Dear Mr. Hill:
As you can see I am located in Albany, New York and I do a lot of work with the government. While many companies want to do work with the government, I would like to generate opportunities in the commercial arena as well. I believe in trade shows, and have been successful in selling into the state government by exhibiting at the major trade shows held here in Albany every year. Can you suggest some trade show, or where to look for trade shows that will be for my industry and focus?
Alex C.
Albany, NY

Dear Alex:
I am familiar with the trade shows that you attend in Albany. It is very well attended and many of the departments in the State government do make it a point to attend. Since you didn’t give me any idea what industry you are in, or the products that you are selling I suggest you look at a couple of web sites and determine which major and regional trade shows would be right for you and your company. One of the best sites that give you a broad overview of the trade shows is www.eventseye.com I think you will be impressed with the information they supply. Locally, you have a number of regional trade shows that you should look in to. You don’t have to come to New York City to find Regional trade shows in the Albany area. Don’t forget www.expoguide.com this is another site that will give you a lot of information. I hope you find these sites helpful, and that you are able to generate some commercial business.
To your continued trade show success
John Hill, Trade Show Coach

Is it time to start planning your end of year marketing budget? Well, before you go ahead and spend your hard earned budget on a tradeshow display or handouts and giveaways, enjoy this quick crash course on how to do it right!

 
Handouts & Giveaways

Qualification Forms

Displays – Say What You Do!

Many companies spend so much marketing money trying to impress the market place with unique company names and very unusual tag lines. Unless you are IBM or Coke, and you are continually “branding’ your product, you have problems.
Yet companies are for ever enlisting the help of marketing company to come up with some very unique name, and some very “catchy” tag line. The trouble is that only the people in the company know what the name of the company means, and what is intended by the wording of the “tag” line.

With new companies being organized or opened on a daily basis, both on a national and international basis you as a company owner are competing with a lot of other companies, and many of those companies will be in your market place as well. Regardless of the name, if it doesn’t hit a hot button, and the tag line leaves the attendee walking right by your booth, you have certainly not done your job if you were at this trade show to generate opportunities.
If your marketing was done correctly to begin with a marketing plan would have been put in place that would get the name of your company out into the public, and would certainly let those companies who would or could use your product know just what it is and what it does.

Considering the fact that if you have a 10 ft. booth you have approximately 3 seconds to make an impression on someone passing in front of your booth, your company name and tag line should be easy to understand and instantly tell what you are about.  When you have an attendee stand in front of your booth with a quizzical look on their face, look at the company name, then at the tag line  and says, “What does your company name mean, and what does the company do” you know you have problems.