Robyn Sachs has headed RMR & Associates since 1987. As one of the top designers of
trade show convention displays , she fully understands that to gain
attention, conventions demands a higher order of creativity. But we also know your trade show convention display
must sell. So we build accountability
into every client's program. Because we're not just another one of the trade show convention display
agencies. We realize that all of your marketing communications must be measurably productive.
Robyn Sachs, President of RMR & Associates, one of the leading woman-owned agencies
and designers of trade show convention display, located in
Rockville, MD says: If you're looking for trade show convention displays , no
one will work harder for you to get the results you want than we will. And we
have over 250 company and product roll-outs to prove it!
Says Sachs: Let me explain a little
more about the way trade shows work when it comes to agencies and
advertising creative and why you should go with RMR.
According to
trade show 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 trade shows 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 trade show 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 trade show
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 trade show 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 trade show
investment.
5. Give prospects a reason to visit the company's
convention. 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.
We welcome yolur comments or
questions.