Don’t Trade This for the World

HE INDUSTRY OFFERS distributors a variety of goods that can help them help their clients make the right moves before, during and after a trade show. Following are three steps informed distributors should take to ensure their clients’ shows are a success every time.

BEFORE—Create a buzz with pre-show mailings.

According to Eric Johnson, vice president of marketing and development at Halls & Company, Brooklyn Park, Minn., creating a buzz before the show is the first step in ensuring a great trade-show experience. He said sending a pre-show mailing containing half of a promotional product to a predetermined customer list, for example, informing them to secure the other half by stopping by the booth, is a clever way to attract traffic. “You might send them a luggage strap and tell them to stop by your booth to pick up the luggage tag for their trip home,” he said.

Johnson also said utilizing the tried-and-true medium of the written word is another good way to generate buzz prior to a show. “A client could mail a letter telling recipients to bring the letter to the booth in order to receive a free water bottle or other item,” he suggested.

In instances such as these, Johnson said the distributor has the opportunity to showcase his or her range of expertise. “Working with [the client] on the mailing, concept, design and then coordinating getting the second half of the product to the exhibitor booth to make sure the product is there when people do come is determined on how the distributor positions himself with the end-buyer or how the end-buyer sees him,” Johnson said.

DURING—Maintain buzz with food items and the like.

Arguably, there is nothing that can create a buzz quite like food. This statement has been proven to be fact in every culture the world over, with no exception given to the showroom floor. It is on this premise that Atlanta-based Logo Dough has built its business, according to Frank Conn, manager. The company specializes in the creation of custom cookies, complete with all their trimmings (icing), ideal for the trade-show market.