The marxgroup tradeshow_leverage_pdf

How to Get the Most Results from Your Trade Show

Experience

Tom Marx

President & CEO

The Marx Group

Thursday Oct. 11, 2012

How to Get the Most Results from Your Trade Show Experience

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©2012 The Marx Group

The SEMA Show


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Unique Blend of Audience

1. Distributors – Large and Small 2. Shops 3. Competitors 4. Foreign Delegates 5. Service Providers:

Consultants, Ad/PR Agencies, Insurance Carriers

6. Media 7. Trade Associations 8. Enthusiasts 9. Consumers/End Users 10. Others


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• 7 out of 10 attendees plan to buy one or more products during a trade show

• 72% of show visitors say the show influenced their buying decision

• It costs 22% less to contact a potential buyer at a show than it does through traditional field sales calls

Center for Exhibition Industry Research (CEIR)


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How do you convert the traffic into

a lead AT and AFTER the show

The BIG Questions is…


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THE SUCCESS OF YOUR

TRADE SHOW RESTS HEAVILY

ON THE QUALITY OF YOUR LEADS


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You will achieve greater results

The most important trade show tip…

QUALIFY AT THE BOOTH!


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Qualifying Criteria List

• Current client

• Prospects that you already

have an appointment to meet

• Walk-in that has a need and

you see as the right fit

(size matters!)


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Walk-in who might have a need –

but is ‘shopping’ – not sure if you

are the right fit


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Visitor with no need to purchase

product/service but can benefit

your company/brand – media,

writer, endorsers or ???


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Qualifying Criteria List • Passerby who visits booth with no

need or interest of product or

service - possibly there for free

promotional items

• No interaction with visitor –

entered name into ‘fish bowl’ or

registered for a prize – not sure

why they stopped by the booth


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Define YOUR goals Why are you at SEMA?

– Service current customers?

– Seek new customers?

– Launch new products?

– Meet with the media?

Do you know your ROI goal?


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Important Goals

• Build community

• Create buzz

• Increase reach with awareness

• Get media, bloggers and forums engaged

• Excite suppliers

• Build partnerships

• Convert prospects into leads into customers


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Calculating ROI • Total tradeshow costs vs. revenue

• Old school but still important

Scenario 1 Scenario 2 Scenario 3 Scenario 4

Tradeshow Cost $ 20,000 $ 20,000 $ 20,000 $ 20,000 Desired ROI 200% 400% 800% 1200%

Projected Sales from Event $ 40,000 $ 80,000 $ 160,000 $ 240,000


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KNOW YOUR

TARGET AUDIENCE


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Who do you want to attract?

Media, Writers

New Prospects

Current Customers

Others?


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THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN

PROSPECTS &

LEADS How to Get the Most Results from Your Trade Show Experience

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PROSPECT A visitor that has the potential to be a customer


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LEAD a qualified prospect


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THE VALUE OF PRE-QUALIFYING

• Sets follow-up priorities

• Determines generic vs. personalized follow-up

• Creates efficiencies after the event

WHAT DOES QUALIFIED MEAN?

• Prospect meets your established criteria

• Interested in your products/services

• You know what they want, how much they can buy and supplier attributes that are important to the them


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Pre-Show Plan


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Pre-Show Plan

• Develop pre-qualifying questions – what you need to know to qualify visitors

• Create your Qualifying Criteria List form/app

• Team meeting – make sure your team understands the qualifying criteria

• Design a way for you to capture necessary lead information – lead retrieval machines, forms, iPad app with photo or video, etc.


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Pre-Show Marketing Initiatives

• MAKE APPOINTMENTS – NOW! • Promotion

• News Release

• E-blast

• Mailers

• Social Media – Invitation to visit booth to see something specific

– Pre-show updates create excitement


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At-Show Plan


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At-Show Marketing Ideas

• Promotion – What are you trying to accomplish?

• Handouts/Flyers – Are they necessary?

• Social Media

– Post promotions, make announcements when celebrity is present, offer specials – give them a reason to come to your booth

– Post booth updates, booth pictures, product images, testimonials, endorsements – at least once per day, more frequently if there is value!


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At-Show Tips

• Be organized – separate folders/envelopes

for each criteria – sort while at the show

• ‘Fish Bowl’ – determine your goal and strategy

– how will you filter qualified leads from

booth wanderers?

