Anybody who loves working trade shows is a very sick person!
OK, I'm sort of joking, but the fact is trade shows are HARD WORK! All that planning - booth design, construction, shipping, drayage (whatever that is), installation & dismantling, refurbishing, storage, preshow promotions, advertising, hotels, airlines, staffers, postshow follow-up ... WHEW! Im tired just thinking about it!
And after it's all over with, what do you have to show for it? For a lot of exhibitors, that's the big question. Where's the ROI?!!!
If you're like hundreds of thousands of other exhibitors, small and large, youve probably got less to spend and all your marketing dollars are under more scrutiny than ever before. Its simply not good enough to participate in a trade show anymore just for "image." You MUST prove value and that value must be meaningful. So how do you tie your trade show investment to the corporate bottom-line? How do you use pre-show planning, promotions, advertising, booth design, the Internet, your exhibit staffers, and all the marketing available to generate the maximum profitability from this years big show? What are those secret weapons you must incorporate in your exhibiting arsenal that will ensure the highest value possible from your trade show marketing dollar?
As an old exhibitor myself, I feel your pain! I know what it's like to drag exhibits through airports ... fight with union workers ... stand on my aching feet all day long during the show ... and cram into a crowded taxicab after waiting in line to eat at a high-priced restaurant! I've consulted and spoken before over 175,000 corporate executives, like you, for over 18 years now. Corporations like Coca-Cola, Phillips Electronics, Starbucks, Dana Corporation, Volvo, and many other well-known names rely on me to guide them to a path of exhibiting profitability.
Whether through consulting for your company, speaking to or training your exhibit staffers (both the newbies and the "experienced"), or providing you with the tools you need right now, you can be successful AND profitable at your next trade show!