Welcome to ExhibiTALK. Learn exhibiting tips from the pros!

The team at Marketplace Events strives to take each show beyond exhibit space, banners and logos... We build experiences. ExhibiTALK is where the Marketplace Events team shares best practices and strategies to truly get the most out of your show experience.

We bring buyers and sellers together in environments that ensure opportunity and success for our customers. Online, in print or on the show floor, we connect businesses with the audiences they need to reach; and we want to make sure every connection is worthwhile.

Brand Awareness

A home show is a great way to reach your target audience.

Face to Face

Have meaningful interactions with potential customers.

Lead Generation

Find your future customers through surveys and contests.

Celebrity + Expert Appearances

Opportunites to present to a live audience.

Social Media

Connect with a fabulous home + garden community looking for new ideas.

Friday, December 13, 2013

Before the Show: Train Your Team

Your success at a home show is highly dependent on your overall team performance. You have put hours into designing your booth, creating a strategy, printing handouts... Now it is time to invest in your team. They are at the front of the line and representing you to potential customers. Explain to staff who are working the booth in detail what you hope to accomplish at the show and what you expect from each person. A kick-off meeting can inspire people and help them understand your expectations and goals before the show opens. Action ideas may include:
  • Determine the sales process - a team selling approach is best.
  • Share the content of your pre-show promotions so your team can reference them and react to booth visitors in a positive and knowledgeable manner.
  • Explain how the overall success of the show will be measured.
A common problem encountered by many exhibitors is sales team related. Many salespeople are focused on their own niche: one geographical location, product, or customer type. As a result, they may be reluctant to engage in conversations with prospects from outside their focus. It's best to implement a process for them to collect and pass along ALL leads from attendees. Make sure they are considering long term sales leads and not only orders closed during the event. These issues should be addressed and staff trained accordingly. Open lines of communication between your sales and marketing staff will help ensure the appropriate follow-up with all the leads you collect.

Hold daily morale-building and debriefing sessions where staff members can talk about accomplishments and concerns. Consider recognizing the most valuable team player of the day – someone who went above and beyond.  Offer individualized positive feedback so staff members know you appreciate their efforts. A simple “thank you” goes a long way.

Marketplace Events
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Friday, December 6, 2013

Before the Show: Decide How Much Space You Will Need

Booth size depends upon your show budget, the product selection that you want to bring to the show, desired objectives, the available show space, and your number of staff. Keep in mind that the size of your booth will have a direct bearing on your final results at the home show. For example, if your major objective at a show is to generate new leads, the amount of actual leads you can generate will be affected by a limited space.
Ample space for shoppers and sales staff.
The physical exhibit (products and displays) generally occupy approximately thirty percent of your available space. In a ten-foot by ten-foot booth (100 square feet), your exhibit will cover approximately thirty square feet. That leaves only seventy square feet for exhibitors and attendees. The average person uses less than twenty-five square feet of personal space. If you have seventy square feet of space available for people, at less than twenty-five square feet per person, then approximately three people can fit into your booth, INCLUDING SALESPEOPLE! The rule of thumb is that no more than two salespeople should work each 100 square feet of space. With two salespeople in a 10' x 10' booth and one visitor it could still feel very crowded.

An over crowded booth can actually hinder your sales.
Avoid congestion! Your exhibit should be open and inviting to attendees, not cluttered and claustrophobic. Booth visitors tend to stay away from areas they perceive as crowded or confining. A booth visitor will take approximately three seconds to walk past a ten-foot by ten-foot booth. However, a visitor will take eight seconds to walk by a booth that is ten-feet by twenty-feet.

Perhaps the size and number of your products, your demonstration requirements, and/or your selling process has already dictated your booth size. Regardless, it is a good idea to mark off the space you are considering on the floor (in your warehouse, showroom, or living room) and try to actually fit your products, equipment, tables, chairs, etc., into this space. This procedure will act as a "dress rehearsal" for the show and will allow you the opportunity to visualize any potential problems with your display before you get on-site. You may realize that you need to reserve more space and that you can not possibly fit everything you planned in this display area. Needless to say, this is the best time to find out and make any adjustments.



Marketplace Events
US Shows  |  Canadian Shows

Visit HomeandGardenBlog.com for tips and trends!
Facebook.com/HomeandGardenEvents
Twitter.com/HomeShows