Trade and craft shows can add new life to your small business marketing plan if you follow a few common sense principles.
Are you always using the same marketing strategies with the same results? Consider trade and craft shows as a way to expand the audience and potential customer base of your small business. But while trade and craft shows may add new life to your marketing plan, they can also be disastrous if you don't follow a few commonsense principles.
Pick a Promising Show
Whether a trade show or craft show is more appropriate will depend on your business. Trade shows are available for every industry from engineering to education and focus primarily on displays and demonstrations, while craft shows give you a chance to sell your handcrafted wares. However, don't discount craft shows just because you don't sell pottery or woven baskets. Many shows will accept vendors marketing their services. Also consider local community business expos or fairs that offer display space. And since you can't be at every show, in order to pick the best venues for your time, ask show organizers about specifics like past attendance figures and visitor demographics to find your best fit. If your products are designed with busy corporate executives in mind, but a show's audience is going to be stay-at-home moms, you're probably not going to be happy with the results if you attend.
Get Them There
While you will certainly get visitors at your booth from all of the show attendees, you can stack the deck by getting customers there to see *you*. For instance, you can send flyers, postcards or direct mailers to current and potential customers announcing your appearances. Convincing buyers to visit you in person will help make a sale like no brochure or catalog can.
Attract Attention
With so many other booths at a trade or craft show, you need to stand out from the crowd. You will only have seconds to catch the attention of passersby. If signs are appropriate to the setting, make them clear and eye-catching. If you are selling products, display them attractively. One proven way to draw attention at craft shows is to work on the products you're selling. It's eye-catching and a definite conversation-starter. While that approach certainly won't work with all products, think of a way to bring your business to the potential customers in front of you. If you run a catering business, samples of your cooking will certainly draw people to your booth. If you can't bring your product to the event, show a video or PowerPoint of yourself in action. But don't get so caught up in creating a flashy display that you forget to also make your basic contact and product information available.
Let Them Take a Piece of You Home
Admit it. We've all done it. You've visited a booth at a show or expo because of what they were giving away. Now imagine that you're the business who gave away these coveted items. Every time a customer signs a form with a promotional pen or takes a phone message on a pre-printed notepad, the company name is right there, providing continuous advertising mileage.
While pens are always handy, think about a giveaway that will make you stand out from the rest. What about a greeting card? You'll be advertising to both the person who picks it up and the person who later receives it. A decal or magnet could find its way onto a filing cabinet or refrigerator at a busy office. Don't be afraid to get creative.
A word of caution, though: since some people really do just snatch the freebies and run, never to be heard from again, think economically when creating your giveaways. You could also consider a drawing to attract customers to your booth. Raffle off one of your products or a gift certificate for your services. You'll have to put up the money for the prize, but you'll also gain a jar full of names and addresses of potential customers. Before running a drawing or raffle, make sure that it doesn't conflict with any laws or show regulations.
Don't Let Helpers Sabotage Your Success
As a small business owner, you'll probably take charge of manning the booth, but everyone needs breaks during the day. Make sure that any helpers, whether they're employees or friends and family, practice good customer service skills. A few pointers on topics like the best way to approach potential customers and how to give an on-the-spot product pitch can prevent most common blunders. Getting any assistants on board with your goals for attending the show can also help them buy in to the experience, and see it as more than just a short job or a favor to you.
Don't Forget the Follow-Up
Once you've returned home from the show, you may want to sit back and relax, but your work isn't done yet. You will need to follow up on every promising contact and lead you gained, and the sooner the better. Business cards and brochures are easily tossed aside after the show, but if you make personal contact, you just might gain a new customer.
If you're selling your products on site, then follow-up isn't as vital since your customers have already purchased an item. Don't discount it entirely, though. You may be able to turn your contacts into future mail order sales, or at the very least add them to your mailing list so you can let them know the next time you're attending a show in their area.
