Show Your Stuff: 3 Steps to Trade Show Success

BY Jessica Helinski
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Did you know that 77% of executive decision makers found at least one new supplier at the last trade show they attended? Deciding to show your stuff at trade shows can make a major difference for your company. Trade shows hold a lot of opportunity for new business, but reps need to work to earn that new business. Alice Heiman, in a blog post, presents a fool-​proof strategy for getting the most out of these events. She explains that many reps walk away from shows feeling like they were a waste of time and money, but it doesn’t have to be that way. She believes her specific, three-​step plan that will help you avoid any disappointment.

The three steps to show your stuff are:

CREATE: What you do before the event to plan and prepare.

DOMINATE: What you do during the event to stand out from the crowd.

GENERATE: What you do after the event to generate revenue.

She goes on to describe the process of each step, starting with the process of creating. The time before an event is just as important as the time spent in attendance. In fact, Heiman believes “the key to ensuring success at a trade show is to plan ahead.” Take some time to sit down and go over the following to create a winning plan to show your stuff: 

  • What results do you hope to get? What goals do you want to achieve?
  • How do you want to stand out from other sellers?
  • In what ways can you connect with prospects before the show?
  • Plan how you will follow up with leads after the show. 

Taking these steps to show your stuff will lay the groundwork for a successful event. You’ll go in fully prepared and can therefore devote all of your attention to networking and lead generation. Check out the other two steps Heiman shares, which will help you dominate the event and then generate deals from all of those leads!


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