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	<title>Susan A. Friedmann, CSP, The Tradeshow Coach, Lake Placid, NY, working with companies to improve their meeting and event success through coaching, consulting and training. Author: Meeting &amp; Event Planning for Dummies, and Riches in Niches: How to Make it BIG in a small Market (May 2007). For a free copy of 10 Common Mistakes Exhibitors Make, e-mail: article4@thetradeshowcoach.com; website: http://www.thetradeshowcoach.com</title>
	<link>http://www.buildyourownbusiness.biz/author/index/940/Susan-Friedmann.php</link>
	<description>Susan A. Friedmann, CSP, The Tradeshow Coach, Lake Placid, NY, working with companies to improve their meeting and event success through coaching, consulting and training. Author: Meeting &amp; Event Planning for Dummies, and Riches in Niches: How to Make it BIG in a small Market (May 2007). For a free copy of 10 Common Mistakes Exhibitors Make, e-mail: article4@thetradeshowcoach.com; website: http://www.thetradeshowcoach.com - Latest business
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	<pubDate>Tue, 07 Sep 2010 12:20:41 +0000</pubDate>
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      <title><strong>Fighting The Fear</strong></title>
      <description><![CDATA[Exhibiting in economically turbulent times is problematic.  Yet the challenge may not lie exactly where you think it does.

It's not the falling Dow Jones that's the problem.  It's not the S&amp;amp;P, nor the price of oil.  It's not even the constant reiteration that we're headed into the Great Depression II.

No.  The problem instead lies in the resultant consumer confidence crisis.  People -- both on an organizational and individual level -- are afraid to buy.  The constant bad news has created a perfect storm of economic turmoil, leaving people frozen in place, uncertain what to do.

How do we, as exhibitors, address that fear?

The first thing to do is to assess and understand what the changing marketplace actually means to your industry.  Not all sectors are hit equally by an economic downturn, and it is never safe to assume that what is happening to your organization is representative of what is happening in the market as a whole.

Before determining an exhibiting strategy, it is a wise step to take an objective look at your industry, as well as the markets for organizations that purchase your products and services.  A consumer confidence crisis means one thing in the high end apparel market, for example, that it may not mean in a health care or financial services market.

Throughout this assessment, consider the following:

What are the biggest challenges and concerns my target market is facing?

What are the biggest challenges and concerns the customers of my target market face?

If you want to be an effective exhibitor, one route to success is to articulate your understanding of both sets of challenges and present concrete examples of how your products and services can help attendees address them.  

There is a time for soft, suggestive selling: that time is NOT in the middle of a consumer confidence crisis.  This is instead the point where savvy exhibitors adopt a leadership role, positioning themselves as the expert within a marketplace,  ..]]></description>
      <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://www.buildyourownbusiness.biz/post/index/50/3835/Fighting-The-Fear.php">http://www.buildyourownbusiness.biz/post/index/50/3835/Fighting-The-Fear.php</link>
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      <title><strong>Six Advantages to Virtual Trade Shows</strong></title>
      <description><![CDATA[A virtual trade show is a cross between a webcast meeting and a video game. And it's the next big trend in trade shows. Although a mere 1% of all trade shows are now held online, industry experts expect that by 2015, more than 25% of trade shows will be conducted in virtual environments. That's a market you can't afford to ignore.
 
Like online meetings, a virtual trade show can be simple or breathtakingly realistic. The simplest assemble a series of pages, each one a virtual booth for an exhibitor, plus instant messaging so exhibitors and attendees can talk in real time. The more complex are complete environments like high-level video games or such online worlds as Second Life.  In these, each participant controls an avatar. VOIP (voice over internet protocol) can allow you to talk to attendees, and you can easily email brochures or allow attendees to download them.
 
But why bother when face-to-face meetings are so much more satisfying and real? Because virtual trade shows offer some solid advantages.
 
1. Triumph Over Tighter Budgets 
 
Imagine a trade show with no costs for transportation, shipping, hotels, hospitality, or booths, and just a minimal cost for exhibit space. That's a virtual trade show. 
 
With travel costs rising and travel budgets falling, more industries are turning to virtual trade shows as a less expensive way to showcase their wares. Electronics and high tech companies are naturally comfortable with the online format, but they're not alone. Plenty of other industries, from plumbing to candy-wrapper design, have held successful virtual shows.
 
