Are you attending IR Focus, eTail West, or another eCommerce conference this quarter? Trade shows can be very profitable but only if you prepare properly.
Too often, businesses go into a trade show having not done enough preparation, and they come out of it with little more than a few new business cards and a thick stack of expense reports.
When you first start preparing, look at the numbers. Data should drive your tradeshow preparation, and here are a few important reasons why.
1) Data Helps You Set Goals
We all know the importance of goal setting, but sometimes it can be hard when you don’t have enough information. Having accurate data can help you define specific, realistic, measurable goals.
Going into your next show, you could have the goal of obtaining 75 new leads or of closing $40,000 in sales. However, if you are competing with many similar offerings during that one particular show, these goals might not be realistic.
Data helps you understand what to expect.
2) Data Keeps You Organized
Staying organized before, during, and after the show is critical.
Up-to-date, accurate data can make finding information on-the-fly a breeze. Having the right numbers in the right places helps you stay organized in all other aspects of your preparation.
Are you tired of receiving a partial list, and spending hours manually looking up data to complete the list of trade show attendees?
Using a tool like List Genius, will help with updating contact information and cleaning up customer lists, makes managing large amounts of data a lot less daunting.
3) Data Makes Marketing Easier
Why wait for the show to start marketing yourself and your solution?
If you have data on potential customers, you can use it to reach out to them before the show.
Send an email with the trade show name in the title or make a few cold calls. If you can, set up a pre-trade show meeting or a webinar to give them a sneak peek into what you will be talking about.
Differentiating yourself is really important, and data can help you do this. When potential customers come in the front door, you want your brand to be at the top of their minds.
Preparation is the key to having a successful show, and data is the key to solid preparation.
How are you using data to prepare for your next trade show?
Share your ideas in the comments.