• At-show etiquette

• Take advantage of media at event


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At-Show Tips

• Take photos of your booth, products,

products on show vehicles – anything that can be used as follow-up

• Video testimonials and give thank you gift

• Use your SEMA lead retrieval devices

• Promise follow-up by when


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Post-Show Follow-up


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“Almost 80% of leads generated are never followed up with”

Center For Exhibition Industry Research (CEIR)


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Not Following Up? Big Loss!

Scenario 1 Scenario 2 Scenario 3 Scenario 4 Qualified Leads 40 40 40 40

Average Customer Spends $5,000 $10,000 $20,000 $40,000

Potential Sales $200,000 $400,000 $800,000 $1,600,000 Closing Rate 25% 25% 25% 25%

Sales Goal $50,000 $100,000 $200,000 $400,000 Only Follow-Up with

20%? 8 8 8 8 Revised Sales $ 10,000 $ 20,000 $ 40,000 $ 80,000

Lost Opportunity $ (40,000) $ (80,000) $ (160,000) $ (320,000)


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Follow-Up Tips

• Qualify at event (sorry to be repetitive!)

• Follow your plan

• Meet with team — the day after the event

• Execute your follow-up plan


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Follow-Up Ideas • Email or snail mail thank you • E-blast – product and company information, promotion

winners, testimonials, new product showcase awards, industry acknowledgement, etc.

• Website – custom url to track visits and downloads • Mailers – send samples of product, catalog, promotions,

etc. Better mailed than lost in the goody bag! • Calls within a week • Social Media

– Connect with your qualified leads – Build friends, networks

• Media – get them engaged


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Follow-Up Plan for Your Criteria Categories

Description Follow-up • Current client

• Prospects that you already have an appointment to meet

• Walk-in that has a need and you see as the right fit

(size matters!)

• Phone call NOW

• Email brochure/product sheets

• Send promotion information

• Post-show E-blast

• Connect via social media

• Walk-in who might have a need – but is ‘shopping’ – not

sure if you are the right fit

• Email brochure/product sheets

• Send promotion information


• Connect via social media

• Call ONLY if qualified

• Visitor with no need to purchase product/service but can

benefit your company/brand – media, writer, endorsers or

???


• Add to database

• Passerby who visits booth with no need or interest in

product or service - possibly there for free promotional

items

• No interaction with visitor – entered name into ‘fish bowl’

or registered for a prize – not sure why they stopped by

the booth

• Add to database - if appropriate


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Sample Follow-Up Schedule

Week1 Thank you email or snail mail

Follow-up meeting with team

Add to CRM system or database; add to

regular marketing schedule

Connect on social media sites

Week 2 1st phone call Follow-up email – send appropriate

marketing materials

Upload images to Social Media sites – share with your new

connections

Week 3 E-blast on product information

Send samples – after qualifying

Week 4 Follow-up Call Survey


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CONSIDER NEW TOOLS


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Place Prospects in CRM System or Database

• Salesforce.com

• Microsoft Dynamics

• SAP

• ZOHO CRM

• Sage CRM

• SUGAR CRM

• ACT!

http://crm-software-review.toptenreviews.com/index.html http://www.zdnet.com/the-best-crm-suite-1339324237/

Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Software


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Surveys and e-blasts


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iPad Options

www.icapture.com

iPad App – capture the data you need and want from your visitors

during the show


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iPad Options

iPad App – Capture leads and view company literature

www.mktpoint.com/tradeshow


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Business Card Readers

Business Card Reader SHAPE GmbH

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/business-card-reader/id328175747?mt=8


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Business Card Readers

WorldCard Mobile - Business card reader and scanner

Penpower Technology Ltd.

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/worldcard-mobile-business/id333211045?mt=8


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Recap 1. Think Qualification and Quality 2. Develop Criteria 3. Set your Goals 4. Know your Target Audience 5. Understand Prospects vs. Leads 6. Execute your Pre-show plan 7. Outline an At-show plan 8. Have a Follow-up plan 9. JUST DO IT!


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THANK YOU!

Download ROI calculator and Criteria Sheet Visit www.themarxgrp.com/SEMAShowPlanning2012.html


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http://www.themarxgrp.com/SEMAShowPlanning2012.html


TOM MARX

[email protected]

415.453.0844 x106

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The marxgroup tradeshow_leverage_pdf