2. Spread Your Wings
 
All too often, the sheer size of trade show investment keeps the marketing department stuck in a traditional rut of &amp;quot;what worked last year.&amp;quot;  The new medium will free you to experiment with innovative exhibit ideasâ€”and rapidly change the ones that don't work. At a virtual trade show, you don't need to worry about the flow of foot traffic or many other de ..]]></description>
      <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://www.buildyourownbusiness.biz/post/index/35/3716/Six-Advantages-to-Virtual-Trade-Shows.php">http://www.buildyourownbusiness.biz/post/index/35/3716/Six-Advantages-to-Virtual-Trade-Shows.php</link>
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      <title><strong>Using Competitive Intelligence Gathering Techniques at Tradeshows</strong></title>
      <description><![CDATA[&amp;quot;This looks absolutely amazing!&amp;quot; The attendee was smiling, eyes bright, a wide grin.  &amp;quot;If this is what I think it is, I'm pretty sure this piece of equipment will solve all of our problems.&amp;quot; He turned to the booth staffer, a young woman at her very first show.  &amp;quot;Could you tell me how it works?&amp;quot;

The staffer, thrilled at the possibility of selling a piece of equipment that sells for hundreds of thousands of dollars, was more than accommodating.  She answered every question, even the most technical.  When the prospect wanted to take some pictures, she helped him get good shots -- from every conceivable angle.

When the prospect left, he had every relevant piece of sales literature.  He also had a dozen great digital pictures, the card of the booth staffer, and a promise that someone from the exhibitor's company would be following up directly after the show.

However, the attendee didn't let the grass grow under his feet.  His organization was in touch with the exhibitor's organization within days.

However, instead of a purchase order, the communication was coming from the attendee's legal department -- who had a pretty good case that the exhibitor's display model was based on their proprietary design!

Tradeshows offer the most overt intelligence gathering environment imaginable.  There is no other place where you can find all of the companies in one industry gathered in a convenient location, with all their offerings on display.  Helpful booth staffers will answer questions, often those questions that should raise red flags among an exhibiting team.

This can work against you, or, as illustrated in the story above, it can work for you.  The world is getting smaller every day.  Ideas are stolen. They're copied, reverse engineered, you name it.  However, as the owner and originator of these ideas, you may have no idea that this has happened -- until you stumble across the results at a tradeshow or industry event.

In an incr ..]]></description>
      <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://www.buildyourownbusiness.biz/post/index/50/3185/Using-Competitive-Intelligence-Gathering-Techniques-at-Tradeshows.php">http://www.buildyourownbusiness.biz/post/index/50/3185/Using-Competitive-Intelligence-Gathering-Techniques-at-Tradeshows.php</link>
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      <title><strong>Rising Exhibiting Costs Places New Premium on Efficiency</strong></title>
      <description><![CDATA[There is good news in the world of tradeshow research: according to a recent study by Exhibit Surveys, an industry research group, a considerable number of new attendees are coming to tradeshows.  At the same time, 39 percent of attendees report that their buying decisions are favorably influenced after viewing a company's exhibit.

That's the good news.  The bad news is that the rising fuel, energy, and transportation costs that are impacting every sector of the economy have not skipped over tradeshow exhibiting. The cost per attendee has risen nearly 20 percent.  A typical exhibitor is spending $261 per attendee that they speak with -- a number that is up 15 percent over the last two years.

The question then becomes, how do you make the most out of every exhibit?  It is no longer sufficient to simply generate a positive ROI.  You need to ensure the maximum ROI possible, in order to justify these spiraling costs.

Here are the top five ways to get the most out of every tradeshow:

1.  Do Your Homework

To realize maximum ROI, you have to ensure that you're exhibiting at the right shows.  You will not generate a positive ROI, much less a maximum ROI, if you're not positioning yourself in front of an audience likely to be interested in your products and services.

Research shows carefully before making a commitment.  What shows are the largest?  Which shows attract your target audience?  Some exhibitors have had great success setting up shop at shows outside of their traditional industry group -- this may be a strategy you want to consider. 

Bear in mind some larger organizations have their own shows.  This trend has obvious positive and negative ramifications -- but a savvy exhibitor will be able to make the most out of the opportunities this change affords.

2. Emphasize Pre-show Promotion

Pre-show promotion is the single most important determining factor in generating show traffic.  If you want to have a lot of people, particularly people who  ..]]></description>
      <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://www.buildyourownbusiness.biz/post/index/50/2947/Rising-Exhibiting-Costs-Places-New-Premium-on-Efficiency.php">http://www.buildyourownbusiness.biz/post/index/50/2947/Rising-Exhibiting-Costs-Places-New-Premium-on-Efficiency.php</link>
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      <title><strong>Who Put All These Trees in the Forest? Making Pre-show Promotion Stand Out!</strong></title>
      <description><![CDATA[There's a lot of pressure on marketing departments today: a tightening economy and increasingly competitive environment means that every promotional effort must generate a positive return.  Every decision has to be viewed critically, and that includes the decision to participate in tradeshows.

