What’s your company’s marketing strategy?

Trade shows are great for business, providing valuable contacts and permitting your company to build industry exposure and credibility. Yet many firms attend shows haphazardly and sporadically, lacking a strategy to maximize their time and effort. What is your trade show strategy? Do you have one?

Thousands of trade shows occur annually for your company to attend. Some focus on the electronics industry, attracting individuals who want to buy PCBs or related products and services. Others cater specifically to a customer’s industry, and at these shows, you’ll be able to find fellow exhibitors who also need circuit boards, just like your customers do.

Which trade shows should your company invest in? That depends on the general demographics of a show’s usual attendees and how many could be prospective target accounts. Also, a good indication that a particular trade show might be worth the time to attend or exhibit at is how many of your competitors are there. It doesn’t hurt to follow someone else’s lead, especially when your competitors have been coming to the same show for years. Obviously, they find it worthwhile.

More importantly, fellow exhibitors could be customers. Recently, I was the only bare board representative exhibiting at a regional manufacturing trade show that had eight EMS and two OEM companies exhibiting within 50 yards of my booth. It’s not too often I have exclusive access to a captive audience of prospects for two days!

Of course, budget plays a big part in how many trade shows you can attend and exhibit at. However, I find that trade shows are a better investment than some other forms of advertising because you can meet PCB buyers and present your full-court press in person. I do at least six trade shows a year. Some are national shows lasting three or more days, while others are regional two-day or local one-day tabletop affairs.

Over the years, I have found that the smaller regional and local shows are where I get the most bang for my buck in terms of meeting prospects and turning them into customers.

Once you decide to exhibit, how do you develop a strategy to make the most of them? Here’s a checklist of dos and don’ts to optimize your marketing spend:

• Booth location. The earlier you book the show, the better. A good location magnifies your brand. Get a position on a corner near the front. If you can’t be near the front, get a corner near concessions because every attendee needs to walk by your booth sometime during that show, giving you an opportunity to catch their attention. Also, avoid being anywhere near your competition. You don’t need them snaring prospects who stop by your booth.
• Create a decent display. I cannot stress enough the importance of imagery in creating a good impression for attendees. That doesn’t mean spending thousands of dollars on an ultra-glitzy booth. But you do have to make sure your booth material is up to date, not damaged or wrinkled and professional-looking. I have had both large and small booths. The return on investment (i.e., getting prospects) is not dependent on the booth size. In fact, I do my regional and local shows with the same tabletop.
• Let people know. Do not just sit in your booth and wait for prospects to arrive. Use social media, both before and during the show, to let everyone know where you are (including your booth number). Be sure to invite prospects and current customers. And be sure to post photos of them when they visit your booth. Social media advertising is perfect for spreading the word that drives prospects to your booth.
• Ensure both the booth and your staff are approachable. I can’t tell you how many times I have walked by a booth where staff members are sitting in chairs behind a table that is stretched across its front, sometimes not even paying attention to who is walking by. Push that table to the rear or side of the booth. Staff should be standing, engaging with attendees, ready to give that full-court press to those who stop. Once you have a prospect’s full attention, you can learn their needs and explain how your company can meet those needs. If you don’t, someone more proactive like me will take the opportunity.
• Forget formal business wear. Get everyone a company shirt so they can look professional and comfortable at the same time. Try not to eat or engage on the phone while in the booth. Prospects walking by may not want to interact with you if they see you are “busy.” It’s best to have two staff attend a show, allowing one to make a call, eat a quick bite, use the facilities or scout out the competition.
• Take good notes. Be it handwritten notes, business cards or a digital exchange, trade shows are a great opportunity to collect contact information from other professionals. Try to note the unique need of a particular prospect you met and be sure your follow-up email or call references that request. It’s a great way of rekindling that first conversation. And be sure to follow up sooner rather than later so that the sales fire you are trying to ignite isn’t extinguished.
• Don’t forget the after-show debrief. Did the show meet your expectations? If so, great! If not, learn from it. Focus on what could have been done differently. Review the venue, your booth setup and the staff’s performance. It is just one show, but understanding what could have been done better will make the next show even better. It takes only one new customer to make a show worth it.

Trade shows, along with good social media, are an excellent way to increase sales even if your company has a lean marketing budget. Bigger is not always better. Consistency in your marketing efforts and timely follow-up with prospects will lead to increased sales.

Greg Papandrew has more than 25 years’ experience selling PCBs directly for various fabricators and as the founder of a leading distributor. He is cofounder of DirectPCB (directpcb.com); This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..