ISSUE 7 “Is there a way to get around drayage?” I tend to focus on the strategy side of trade shows and, frankly, try to stay out of all of the logistics stuff; but, I’ve gotten this question a few times recently, especially from new/new-ish exhibitors shortly after I’ve met them for the first time. Plus, Exhibitor Magazine’s latest research says the cost of show services has increased significantly, compared to previous years (scroll to the bottom for helpful links)… So, I get that this is...
2 months ago • 5 min read
ISSUE 6 My show will let me send one “e-blast” before the show. When’s the best time? One of the biggest challenges new exhibitors have with pre-show marketing is finding/connecting with their audience segment… To help with this, some shows will offer exhibitors a chance to communicate with registered attendees in advance via e-blast (an email sent, on behalf of the exhibitor, via the show’s registration provider to confirmed attendees who have opted-in to receive those messages)… usually,...
3 months ago • 5 min read
ISSUE 5 What’s something exhibitors don’t think to do until it’s too late? With the growing popularity of generative AI tools, like ChatGPT and Gemini, it was no surprise when a new exhibitor came to a recent consulting session with a list of questions they had “generated” in preparation… but, it was a first for me. In full transparency, I was both impressed and a little disappointed by their list. Impressed because it’s smart to want to be prepared to maximize our limited time together and...
4 months ago • 5 min read
ISSUE 4 What (specifically) should I do during the exhibiting prep “coffee dates” you recommend? This question comes from one of the participants in our Trade Show Summer School program, where we’re empowering new exhibitors to exhibit strategically (and confidently!) this summer. Just in case you aren't in that program and haven't heard me recommend "coffee dates" before, here's a little bit of background information on the concept first... What is a "coffee date"? In one of our early TSSS...
5 months ago • 6 min read
ISSUE 3 Do we have to rent lead retrieval through the show (or can you recommend an alternative)? For many exhibitors, generating quality leads is one of the top reasons they participate in trade shows. For new or small companies, trade shows are a great equalizer in that way – big/established booths are right next to small/new booths and, as a result, it’s the same professionals who are walking past each one, so you will each have a similar opportunity to engage with them… but, if you aren’t...
5 months ago • 7 min read
ISSUE #2 "How can we engage with prospects when our sales team is too busy to follow up?" Being asked to do more with less – like implementing a more thorough follow up plan after your trade show, with less staff support – is a common challenge for all types of exhibitors… So, the good news is, if you’re struggling with this too, you aren’t alone. The bad news is that, if you're like the exhibitor who submitted this question, our typical approach to this type of challenge (simply swapping one...
6 months ago • 5 min read
ISSUE #1 "Does SWAG really generate quality leads (or do they just want a stress ball)?" For the past several years, I’ve been facilitating a workshop at ExhibitorLive and Exhibitor FastTrak/Exhibitor Education Week called “10 Strategies to Generate More Top Quality Booth Traffic.” This question was submitted by one of the participants in that session, just as we were preparing to cover strategy #5: attractions (which includes the strategic use of SWAG to generate more top quality booth...
6 months ago • 4 min read