Show participation must, for many exhibitors, generate a positive, demonstrable ROI if exhibiting is to remain a viable part of the marketing strategy. This means taking advantage of every opportunity to maximize the return on show participation: before, during, and after the show.  Many exhibitors do a great job at the show, but lackluster or non-existent efforts prior to and after the event sabotage their efforts. For those marketing professionals who believe in the core value of exhibiting and the face-to-face relationship building that is part and parcel of exhibiting, this has placed renewed emphasis on the value of pre-show promotion.

Pre-show promotion is the single most valuable step any exhibitor can take to help drive traffic to the exhibit, up the percentage of high-value, qualified leads, and ensure a positive ROI. After all, to start and reinforce valuable business relationships, you have to have contact with the show attendees.  They need a reason to visit your exhibit -- to pinpoint and find one booth out of the hundreds on the show floor.  Pre-show marketing can provide that reason.

This isn't exactly news -- and although the vast majority of exhibitors aren't doing any pre-show promotion, those companies that are, have been steadily increasing their efforts.  How can your pre-show promotion stand out in a crowded environment?

Here are three effective strategies to consider:

1. Smart E-Mail

E-mail is everywhere: almost everyone checks their e-mail several times a day.  Yet few exhibitors are making use of this tool to promote their tradeshow participation. Mention any show specials you may be running, as well as events, classes, and seminars y ..]]></description>
      <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://www.buildyourownbusiness.biz/post/index/55/2825/Who-Put-All-These-Trees-in-the-Forest-Making-Preshow-Promotion-Stand-Out.php">http://www.buildyourownbusiness.biz/post/index/55/2825/Who-Put-All-These-Trees-in-the-Forest-Making-Preshow-Promotion-Stand-Out.php</link>
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      <title><strong>The Power of Asking Questions</strong></title>
      <description><![CDATA[Make no mistake -- you're in a rough spot.  Exhibiting is a competitive environment.  You're vying for attendee's attention, against companies that are larger, better-funded, with newer exhibits and cooler ideas than you've got.
 
What this means is that anything you can do to differentiate yourself from the crowd is a &amp;quot;Very Good Thing.&amp;quot;  Being different gives you an edge over the masses.  On the other hand, being different invariably costs money.
 
Or maybe not.  You can differentiate yourself effectively by embracing the â€˜power of questions.'  Having a team that can ask the right people, the right questions, at the right time, is the single most cost effective thing you can do to guarantee fantastic show results.
 
Very few people know how to ask effective, powerful questions, and quite frankly, those who do, tend not to wind up working the show floor.  Luckily, asking great questions is a skill that can be taught to those who don't already have it.  If you're like me, and weren't born with that great skill, here are seven strategies your team can start using today to make themselves better exhibitors:
 
Strategy #1: Listen
 
The best questions begin in silence.  Train your people to embrace the 80/20 rule -- they should be listening 80% of the time.  Listening is more than not talking.  It's an opportunity to focus on the information the visitor is providing.  The data they're sharing is invaluable and helps frame more appropriate questions throughout the conversation.  For sales people in particular, listening is a real challenge.  Yet, if they conquer and embrace this skill, they could easily boost their performance in flash!
 
Strategy #2: Determine Identities Quickly
 
One of the first questions your team should ask is some variation of &amp;quot;Who are you and what do you do?&amp;quot;  Never, ever rely on badges.  People can easily swap them.  This is probably the most commonly used competitive intelligence gathering strategy.
 
You wan ..]]></description>
      <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://www.buildyourownbusiness.biz/post/index/50/2719/The-Power-of-Asking-Questions.php">http://www.buildyourownbusiness.biz/post/index/50/2719/The-Power-of-Asking-Questions.php</link>
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      <title><strong>Good Shows in Bad Times: Exhibiting When Your Industry Is In Crisis</strong></title>
      <description><![CDATA[Right now, chances are you'd rather be in any industry than mortgages and home loans. A few months ago, pet foods were on the hot seat, and a good while before that, high tech was under a laser beam of disgruntled scrutiny. 

Every industry has its good times, when there's a lot of positive public buzz and money flows like champagne. However, every industry also has its bad times, where scandal and recall and bad business decisions can hamstring an entire sector.

