According to tradeshow authority Steve Miller, author of the best-seller How To Get the Most Out of Trade Shows, the average state, regional, and national trade show in the U.S. turns over 30-40% of its exhibitors every year ... largely because companies don't see any measurable return on their exhibiting investment. Yet for some companies who participate in the same shows year after year, exhibiting is one of their most important marketing activities.

Doing tradeshows right is hard work. Here's a checklist to help your next exhibit meet your expectations.

1. Set measurable objectives. Measurable means quantifiable. Whether your objective is to generate leads, make appointments for the weeks following the show, or sell product right on the show floor, set a specific goal of how many.

2. Establish a plan to achieve them. Are your objectives in line with the show's audience size, the available exhibit hours, and your ability to spend sufficient time with prospects? Good. Now you have to devise a way to reach those objectives. Assign responsibilities to everybody on your tradeshow team.

3. Set a budget. Only with a budget equal to the task at hand can all your planning and objectives pay off. Costs of tradeshow participation include: space rental, the exhibit, shipping and storage, on-site services, travel, and pre-show promotion. How much should go to each item? Steve Miller's rule of thumb is to assign half your budget to marketing and promotion efforts. That is, you should spend as much promoting your exhibit as you do building it.

4. Train your staff. The tradeshow floor is totally unlike any other selling environment. But according to research by the Trade Show Bureau, very few companies train their exhibit staffs. Without training, how else will your staff learn how to qualify a prospect? Gauge a customer's needs? Follow up after the initial contact? Educating your staff could return more than any other part of your tradeshow investment.

5. Give prospects a reason to visit the company's booth. This means promote your exhibit in advance. We could devote a whole page to this topic alone. And we have!

6. Be ready to gather information. You've got to be standing up and ready to talk with every customer who comes into your exhibit. Sitting down, chatting with your co-workers, and simply not paying attention are sure ways to reduce the leads you gather.

7. Follow up after the show. Make your staff accountable for post-show contact. Require written feedback on every follow-up call.

Robyn Sachs is the president of RMR & Associates, a full-service advertising, marketing and public relations firm based in the Washington metropolitan area that specializes in the high tech industry and is known nationally for its innovative campaigns. She can be reached at rsachs@rmr.com. The Marketing Advisor is published quarterly. We welcome yolur comments or questions.