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.

Monday, September 29, 2014

The How NOT to Exhibit Top 10 Countdown

Successful exhibitors know the importance of training. They will take the time to teach their staff (and themselves) how to sell while working the booth. Always top of mind is presenting both yourself and your company in a professional way - without being too overbearing - and without being so indifferent that potential customers pass you by. In seconds, people will either be attracted to your booth or repelled by it, and you should always be aware of the image you are presenting.

The "How NOT to Exhibit" Top 10 Countdown

10. Don't cluster together in the booth. This creates an intimidating "Sales Gang" which customers feel unable to approach.

9. Don't spend all your time looking at your phone (magazine or newspaper). LOOK UP. Making eye contact is the first step in a conversation with a customer.

8.  Don't hold a buffet in the booth. Customers will not feel comfortable interrupting your dinner. If you're the only one working, use a "be right back" sign.

7. Don't go MIA. Leaving your booth unmanned means you are missing opportunities. See "be right back" sign above.

6. Don't stalk attendees in the aisles. Following people as they walk past your booth and dragging them back isn't the best way to capture their attention. Confidence works better than pushiness.

5. Don't make assumptions based on appearances. Work on future business relationships. View very customer is a future potential buyer.

4. Don't focus only on one person and ignore everyone else. Acknowledge all potential customers in your booth letting them know you'll help as soon as possible.

3. Don't complain. Remember, complaining attracts the wrong kind of attention.

2. Don't Treat the show like a vacation from the office. It may not be the best day to oversleep and turn up late.

1. Don't party like it's 1999. Spending the day yawning and sleeping in your booth will not convert into sales.

Remember the basics on what makes a great booth salesperson:
1. Wow factor.
2. Friendliness.
3. Remaining aware and active.

For more tips on how to successfully exhibit in a home show review our blog post, 10 Exhibiting Tips to Ensure Your Success

For more information on taking part in a Marketplace Events home show visit our website.

Friday, May 16, 2014

Celebrating Marketplace Events Award Winners at #MPEDisney!

Last week Marketplace Events held its annual corporate meeting in Orlando, Florida -- tagged #MPEDisney by the team. Everyone spent an intense three days sharing ideas, strategies and tips which will be used across all of our events moving forward.

One of the highlights of our meeting was a backstage tour of Magic Kingdom. With a focus on customer service, it was great to learn from the Disney Institute how they ensure each persons visit to the park is consistent and full of quality FUN. I'm sure many of us took away valuable lessons which may be transferred on to the planning and running of our events.

During the opening night dinner, Tom Baugh, Lisa Kropf and Mark White announced this year's Marketplace Events Award Winners:



"Over the Top" Award 2014
Cinnamon Kernes
Shannon Nathe
Carol Graves
Edoardo Morera
Jill Kivett

Highest Sales by a Exhibit Sales Consultant above Sales Target
2013 Calgary Home + Design Show
Casey Delflice

Highest Sales by a Show Team above Sales Target
2013 AIMExpo
Cinnamon Kernes
Matt Cavanaugh
Chad Douglass
Heather Higgins

Most New Business Sold
2014 Denver Home Show
Laura Martin

Highest Local Sponsorship Dollars Sold
2014 Great Big Home + Garden Show
Rosanna Hrabnicky

Highest % of Profit - Dollar for Dollar
The Oklahoma City Home + Garden Show, 2014
RaeAnn Saunders

Highest Year-on-Year Growth in Contribution
2014 Salt Lake Home Show
Brooke Peterson

Highest Year-on-Year Growth in Sales
The OKC Home + Outdoor Living Show, 2014
RaeAnn Saunders
Laura Keller

Highest On-Site Renewals (3 - 5 Day Show)
2014 Calgary Home + Garden Show
Jill Kivett
Martin Egli
Jessica Bowlby
Casey Defelice
Micheline Picot
Jenn Tait
Misty Russell
Alison Farrell
Ashley Dinh
Kristy Cairns

Highest On-Site Renewals (6+ Day Show)
2014 Indianapolis Home Show
Laura Groninger
Tami Bailey
Marc Gary
Heather Newsom

Highest Increase in Attendance
The OKC Home + Outdoor Living Show, 2014

RaeAnne Saunders
Shelly Gepfert
Carrie Linde

Highest Single Day Attendance
Minneapolis Home + Garden Show  |  Saturday, March 1, 2014

