Resources
Here's a list of key online resources onmarket research and trade show planning information.
- Center for Exhibition Industry Research (CEIR), www.ceir.org : A nonprofit organization that offers the largest collection of exhibition-related research studies, such as the Exhibition Industry Index, which measures and tracks business-to-business exhibition.
- The Ultimate Event Resource www.TSNN.com : This website allows you to sort trade shows by industry, location, and dates, which allows you to find the right show for you to exhibit or attend.
- Convention Industry Council (CIC), www.conventionindustry.org : They publish the Economic Impact Study, a publication based on U.S. figures that provide the current economic-impact of meetings, conventions, and exhibitions. It also provides a glossary of meetings and conventions, as well as industry terms, acronyms and abbreviations created by the Accepted Practices Exchange, (who has established the best practices for the entire meeting, convention, and exhibition industry.
- Computer Event Marketing Association (CEMA), www.cemaonline.com : An organization that serves a niche market of marketing professionals in the high-technology industry. They disseminate information to its members via Webinars, interactive forums, councils, and information-exchange sessions.
Tips on Planning
- Involve all decision-makers. Get everyone on board up front to avoid an awkward situation when someone comes in with key information at the last minute.
- Assign roles to your booth staff, such as booth captain and make sure they all know their roles.
- Involve sales management early in the trade show planning process.
Cut Staffing Costs:
- Using Lead Generators lets your employees continue to do their jobs back home. In essence, your employees continue to make money instead of cost you money.
- It allows you to take less people to the show and lets your people do what they do best. Because Lead Generators are trained to gather people and pre-qualify them, staffers can focus efforts on closing sales or collecting t"hot" leads.
- Promotional Products and collateral: Don't just give your promotional products and brochures away, that is not an effective trade show strategy, instead talk to the prospect, qualify them, if they are qualified and interested then give them additional information to read, let them know you will follow up and thank them for their time and then present them with a special gift. This way they feel special for receiving a gift, and you save money on promotional material and products by only giving it to people that matter. (Qualified Leads)