How to Organize and Operate a Trade Show

[bullet] Home Businesses are BOOMING and NOW is the time go get started
[bullet] How secure is your job?
[bullet] How much better off are you TODAY than your were 5 years ago
[bullet] Getting your AMSOIL Business off to a fast start
[bullet] Suggested literature items you can use to get your business started
[bullet] AMSOIL's T-1 Dealer Training
[bullet] How to get the tape series HOW TO MAKE $100,000.00 PER YEAR IN NETWORK
[bullet] How to Sponsor New Dealers.
[bullet] Ten Steps to Success
[bullet] Excellent letter to prospective dealers (thanks Mike)
[bullet] Setting up Commercial and Retail Accounts
[bullet] AMSOIL Quicklube Program
[bullet] How to Organize and Operate a Trade Show
[bullet] The AMSOIL Catalog Program
[bullet] Sending out Press Releases for your Business
[bullet] How to Promote, Organize, and Conduct Dealer Meetings
[bullet] How Glenn & Sherry built their business
[bullet] Building a MILLION DOLLAR BUSINESS
 

Plan you show well in advance. If there is a fee, pay it early so you can get a good spot. Businesses do mass research before they decide where to build, because they know their success is 50% location, location, location! If there are other dealers in the area and you are first, most shows will not allow others.

Get your literature together. You should have a great deal of photocopied material, because it is inexpensive and no one should ever leave or pass your booth without something in their hand. This also means you have someone in the aisles handing out literature. My Tri-folds on cars, trucks, and farms are very good for this. (Let me know if you need a copy…just change your name, etc copy, and fold. They are a very convenient size for people "on the run". Contact Amsoil to see if they can help with costs, especially in large shows. You also need brochures and catalogues for those who are seriously interested, dealer applications, commercial and retail on the shelf applications. You just don't know whom you will meet!

Decide what demonstrations you wish to use. There are bypass demos, air filter demos, and tapes if you have a video-TV set. Make sure there are electrical hook ups! These are not necessary, but are good "attention grabbers". Definitely, invest in an Amsoil Banner. These are well worth the cost.

You need lots of help! Don't even try to do this alone. Get your dealers, your families, and even your children can hand out flyers. Shows are a 'marathon'. You need to be behind the booth talking to people, and you can only talk to one at a time, while 15 walk away. The dealer who talks to a person gives them their business card. Rule 1: No dealer ever steals a contact from another dealer engaged in conversation with a prospect. As the leader, it is your job to be sure this does not happen. Another method is for each dealer to have 'drawing tickets' with their name on the back to hand out.

A drawing is very important to get names, addresses, and phone numbers for future follow up. The prize can be an air filter, an oil change, quart of AGGRAND, or anything you want. When the box is opened by the dealers, the slips are divided up among the dealers (unless they have names on the backs). They can follow up by phone.

Fairs and trade shows from small to large can be very beneficial in introducing Amsoil products to your area, sponsoring accounts, and dealers, and working together with your dealers in a team effort. When it's hot and everyone is tired, tempers may be short, so breaks are very important. Fairs are a stand up job. You can't sit behind the booth and nod your head as the crowd walks by.

Also, don't expect to sell anything. If you do, that's fine, but people are there to eat and ride rides, not buy oil. That is why you follow up later. Don't ever consider a show a failure. There is no such thing. If you get one new dealer in your group, or one new account, it is a success, and that may not happen this week. It could be next year, but they saw it first at YOUR SHOW!

Show Selection
  1. Pick the shows that best fit your marketing needs with the best dates for your specific needs.
  2. The best geographic location. No matter how rational the scope of the show, 70% of the attendance comes from a 200-mile radius.
  3. Select the show that has the most impact within a sales territory.
  4. Continue to attend the shows that have benefited you most in the past.
  5. Talk to your exhibit builder, decorator or competitor's about the show management and their ability to promote attendance, hire quality suppliers, create a good show schedule, deal with labor and sympathize with the exhibitor's problems.

