|
JULIA SAYS ...
If Everything that Happens BEFORE the Show is Marketing,
If Everything that Happens AFTER the Show is Sales
Then What Happens AT the Show?
Wine for dummies…
Wine that loves… Well, you think wine would be a nifty gift for clients or as a trade show give-away, but you donít know enough about wine. Now, thereís hope because there is a foolproof way to match the wine to the food ñ or vice versa. Or call it Wine for Dummies ñ but itís a neat idea...
"For consumers who aren't interested in delving into a wine's expressiveness or pinpointing whether a Mourvèdre's hints of blackberry are outweighed by its overtones of black pepper, what matters most is how well the wine goes with their food. Making it as simple as possible, the Amazing Food Wine Company has launched a fool-proof line of Wine That Loves. Each wine is specifically suited to one dish, which leaves no room for error; these are wines that singularly 'love' pizza, grilled salmon or pasta with tomato sauce. The dishes were chosen based on popularit in American households."
NEAT SIGHTSEEING VEHICLE .... Looking for a unique gift or post-show event?
If you have a show in San Francisco and coming this spring ñ Miami, San Diego and other convention-trade show cities.
"So, youíre in San Francisco, and you want to do a little sightseeing. But the thought of wrestling with maps, getting herded about with dozens of tourists, or asking random passers-by for directions just isnít appealing. Luckily for tourists to the City by the Bay, thereís GoCar Rentals, home of the "first ever storytelling car." The GoCar looks like a tiny yellow two-seater car, but is actually a three wheeled moped. Two people can hop in, and are required to wear helmets."
Both tidbits and more…
NEW BOOK for MEETING PLANNERS
Want to know the behind-the-scenes operations that can cost you and save you money when planning your next event? Want to get the best deal? And understand what really goes on and what you should look for before you book? Then read this new book by Pat Romero - Pat teaches the convention service class online for UNLV..... Buy it at amazon
REVIEW - Pat Romero has put together a wonderful book with all of the basics of convention management. It is the perfect, grass roots tool for anyone entering or considering entering the hospitality or meeting planning industry. By Laura C. Bohannon, Certified Meeting Professional
HOTEL CONVENTION SALES, SERVICES AND OPERATIONS
Enjoy Your Next Show!!
Julia
julia@TradeShowTraining.com
Camp Sho-M-Sel-M - DETAILS
Watch for the Camp Schedule. SIX Camps scheduled for ...
-
Las Vegas - April 11-12
-
Dallas - April 31-May1
-
New York City - May 30-31
-
Rosemont (Chicago area) - 2nd week in June
-
San Diego - July 16-17
-
Washington DC - July 31- August 1 - See below
SPECIAL - For non-US exhibitors only — Washington DC - July 31-August 1. –
Includes a visit to Trade Show Exhibitors Association show at D.C. Convention Center
http://m1e.net/c?44878313-AAK8Y9Ck6bYdo%402283284-1S.NzjCi1XGS2
Questions? Contact Julia directly by sending e-mail to Julia@TradeShowTraining.com
Working the booth means get busy,
no time to stand around
Does your company have a description for a full-time job
that says “Stand in the booth and hand out brochures.”?
Doubt it.
“Working the booth” often falls to the person closest to the show site, or part of a sales team. So, staffing for trade shows might be haphazard, considered a reward for sales performance, or based on corporate marketing criteria.
Then the question becomes how many people in a booth? These are the basics the exhibit, sales and marketing managers should use for the most effective presence at each show.
1. Allocate space for two staff for each 10-foot-by-10-foot area. This decreases when you have conference areas, demonstrations, theatre, large equipment, storage and other space-eating situations. Know the floor plan when selecting staff.
2. Make sure everyone has a copy of the floor plan for the show. It should be marked with:
- Location of your booth
- Locations of competitors
- Locations of partners
- Locations of prospective clients
- Booth floor plan clearly showing locations of storage, literature, conference area, demonstration, technical equipment, etc.
Also, add a list of people responsible for keys for storage, scheduling the conference area, etc.
Most important, who is responsible for technical equipment? To make sure it's in the booth, operating properly and who to call if it isn't working.
And, finally, spell out very plainly any rules and regulations affecting how the show space can be used. These should be from Show Management and your corporate policies. Think of all the unknowns and cover everything from disposing of trash to liquor in the booth, from balloons to swearing, from use of cell phones to dismantling before the end of the show.
3. Understand the schedule of the trade show and the surrounding events. You may need fewer people at certain times and a larger staff during peak times. For example, if the luncheon is on the show floor, there will be traffic, thus you'll need more people. And conversely, if the show floor is open during The Awards Luncheon, you may need less staff. Past experience and corporate expectations are required when you set the staff schedule.
4. Know when appointments are scheduled. You need some flexibility in your staff scheduling. People will come by early, late and unexpectedly.
5. Not everybody needs to be IN the booth, but may be required to be nearby to handle a surge in visitors, such as a buying group, or to cover when appointments run late. This extra staff can be reached via beeper and should be used to gather market intelligence - talking with competitors, partners and general networking - while waiting to be called.
6. Staff needs to be aware that they are three-dimensional. They have a front, a back and a side. Actually, two sides plus a top and a bottom. So, there are lots of ways that people can view us. We've all had staff who look like they're wearing blinders - who think they're only responsible for the space directly in front of them. They aren't conscious — or don't care — or don't know that they should care - about what's going on around them.
There's a great tendency to assume that people only see us from the front, as when we look at them and shake hands. Not true. Visitors usually see us first from the side, and then decide to approach us.
So stand up straight. Smile. And get ready for business.
Enjoy Your Next Show!
Julia O'Connor is a speaker, author and a consultant fore Trade Show Training, Inc. She can be reached at (804) 355-7800, e-mail julia@TradeShowTraining.com or visit www.TradeShowTraining.com.
In one way or another, Julia O’Connor has always been in sales. From the time her mortified mother found out that, as an enterprising five-year-old, she was peddling homemade pot holders to the neighbors, to her current expertise in trade show marketing, she has been interested in results. And in order to get the results she wants, she will guide, train and teach.
Her careers range from public and professional education design, to freelance advertising-public relations, to real estate investment portfolio management.
Since 1982, she has been working with clients in trade show marketing. After years of informal instruction, Trade Show Training was incorporated to provide structured training ranging from trade show basics to the ergonomics of exhibit design. She designed Camp Sho-M-Sel-M to improve sales staff performance in the trade show environment. O’Connor holds degrees from the University of Georgia in advertising, an MA in mass communications from the University of Iowa, and an Indiana University MBA in marketing. She is a frequent speaker on marketing, networking, entrepreneurship and trade shows.
|
