Are you gearing up for another trade show exhibit and searching for profitable results? Here are some great tips that I can help you implement in order to maximize your buyer potential.

Inexpensive, professional-looking flyers are a great way to state your message without spending a small fortune. These flyers should be available to everyone visiting your booth and will be even more effective if they contain some kind of incentive to buy your product or services after the show. This also helps you save your expensive brochures to hand out to serious buyers.

Invite clients as well as potential customers to your show with attention-grabbing postcards. Make it easy to locate your booth by including your booth number and a location map. You’ll be surprised at the response to your thoughtful invitation.

Always ask for a business card for future contact when a buyer requests a brochure. Make notes on the back to remind yourself what you talked about and what specific information was requested.

Spend your promotional budget on direct mailing and advance footwork. These are the most effective tools for a productive exhibit.

Create a newsletter for value-added info prospects can refer to later. Offer a prize drawing if people sign up for the newsletter, and you’ll get a database of names to send future mailings to!

Don’t forget the press releases! Leave some at the show. And send them out to both clients, prospects, and the press before and after the show.
2. Consistently market to prospects. Make sure any tools you use constantly point out the benefits of your products/services.
eNewsletters or email campaigns
Newsletters
Direct mail postcards
Press releases
Pertinent articles
Coupons/Flyers

3. Provide excellent customer service.
Stay in touch with your customer throughout the buying process and use these tools during and after the transaction:
Thank you note
Postcard, letter or email
Customer satisfaction survey or phone call

4. Consistently market to customers.
See #2 above, but make sure the message clearly speaks to the customer and not just your prospects. Remember, your prospects likely came to you for a different reason than they are now returning for.

For example, let’s say you sell used office furniture. The prospect may have come to you because they needed a desk and you offered a good price. When they come back, they may still need more furniture, but they will also be more inclined to return to you because you met their deadline and budget and were easy to work with. Those reasons need to be clearly expressed to customers to encourage repeat purchases.