does anybody have any experience in trade shows?

[Anonymous]

We have a full blown glass shop in the west we will be doing an rv show in the spring.

We specialize in RV's both repairing and replacing windshields and tempered glass. We are one of the very few companies that does this because of the complexity of rv glass.

If you have any ideas on how to make this a successful venture please post. We need to come up with a display of some type and maybe some sort of demo. If you have any experience in doing trade shows of this type your feedback would be greatly appreciated.

I'm willing to pay $100 for the best idea that we end up using. How would you get people to talk to you at a trade show for windshields.

Some sort of drawing? A unique demo? Your creativity can make you some money.

You can send your ideas to steam46@hotmail.com

Put "trade show success" in the subject line. Or you can post on this forum.

Thanks

[Anonymous]

There are a number of things that will help make the trade show successful for you: 1. Purchase the largest space you can reasonably afford, in the best location available (the end of an aisle or a corner that can be seen well from several directions). 2. Have a very polished, professional appearance, with lots of eye-catching color. 3. Set up a TV/vcr and have promotional tapes playing continually, demonstrating the repair & replacement processes. If this is not possible, at least have a large picture board showing repairs and replacements in progress (but the video is much more effective). 4. Have plenty of hand-out: brochures & business cards 5. Have people enter their names for a drawing to be held hourly, with the winning names to be announced over the PA system (cooperation from the show promoter is needed for this)... and one grand prize winner at the end of the show. (hourly prizes can be something like a T-shirt, coffee mug or whatever other thing you have with your logo on it... these should be on display there) 6. Displays of the different types of glass and explanations of how you handle them will also get some attention. 7. There will be RV dealers at the show, both as vendors and attendees, so be prepared in every way possible to court their business. 8. Have your appointment book with you and try to schedule as many appointments as possible for the next week. When someone takes your card and says he will call you... ask him if he would like to schedule an appointment (open the book and have your pencil ready to write) ... the direct call to action is very effective. 9. If you and your helpers have company shirts or uniforms, wear them. 10. Set up your booth to allow for the best possible traffic flow and you should have more than one staffer per shift... but they should be briefed as to proper show behavior... they are there to work, not chat with one another... their entire focus should be on talking to as many people as possible... so have your most conscientious and best motivated people staff the booth, and you should tell them that if their family members stop by for a brief visit, that is okay, but they are not welcome to 'hang out' there. 11. Have only one folding chair in the booth, and keep it folded unless it is necessary to sit down for a specific purpose. 12. Food and beverages should be kept descreetly out of sight. 13. If it is an indoor show, there will probably be no smoking anyway... but if it is an outdoor show, do not allow your staffers to smoke in the booth.

I think you will find that all these things will work together to present your business in the most favorable light. I wish you success with the trade show, and hope you will share with us how it turns out for you.

[Anonymous]

Years ago I was in the chemical business. For trade shows we would contact the manufacturers of the products that we sold. Many of them had backdrops, videos, demo items to give away, etc., that they made available to us at no charge. One company that we bought products from had an entire department set up to aid in trade shows. We were always able to put together a great booth at very little expense to our company.