On trade show selection
Evaluating your show schedule for next year? There are many strategies for doing this.
Perhaps the least complicated is simply picking up the phone and calling your top 10 clients and asking which shows they will attend.
Other strategies:
Involve key stakeholders, such as product marketing and sales, in the decision. The information and feedback you get will be invaluable in not only selecting the show, but also in developing your show sales process. It will also guarantee that everyone is on the same page.
If 80 percent of those attending a particular show don't match your target audience, give it a "B" status and go to "A" shows first. Never attend a show that has less than 20 percent of your target audience unless you are attending a vertical market.
When deciding between an industry and vertical show keep these four thoughts in mind:
- Vertical shows, while smaller, are purer in target audience, providing more return for the dollar.
- Are you satisfying one marketing effort or several?
- Will your competitors be there?
- What markets do you already own versus those you do not own?
Your long-term goal should be a balance of general, national and vertical shows.