Highest Exhibitor Satisfaction Rating
2014 Home + Remodeling Show
Liz Benkovich
Stephanie Wyrobek
Carol Graves
Cindy Czaja

Highest Consumer Satisfaction Rating
2014 Oklahoma City Home + Garden Show
RaeAnn Saunders
Laura Keller
Heather Newsom

2014 CEO Award of Appreciation
Casey Defelice
Shelly Gepfert
Arslan Ghani
Rosanna Hrabnicky
Shannon Nathe
Heather Newsom
Paul Schweitzer

2014 Customer Service Leaders
Kelly Baugh
Justine Diersch
Laura Keller
Rese Pardue
Seana Wall



Congratulations to all our award winners!





Marketplace Events
US Shows | Canadian Shows

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Friday, April 4, 2014

After the Show: Throughout the Year

As a leader in the home show industry, Marketplace Events has several new and effective strategies in place that are being developed to benefit exhibitors throughout the entire year!

By exhibiting in our show(s), businesses have the opportunity to partner with Marketplace Events on initiatives that can drive sales throughout the year.  Plus, we are always willing to work with our exhibitors should they have other ideas.

Here are a few of the strategies your business can be a part of:


1. Partner with Marketplace Events on scheduled communications
  • Utilize the shows email database by placing banner ads in our emails
  • Include special offers timely with season(s) throughout the year
  • Utilize banner ads on the show website to deliver your company's promotional announcements, seasonal sales, etc.
2. Leverage the home and garden show
  • Utilize your presence/participation in the show in your communications throughout the year
  • Include "Proud Exhibitor of the [show name]" at your place of business
3. Maximize the "Event Status" of the show
  • Schedule product launches, new service announcements, etc. to happen during the show
  • Following the show include "As premiered at the home and garden show" in your marketing materials and website
  • Leverage the media hype/marketing/PR of the show by letting us know your plans
4. Connect with us on social media
  • Let Marketplace Events know your social media handles, reach out to us and we will retweet and share your posts


Marketplace Events
US Shows | Canadian Shows

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Friday, March 28, 2014

After the Show: It's NOT Over When it's Over!

It is the end of March, and the Marketplace Events spring home show season is winding down. With only one more event on the spring schedule, the Central Florida Home + Garden Show at the Orange County Convention Center, April 4-6, 2014.

By now all of our spring home show exhibitors have taken on new projects, and the days working the show floor are just a distant memory... BUT...

Remember, "it's not over when it's over." Make sure all your post show follow-up work is completed on a timely basis.

Two Weeks After the Show:
Information and samples should be sent to those who requested them within two weeks of the show's conclusion. According to the CEIR Center for Exhibition and Industry Research, 80% of exhibitors DO NOT follow up with show leads. In addition, a survey conducted by the University of Massachusetts Center for Marketing Communications showed only 43% of prospective buyers receive material they requested after they have already made a buying decision. Another 18% never receive the material at all. Backing up these statistics, the home show office's regularly receive post show calls from buyers trying to connect with exhibitors that did not follow up with their inquiries. We also see many emails sent through the exhibitor listing tool requesting brochures and information for a second time.

One Month After the Show:
Follow-up actions and responsibility should be assigned to specific individuals on your team. At the end of 30 days, many companies request a summary from those team members listing the status of each lead including whether it has been converted to a sale, or is still pending, and what the next steps are. This process ensures that all sales leads are handled properly.

One-to-Two Months After the Show:
Continue to monitor the progress of lead conversions. Your staff may already be working on new opportunities from other sources, and consequently, may view the show leads as already stale. However, every lead should be pursued as a potential sale!

In addition to those prospects who were "very interested" or were "ready to buy," don't forget to follow-up with those attendees who only had a question, complaint, or comment. This gives you an extra opportunity to reinforce the positive benefits (time or cost savings, for example) of using your product or service. Everyone that entered your exhibit did so for a reason. A short note or small product sample may turn someone with a question into a customer ready to buy.

Also remember those attendees you wanted to see who didn't make it to the show. A quick email or phone call reminding them about your company, maybe including a video or pictures of your booth, and extending any show specials can go a long way in creating a new customer. 

