Forums: Discussions for entrepreneurs and small business.

My company will be participating in our first trade show in September which is being held in conjunction with the Texas Realors Convention, so my target audience will be Realtors.  Since we have never participated in this sort of event, I need any and all words of wisdom, especially recommendations on hand-outs and booth set-up.  Your assistance is appreciated!  Thanks!

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First impressions are everything in real estate. Staging should be your first step in the home selling process. Make sure your home is in top condition before showings commence, and then Prepare Yourself for all of the benefits of staging your home!
Entrances Website

BIG STACK OF CARDS and a really warm smile will do you just fine. 

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That PHP Girl
Small Business Essentials
Latest Post on SUN: New Facebook Pages - First Impressions

Well, that`s much easier than I thought!  I`ve already got both of those.

You have excellent resources on your website, thanks so much for your advice!

Nancy

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First impressions are everything in real estate. Staging should be your first step in the home selling process. Make sure your home is in top condition before showings commence, and then Prepare Yourself for all of the benefits of staging your home!
Entrances Website

Yes...keep your booth open and inviting.

Make sure your booth communicates quickly and concisely what you do.  You have a matter of seconds to communicate!  Or they walk by.

Never sit in the back and expect people to come to you.  I always like to stand in the front near the isle to smile, say hello if they look my way, ask politely if they ever experienced whatever your product/service solves, and offer literature (that I`m holding) and conversation.  If interested, then sell.  I NEVER force myself on them as they walk by.

We always have chair(s) in the booth but more for the attendees to rest.  Not us, unless it`s really slow.  We will invite them or their spouse/ sig.other to rest, especially on the later days when all are tired of walking.

AND Sell them on your features and benefits!

 

 

 

Excellent points!  Thank you so much for the advice.

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First impressions are everything in real estate. Staging should be your first step in the home selling process. Make sure your home is in top condition before showings commence, and then Prepare Yourself for all of the benefits of staging your home!
Entrances Website

Could you do some sort of demo video, burn it to a disk, then develop a label with your company name, logo, info, and contact stuff? Just give away the CDs or DVDs.

I`m thinking home staging is a visual thing, not so easy to show in a tradeshow, right?

Craig, it is visual, and I thought about a slide show in one part of the booth and actually setting up a staging vignette on the other side.  The thing I was really puzzling on is what kind of freebie or hand-out I could distribute.  The CD is a good idea, but nothing they probably wouldn`t see on my website. (which is under construction...and I fully intend on getting your critique on it before we launch!)  So trying to come up with something (other than a draw for a gift certificate) that they can be reminded of us after the show is a challenge!  I`ve attended many trade shows and expos as a consumer, but never as the exhibiter!  Any and all tips appreciated!

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First impressions are everything in real estate. Staging should be your first step in the home selling process. Make sure your home is in top condition before showings commence, and then Prepare Yourself for all of the benefits of staging your home!
Entrances Website

I think you make a mistake of assumption, when you say, "But nothing they can`t see on my Web site."

First of all, they don`t know you have a Web site. Secondly, a disk is harder to lose than a business card, and thirdly, they can put the CD into a laptop on the plane without having an online connection.

Additionally, the disk can go in a file, where a Web URL gets bookmarked amid hundreds of other bookmarks. That`s like asking, "Why should I have a brochure? It just says the same stuff as I have on my Web site." :-) See?

AH! Yes I do see....I see I have a lot to learn!!!  Having just started in the business world I have learned more over the past 2 months than my entire time in school!  Of course, if I had only stayed awake in class...

I can see I am going to really benefit from being a part of SuN!

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First impressions are everything in real estate. Staging should be your first step in the home selling process. Make sure your home is in top condition before showings commence, and then Prepare Yourself for all of the benefits of staging your home!
Entrances Website

I disagree, I don`t think many people will file away a cd.  I think it gets tossed in the can.  I ask for stuff to be mailed anymore.  No, I`m not lazy, just attended to many shows, gathering all sorts of stuff, then at lunch, I usually unload down to the bare essentials.  I don`t think I`m abby-normal.

But whatever you do, set up a system where you can measure how every dollar you spend on marketing impacts the bottom line.   Not just the leads, but how many of those leads turn into sales.  Giving away cd`s, ads in trade publications, exhibiting in a certain trade shows, yellow pages, any dollar you spend in marketing. 

Everything in business should be measured in ROI.  Even marketing.  Although it`s harder to do.

As a side, I myself used a staging consultant for my last home and the results were more than I could ever imagine.  I know it helped sell my home.  I always mention it to people I know who are selling.

Beautifully done brochures with pictures and testimonials.