suppose the exhibition space is
too small for the crowd you'll attract.
With thousands of people pushing and
shoving each other to find the exhibits,
your show will quickly get a bad
reputation as an uncomfortable event
where it's impossible to see all the
products. And negative word of mouth
travels almost as fast as the speed of
light. The solution: Do your
homework! Get the inside scoop from other
trade show managers who have done shows
at that exhibition hall. Find out what
was positive about their experiences.
Conduct an on-site inspection before
committing to the exhibition space,
paying close attention to such factors as
exhibit hall space, bathroom facilities,
and air circulation.
Consider
location (is it in a dangerous part of
town?), accessibility (are there traffic
problems?), and service (are ticket
counters adequately staffed?). Better
yet, do your inspection while a trade
show is going on at the exhibition hall.
You'll get to see for yourself whether
shows operate efficiently there.
2. You
compile an ineffective prospect database.
You
might be trying to cut corners by doing
your data management in-house, but if you
don't have database pros on staff, it's
best to seek professional help! A list
that has unlikely prospects or
out-of-date addresses is a waste of time
and money, and you'll lose precious
opportunities to zero in on hot potential
customers. You might hesitate to spend
more money on a solid database management
firm, but you could lose twice as much by
failing to reach the right target
audience.
3. You
construct a poorly designed Web site.
You'll
feel like a relic left over from the
pre-Electronic Revolution days if you
don't have a Web site. However, many
trade show managers, in a rush to
construct and display a Web site, wind up
with sites that lack compelling graphics
or information that will be useful to
their potential exhibitors. Without
proper guidance you'll waste money ...
and project an image of a business that
isn't ready for this millennium.
The
solution: Find a reliable Web site
designer who is familiar with the trade
show business and will hire writers who
can create Web site copy that is
powerful, persuasive, and informative.
But don't put a site up until you're
ready; you wouldn't want your Web site
debut to fall flat.
4. You
have a great Web site, but nobody sees
it.
Those
who aren't Internet savvy sometimes think
that once they create a Web site, their
prospects will automatically find it --
after all, that's what Web search engines
are for, right? Wrong! Search engines are
great if someone wants general
information about trade shows, but
there's no guarantee your show will be at
the top of the "hit list."
Because there are millions of Web sites
on the Internet, the only sure way to
differentiate your site from the rest and
drive traffic to it is through collateral
advertising. Make sure your Web site
address is prominently displayed on all
your advertising and marketing materials,
including your stationery and business
cards. An expensive, snazzy Web site is
useless if no one visits it.
5. You
put together an ineffective ad campaign.
Bad
advertising is worse than no advertising
at all. Unless you have a great in-house
advertising department, resist the
temptation to create your own ad
campaign. Advertising is not a good place
to start a budget-cutting initiative. But
just because you hire pros to do your
advertising doesn't mean you'll have an
effective campaign. It's best to find an
ad agency that has had consistent success
in the trade show industry.
To find
such an agency, do your research. Consult
with other trade show managers and look
through the Advertising Redbook,
available in the reference section at
most public libraries. Ask for examples
of an ad agency's work with other trade
shows. Steer clear of campaigns that
might be a turn-off to your prospects by
appealing to a specific generation rather
than a wider audience. And remember that
humor and creativity are important
attention-getting devices in advertising,
but don't let your message get lost.
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