What do you do when this happens to you? Is it possible to turn in a great tradeshow performance when everything else is going wrong? Is exhibiting even necessary during these bleak periods? 

The answers to these questions may surprise you. Read on to discover what you need to know:

Here are five strategies you can take when your industry is the one facing hard times.

Number One: The Show Must Go On

The first step is the simplest. Keep exhibiting! Many times when times are tough and money is in short supply, the tradeshow budget takes the first hit. This can be a very bad decision.

Attendees know full well that the industry's having a rough time long before they get to the tradeshow. They read the same papers you do and face the same challenges you're encountering. 

When they come to the show, attendees are looking for two things: what's new and exciting -- and in times of trouble, who's still at the show. Maintaining a presence at the tradeshow is a powerful, tangible way to say, &amp;quot;We're still here, we're still a player, and we'll still be here when this slump passes.&amp;quot; 

Forgo the show and you're saying that your company doesn't have the staying power or ability of its competitors. This is one case where out of sight is quite literally out of mind. Maintaining a presence -- even if it's a downsized, circumspect one -- is essential.

Number Two: Take Your Head Out of the Sand

It's important to acknowledge the reality of the industry situation. Attempting to ignore the  ..]]></description>
      <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://www.buildyourownbusiness.biz/post/index/50/2406/Good-Shows-in-Bad-Times-Exhibiting-When-Your-Industry-Is-In-Crisis.php">http://www.buildyourownbusiness.biz/post/index/50/2406/Good-Shows-in-Bad-Times-Exhibiting-When-Your-Industry-Is-In-Crisis.php</link>
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      <title><strong>Four Generations In The Marketplace: What This Means For You</strong></title>
      <description><![CDATA[Every company on the tradeshow floor has a few things in common.  They all want to capture attendee interest, and lure them into the booth with the new, the exciting, the irresistible.  They're all facing similar challenges: short attention spans, myriad shows, and increased competition from every corner of the globe.
 
However, there's one extra special way that savvy exhibitors can differentiate themselves from their competitors.  The company that has the best understanding of their target audience -- their wants, needs, problems, and challenges -- has the ultimate advantage in the exhibiting forum.  It is these companies that take the time to learn about their customers -- and more importantly, their customer's customers -- that succeed on the show floor and beyond.
 
Since the marketplace changes so rapidly, this is crucial. For the first time in recent memory, there are four active generations engaged in the commercial sphere.  This is a radical change which means a lot to your customers -- and of course, to you.
 
In previous years, buying power was concentrated within a narrow range of years: the vast majority of commercial behavior took place within a forty year span, beginning as one graduated high school and grinding to a halt upon entering retirement.  In this environment, a mass market, one-size-fits-all visibility strategy worked fairly effectively.
 
Those days are gone.  Today's consumer can be a member of one of at least four generations, beginning with the pre-pubescent teens and extending right up to the infamous baby boomers.  Companies are targeting themselves to six year olds and seventy six year olds: obviously each requires a different approach from them, and ultimately, from you.
 
It's important to remember that not only are end customers member of these generations, but that attendees are divided among these four generations.  If your marketing prowess has you experienced in marketing to one given group, it's critical to take a st ..]]></description>
      <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://www.buildyourownbusiness.biz/post/index/50/2193/Four-Generations-In-The-Marketplace-What-This-Means-For-You.php">http://www.buildyourownbusiness.biz/post/index/50/2193/Four-Generations-In-The-Marketplace-What-This-Means-For-You.php</link>
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      <title><strong>How to Avoid Eating Your Words: 10 Essentials for Networking at Tradeshows </strong></title>
      <description><![CDATA[Every moment at a tradeshow is important. This includes, of course, all of the time you're on the show floor. Add to that the time you're not actively exhibiting but are on or near the floor -- visiting other exhibits, grabbing a bite to eat, or en route to your hotel room. You only have a limited amount of time to represent your organization to the gathered attendees, so you want to make the most of every minute.
 
That's why networking events, such as dinners or organized off-site outings, are so important. Even though these events are primarily in social in nature, they're the ideal place to start or reinforce relationships with your clients and potential clients.
 
However, networking events can also create high levels of anxiety, especially among exhibitors who don't know what they're expected to accomplish or how they're supposed to conduct themselves to make the most of the opportunity. You don't want to flub it -- nor have your team flub it for you.
 
Here are ten tips your team needs to know to shine like stars -- even when they're not on the showfloor!
 
1. Relax
 
Breathe in, breathe out. Repeat as needed. If you're nervous, take some time to meditate, center, or do whatever you need to do to calm yourself before getting to the event.
 
