By Melinda Miller, Manager of Corporate Public Relations
InventHelp
So, you've taken the plunge and decided to exhibit your invention or new product idea at a tradeshow. What's next? How do you prepare? How can you optimize your time at the show? Here are Ten Tips to help you maximize your experience:
1. Visual Impact — Having a booth at a trade show is like having retail space in a shopping mall. Retail stores create elaborate window displays. Your booth display doesn't have to be elaborate — but it should give passers by an idea about the nature of your invention. Perhaps your invention is a new type of baby bib to keep kids' clothes cleaner while eating. You could display photos of messy babies all over your booth. 2002 INPEX exhibitor Troy Haynes recreated an entire campsite in his booth. His invention was — you guessed it — a camping-related light.
2. Smile — It sounds so simple. Smile. We all feel nervous sometimes when we're meeting new people. INPEX alumnus Ed Kurpieski suggests turning your nervousness into enthusiasm by simply smiling as people walk past your booth.
3. Be Enthusiastic — As an inventor you are of course enthusiastic about your idea. But, standing on your feet at a trade show all day is tiring, hard work. Have you ever seen someone in a trade show booth slumped down in a chair reading a newspaper, not bothering to make eye contact? That's not enthusiastic! Wear comfortable shoes. Take breaks and put a sign at your booth saying 'Back at 2:15 PM.' Don't eat junk food. Bring healthy snacks like fresh fruit and water to keep your energy up. And get enough sleep each night of the exposition.
4. Be Brief — Every inventor is an expert on their own invention. With all that expertise, it's important to be able to explain the features and benefits of your new product idea in 30-60 seconds. Why? Because you want to give visitors to your booth a chance to ask you more. Because you want a chance to learn what they do, whether they're interested in your new product or idea. You won't learn anything if you do all the talking.
5. Give the Features and Benefits — What do you say in that 30-60 seconds? Tell your visitor the features and benefits of your idea. Rehearse with a friend or family member who can time you. Write down your [brief] features and benefits on an index card. Stick to those points when you're talking to trade show attendees. Features = adjectives like ‘brown’ or ‘sturdy’. Benefits = ‘helps reach high shelves’ or ‘may help alleviate lower back pain’.
6. Listen to Feedback — While you are certainly the expert on your invention, don't lose out on the ad-hoc market research a trade show can provide. If ten visitors to your booth say, "That would be cool if..." you might want to pay attention. Don't let your dedication to your idea keep you from being open to comments you'll get throughout the show. Be prepared, some will be positive, and some will not.
7. Be Courteous — Because you can't always be certain whether a person visiting your booth is ‘site seeing’ or really looking for new product ideas, be sure to greet each person and thank them for visiting.
8. Collect Business Cards and Take Notes — After days on your feet at a trade show spent talking to people all day every day, it's impossible to remember who you met, what they asked and why they stopped at your booth. As you collect business cards from visitors, jot a brief note on the back of each card to help you remember. If you make notes on the back of each card you collect, it will be much easier to remember everything when you get home.
9. Follow Up — Once the trade show is over, send a personalized thank you to each of the people from whom you collected contact information. Personalize by using those notes you made on the back of the business cards. "Dear Ms. Smith, Thank you for visiting my booth at the INPEX trade show last month in Pittsburgh. Enclosed please find the additional brochures you requested, highlighting the features and benefits of my ABC invention..."
10. Find Ways to Maintain Contact — Don't throw those business cards away. The business cards can be the start of your marketing mailing list. Find reasons to periodically stay in touch with contacts you feel may be relevant. Let contacts know you're exhibiting at a trade show. Let them know when you've made changes/improvements to your invention. But don't inundate them with letters and phone calls. The idea is to keep your new product idea in their minds, not to pester anyone to the point of alienating them.
