Tradeshows can be a powerful marketing tool for businesses. With tradeshow season quickly approaching, many business owners begin considering if they should reserve a booth a tradeshow, which tradeshow would be the most beneficial for them, and how to make the most of their presence if they do reserve a space. If you are asking yourself these questions for your own business, consider the following:
Why Should My Business Participate in a Tradeshow?
Simply put, displaying in a tradeshow is one of the best ways to make face to face contact with those who might be interested in your business’s products or services. How many chances do you have actually meet, in person, hundreds or thousands of local people who you can tell about your business? If you choose the right event, you could leave at the end of the day with a stack of business cards of prospects you have not already qualified as good potential clients, but who you have also had the opportunity to introduce yourself to and possibly even schedule a time to chat on the phone or meet. For the minimal cost most tradeshows entail, it is usually well worth it to display for this reason alone. In addition, having a booth at a tradeshow is a good way to brand your business and increase your visibility. Even if you aren’t actually talking to everyone who attends the tradeshow, they are seeing your booth and this is valuable in and of itself.
How do I make the most of my space? Now that you’ve decided to display in a tradeshow, you must do some proper planning to make sure you maximize your involvement. “Make your booth clear and concise so everyone knows the services or products you offer,” suggests Joe Sittler with Omaha Trans Video. “Big bold images and displays always get more attention.” Joe also suggests having a video presentation at your booth. “We provide a quality video presentation that will make you stand out from the rest,” he says. “We can produce a promotional DVD or BluRay with testimonials and product demonstrations. The disc can be looped for continuous play.”
Of course, having a successful tradeshow is not just about your display, it’s also about the people you have working your booth. If you are not personally going to be there or if you want staff there with you, make sure you’re choosing the right ones. Outgoing personalities always do best at a show and make sure the people you have at your booth are very knowledgeable about a wide range of the products and services you offer. Now is not the right time to break in the new guy who you’ve never really seen in action! “It’s also important to get out there and talk to the attendees without being overbearing,” Joe Sittler with Omaha Trans Video adds. “Everyone is a potential client!”
Upcoming Tradeshow
Greater Omaha Chamber
2012 Buy the Big O! Show
Wednesday, Oct. 17 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m.
CenturyLink Center Omaha Exhibit Hall C
www.BuytheBigOShow.com
NEW THIS YEAR, a mega shopping day to help you attract new customers with your exclusive Buy the Big O! Show booth specials! Reserve your booth today!
Buy the Big O! Show, the premier business-to-business trade show, is coming Wednesday, Oct. 17. Reserve a booth and you’ll have the chance to make purchasing connections with thousands of attendees! And you have the advantage — only Greater Omaha Chamber members can exhibit.
Select the ideal location for your booth while you have the chance.
This year’s Show includes a change in hours, 8:30 a.m. – 4 p.m., as well as these exciting enhancements for exhibitors:
See you at CenturyLink Center Omaha on Oct. 17. for the best business-to-business shopping day of the year!