People come to networking events to get to know you in a social setting. The focus is on fun and conversation: two areas where most people can shine without stressing themselves out.
 
2. Listen more than you talk
 
There's nothing in this world people love more than talking about themselves. At the same time, there's nothing rarer than a good listener. Stifle the impulse to talk, talk, talk and focus on being a good listener. Ask the person you're with about themselves: what they do, what hobbies they enjoy, and so on. Keep it personal and light -- you don't want to come off like you're conducting an interrogation.
 
3. Take your time
 
This tip is especially pertinent if you're at a show overseas. Mos ..]]></description>
      <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://www.buildyourownbusiness.biz/post/index/50/2068/How-to-Avoid-Eating-Your-Words-10-Essentials-for-Networking-at-Tradeshows.php">http://www.buildyourownbusiness.biz/post/index/50/2068/How-to-Avoid-Eating-Your-Words-10-Essentials-for-Networking-at-Tradeshows.php</link>
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      <title><strong>Eight Effortless Exercises to Improve Tradeshow Performance</strong></title>
      <description><![CDATA[Tradeshow exhibitors have something in common with the rest of humanity: Weâ€™ll do what is easy, but avoid what those things we find to be or perceive as difficult. It doesnâ€™t really matter what sphere weâ€™re talking about: human nature dictates that more often than not, we seek out the smoother path, the gentler grade, the easier climb.
 
So in order to appeal to human nature and improve your tradeshow performance, I offer you this: Eight Effortless Exercises you can do with your team. Nothing here is particularly difficult, yet all are devastatingly effective. If your team can implement what they learn during these exercises on the tradeshow floor, I can guarantee that youâ€™ll be very pleased with the result.
 
1. Go Over the Goals
 
Booth staffers function best when they have full knowledge of what as an organization, youâ€™re trying, to achieve at the show. A show where youâ€™re launching a new product and want to raise brand awareness is, in some ways, a fundamentally different exercise than a show where youâ€™re simply attempting to reinforce existing relationships and move as much product as possible. Meet with your team and spell out exactly what you hope to accomplish. This is a good time to let them know what you expect on an individual as well as an organizational level.
 
2. Play Trivial Pursuit
 
How well does your team know your products and services? How about your companyâ€™s structure, organization, and public image? You might be surprised. Test your team with a friendly game modeled after Trivial Pursuitâ„¢ or Jeopardyâ„¢. Instead of random trivia questions, use questions centered on your products and services. Make sure these questions range from the everyday -- detailing features and benefits -- to the relatively off-topic -- are your products manufactured in the country? If not, where, and under what conditions? This exercise will reinforce product knowledge and help your team be prepared for whatever questions come their way.
  ..]]></description>
      <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://www.buildyourownbusiness.biz/post/index/50/2015/Eight-Effortless-Exercises-to-Improve-Tradeshow-Performance.php">http://www.buildyourownbusiness.biz/post/index/50/2015/Eight-Effortless-Exercises-to-Improve-Tradeshow-Performance.php</link>
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      <title><strong>After The Show: Self Analysis A Critical Component to Improve Performance</strong></title>
      <description><![CDATA[Continual improvement is a goal for many exhibitors.  Knowing that tradeshows can play an integral role in a companyâ€™s marketing campaign, theyâ€™re committed to doing the best job they can this year -- and a better one next year.
 
To continually improve, you have to have a very clear and concrete idea of where you are right now.  An objective measurement of performance is the only way to plan for and achieve an improved result at subsequent shows.  It serves as your baseline.
 
How do you get this baseline measurement?  Itâ€™s a two part process, incorporating both measurable and intangible criteria.  The combination of these two criteria gives you the most comprehensive picture possible of your performance.
 
Letâ€™s start with the measurable criteria.  These are your goals and objectives, spelled out in black and white.  If you say that you want to do $X in sales or collect Y number of leads, then you can compare your results against your goal.  Itâ€™s simple.  You met your goal, you exceeded your goal, or you fell short.
 
However, there are other factors in tradeshow performance to consider.  These are the intangible, hard to measure things that affect your show: staff performance, booth design, general ambiance, and a host of other criteria.  You need to know how youâ€™re performing before you can improve that performance.
 
Where can you get information on these intangible criteria?  After all, thereâ€™s no magic ball where you can look and see how you did.  Tradeshow exhibiting is not like Monday Night Football, with cameras tracking every move and instant replay only a moment away.
 
