Episode 015 – 7 Pitfalls to Avoid That Could Ruin Your Investment Returns

Episode 015 – 7 Traps to Avoid That Can Destroy Your Results and ROI

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Here are the top 7 pitfalls to avoid at a trade show. These aren’t mistakes — pitfalls are things and situations you can get yourself into if you’re not careful. These things may not even seem like a problem at the time.

Pitfalls to avoid at trade shows:

Trap #1 – Don’t compare your booth to other booths.

— It’s easy to look at other booths and think they’re doing better than you. This can put you in a bad mood from the start and hurt your chances of success.

— But at that point, you couldn’t do anything about the presentation, the lighting, the literature, the giveaways — nothing.

— but you can do whatever it takes to adjust your attitude, engage attendees in positive and meaningful conversations, and achieve your goals.

— Now, if you have some ideas from other booths that you want to upgrade or try for future shows, take pictures. Get some better promotional materials. Maybe even talk to the people at the booth and ask them who built their display or where they got the backdrop from.

— Turn it into a positive experience for you! But don’t let it hold you back!

So pitfall number 1 – don’t compare. This will only lead to a negative attitude which will definitely affect your performance!

Trap 2 – Not resetting the stalls every day

— Before the first day of the trade show begins, you and your team make sure everything is perfect. The exhibits look great, the materials are organized on the shelves, your giveaways are arranged in a perfect pyramid – your booth looks like it stepped out of a magazine!

— but by the second or third day, the booth isn’t so perfect. Most of the people walking by are likely new to the booth and didn’t see you the first day, or at least didn’t stop. Don’t you want everyone to have the best possible impression of your booth and your company?

— So, arrive at the show a few minutes early each day to make your booth look like it did on day one! It’s a good idea to assign someone to check on your booth once or twice a day. They can replenish promotional materials, giveaways, pick up some confetti from the carpet, and make your booth look new again!

This is pitfall number 2 – not rearranging your booth. Spend a few minutes making your booth look new again!

Trap #3 – Thinking scanning a badge or collecting business cards is enough.

— Success is more than having a full bowl or scanning a bunch of badges.

— Think about how much time and energy you’ll spend on follow-up. You’ll send a lot of emails and make a lot of phone calls to people who will never buy from you.

— You need to make sure these people are qualified! Ask them the right questions to make sure they are qualified before you get their business card. Or, if you had a great conversation at the booth and got their business card or scanned their badge, make notes for reference before you follow up to increase your odds of success.

This is Trap #3 – Just asking for a business card or a badge scan without qualification

Trap #4 – Assuming your booth staff knows how to run a trade show.

— Just because your staff knows how to talk to people or has been to 100 shows before, doesn’t mean they know how to engage and qualify people in a show environment and do everything they can to help you achieve your show goals.

— You need to at least give them basic training! Go back and listen to Episode 3, “Training Your Employees for Success”

— Some veterans may think they don’t need training or may resist training. You can ask them to participate in the training so they have some input and buy-in. But they still need to be trained!

This is pitfall #4 – assuming your booth owner knows how to run a trade show, but not taking the time to train them properly.

Trap #5 – Assuming someone who just walked by your booth isn’t interested or qualified.

— Never assume that attendees have gotten all the information they need from your booth and know that they don’t need what you have to offer. You have to ask them a simple question to hook them!

— Don’t ignore attendees who are wearing jeans and t-shirts or don’t have that “look” and focus only on those who are wearing suits or have that look. Someone wearing casual clothing might scream “I’m not qualified!!” Don’t fall into this trap!

— If they are at the show, no matter who they are, they can probably vouch for the fact that their company qualifies. Even if they are the most junior person in the company, they can probably tell you who the decision maker is and how to get in touch with that person—and they usually will!

— Finally, sometimes even the most casually dressed person can be a key decision maker. But you won’t know unless you ask!

So, pitfall number 5 is not to jump to conclusions about the people who walk by your booth. Get everyone involved!

Pitfall #6 – Having long, rambling discussions with people who won’t become clients.

— If someone is going to spend a lot of time at your booth talking about the weather, where to eat, or something unrelated to your business, then they’re probably not serious and aren’t a decision maker. Now, if you fully understand their qualifications and are willing to take the time to start building a relationship, that’s great—unless more prospects are walking through your booth.

— However, most serious trade show decision-makers want to make the most of their time at the show. They will want to move from your booth to other booths. Respect their time, too, and make sure you’re not the one making small talk!

This is pitfall #6 – don’t engage in long discussions with attendees – especially if they will never buy from you.

Finally – Pitfall #7 – be careful about socializing after get off work.

— I hope I didn’t offend you. I know for some of you this was the highlight of the show.

— Now I’m not saying you shouldn’t go – you should absolutely use every opportunity to build connections and relationships with your clients and prospects.

— But be sure not to have too much fun — if you know what I mean.

— Some people have too much fun and may say things they wouldn’t normally say, such as leaking confidential company information or saying things that are considered inappropriate for a workplace. Less sleep than usual, coupled with the aftereffects of having too much fun, can cause you to lose your form.

— So know your limits and relax a little. Maybe drink a little more than usual.

— You and your company invest so much in the show and rely on you to help achieve its goals, but you show up the next day and don’t feel, look, or perform your best.

Here are 7 pitfalls to avoid that can lead to poor results:

— Pitfall #1 – Don’t compare your booth to other booths.

— Pitfall #2 – Not resetting your booth every day.

— Pitfall #3 – Only taking business cards or scanning badges. This leads to wasted time and ineffective follow-ups!

— Trap #4 – Assuming your staff knows how to put on a show.

— Pitfall #5 – Never make assumptions about attendees and ignore them.

Pitfall #6 – Having long conversations with attendees who will never buy from you

— Trap #7 – Be careful about after-get off work socializing. You want to make sure you’re always at your best.

Avoid these traps and make your employees aware of them too! If you see your employees falling into these traps during a show, correct it! Pull your employees aside and train them on how to do it correctly.

Fall into these traps and your ROI will plummet!

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This episode is brought to you by Audible! Audible offers free audiobooks to Trade Show U listeners With a 30-day trial membership!

Just go to audibletrial.com/TradeShowU

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