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, 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

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



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

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

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

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

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
US Shows | Canadian Shows

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