How To Work A Trade Show

Hopefully you're planning to attend some trade shows and conferences this year. If not, you should re-think that. Trade shows are a great way to promote your company, and recruit new customers. Two great ones that are coming up are the Black Enterprise Conference in Charlotte and FraserNet in Atlanta.

A recent article by Jane Applegate in Entrepreneur Magazine has the following suggestions when attending trade shows:

* No matter how tired you are, attend a few seminars and all the group meals. Target industry leaders and contacts you want to meet. Spend some time each day circulating and schmoozing.

* When you finally catch up with a person you wanted to meet, ask them to join you outside the hall where it's quieter. If it's an industry leader, you will only have a few minutes to make an impression before they are distracted or led away.

* Speak to as many people as you can while waiting in buffet or bathroom lines. You never know who will turn out to be a great contact.

* If a reporter or producer approaches you, give them a good quote for their story.

* Rather than carrying around heavy brochures, collect the cards of serious prospects. Say, "So many people were interested in my products, I've already given all my brochures away. But, I'd love to send you one as soon as I get back to the office."

* Distribute postcards. Unlike a heavy brochure, postcards are light and easy to carry. They are also very inexpensive to print. For about $500, you can get 5,000 postcards made by 1-800-POSTCARDS.

* Bring three times as many business cards as you think you will need.

* Wear comfortable clothes and a jacket with pockets. I keep my cards in one pocket to hand out. I store cards given to me in the other pocket.

* If you don't have a stylish, comfortable outfit to make a good impression, go shopping before the show.

* If money is tight, contact the organizers and volunteer to help in exchange for free admission. Gwedolyn Meeks, who owns and operates Gwen's Bread Pudding Crunch in Chicago, attended a show for free in exchange for helping out at the registration desk. As a new business owner, Meeks said she learned a lot by watching the thousands of women "working" the show. "The most important thing you can do at a trade show is to show up," she said. "Just being here is the most important thing."

For the full article, visit http://www.entrepreneur.com/marketing/marketingbasics