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CCBC
WOMENS EXPO, CATONSVILLE, BALTIMORE, MD
Exhibitor
Tips
Making the Most of Your
Women’s Expo Experience
...Also see Tips for Speakers
You have paid
your money to exhibit at The Women’s Expo. There is 6 weeks before “show time.”
How can you spend that time so that your experience of the Women’s expo will be
the best possible?
It is important to not just plan how your booth will look or what you will offer
at the show but also how you are going to let others know you will be there. If
all of the exhibitors put effort into marketing this event, we will all greatly
benefit.
Why Are You Exhibiting
There are some
basic reasons we all decide to participate in an event like The Women’s Expo.
• To generate
sales and sales leads
• To add to our contact list
• To enhance our image and visibility
• To establish a presence in the marketplace
• To improve the effectiveness of our marketing efforts
• To reach a specific audience
• To practice self-promotion
• To introduce a new product or service
• To recruit distributors or salespeople
• To demonstrate our product or service
• To educate the public
Whatever your
reason it is important that you are clear on why you want to be there. What are
your expectations? What will a successful show look like to you? Then you need
to plan so your expectations can be met.
Pre-Expo Planning
It is important
that we all promote the Expo. Ways to do that:
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Tell your
clients & potential clients. Ask them to come and support and/or meet you.
Do this via email or snail mail.
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Send an
announcement (or two or three) to your local database. Ask them to pass it
on.
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Make copies
of the small Women’s Expo flyers and put one in every piece of mail you send
out locally.
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If you have a
website, put a banner on your home page with a link to the Women’s Expo
site. If you don’t know how to do that contact the Expo webmaster
Deanna@biznessconcepts.com.
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Put a
signature line at the end of your email that says “Come see me at The
Women’s Expo (list the dates) with a link to the website
www.WomensExpoMd.com.
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When you
attend any business or personal function, take copies of the Women’s Expo
flyer with you. If you have a chance to introduce yourself to the room
during a networking meeting mention that you will be exhibiting at the
Women’s Expo.
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Consider
purchasing tickets to the Women’s Expo and give to your favorite customers.
Check first to be sure they will be able to use them. Tickets are only $6
($5 if purchased through the Women’s Expo website).
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Do you have
connections to local publications that might give you some press? It is a
great opportunity to get a story published about your business and promote
the Women’s Expo at the same time.
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Contact your
colleagues and friends in other companies and ask if you can fax them a
flyer for their bulletin board. Check out community bulletin boards in your
neighborhood to see if you can put a flyer there.
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Submit
information on your business and a photo if you wish to the webmaster
Deanna@biznessconcepts.com.
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Decide if
promotional giveaways are right for you. Gail Industries, a Women’s Expo
exhibitor, offers those items. To see their special offers for Women’s Expo
exhibitors go to
Exhibitor-to-Exhibitor.
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Submit your
materials for the Women’s Expo Promo Bags and the Women’s Expo Gift Basket.
Contact Kim at kurtkim1@comcast.net.
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Spend some
time looking at the Exhibitor List on the Expo website. Is there anyone on
there you would like to network with before the show? Then give them a call.
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Advertise in
On Purpose Woman Magazine. It is the official program guide for the Expo.
Due date for ad copy is Wednesday, February 8th. 15,000 copies will be
distributed in the Baltimore metro area and surrounding counties. In
addition, a magazine will be handed to every person who comes to the Women’s
Expo. If someone doesn’t stop by your booth they can still go home with your
business info. This is also a way to let people know you will be at the
Expo. Your ad can reflect that. You can also offer something to those who
stop by your booth. Advertising rates are quite reasonable. For information
contact
ginnyrobertson@comcast.net.
If you are
speaking or doing something else interesting from your booth you can take
advantage of our “What’s Happening at The Women’s Expo” pages. This is the
place you can advertise your special event. You can have up to 25 words for
a cost of only $20. These will be combined in a kind of fun collage to
generate interest in all that is happening at the Expo. All you have to do
is send us the words. We’ll do the rest. Please also let me know if you want
magazines delivered to your place of business.
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Consider
attending the PreEvent Workshops for Women Who Want More. This is an
informal kick-off for the Women’s Expo and a way to start drawing attention
to the event.
Planning Your Booth
Planning your
booth in advance is very important. If you set up without a plan you may feel
frustrated when it doesn’t come together and you may be missing some things you
need. Here are some things to consider when planning your booth:
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Be clear on
your intention for participating. What image do you want to project and what
do you want the focal point to be? Then work from there.
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Don’t get
locked into the idea that your booth will be a table in front with info on
it. Get creative. Bring another piece of furniture to add to your space. (Be
sure it will fit in the space allocated).
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Color is
good. Black and white can make a statement too. If you are using color, pull
your colors together so that it looks planned and not thrown together. A rug
can be used to pull your colors together and it helps your feet and legs not
get so tired. Be sure your clothes don’t clash with the colors in your
booth.