Want to keep the buzz going? Exhibitors are always welcome to reach out to the Marketplace Events team via social media. If you have a current promotion, or exciting news you'd like to share feel free to reach out to our team. You can find team members on Twitter by viewing the following list:  http://twitter.com/HomeShows/marketplace-events-team/members


Marketplace Events
US Shows | Canadian Shows

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Friday, March 14, 2014

Show Tips from the Show Teams

Today is the opening day of the National Home Show and Canada Blooms in Toronto, one of the largest home shows in North America.  After watching the show teams work incredibly hard during the months leading up to our busy spring home show season, we wanted to share their tips for exhibitors on having a successful show.

Also opening today is the brand new Cleveland Home + Remodeling Expo, and the Denver Home Show. Best of luck to all of our show teams and exhibitors -- may all the shows be a great success!

  1. It takes 3 seconds to draw someone into your booth! Always keep your eyes open for prospective clients. The bigger the booth, the better the results. Size does matter! 
  2. Take advantage of all the offerings from show management. Build your online profile, advertise with us and sponsor an item to get your logo in front of more attendees. Utilize the tools Marketplace Events has to get consumers to come directly to see you in your booth. Concentrate on bringing the people to the show to see your booth and specific product offerings.
  3. Don't miss the unique opportunity to engage face to face with qualified buyers. At the show, be yourself; friendly and knowledgeable, open the door to increased sales by building relationships one at a time.
  4. Have a plan going in and know how you will execute it! Prepare yourself with plenty of marketing materials and be sure to collect leads from the show. This way you will have a qualified list of who to follow up with.
  5. The best attire you can ever wear is a SMILE. Be excited, engage and educate people about your business. That's 90% of the game! The remaining 10% it showing them what sets you apart from the rest!
  6. Better late than never is not a motto to live by with consumer shows.  Avoid hassles and submit forms and other important exhibitor information as early as possible.  In the end, this will save you a lot of time and keep you stress free.
  7. Create a warm and inviting space. A positive attitude and smile goes a long way! Striking up a conversation about something other than business reflects a genuine interest in your prospective clients.
  8. Make every customer feel important and give them your undivided attention without distraction - be genuinely interested in them.   And above all, remember the Golden Rule: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.
  9. Home Shows are so much more than just booth space! Yes, your booth is the key component of your marketing strategy with us, but we have additional advertising options from online marketing to post-show research surveys to support your booth space investment. Plus, be sure to ask your sales representative about all the research we’ve already gathered on our consumers to help you better target your products and services at the show.
  10. Don't forget to leverage the show's advertising. Taking advantage of opportunities like show guide ads can greatly expand your company's profile during and after the event. It's a super cost-effective way to get your ad in front of a very targeted audience.
  11. The visual impact of your booth and signage are possibly the most important aspects of any trade show display. A general rule of thumb for signage? When someone looks at your display, they should be able to tell within four seconds who you are, what you do, and what problem you are solving.
  12. Think about traffic flow within your booth. We put a lot of thought into traffic flow within the show but if the visitors can't flow through your booth at the show then your potential impact is decreased. Have lanes and clear paths to entice visitors into your booth so you can engage them.
 Marketplace Events
US Shows | Canadian Shows

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Friday, March 7, 2014

Exhibitors, We Appreciate You and We Have Awards to Show It!

At Marketplace Events we love to acknowledge our exhibitors, whether it be for the best booth, most creative booth, or even the best dressed. Yes, best dressed is an award! We know participating in our events takes a lot of planning and work on your part, and we appreciate all exhibitors who make the effort to continually improve their displays and raise the bar. After all, it is our goal to produce the best quality home shows for both our exhibitors and our attendees. A quality show translates to more traffic to your booth and more sales!

In addition to the more formal awards, there are some fun awards which the show teams enjoy handing out during the show. We love seeing the smiling faces of our winners when presenting awards on the show floor and taking pictures for promotion.

The following are samples of some of the award categories at our events:

Formal Awards
Best Large Booth
Best Small Booth
Rookie of the Year
Best Showcase of Services
Best Marketing Partner
Best in Show
Best in Show - Gardens
People's Choice Award

Fun Awards
Best Dressed
Happiest Exhibitor
First to Renew
Most Prompt

 So SMILE and be HAPPY... You never know, you may just get an award for it!


