On the show floor, the challenge is to use your
time as effectively as possible. One exhibitor at the International
Plastics Exposition underscored his time vs. productivity concerns
by amortizing his company's investment in the show over the
all-too-brief hours of the show. He estimated that the show cost his
company $10 for each second the hall was open. Who can afford to
throw away that kind of money?
With that in mind, it's important to consider how
the time constraints of the mega-show hours affect your sales force.
During the mega-show, they will need to deal efficiently with
significantly greater numbers of prospects, leads, and existing
customers than at any other exhibition. The number of show days is often
the same; the number of attendees, considerably larger. Even for
experienced booth staffers, this changed pace may require significant
adjustments. Re-educating them may be necessary.
Competition: Vying for resources
While
"competition" on the show floor is a given,
you will also find it necessary to fight for limited resources in other
marketing venues. Two examples: The battle for press attention and the
rivalry for setup resources.
The expanded size of the mega-show means that more
exhibitors are pressing for the attention of each passing prospect.
Because of that, you should work to attract visitors well in advance of
the event through a variety of integrated marketing means, including
garnering press attention.
But it's not always easy. Pre-show coverage in
trade publications operates under deadlines three to four months out.
Here, press releases are met with a great deal of competitive "noise" as
editorial desks are swamped by paper and photography.
Trade publications have a limited amount of space
dedicated to the show in each issue. To combat this problem, send out
your message in bite-sized pieces more frequently and earlier than
normal (beginning six to nine months or more before the exhibition). If
you have enough that is newsworthy to say, monthly mailings may not be
too much. And continue it right through the show dates and beyond —
providing content for post-show reports.
During setup, your competition shifts to logistics
— making arrangements for labor (e.g., who gets help for electrical
wiring emergencies first?) and securing services that are in shorter
supply, such as the cranes used for heavy equipment rigging.