This is where a mystery shopperâ€™s services can be critical.  By providing an objective, focused analysis of your exhibit, a mystery shopper can pinpoint weaknesses, identify strengths and on occasion, offer suggestions for improvement.
 
Itâ€™s important to take the mystery shopperâ€™s report into account. However, it is not the only point of view youâ€™ll wa ..]]></description>
      <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://www.buildyourownbusiness.biz/post/index/50/2014/After-The-Show-Self-Analysis-A-Critical-Component-to-Improve-Performance.php">http://www.buildyourownbusiness.biz/post/index/50/2014/After-The-Show-Self-Analysis-A-Critical-Component-to-Improve-Performance.php</link>
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      <title><strong>Mystery Shoppers Enhance Tradeshow Performance</strong></title>
      <description><![CDATA[Everythingâ€™s perfect.  The display is beautiful, your team is well-trained, youâ€™ve got fantastic giveaway items and the best pre-show promotion youâ€™ve ever had.  This is going to be the absolute best tradeshow ever.
 
Are you sure? You might be the last person who can answer this question honestly.  Itâ€™s not that you donâ€™t want to -- itâ€™s that you canâ€™t.
 
Letâ€™s face it.  After youâ€™ve spent weeks, even months, planning, preparing and practicing your exhibit routine, youâ€™re no longer objective.  Youâ€™re too close to your work to see it as a stranger would.  This is no fault of your own. Itâ€™s human nature.  We canâ€™t engage with our work and distance ourselves from it at the same time.
 
Yet it is critical that our tradeshow performance be excellent.  Your organizationâ€™s financial well being depends in part of what attendees learn about your company from your exhibit. How will you know, at the end of the day, what they thought of your booth?
 
This is where the mystery shopper comes in.  By stopping by your exhibit and doing a little covert surveillance, the mystery shopper can provide you with a critical and fair assessment of your performance.  
 
This skilled professional will assess your booth on many levels. Was your team as polished as you thought they were? Was that clever signage really that funny? Did the giveaway items appeal or were they just so much more stuff to haul around the show floor?  The mystery shopper can tell you.
 
Getting an objective opinion of your exhibit is one very valuable and valid reason to hire a mystery shopper.  Itâ€™s not the only one.  Thereâ€™s another reason to consider hiring a mystery shopper, especially if you have a larger company with several display teams.
 
When the catâ€™s away, the mouse will play. Itâ€™s an old saying, with more than a little modern truth to it.  Any time the boss is out of the office, for example, employees tend to slack off a little bit. Itâ€™s a good time to c ..]]></description>
      <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://www.buildyourownbusiness.biz/post/index/50/1941/Mystery-Shoppers-Enhance-Tradeshow-Performance.php">http://www.buildyourownbusiness.biz/post/index/50/1941/Mystery-Shoppers-Enhance-Tradeshow-Performance.php</link>
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      <title><strong>Creating a Realistic Tradeshow Budget</strong></title>
      <description><![CDATA[Having a realistic tradeshow budget is crucial for your exhibiting success. Itâ€™s imperative to include all of the costs associated with exhibiting in your financial plan, yet many exhibitors fail to take this crucial step. 
 
Itâ€™s almost impossible to realize positive ROI when you donâ€™t know how much youâ€™re spending -- and what youâ€™re spending it on! If you ask most exhibitors what they think the largest expense associated with tradeshow participation is, chances are theyâ€™ll tell you the display space.
 
Itâ€™s true that exhibiting space is expensive. That 10X10 booth can set you back a pretty penny -- and price tags go up for larger spaces and prime locations. However, exhibiting space itself is generally only 30% of the total cost associated with exhibiting.
 
That 30% of your budget is fairly fixed. A fabulous negotiator might be able to get show management to shave a few hundred off the price of exhibit space, but thatâ€™s the exception rather than the rule. 
 
Instead, youâ€™ll want to concentrate on that other 70% of your budget. The expenses that make up the bulk of your participation cost are, to some degree, variable. Theyâ€™re under your control -- which means, with time, planning, and oversight, you can keep them down. The lower your costs are, after all, the easier it will be to generate a positive ROI on your show!
 
The reality is, however, that most exhibitors donâ€™t pay close attention -- or any attention at all! -- to some of the items that make up the remaining 70%. The cost of their show creeps steadily upward, bit by bit, as small charges mount up and up until theyâ€™re a sizable chunk of change. This is particularly common among new exhibitors -- although it also plagues seasoned pros who fall prey to the assumption trap. This is when an exhibitor assumes that things will be done this year the way theyâ€™ve always been done previously. Like all assumptions, this one can prove costly!
 