Marketplace Events
US Shows | Canadian Shows

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Friday, February 28, 2014

The Real Value of Your Exhibitor Listing

In addition to booth space, exhibitors are encouraged to take advantage of all marketing opportunities available to them when taking part in a Marketplace Events produced home show. Aside from the standard show guide listing during the event, we also provide a listing on the home show website. The exhibitor listing remains active from the time you sign up for your booth until the end of the renewal period after the show closes.
Many of our exhibitors have experienced great success with their website listing. Visitors to the home show website are able to contact your company directly through this tool - therefore it is an additional method available for you to generate sales leads before, during, and after the home show. In addition to the "Request Information" form on your listing you also have the option to provide your social media accounts (Facebook and Twitter) along with a link to your company page on the Better Business Bureau website.

The exhibitor listing pages help both customers and businesses connect before and after the home show. If you have booked space in an upcoming Marketplace Events home show and have not yet submitted your listing, please reach out to your sales consultant for more information and they will provide you with the login password.

When setting up your listing, follow these handy tips!
  1. Enter a full description of your company - The more information you provide the better as it will help visitors find you using the search tool.
  2. Use as many keywords as possible - Keywords will help you appear in the search results. If you sell different types of products... List them all!
  3. Select the category that best represents your company - You will be listed under this heading.
  4. Include your booth number - Make sure customers can find you at the show.
  5. Offer a show special or discount - Use a promo code or offer a percentage off to people who mention your listing. A great way to track the results!
  6. Follow up with email requests - Be sure and reply to potential customers who submit requests for more information. Why not make appointments with them during the show?
Watch Outdoor Lighting's testimonial on their experience with Cleveland's 
Great Big Home + Garden Show - 5% of their web traffic came through their listing on
the Home + Garden website:

Benefits of creating your company listing:
VISIBILITY - Receive a full page on the home show website! Detailed company information will remain live for the entire show season.
SALES - Consumers can contact you by searching and emailing you directly using the submission form.


Marketplace Events
US Shows | Canadian Shows

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Friday, February 21, 2014

At the Show: Product Demos and Selling Techniques

The art of selling at a home show is based upon how well you can personally communicate and demonstrate your product or service, so that a qualified attendee can relate, understand, and respond to your presentation. Remember, selling at a home show is much different than selling in the field, in a store, or on a telephone. It is much more intimidating. Even the strongest salesperson can have trouble selling at a home show.

Booth personnel should be knowledgeable, friendly, and approachable, and not aggressive. Your ability to ASK QUESTIONS at the show and distinguish between a qualified attendee and a qualified prospect, will determine the degree of success you will achieve. Your job at the show will be to sell the attendee on the BENEFITS of your product and your company in a minimum amount of time, and to determine the NEED, DESIRE, and AFFORDABILITY of the customer.
By consciously sending warm, confident, and positive signals at all times, you are telling attendees that you aresomeone worth speaking with and your company is worth finding out about.

Product Demonstrations
Product demos may be the single most important element of a home show exhibit since they are the bridge between customer needs and product benefits. No matter how impressive the exhibit is, the performance of exhibit staff while giving the demonstration is vitally important.

Each demonstration message should contain several elements:
  1. Introduction - State the length of the demo and what the demo will accomplish.
  2. List of Benefits - Succinctly describe how your product or service can help the listener overcome a challenge. Avoid presenting distinctions of how your product or service differs from the competition (Although, these are often the first questions an attendee will ask.)
  3. Transitions - Keep the presentation fluid and conversational.
  4. Summary - Briefly recap all the main messages.
It also helps to give your booth staff time to refine and organize their demonstrations by giving them time to rehearse.

Marketplace Events
US Shows | Canadian Shows

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Friday, February 14, 2014

At the Show: Welcome Visitors to Your Booth

Once you are set up and the show opens it's time to interact with the customers that enter your booth. Plan at least three unique greetings that do not have a "Yes" or "No" answer. Look people directly in the eye when introducing yourself and/or your company and prepare a thirty second introduction about your company, products, or services.

Let Show Attendees Browse
When show attendees enter your booth, make them feel welcome. Tell them you are there to answer any questions they have and then let them browse in comfort. Remember not to be a "vulture" and swoop down on them as soon as they make eye contact as a hard sell often drives people away.

Show Etiquette
When you are assigned booth duty at any show remember that you are on display along with your company's products. You are a selected representative of the company and are on duty to meet, sell, educate, inform, and service customers and prospects.

