Trade shows are commonly understood as bazaars where exhibitors attempt to reach new customers by promoting their products or services via interactive displays and face-to-face conversation. These events are frequently huge and elaborate gatherings and every booth is striving for that “wow’” factor. With perhaps thousands of visitors, each of whom is a potential critic, participating in a trade show can be daunting for the inexperienced vendor. It may help to realize you’re probably already familiar with the basic mechanics.

You see, trade shows are the epitome of “meet markets.” Like the other variety, some people are looking to make a connection, some people are looking for a good time and some folks are just looking. As a seller, you’re obviously hoping to establish long-term business relationships. To that end, be sure to take along your confidence. Before they can believe you’ll be a good provider, prospects have to sense that you believe in yourself.

What’s great is that you have reason to be confident. You know the industry, you understand the issues that potential customers face, and you speak their language. But if you think about it, you’ll see that faith in yourself goes deeper than that. This is your career; the path of professional fulfillment that you’ve chosen because you have something worthwhile to offer.

Now that you feel good about yourself, let’s examine a few steps that can lead to taking new business home from a trade show.

Look your best – Your physical appearance will be a combination of your booth and the employees you’ve chosen to man it. The effect you want would best be described as “dapper” and approachable (e.g. neat, professional and visitor friendly). Demonstration items and collateral material should speak to the needs of your target audience. Elements should convey the tangible benefits of your products or services. Everything and everyone needs to be consistent with your established brand image and help reinforce your company’s value proposition.

Break the ice – Free promotional items are a trade show staple, the equivalent of “may I buy you a drink?” Little giveaways tell attendees that you’re interested in making their acquaintance, but don’t go crazy buying useless junk. If an item isn’t something you or your employees would appreciate, chances are that prospective customers won’t care for it either. Also when choosing an arsenal of freebies, see if you can meet an immediate need. For instance, if the site has a shortage of refreshments, you might consider offering bottled water with customized labeling. And don’t forget to offer your visitors a well-branded gift bag to carry whatever they get from you. They will find it handy, not only for your goodies, but things from other vendors as well. As they wander around, these people become walking ads for your booth.

Get beyond the small talk to show you have something in common – When selecting staff to represent your company at a trade show, you’ll look first to your most personable extroverts. That’s a good first step, however, your staff’s business knowledge is every bit as important to making a successful trade show appearance as a knack for hospitality. Once past the warm greeting and the friendly smiles, your representatives should be able to fully engage visitors about how your solutions will solve their problems. (By the way, it’s okay if someone says, “My current provider doesn’t understand me, but you do.”)

Beware the trade show lizard – As visitors to your booth size up your company, do the same to them based on pre-established qualifying criteria. Some people just like to talk. No disrespect, but don’t leave a good prospect unattended as you devote your time to someone who’s not your type. Have a plan for politely sending such people on their way to meet a better match … somewhere else.

Did you get the digits? – The purpose of trade shows is to meet a lot of people you would like to see again. That will be hard to do if you don’t know how to reach them. There are a couple of ways to do this. You can be straightforward, and ask them to provide their information. Or you can be more subtle and have them register for some kind of prize and secure their phone number or e-mail address that way. Regardless of how you attain a prospect’s contact information, be sure to follow-up within a couple of days of the event.

Not everyone you meet at a trade show is going to be Mr. or Ms. Right Prospect. But one thing is certain … you’re much more likely to find someone nice at a trade show than you will by sitting alone at “home.”

Contributing Author: Ginger Reichl Pinstripe Marketing