Most companies spend huge amounts of time and money designing, construction, outfitting, transporting, and setting up their trade show booth. This content aims to have you understand some of the basic skills that would allow you to get the most out of your trade show experience. The content will start by looking at who attends trade shows and why they are there. It will explore a number of things that should be done before the show even starts, including setting trade show goals, understanding your company, and developing good trade show introductions. It will then look at trade show etiquette and skills emphasising active listening, body language and questioning. A special emphasis will be placed on conducting prospecting. The content will end with an exploration of the follow-up necessary after the show. This content will highlight basic skills that should allow you to generate more leads, prospects and especially qualified prospects at your next trade show.
Learning Outcomes:

• Understand the types of people that attend trade shows
• Develop trade show goals, which are S.M.A.R.T. – Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-bound.
• Know what your company does (products, marketing strategy, your customers) in order to work successfully in the trade show booth
• Realise the importance of good conversation from the opening lines of introduction to the closing of the conversation, hopefully with a potential sale.
• Develop a variety of introductions that could be used to engage potential customers at a trade show.
• Understand the importance of Pre-Promotion to the success of the trade show.
• Realise the importance of targeted promotional giveaways.
• Understand the importance of good booth behaviour including Active Listening, Body Language, and Questioning.
• Conduct prospecting activities at a trade show, including First Contact, Qualification, Determining Needs, and Closing the Deal
• Develop and conduct follow-up activities with leads, prospects, and qualified prospects after the trade show.