Turning Your Trade Show Investment Into Profits

Although a low-budget production, this guide to effectively working a trade show, presented by consultant Jackirae Sagouspe, contains excellent general advice with a liberal dollop of specific tips. Citing pre-show planning as the number one most important factor, Sagouspe has divided her lecture into three areas: 1) taking full advantage of trade show opportunities, 2) managing exhibit activity, and 3) the communication cycle of selling. Reminding vendors that direct sales, while perhaps the most important facet of trade shows, are not the only benefit to be gained, Sagouspe discusses market analysis, one-on-one public relations, developing quality leads, scheduling appointments, and building networking bases with other exhibitors. In the section on exhibit activity, she talks about our current "TV mentality," and the necessity of grabbing the customer fast. Towards this end, Sagouspe demonstrates why the standard display booth layout (sales staff sitting on chairs behind a table) is the worst possible arrangement, and offers suggestions on more powerful and effective layouts. In the final section, the whole cycle of selling is covered from the "gladhander" who meets the customer coming into the booth to the salesperson who locks the sale. Very inexpensive for a business-oriented tape, and extremely useful, Turning Your Trade Show Investment Into Profits is not the slickest looking production on the market, but it is unusual and totally professional. Highly recommended. (Available from: IDT Seminars and Media, 2211 East Winston Rd., Suite G, Anaheim, CA 92806.)