A few simple rules of good salesmanship to follow when it's your turn to work the booth:
  • It's hard to talk to a customer when you are out of breath from rushing. Allow yourself about 15 minutes in the booth before you go on duty to become familiar with the surroundings
  • Realize that the show provides the unique opportunity to talk to a customer on your turf where you control the environment.
  • Invest in comfortable shoes. Booth staff should be on their feet and ready to greet visitors, not sitting in a corner resting.
  • Visit with other company personnel after the show. Customers may be reluctant to disturb a salesperson who is already engaged in a conversation.
  • Please do not bring any food into the booth during the show. Visitors will not like to interrupt a person in the middle of their lunch.
  • If you can not answer visitor questions, be prepared to refer customers to the proper source. If no one is available, get the customer's name, address, and phone number to get back to them at a later date.
  • Have a genuine interest in visitors needs rather than waiting for a them to ask you a question.
  • Don't "pounce" and frighten visitors away.
  • Ask open-ended questions.
  • Keep the booth neat and clean by placing any personal belongings in a storage area or in the show's checkroom.
  • Disappearing acts are great on stage, but you should always inform your fellow staff members when you leave the booth. Let them know when you will return and be prompt.
  • Everyone likes attention, but not bad attention. Please keep any music or booth noise at a minimum so as not to annoy your neighbors.
  • Dress appropriately for doing business as you want to ensure confidence in your customers.
  • Take a deep breath and SMILE! When the show is busy and you are rushed off your feet don't think of it as a negative, now is your time to shine. You never know, the next person you speak with may be your biggest customer.
First Impressions Count
Every visitor who enters your booth is making immediate decisions about your company and sales staff. When chatting with you about their needs, they are deciding if you are trustworthy and if they should do business with you. When working your booth, following the best practices above will allow you to put your best foot forward when dealing with the public.

Marketplace Events
US Shows | Canadian Shows

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Friday, February 7, 2014

What to Include in the Show Binder

Many customers will remember MORE about the salespeople manning a booth than the booths themselves! Your success depends largely on the collective talent, product knowledge and energy level of your sales staff, AND of course how prepared they are. The foolproof way to insure everyone is prepared is to share your knowledge of the show with those who will be manning the booth.

Your internal show manual will be most helpful if it includes the following information:
  • A staff schedule of who will be working the booth on a daily and hourly basis
  • A staff schedule of daily show activities
  • A staff schedule of pre-show and daily "wrap-up" meetings
  • Hotel information: where they will be staying
  • A map showing the convention hall and vicinity to your booth location
  • A diagram of your booth layout and booth number
  • A list of products being displayed
  • A product pricing structure
  • An explanation of the pre-show advertising and promotion
  • Corporate objectives and goals to be met at the show
  • Sales goals and rewards for success
It helps to have a copy of all information printed and available to staff in your booth. This way when a staff person needs to refer to it the the show binder is always at hand.


Marketplace Events
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Friday, January 31, 2014

Move In & Move Out Tips: During the Show

Once you get to the show, there are three primary ingredients for a successful, well-managed home show experience. These can be broken up as follows:
  • Move In / Move Out
  • Proper Boothmanship
  • Selling Techniques
In this next series, we will address each of these three critical areas. Think of this as the "to-do" list which will enable you to be better prepared, do everything right the first time, achieve the objectives you have set for your company, and have a stress-free experience. 

Move in / Move Out Tips

The first step towards a smooth move in and move out process is to READ THE EXHIBITOR MANUAL, and read it carefully.  The most common exhibitor mistake is to put this thick stack of papers aside for later, however later never comes and important details will be overlooked.  If you have any questions after reading the manual, call your sales consultant or the show manager immediately for clarification.  Most importantly, you should:
  • Order services prior to the deadlines.  Keep in mind, anything ordered on-site will cost more.
  • Order everything you need in the correct size, color, and quantities.
  • Have as much work as possible done on your exhibit before it is packed or shipped.
  • Number and label your crates and boxes accordingly to contents for easy move in and set up.
  • Put a diagram on each crate showing how it is to be unpacked and repacked.
  • Provide special instructions for your electrical requirements.
  • Arrive at the exhibit hall early to see your booth location and find the service desks.
  • Confirm, revise, or initiate orders for rentals and services that you will require.
  • Obtain work passes or exhibitor badges for yourself and your team.
Following these tips during move in may result in you being so organized and well-prepared that you even have time at the end of the day to put your feet up.  A luxury many exhibitors can only hope for!

