There are two good reasons to participate in a trade show, says Michele Lando, a principal at Skilset Communications, Inc., and highly regarded speaker and author on brand-related subjects. The first is lead generation and the second is awareness.

Whatever your reason for participating, your tactical marketing efforts, including trade shows, should consistently be maximized for greatest results and should be integrated into your overall marketing and business strategy.

Maximization, Integration and Consistency is a wise marketing mantra to follow.

• Maximizing your investment, time and outcome means thinking about your managing your trade show as a process – not a singular event.
• Integrating it effectively means examining how it plays into your overall marketing mix – your advertising, direct mail, sales tactics and your overarching brand strategy.
• Consistency is what creates credibility and awareness over time and helps you drive sales, attract partners, alliances, investors and even high caliber employees.

It’s trade show time!

Let’s begin with maximizing your booth. There are a great many considerations such as booth size, show size, audience, venue restrictions and other variables too vast to detail in this article. Regardless, stay true to these two constants for success:

1. The trade show booth graphics must be consistent – with your corporate look, your pre-game promotion ad, your traffic-driving direct mail campaign and any game day handouts. This enhances recognition value and creates credibility through consistency.

2. Key messages must first be developed and then produced large enough to be read-at-a-glance. Attendees are bombarded with information and are often intimidated to actually look dead on at your booth, or you, for fear of being “roped in.” Visuals are ideal for messaging on booths.

3. Stop them in their tracks by using trade show technology like lighting, lasers or LED’s

4. Trade Show entertainment is also another great way to capture an audience long enough to engage and get your message out .