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Your space
should reflect who you are and how you do business. If your space looks
thrown together and you are giving out poorly copied materials…this sends a
message.
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Plan your
booth in advance. Lay it out at home. Make sure you have enough space to do
what you want to do.
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If you are
using a table consider doing things that will give different dimensions.
Boxes under materials will add some interest. Tri-folds can be used to
enhance a tabletop display with pictures and catchy words. Easels are also a
great way to capture attention. Folding screens provide great backdrops,
especially if you are backed up to another exhibitor. If you have a banner
you want to hang please check with the Expo personnel in advance to be sure
you will have a space to do that.
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Fresh flowers
are an inexpensive way to add color and beauty to your booth.
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The Expo does
not cover your table. You must bring a cover and it must go to the floor.
Please stay away from plastic tablecloths and table skirts.
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Sandy’s Party
Shoppe, another Expo Exhibitor, has offered free balloon centerpieces to
exhibitors. For more info contact Sharon Dick at 410-744-5541.
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Plan in
advance what materials you want to give away during the Expo. You may want
to save your glossy, full color marketing materials to give to those people
you know are interested in your product or service and have your black and
white copies available for everyone.
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Decide how to
capture business leads. Give attendees an opportunity to sign up for your
mailing list or newsletter or give them an opportunity to enter a drawing.
If you do a drawing make the prize applicable to your business. Otherwise
you may get a lot of people on your mailing list who are not interested in
what you offer. They just wanted to win a prize.
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If you make a
connection with someone make a note on their business card while it is fresh
in your mind.
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Decide what
supplies you will need ahead of time, not just for your booth, but
personally. Some items you may find handy are tape, Velcro, paper, scissors,
glue, safety pins, pens, stapler, breath mints, water, a change of shoes,
toothpaste & toothbrush and snacks.
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After you set
up your space walk away, check your ego and come back. Take an objective
look and ask yourself if you would be attracted to the display or does it
need to be tweaked a bit?
During The Event
You and your
space need to look and feel accessible and welcoming. Here are some ways to
ensure that will happen:
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Stand as much
as you can. If you have to sit, try and sit off to the side, not behind your
table.
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Stay fully
present to what is going on. This means no reading, doing crafts or having
long conversations with your friends. This also means no eating, chewing gum
or talking on your cell phone.
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Think of some
questions in advance that will stimulate conversation. Ask open ended
questions that require more than a yes or no answer.
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Listen more
than you talk. Don’t give a lot of information until you know what they
know. Find out where they are in their knowledge of your product or service.
Then have a dialogue. This is not the time to lecture.
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People,
especially women, want to do business with people they feel a connection to.
Concentrate on what you have to offer them – not what you can get from them.
Speak to their hearts and their heads.
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Keep things
light. Have fun. Keep your energy up.
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Be generous.
Be willing to help the other exhibitors have a successful show. There is
enough for everyone and if you come from a spirit of cooperation rather than
competition – everyone will win. Get to know the other exhibitors and what
they are offering so you can be a resource to the attendees.
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If you have a
complaint about anything please take it to someone who can do something
about it. Please do not complain to other exhibitors or attendees. Stay
positive and away from gossip and whining.
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Keep your
space neat. It’s easy for it to start getting cluttered after you’ve been
there a while.
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Make sure
your booth is staffed at all times. If you need a break and don’t have
anyone with you, find one of the volunteers with a blue apron and ask them.
They will find someone to stay in your booth while you take a break.
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Be familiar
with the layout of the Expo and the Speaker Program so you can act as a
resource for the attendees.
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• Plan to
attend at least one talk or workshop. Support your fellow exhibitors and
learn something new!
You can check out what is happening at
www.WomensExpoMd.com/speakers.html.
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Plan to
attend the Networking Reception on Saturday after the Expo closes. It is
sponsored by On Purpose Networking for Women and offers an opportunity to
meet other exhibitors. Light fare will be served. Those people staffing your
booth are also invited.
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Do not start
to break your booth down even 5 minutes early. There will be attendees there
until the very end. It is not fair to them or to the exhibitors around you
if you start packing up early. Also, packing up early will insure that you
will not be asked back to the Expo next year.
After The Show
I have seen
people spend a lot of time, money and energy on an event like the Women’s Expo
and then throw it all away because they didn’t follow up. This is a crucial step
you do not want to miss.
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Follow up
with all of your new contacts within a week after the show. I contact people
by email and thank them for coming by my booth and signing up for my email
list. I then tell them what they will be receiving from me going forward.
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If people
ordered product from you put your orders in right away.
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If you said
you would send them something…do it. How you handle post Expo interaction
will tell them how you do business.
Networking and
sales is a process. Do not judge the show prematurely based on sales or
contacts. You now have to nurture those contacts you made and turn them into
something. Be patient.
Thank you for
being a part of The Women’s Expo.
______
Information provided by Ginny Robertson, On
Purpose
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