Starting the show off right during move in will also leave you in a better state of mind to meet all those new potential customers on opening day.


Marketplace Events
US Shows  |  Canadian Shows

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Friday, January 24, 2014

Marketing & Promotion: Opportunities During the Show

After you have enjoyed the rewards from the pre-show exposure, it's time to maximize your participation while at the home show.  There are numerous ways to create brand awareness on the show floor, from large sponsorship partnerships to smaller visual ways which help bring traffic to your booth.

Here are just a few of the possibilities while at the show!

Contests on the show floor – With the donation of a product or service you can take advantage of thousands of free dollars in TV, radio and newspaper advertising space.

Product Placement on the Show Floor & New Products Showcase – Increase awareness on the show floor with product placement in our features, on our stage and other in prime locations at the show.

Press Release - Alert your local media and show management about any new products or services that will be on display in your booth which may be newsworthy.

Social Media - Promote your company LIVE from the show floor. There are plenty of opportunities for photos and loads of content for you to share via your Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest accounts! Remember to also follow the show via social media, and use the show hashtag - we love to connect with exhibitors and sponsors.

Sponsorship - Become a sponsor of a special show event and increase your on-site exposure.  We're always interested in new ideas... Investigate the availability of any of the following:
  • Bags
  • Balloons
  • Ceiling Banners
  • Aisle Banners / You are hear boards
  • Pillar Wraps
  • Floor Signage
  • Product Sampling
  • Stage Sponsorship
  • Celebrity Sponsorship
For more information on marketing opportunities please contact show management, or check the home show website under the tab "For Confirmed Exhibitors" then "Marketing Kit" to confirm what is available.

Marketplace Events
US Shows | Canadian Shows

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Friday, January 17, 2014

Marketing & Promotion: Opportunities Before the Show



The most effective marketing plan is one that is customized based on business objectives. Below are just a few of the marketing opportunities available to our exhibitors, sponsors, and partners. Our goal is to work with all taking part to ensure they have a successful show. 

Work with us to promote your participation in the show! Here are a few ideas on how you can promote yourself and your involvement:

In Store Coupon Distribution –
Promote your participation in the show and offer your customers a discount to attend. Just let us know how many coupons you need and we will send them out to you.

Internet Promotion –
Drive people to your web site and encourage them to find out more about the show and save on online tickets. We can send you a promotional banner (button) to load onto your website, which will link your customers to our show site and great ticket deals.

Coop Advertising –
Leverage our advertising campaigns with top radio, TV stations, newspapers and on the Internet. Contact us to see how you can share our premier rates for your own advertising prior to the show.  

Email a special offer to your database of potential leads –
book appointments with prospects while at the show by offering them discounted tickets.


-----

Let us help promote you online!

Media Promotions and Contests / Online Lead Generation –
With the donation of a product or service you can potentially take advantage of thousands of free dollars in TV, radio and newspaper advertising space.  Host the contest on our website and we will promote it in email campaigns, social media, and in show materials – A great opportunity to collect relevant data and email subscribers.

Email Campaigns –
Place an advertisement in one of the pre-show email campaigns. Reach our database of home and garden enthusiasts and capture the number of click throughs to your website.

Web Banners –
With Marketplace Events produced home show websites receiving between 25k and 200k unique visitors per year depending on the market, it only makes sense to advertise on our websites. Not only are the number of visits increasing year over year, visitors searching the website are within the specific “home and garden” demographic.

Social Media –
Sponsor a blog post on HomeandGardenBlog.com, now running for almost two years our blog received over 60k unique visitors in 2013. It is a great way to get word out about your products and services.

Public Relations – If you have a new product or an interesting story to tell we can help get your message out to the media.  Just submit a “New Product” request form – found on all home show websites under “Confirmed Exhibitors”

For more information on available marketing opportunities please contact your exhibit sales consultant.

Marketplace Events
US Shows  |  Canadian Shows

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Friday, January 10, 2014

Before the Show: Learn the Marketing Opportunities (EARLY!)

Marketplace Events continues to lead the home and garden event industry with innovative marketing initiatives and strategies that drive attendance and add value to your participation in our shows.  These strategies have been developed with exhibitor participation in mind!

