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Sales Promotion And Publicity
Every trade show must have a marketing plan that is the show must be designed, promoted and backed
up by following-up with the customer. The exhibitor must put up a plan encompassing the three elements
of pre-show promotion, show management and post-show follow-up.
PRESHOw PROMOTION
Activities to be done before the show; pre-show promotion activities include direct mail and advertising
as well as invitations promoting booth attendance by target audience. The mailing list can be made from
the company’s database of prospects. It should be noted also that such invitation may carry a risk that
a prospect may visit a competitor’s booth, but firm can use these invitations to increase the motivation
to attend and to help build stronger relationships.
THE SHOw EXPERIENCE
Strategy for the show experience usually involves three elements:
- The attention-getter
- The message
- The close
These three elements should be carefully considered because they can increase the probability of success
for the show and also increase the synergy of the show with other messages in other media.
• The Attention-Getter: the attention-getter is used to influence visitors to enter the booth.
Invitations and offers for free gifts may encourage some visitors to stop by, but others, either
will not receive the invitation or will throw it away. As people wander the aisles of the trade
show floor, booth design should include attention getting elements that will entice visitors
off the aisle into the booth.Similarly, some attention getters can bring everybody into the booth, whether they are
wanted in or not. Magic acts, free pictures with a movie star, comedy routines, all have been
used as attention-getters. If the audience contains a high proportion of prospects, then these
types of attention-getters can be worthwhile. At times, they can work too well, resulting in
wasted time for booth staff who have to deal with unwanted visitors. The challenge then
is to attract attention but only the attention of the desired audience. One strategy that can
be used to get the desired visitors is to get the attention of all visitors and then move the
desired visitors into another area of the booth for the appropriate interaction. Visitors who
do not qualify as prospects are then free to leave as soon as the show is over. For example,
a firm exhibiting may use a mind reader as the attention-getter. His show would be focused
on the company’s capabilities. When the show is finished, sales staff meet with interested
visitors and then invite them to other areas of the booth for interpersonal conversations.