Purple Bow Ties Loses Trade Show Leads

A man with a purple bow tie is standing in front of a booth.  His coworker is looking at a laptop resting on top of an oversized workstation while he walks on a treadmill.

The unusual configuration of the booth caught my attention, but this was the third time I had passed this booth while searching for a colleague lost on the trade show floor.  I tried to figure out the bizarre and unusual booth's presentation but just could not figure out what they were selling.

I asked the man in the purple bow tie what they did. He told me his company specialized in branding, and they worked with companies to help brand images for trade show booths.  He rattled off a list of clients they have worked with and then went on to explain how all the booths around him were doing it wrong.

"Collecting business cards is a waste of time and energy," he boasted.

"Show management is providing an attendee list after the show, why waste the effort of collecting cards when we will get all the information in a day or two," he exclaimed.

Instantly I hear the voice of ventriloquist Jeff Dunham with Walter saying, "Dumb-ass!" Walter was upset that somebody would actually leave in the middle of a televised show. That's how I felt on a trade show floor hearing that a paying exhibitor is not accepting business cards.

Then it occurred to me that this was the President of a company and not a Sales Manager.

It may be true that show management provides you a list of attendees contact information, but that's what it is... a list. The list fails to tell you who is interested in your service or product.

Here are 4 reason's you should always gather business cards.

1. Lead - This person is or knows of somebody interested in your product or service
2. Marketing - Statistical data can be analyzed, such as titles, geographic demographics, and markets.
3. Correct Data - Show managers hire vendors to do data entry, so information supplied may be inaccurate.
4. Social Business Etiquette - In business we start the trust and professional relationship with the introduction of a business card.

About the Author

Dale Obrochta puts a twist on lead generation and helps companies attract clients, generate leads, and create a successful trade show experience for the attendee while stuffing his client's pockets with qualified leads.

Ill-Prepared Exhibitors

I have talked to many people about Trade Shows, and I am always surprised by Sales Managers who are not focused on producing high turnouts at their booth. "It is way too early to talk about this event. We have months before this show," is a common excuse.

Pre-show marketing needs to be done weeks before the event. So when do you prepare the pre-show marketing material? Months earlier, trade show displays are created and produced, literature is developed, and staff is trained.

Pre-show marketing is a crucial component for drawing attendees into a booth. The focus of the sales force needs to define the message they want to send to the attendees. Are they exhibiting for new customers, shoring up old relationships, or making an appearance just for namesake?

Early planning allows branding the pre-show message into your booth display, customizing presentations, and permitting the entertainer to build and formulate ideas, ensuring better booth marketing.

Pre-show marketing planning should start right after you sign the contract to participate at the Trade Show. The people who fail are those who wait until the last minute, then complain that the show was a stinker and that they are not returning because they did not generate many leads.

About the Author

Dale Obrochta puts a twist on lead generation and helps companies attract clients, generate leads, and create a successful trade show experience for the attendee while stuffing his client's pockets with qualified leads.

Excelling in Trade Show Lead Generation

 There's been a disturbance in the FORCE.

Sales managers are starting to understand the dark side of trade show marketing. Trade show lead generation takes more than buying a booth at an industry show and having leads stuffed into their pockets.

Planning must be addressed, and the smart trade show managers are doing so, without hesitation. They know, to be successful in a trade show booth, you need to use all the marketing tools available.

Let's face it, drawing crowds to a trade show booth means nothing if you cannot attract the right people.

This is accomplished by pre-show marketing, a well-crafted SEO, and the ability to get a message delivered successfully. If you are not doing this, then your just spitting into the wind and hoping it does not smack you in the face.

Let's avoid the embarrassment of failure and learn the techniques that allow you to walk away from a trade show with pockets full of leads.

There's only one way to accomplish this.

Details are at...

http://putatwistonit.com/lead-generation/

Come to the dark side, it is not evil, it is only trade show marketing.