Preparing the Staff Before a Show

We've been gearing up for this show for months now. Things are all in place for a successful show. Did I forget anything?

Does the staff know all they need to know?

This process actually starts long before we all arrive at the show. There are a series of things to do with the staff to make sure they all know what's going to happen leading up to and at the show. The tool I've used the past few years is a process that involves a package referred to as "show notes" and a series of meetings and communications (e-mail and phone). The centerpiece is a memo that, in PDF form, goes out to the team periodically prior to the show in 6-, 3- and 1-week intervals. This package includes:

• Show hours, days and dates
• Set up days and dates
• A list of the team members attending and who's in charge
• Date and time for booth staff meetings
• A floorplan of both the hall and booth
• A list of demos and in-booth activities
• Expectations on lead gathering
• Key customers who will attend
• Instructions on what do do with media
• Hotel confirmation numbers
• Ground transportation options
• Contact information for on-site team members

Anything else isn't left to the imagination: team members are encouraged to contact with questions (and they do). I am fortunate to have a crew who knows me and the drill, so our shows go off as planned (usually).

TTSG

Exhibit Preview

Previewing the exhibit before a show doesn't always have to be done, but many times it is a good idea and worth the expense.

What we're talking about is standing the exhibit properties up in the shop to make sure everything fits and works. There are a number of reasons you would take the time to do this:

• Review graphic placement and fitting of demos.
• Determination of which properties will be used and shipped.
• Confirmation of the actual shipment.
• A preview for management.

You can also use this as a time to ease your set up. For one client we actually rolled out the carpet and taped the location of where major exhibit components would be placed. Making notes on the manifest, we also staged crates around the space in the hall to ensure ease of set up in the hall.

Things to consider before you do a pre-shipment, pre-show preview:The labor cost to set up the both and repack.

• Timing--do you have reasonable time before the show?
• Being prepared for any changes management or other factors will bring.

We'll be doing one of these previews for a client early next week, so watch this space for a report.

TTSG

Preparing for a show

The other day I met with some friends who own a small business. And by small, I mean it is the two of them, a contract sales guy and their "1099" installation crew guys. In the landscaping business, they know they have to maximize what they do with their selling time.

And they take it seriously.

When I asked the question of "who are you targeting at the upcoming golf show?" they answered me with statistics. They had done an analysis of all of their sales in the first year by age of buyer, annual income, geographic location in the metro area, and cost of sale. They also segregated commercial customers from residential and could recount repeat customers.

Now, I realize this is basic stuff and academic to most of you out there. But I have in the past worked with and for Fortune 500 companies who could tell you less about their customers and who they were targeting at a given show.

So, armed with these data, they compared it to the demographics provided by the show organizer and set up a "profile" of who they want to reach at the show. Further, they reached into their data base and, combined with what the promoter is provided, are doing a targeted e-mail blast and direct-mail (postal) mailing. They will also track responses to these items when they collect leads in the booth and will do a post-show mailing and an analysis of the traffic. This will prepare them for next year's show.

Lesson Learned: even the smallest player can win big with the right data and approach.

TTSG