Analyze Trade Show Needs
  1. Build a new mailing list.
  2. Introduce new product.
  3. Enhance corporate image.
  4. Meet new customers.
  5. Get sales leads.
  6. Research your market.
  7. Make direct sales.
  8. Sign up dealers or distributors.
  9. Establish a new position for your company in the industry.

Show Preparation
  1. Visit the trade shows in which you are interested to familiarize yourself with their operations and procedures.
  2. Find out if you must submit and exhibit program for management approval.
  3. If you can, keep all trade show information and correspondence apart from your regular files. A separate trade show file system makes it easy to find papers when needed.
  4. Reserve your space as soon as possible. Most shows allocate on a first--come, first serve basis, unless you are a long-time customer.
  5. Coordinate your exhibit program with other company departments to best plan your efforts for trade show success.
  6. Read your exhibitors' manual thoroughly to become an "aware" exhibitor. This step will save you lots of telephone calls and many headaches.
  7. Check through service request forms included with your space confirmation.
  8. Make sure all the decorating and utilities you ordered are accounted for to save last minute problems and costs.
  9. Make sure all your electrical requirements will be met and be sure to plan for office equipment, chairs, type of flooring or carpeting.
  10. Set up your existing exhibit and decide what needs to be changed and what can be salvaged.
  11. Discover all the facts about the exhibit hall; height and width of entrances; move-in day and date; show dates; move-out day and date; labor, union and management procedures, policy on tips; can you rent space outside the official exhibit area; are their restrictions on literature distribution; can you serve food and beverages in your booth; what rules apply to music; entertainment and noise; what system is there for messages; what are the fire regulations; insurance coverage, (both show and corporate).

Analyze Your Target Audience
  1. The quality of your contacts, not quantity is the key to successful exhibiting. For example, we had great success selling our books - normally retailing at $20 - for $12.50 to $15 at various shows. If people think they are getting a special bargain, they are more willing to act.
  2. Take the time to establish a qualitative analysis of your potential audience.
    1. What is the projected attendance?
    2. What percentage are valid prospects?
    3. Multiply 1 and 2 for total prime prospects.
    4. Maximum time required for a sales interview in your booth.
    5. Multiply number of sales people in your booth by hours your exhibit will be open.
    6. Divide No.4 into No.5. Answer is number of prospects you can service adequately.

Exhibit Design
  1. Allocate enough space for your special needs such as demonstrations, conferences, storage, personnel, literature, graphics and product.
  2. Concentrate on presenting your company most positively. Give consideration to company logo, colors, type styles, advertising theme, booth design. The way your booth looks reflects your opinion of your company's position in the marketplace.

Evaluate Your Booth
  1. Does your booth meet your objectives?
  2. Does the exhibit structure help attract visitors?
  3. Is everything clear, functional, orderly and inviting?

Pre-Show Promotion
  1. Promote In-House with letters and bulletins.
  2. Distribute tickets or registration forms to customers and prospects.
  3. Mail personal invitations to customers and prospects with coupons redeemable for a free gift or discount.
  4. Other items: TV or radio interview, advertising, pre-show entertaining, anything you can think of to get your company's name and booth location into the minds of customers and prospects. Discuss with your ad agency, PR department and sales staff for an effective coordinated effort.

Effective Literature and GiveAway's
  1. Don't be afraid to be technical. People who attend trade shows want the most complete data possible.
  2. Giveaways relate to your exhibit message. Do not give away an item with mass appeal. You want prospects, not freeloaders.
  3. Consider giving away samples of your product.

Booth Personnel
  1. Success of your exhibit depends on the men and women who man it. Nothing can harm your exhibit more than indifferent or uninterested booth personnel. Choose people who have knowledge of your product and can convey or demonstrate effectively.
  2. Discuss all the possibilities and ramifications that your exhibit has to offer the company.
  3. Go through a thorough practice session in a mock-up trade show situation to get your personnel used to handling prospects.
  4. Develop sales scenarios and demonstrations and practice them constantly.
  5. Establish effective incentives and rewards.
  6. Be sure someone is available to answer the most technical of questions.
  7. Personalities and "Team Workers" are important in scheduling personnel.
  8. Appoint someone to regularly police the booth to keep it neat and eye-appealing.