Your Formula for Success: Set Objectives & Measure Results
This month, with some help from you and your professional colleagues, we explore the topic of Setting Objectives and Measurable Results. After the dust settles on the strategic planning process, it is the calling of each part of your marketing plan to drive the company a step closer to attaining its strategic goals.
Setting objectives for your exhibiting programs ensures that you are aligning the short term (tactics) with the long range (strategies). When you include specific measurements for assessing the outcome of each show you can: 1) justify individual show participation and 2) increase the effectiveness of your overall program.
The tips provided by readers show a common theme - successful shows are the result of a structured approach to exhibiting. Let's get started with this motivating overview:
"If you don't know where you're going, you won't know if you got there. And even if you did, you won't know where you are! Know your objectives for a show, implement tactics to help achieve them, and then follow up after the show to see if they worked. This is TradeShows101 and the most likely area to be overlooked."
- Patti Burge, World Access
Not every show and/or event should get the same set of goals. What determines the variations in objectives between shows? It's all about matching attendee interests with your company's purpose in communicating with them. Attendee interests can be understood by doing pre-show research (often done during the show selection process). Your specific communication purpose is where your products and/or services meet the audience interests - What's In It For Them?
"Before a show, always decide what your goal for that show is, and tailor your booth presence and tactics to that goal. If you are trying to sell a lot of product you will have a much different strategy than if you are hoping to introduce people to your product or just do general marketing for your company! A focused approach is much more effective than a scattershot one."
- Rae Cirricione, WizKids
It is also important to recognize that there may be more than one audience present at a given show. Some shows serve a broader interest while others are more focused and vertical. In your planning, don't forget that everything doesn't happen in the pre-show - follow through ensures you complete the action and can measure results.
"We always do a pre-show meeting with the staff, marketing team and office personnel. We discuss our objectives and desired results ... we prepare for how we will respond to the leads following the show."
- Sue Anderson, The Deerfield Collection
Another aspect of the goal-setting process is keeping all of the elements that contribute to your company's trade show appearances integrated and focused on the objectives. This reader calls attention to this piece of the puzzle.
"The trade show booth and supporting materials and staff need to be developed as a cooperative affair. There is nothing more disconcerting then to have the public relations staff choose the giveaway, the designer decide on the look of the booth, and the print manager make the decisions on the materials to be distributed. That usually makes booth staff feel like used car salesman - expected to sell the car with little control over the type of car, nor its condition, that they are selling…"
- Simone, CanolaInfo
Finally, don't overlook the fact that one of the primary drivers for show attendees is to discover something they didn't know about before. "What's new? What's hot?"
"Remember that trade show attendees are there (for the most part) to learn more. Our job is to educate them in a way that helps them communicate our value to their ultimate audience (whether it is their managers or customers). Make your message easy enough to re-communicate."
- Robert Alcala, PropertyInfo Corporation
We hope that you have found a nugget, or two, to expand your personal treasury of exhibiting wisdom.