I know, everyone thinks they are experts in ROI. Some people go to a few conferences a year because you’re “supposed t0” and suddenly they are experts on conference-goer behavior. Well, you are all experts actually! Only you are uniquely placed to know what works for you and your organization at a conference or tradeshow. ROI is as personal to exhibitors as his or her business card and many of you (I’ve spoken to hundreds, maybe thousands of exhibitors over the years) were usually disappointed by at least one conference you attended this year.
Here’s what some of you said:
“Not enough traffic”
“Too much traffic, not enough time to connect”
“Too few exhibit hours”
“Exhibit hours were too long”
“No on-floor networking event”
“Exhibit floor was too loud”
“Not enough executives”
“Too many in middle management”
And it goes on and on. What is right for Company A isn’t always right for Company B. The one thing we can all agree on is that we need to get more out of our exhibitor dollars!
Tips On How To Get More Out of Your Next Conference:
Engage folks!
Not everyone is an extrovert, but you’ve got to do better! Leave your phone in your pocket, save work for your hotel room, leave the booth to eat lunch (you need the break anyway) and keep the chit chat with co-workers to a minimum during key show hours. I know the hours are long and it can get a bit tedious, but you must be ready for a conversation. To be ready for a conversation you have to look like you want to have one. It’s hard enough walking up to strangers and starting a conversation but it’s impossible when they are obviously there because they are paid be.
To combat boredom while waiting for your next client to walk up to your booth, have something engaging set up. I have seen exhibitors set up a simple dice game at their booth and they drew in the crowd just by rolling and offering prizes for hitting certain numbers. You can engage in something like this when no one is there to get people to come over but isn’t so involved you end up ignoring people.
Get out from Around the Booth
Be prepared. Know who you want to target at the show. Today many conference teams have learned that to help exhibitors get more ROI out of their conference or tradeshow they need to provide a means of networking before the conference. Now, you can usually get an opted-in list of conference attendees and start marketing and setting appointments before you get to the conference. This is an excellent way for your team to set appointments and ensure they will get more out of their conference.
Bring Something to Hand Out
No, not a glass beer mug (yes someone did that). Come equipped with something simple and useful to hand out to folks to help them remember you. Over the years I have collected a ton of stuff from conference tables and most of it I just give to my kids but once in a while I get something cool that I keep for myself, like the time I got a branded EOS lip balm (not a knockoff) or the keychain that doubled as a level and a flashlight. Keep it small, simple and useful!
Have a Follow-up Plan
If you are still using Excel to house your leads I am done with you right now! Get a reliable CRM database to house your leads and track where they are in your sales funnel. Don’t have a funnel…I just can’t with you!
Just kidding, you are here to learn right?
Use a Sales Funnel
You don’t have to do a hard close anymore (Hooray) if you nurture your leads via a sales funnel. A sales funnel is a series of steps designed to guide visitors toward a buying decision. This is a gentle way of selling and deals practically close themselves when this is done properly. At the very least the lead won’t hate you at the end of the sales cycle. Funnels are explained here in an article from Seriously Simple Marketing.
Know Why You’re There!
Many companies get caught up in the tradeshow popularity contest and attend shows because it’s expected. I’m not saying that’s not a good idea if your customers are going to be there, but there could be a better smaller show where you could stand out. Recent surveys have found that 38% of attendees say that attending an event influences their purchasing intent and 64% of attendees are new business opportunities. These numbers mean that trade shows represent a big opportunity when it comes to bringing in new business. Before signing up to exhibit at your next conference have a meeting with your team to discuss why you want to go, who you want to meet, what you expect to accomplish and what would make the show an overall success for your organization. If you can’t answer those questions clearly, don’t go!
Be Social!
One of the best ways for exhibitors to increase the ROI from tradeshows is to attend the networking and social events planned. A lot of planning goes into these events and they are more than just opportunities for free booze and apps before dinner with clients. The networking event is one of the best opportunities to talk to people about something other than work. Get to know your customers! It’s easier to remember someone you hung out with and it’s a great jumping off point for your next conversation which will be about your business. Make sure you come with business cards!
Tradeshows are tough, you are traveling, but you’re not there for fun. There’s a lot of people but not all of them are buyers, still, it’s part of the business and there are very few situations where you can meet so many people in such a short time. Make the most of your exhibit experience by following the tips above and get the most ROI out of your next conference or Tradeshow!