Marketing and sponsorship opportunities are available leading up to the show as well as throughout the year.  By attending one of our exhibitor seminars, keeping in touch with show management and visiting the show website often, you can take advantage of all the newest marketing initiatives. Opportunities may be found on most home show websites, by clicking on "Marketing Kit" under the heading of "For Confirmed Exhibitors" or by calling your sales representative. Pricing varies by show based on factors such as show size, number of attendees, website traffic, and the type of opportunity you are interested in.

We have also seen impressive results focusing on digital marketing. Everything from websites, banner ads, email marketing, detailed exhibitor listings, blogging, to social media - we do it all.  Our email database continues to grow year after year and we love to share our success with exhibitors.  The email newsletters promoting our events receive excellent deliverability and above average open rates. We follow the best practices of top email marketers, and are proud of the content we create for our email campaigns and social media channels. Using detailed analysis of our online activity our digital presence continues to improve and helps us maintain our leading edge within the industry. 

There are many marketing opportunities available; more than we can mention in one blog post! Our marketing team and show managers continually come up with creative ideas to help exhibitors promote their products and services based on every type of budget. Therefore, this lays the foundation for our next weekly series... Marketing & Promotion Ideas.


Marketplace Events
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Friday, January 3, 2014

Before the Show: Develop An Effective Lead Card

Leads are one of the main reasons most exhibitors participate in home shows.  Some might actually write orders on the show floor, but many take leads.  The following are four basic concepts that will make the difference between being profitable at shows or just covering costs:
  1. What is a lead card
  2. When to use it
  3. Follow-up
  4. Tracking and reporting results
Leads represent the return on your investment.  When the home show is over and everything is packed up, the only thing you have left for the money spent (aside from any orders you've taken on-site) is the stack of leads in your hand.

What is a lead card - A lead card is a simple piece of paper that causes many other things to happen:
  • A lead card can initiate the qualifying process
  • A lead card can indicate the next step to take - i.e., sending literature or making a sales call.
  • A lead card can provide research data about your attendee's interest and preferences.
  • A lead card can provide another name for your mailing list.
The physical attributes of a lead card are important.  If it's too big, too small, too thin, or doesn't contain the right spaces to fill in FOR YOUR BUSINESS, then it will not do the job.  The following are three simple steps to designing a lead card that your salespeople will use:
  • Make it small.  A good lead card fits into your open hand.  It is the size of a 3 x 5 index card.
  • Put a backing on it.  A card stock backing will give staff a surface to write on.
  • Make it multi-part.  A multi-part form can be especially useful.  One copy can go to the person sending out the literature, another to the person sorting leads for immediate follow-up, and the last can be a permanent record.
The key to great leads is having a place for all the right information.  Ask show management for an example of an effective lead card. Many home shows will provide lead cards for you in the show office.

Customize your own lead card!  Make it work for you!  Just remember that attendees will answer only a certain number of questions.  The design of the lead card will shift slightly depending upon how your company sells its products and services.

When to use it - Use the lead card often and early.  When a salesperson uses the lead card at the beginning of the sales process as a place to write notes, he or she is working as a consultant.  If a salesperson really cares about solving the attendee's problems or serving a need, he or she needs to fully document it on the lead card.  Taking the time to fill out the lead card shows respect for the attendee.

Follow-up - A well-designed and professionally executed lead card is worthless if follow-up is not done properly.  Assign someone to collect all of the leads daily and see to it that they get to the next point in the sales process.  If your lead card has multiple parts, be sure that they are distributed appropriately. Remember to follow-up on your collected leads as quickly as possible after the show.

Tracking and reporting results - Tracking and reporting the results of your exhibit efforts are the final steps of participating in a home show and are often the most overlooked.  Once the show is over and the leads have been sorted and prioritized you are anxious to get on with other things.  It takes relatively little effort to analyze the success from lead cards. By marking your completed sales and tagging them as generated at the show, you'll be able to add any sales dollars collected after the show to your final return on investment.

There's an App for that - Rather than using the paper cards, you may wish to use tablets or iPads.  The key to using technology at the show is to make sure there are enough iPads or tablets for all your salespeople during the busy days. You may wish to set it up kiosk-style. If your team is waiting on one machine to capture leads, the time wasted means you will be missing out. There are a multiple apps available to do the job, a few of which we've listed below. Many others can also be found with a bit of internet searching.


Marketplace Events
US Shows  |  Canadian Shows

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Facebook.com/HomeandGardenEvents
Twitter.com/HomeShows