Here are some of the items that mak ..]]></description>
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      <title><strong>Betting on your Future? Not a Good Plan</strong></title>
      <description><![CDATA[Recently, the lottery in NY -- the state I call home -- reached a record jackpot, larger than ever before.  When I penned these words, the grand total of funds just waiting to be won was over 340 million dollars.  As you can imagine, this got people talking.  Almost every local newscast covered the huge jackpot. People were lining up at convenience stores across the state, hoping against hope to cash in and win big.
 
This got me thinking about the two types of people: gamblers and planners.  Both would like to have the big bag of cash, but they take different routes to achieve it.  A gambler might plunk down a dollar -- or two, or twenty, or two hundred -- in hopes of winning big in a lottery, while the planner follows a less exciting route of saving and investing.  At the end of the day, whos more likely to have the big bucks? Chances are, itd be the planner.
 
Tradeshow exhibiting works the same way.  You can gamble on having a good show, approaching it in a frenzy because ˜everybodys doing it and youve heard theres big money to be had, or you can approach it methodically, making a plan, doing your research, and making those actions that are prudent and improve your bottom line.
 
Some gamblers win.  Thats what keeps lotteries going, after all.  Some exhibitors show up with only half an idea of what theyre doing, a horrible exhibit and only fledgling show skills, and yet still have a triumphant show.  But the odds are against most gamblers.  For every winner, there are thousands of losers.  For every successful ˜We just wing it exhibitor, there are hundreds who look at the time and effort expended and realize they could have done much, much better -- if only theyd taken the time to learn what they were doing. Are you willing to take that chance?
 
Im not much of a gambler myself, but even I know you should never lay money on the table without knowing whats at stake.  Ask yourself, what could happen if I leave my tradeshow performance to chance?
 
You co ..]]></description>
      <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://www.buildyourownbusiness.biz/post/index/50/1862/Betting-on-your-Future-Not-a-Good-Plan.php">http://www.buildyourownbusiness.biz/post/index/50/1862/Betting-on-your-Future-Not-a-Good-Plan.php</link>
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      <title><strong>Athletes Train: Why Dont You?</strong></title>
      <description><![CDATA[Theres nothing like watching an athlete at the top of their game -- the sprinter racing to the finish line, the star center sinking the game winning shot.  They make it look absolutely effortless, as if it was the most natural thing in the world for them to perform that well.
 
Appearances can be deceiving. What you dont see is the long, grueling hours of training and practice star athletes put in behind the scenes: the endless laps around the track with no one watching, the skill drills where that star player practices jump shot after jump shot after jump shot.
 
The same is true for exhibiting.  The truly great exhibitors dont just show up at the show and automatically know how to turn in a great performance.  Theyve trained for the event, making sure that theyve got a good grasp of the fundamental skills needed and the game-day strategy critical to ensure success.
 
What type of training routine does your exhibiting team have?  Most companies, if they answered honestly, would have to say little to no time is devoted to practicing the skills needed to do a good job on the show floor. Its assumed that the skills necessary to be a good salesman or manufacturers rep in the field will automatically transfer over into the show environment.
 
Nothing could be further from the truth.  Someone who jogs everyday, even if they run for miles at a time, does not automatically turn into a top-notch marathon runner.  You can work out in the weight room twice a week at the gym.  That doesnt mean youre anywhere near ready to go compete in Olympic level power lifting!
 
There are some essential differences between the everyday routine your sales reps face and the high-pressure intense situation they encounter on the show floor.  From the extremely limited amount of time your team has with each attendee to the length of the event to the sheer numbers of people one talks to in the course of the day, tradeshows are a demanding event.  One needs to maintain lightning quick r ..]]></description>
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      <title><strong>Are You Celling Yourself Short?</strong></title>
      <description><![CDATA[Cell phones have changed our world.  With few exceptions, we can now talk to anyone we like whenever wed like.  The staccato symphony of ring tones accompanies us through our days: from the morning commute to the crowded restaurant at lunchtime, during meetings and even during the quick stop at the grocery store when the day is done.  Were always connected, always reachable.  Its a marvel.
 
Its a marvel that can destroy your tradeshow performance.
 
Consider the following:
 
Youre at a tradeshow.  An attractive exhibit catches your eye.  The product on display is exactly what youve been searching for.  When you approach the booth, a staffer looks up and with a gesture indicates that you should wait, just one minute, while he finishes his call.  When hes done talking to the important people, the message seems to be, hell be happy to talk to you.
 
