| If you want to guarantee disaster, huge expense and | | | | hearing and shy. Don't have orpractice a strategy on |
| seriouslychallenge your health in your trade show | | | | how to approach prospects. |
| marketing, follow thissimple formula. Although these top | | | | 6) Arrive just in time for the show because you want |
| 10 tips are somewhat humorous,they are unfortunately | | | | to avoid extralodging costs. Carry and move all your |
| based on real-life observations I have made inmany | | | | booth supplies and avoid theexpense and hassle of |
| trade shows. | | | | shipping and handling. |
| 1) Think you know everything, even if you've never | | | | 7) Consider everyone in the show a prospect. Try to |
| attended a traveltrade show. You're convinced travel | | | | coral everyonethat's walking by. Tell everyone what's |
| trade show marketing is for youbecause everyone | | | | better about your trips and whyeveryone else's stinks. |
| else seems to do it. Plus you're not sure what | | | | 8) Give everyone several of your expensive new |
| othertourism marketing to do. | | | | 4-color brochures. Youinvested the majority of your |
| 2) Don't do any pre-show promotions to regional | | | | tourism promotional money into the newbrochures and |
| customers andprospects. You don't want to spend | | | | you want to make sure everyone has one. |
| any more money because yourcheap or max'd out | | | | 9) You and old Uncle Albert will work the weeklong |
| your credit card. You figure it's the trade | | | | booth yourselves. |
| showmanagement's job to get people to the show. | | | | Don't drink water. Eat tradeshow concessionaire fast |
| 3) Never talk to show management and don't read the | | | | food exclusively. |
| manual beforethe show. You believe that all they want | | | | Attends late night hospitality suites, drink all the free |
| to do is try to sell you morespace or inform you about | | | | beer you can andparty with associates every night. |
| an additional union cost they forgot to tell youabout. | | | | Forget your breath mints. |
| 4) Design and build the booth yourself in your spare | | | | 10) Jump into operations when your get back to the |
| time. Proudly placeyour company name across the | | | | office. Wait for allthe calls and new clients from your |
| middle of your display in large 4" type; | | | | travel trade show marketing to comepouring in. |
| "Joe's Fun Trips". Load up the booth and table with | | | | If you want the top tips for how-to exhibit successfully, |
| dozen's of smallphotos your 7-year old niece took with | | | | read my otherarticles on travel trade show exhibiting |
| "Brownie camera. | | | | on my website or here at |
| 5) Don't talk with your staff or create show goals. Put | | | | It doesn't matter what industry you are in. |
| your old Uncle | | | | Successfultrade show exhibiting is something you can |
| Albert in the booth since he knows your region and | | | | learn and prosper from -unless you are old Uncle |
| trips better thenanyone, even though he's hard of | | | | Albert. |