Trade shows surpassed print in 2006 as the highest revenue area of marketing, according to a report from American Business Media. That year, trade shows grew 10% while traditional print ad revenue was up 0.61%. The only faster-growing segments were custom media (18%) and e-media (22%). Some experts say that the more time our customers and prospects spend on the computer, the more they need to get out for face-to-face contact with potential suppliers. That’s what happens at trade shows.

1. Plan. Ask why are you going to the show: Who is the audience? What do you hope to achieve? And what new things are you going to show?
2. Organize. Set your objectives. What do you have to accomplish and by when? What is the connection to your ongoing program? How does it integrate?
3. Promote. Use mailers, email and ads to hype. Talk to editors and get in their show editions.
4. Prepare. Make sure the people who work your booth know what you want. Set expectations. And regroup every day.
5. Engage. Give your prospects an incentive to come to your booth. And get something in return.
6. Follow up. Fulfill all your visitors' requests. Get that information to your sales reps. And take what you've learned and apply it to next year's show.

According to a 2007 survey published in B2B Magazine, 82% of marketers view leads as an important factor in making a decision to exhibit at trade shows, but only 48% actually count sales, and it is unclear if those sales are strictly from the trade show floor.

While trade shows are alive and well in the B-to-B marketing mix, clearly there is an opportunity to build better metrics into trade show strategies. Godfrey creates communications designed to connect with your audience, improving results before, during, and after a trade show.

Read our case study, "A ShowSmart Case Study" (739 KB PDF)