How long are you going to wait? After all, youve only a limited amount of time at the show, and there are dozens of other booths on your ˜must-see list.  When you discover that the display just a little further down the aisle also appears to feature a product that could fill your needs, chances are thats all the impetus youll need to move along.  Theres no sense waiting for the staffer to finish his call, not when there are other people who are more than ready to talk to you right now.
 
Lets flip the scenario around.  Youre on the other side of the aisle when your cell phone rings.  Do you take the call?
 
I can hear you now.  But thats different!  My call is important!
 
Guess what? The salesman in the first example thought his call was important too.  And it was -- to him.  It was more important than you were, at least.
 
Talking on your cell phone tells tradeshow attendees three things:
 
1. Your teams focus is NOT on the tradeshow. 
 
2. Your attendee is not the most important person in the room -- that honor belongs to whoever has your cell phone number.
 
3. The attendees business is not valuab ..]]></description>
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      <title><strong>Winnie the Poohâ„¢ and You¦at the Tradeshow?</strong></title>
      <description><![CDATA[At first glance, theres no connection between Disneys Winnie the Pooh and tradeshows.  The same is true of Piglet, Tigger, and the rest of the gang.  What could this cuddly group of childhood favorites possibly teach us about exhibiting?
 
Surprisingly, quite a bit.  There are some very strong similarities between Winnie the Pooh and the other inhabitants of the Hundred Acre Woods and many tradeshow exhibitors.  Dont believe me?  Take a look and see how many of your staffers you recognize:
 
Winnie the Pooh
 
Pooh Bear may be cute, cuddly and approachable -- but hes also got one thing on his mind.  What makes this roly poly bear happy?  Honey, of course!  Hes obsessed with the golden sweet -- when hes not enjoying a meal, hes in search of the next smackerel to fill his rumbly-tummy.
 
A Pooh-style booth staffer is hungry.  He might be talking to attendees, but hes thinking about lunch.  If someone walks by with a sandwich, his eyes are instantly drawn to it.  Scents from the food court get his nostrils quivering.  When he gets a chance to eat, he takes it: even if that means eating in the booth!
 
Piglet
 
Piglet is a very small animal, made even more timid when confronted with unfamiliar surroundings, loud noises, bright colors, and crowds.  His reaction?  Why, to run and hide under the bed, of course, or behind his good friend Pooh.
 
A Piglet-style staffer may be naturally shy or someone who is easily overwhelmed.  Their reaction, inspired by fear, is to fade into the back of the booth and hope no one notices them.  More often than not, they get their wish -- which is good for them, but bad for your bottom line.
 
Owl
 
Owl is an exceedingly well educated bird.  Hes got a brain just cram-packed full of facts and figures -- and he wants you to know it.  No tidbit of information is too small to escape his attention, nor to avoid being retold to anyone who will listen.
 
If you have an Owl-style staffer, you might count yourself lucky.  After all ..]]></description>
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      <title><strong>Expert Envy</strong></title>
      <description><![CDATA[Experts have become omnipresent.  They're everywhere: on your favorite television show, on drive time radio programming, on blogs and internet discussion forums, between the pages of nationally popular magazines and your local newspaper. You can't throw a dart, it seems, without having it hit an Expert on the way to the dartboard.
 
Why is this happening? What has motivated all of these people -- financial planners and attorneys, floral designers and wedding planners, massage therapists and ear, nose and throat specialists -- to take on the Expert mantle?
 
One reason:  
 
Being the Expert is one of the most efficient, effective ways to ensure your professional and financial success.
 
This trend is consumer driven.  According to Chris Anderson, author of The Long Tail, consumers increasingly demand that services and products be targeted directly to them. There's a cycle of specialization at work, resulting in a public that wants experts for everything.  
 
There are many reasons for this, most of which can be traced directly to media and communication outlets. The Internet is perhaps the most pervasive proponent of specialization.  In Anderson's The Long Tail, he says that &amp;quot;In an era without the constraints of physical shelf space and other bottlenecks of distribution, narrowly targeted goods and services can be as economically attractive as mainstream fare.&amp;quot;  You can see this in action at mega-sites like Amazon.com that go out of their way to offer personalized 'want lists', 'recommended titles', and specialized deals based on previous purchases.  
 
At the same time, there has been an explosion of cable and satellite television networks, each targeted to an increasingly narrow demographic.  Where once there was a Home and Garden channel, there are now Fine Living, Do It Yourself, and Home Discovery networks, with rumors of more 'shelter' channels on the horizon. The trend is more pronounced in print media.  'One size fits all' magazines such ..]]></description>
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