This document provides guidance for companies on participating in trade shows during an economic recession. It outlines challenges such as tight budgets and reduced travel. However, it argues that companies should still attend key trade shows to maintain relationships with customers and learn about competitors. It then offers tips on selecting the right shows, setting objectives, reducing costs through better planning, and measuring return on investment to justify trade show spending to management.

1. Now is not the Time to Hide
from your Customers
Rizwan iqbal
Managing Partner
First Trade Show
Go Green Displays

2. Kellogg’s wins During
Depression

3. What are the Challenges?
 We are in a recession
 Marketing spending is tight
 You need to justify every dollar of spend
 Management does not understand the return
from events
 Non-Critical travel is limited
 Tradeshow attendance is down

4. Why you must be out there
 Your competition probably is
 Customers/Prospects who can buy still need to
meet you
 If you go dark, your customers assume the
worst
– Your competition will make sure they know it
 And the best reason…2010

5. What you need to do now
 Select the best shows for your organization
 Determine your event objectives for today’s
environment
 Work Smarter to reduce costs
 Measure the return on your events
 Sell to the decision maker

6. Selecting the Right Shows
 “Just keep doing what we have been
doing”
 Determine shows you should be at
1. Match shows to marketing objectives
2. Talk to your customers
3. Review the universe of shows
4. Evaluate opportunities
5. Make decisions
 Annual evaluation/Online tools

7. Dive Deep with Show
Management
 Past year total and net attendance
 Past and upcoming show exhibitors
 Who is attending?
– Titles
– Companies
 Educational program
 Cost per sq ft

8. What are my objectives?
 Take into account the current
economic environment
 Layout the quantifiable objectives
 Gain agreement on qualitative
objectives with team
 Plan in advance and ensure your
systems are up to the task

9. Setting Goals
 A goal
– I want to generate a lot of new customers
from the show
 A SMART Goal
– I want to generate 100 new leads at the show
and convert 10 of them into new customers by
the end of the year
Specific
Measurable
Agreed upon
Realistic
Time bound

10. Measurable Objectives
 Total Leads
– Qualified Leads
– Cost per Lead
 Sales at different intervals
– At show
– 1 month
– 3 month
– 6 month
– 1 year
 Have basis of comparison
– Benchmark to industry
– Benchmark to other sales tools
– Historical

11. What else?
 Establish/reinforce brand positioning
 Publicize new promotional message
 New Product Intro
 Learn about competitors
 Current customer relations/sales
 Networking within the industry
 Collect feedback from current customers
 Advance existing pipeline
 PR opportunities

12. How do you work smarter?
 What is the total cost of show participation
 What are your key cost drivers?
 Can you change your work habits?
 How much space do you really need for your booth?

13. Understand your Costs

14. Key Cost Components to Manage
 Booth Materials
 Shipping
 I&D
 Drayage
 Travel & Hospitality
 Staffing

15. Break Bad Work Habits
 Last minute=Higher Cost
– Rush charges from suppliers
– Shipping charges
– Overtime I&D/Drayage
 Lower weight=lower cost
– Shipping decreases
– Drayage decreases
 Question everything…

16. Matching your Booth to Your Objectives
 Right-Size your booth to your needs
– Meetings
– Demonstrations
– Product Showcase
 What are you communicating?
– Message
– Market Strength
– Positioning

17. Does Renting Make Sense?
 Need a new booth, but don’t have budget?
 How many shows?
 Want to try before you buy?
 Do you have custom needs?

18. Going Green Doesn’t Have to
Cost a Lot of Green
 Green is not a fad
 Focus on practical green
– Cost effective green that doesn’t
compromise

19. Increasing Trade Show Return
 It’s Easy!
– Reduce costs of attending trade shows
– Increase revenue attributed to trade shows
 Reality is much more complicated
– How do you give a value to soft benefits?
– How do you track it all?
– Are all leads worth the same to the organization?
– How do you reduce costs with out affecting
performance?

20. What was the show ROI?

21. What was the show ROO?
 Define specific objective for attending
a show
 Weight the objectives in terms of
importance
 Attach a metric to each objective
 Rank metrics based on importance
 Score each show on common scale

22. Develop a Scorecard

23. Was the show a success?
• Perform a post show evaluation
Did it meet or exceed your goals?
Did the ROI make sense?
How strong other benefits?
Brand Awareness
Competitor Insight
Customer Retention
Networking
Feedback

24. How to sell it to management?
 Clearly define ROO vs. ROI
 Measure it
– Web traffic landing page
– Pre/post show surveys
 Focus on the facts
– Quantifiable Results
– Measurement against Objectives

25. Not just a budget line…
 Invite managers to show
– Set up meetings with top influencers
– Arrange speaking engagements
 Send updates from the floor
 Post show write up
 Do a face-to-face annual review
– Before budget time

26. What Does It All Mean?

27. Now, get out there…
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Thank You!
Search for “Go Green Displays”
Search for “Gogreendisplays”
Gary Survis
Garys@GoGreenDisplays.com
732-602-7799
www.FirstTradeShow.com
www.GoGreenDisplays.com

28. Thanks…
–Follow us on –Friend us on
–Search for “Gogreendisplays” –Search for “Go Green Displays”
–www.GoGreenDisplays.com
–732-723-7799
–RizwanI@GoGreenDisplays.c
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