Question

Topic: Strategy

What To Do With An Empty Trade Show Space?

Posted by Keith on 10/22/2010 at 6:15 PM ET 250 Points
We're no longer exhibiting at a B2B trade show but we're stuck with the 10' x 20' space which was already paid for. How could we best utilize the space with little additional expense? We will be attending the show but could oversee an inexpensive outside-the-box effort. Thoughts?
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RESPONSES

  • Posted by telemoxie on 10/22/2010 at 6:34 PM Accepted
    could you offer the space to a business partner?

    Bring in a nice pad and some comfortable couches and chairs?

    Donate your rights to the space to a local charity?

    If you can tell us more about the show, we can be more targeted in our suggestions.
  • Posted by Chris Blackman on 10/22/2010 at 6:53 PM Member
    Can you also explain briefly why you booked and presumably paid for the space, but have now decided not to exhibit? We may be able to come up with a more targeted solution that would help.

    Knowing what kind of show it is, and who is expected to attend in terms of the visitors you would expect, would be a massive help though. No point coming up with plumbing-related ideas if it's a handcrafts show.
  • Posted by Nicole Klein on 10/22/2010 at 7:26 PM Accepted
    Keith, the first thing that comes to mind is a hosted lounge for conversation. And I agree with ChrisB that knowing the initial business objectives for your organization buying the real estate at the show would be helpful. Did you pull out because of costs associated with exhibiting and staffing? What is the industry?

    Perhaps there are trade associations that aren't exhibiting, but that would love to have a space to meet and relax on the show floor. You could offer up topics of conversation to the attendee population via whiteboards with thought provoking industry questions. Things the association might not be asking, but you know are issues. The idea is to be a little guerilla, but not overly ape-ish. If there are still business objectives you'd like to achieve, feel free to share more about your specific situation so we can be creative for you.

    Cheers
  • Posted by Frank Hurtte on 10/22/2010 at 7:31 PM Accepted
    I assume you are not attending the trade show based on the costs associated with shipping your booth, having your booth erected, and other assorted costs that run into tens of thousands.
    You asked for outside the box - so here goes:
    1) Hire a model dresses as a homeless person to hand out business cards or simple fliers with your contact information.
    2) Create a self service booth - with a box that says "prospective customers drop your card here"
    3) Put up a sign that says "we here - but we decided to mingle. Call us at."
    4) Show cam. Install an internet camera with a sign that says live show cam. See yourself on the internet.
    5) Prop up an oldfashioned coffin. Post a sign "The death of sales people - our team doesnt sell they help"

  • Posted by Keith on 10/22/2010 at 7:43 PM Author
    The show would have cost at least 1/2 the annual marketing budget if it was done with the standard display, but the ROI was iffy and there were other ways to use money and get a better return. The show is related to retailing. I'd love to exhibit but not use the regular booth, which includes heavy-to-ship samples. I'd like to do something very simple and inexpensive that drives inquiries.
  • Posted by Chris Blackman on 10/22/2010 at 8:18 PM Member
    Why not make an enormous but very simple sign (butcher's paper, thick black felt-tip pen) that says "Win at low cost" and put up a cheap card table and a couple of folding chairs on the booth, and work the booth with one sales person at a time, talking to prospects about how you can achieve for them at low cost.

    Won't cost anything like the amount it would to ship a heavy "proper" booth to the show, and will have the added advantage that it makes prospects think you run on the smell of an oily rag.

    Of course, it would have been better to have thought this through and not invested the money in the booth space in the first place, but you probably already know that...

    BTW, Trade Show ROI is complex, elusive and often 'iffy', even with hindsight. You either bite the bullet and go with it as part of the marketing strategy for a period of time, or you don't, and use the funds elsewhere.

    To me, it sounds like your firm might benefit from an overall strategic planning review session with an expert business and marketing strategist. There are plenty of professionals here who could help you with that - see the Post a Project link under 'Hire an Expert' heading, right on this page.

    Good luck.
  • Posted by Chris Blackman on 10/22/2010 at 8:43 PM Accepted
    Actually, an even better idea would be to talk to Ruth Stevens:

    Ruth Stevens is absolutely THE go-to person for trade show consulting and advice. Website (with contact info): https://www.ruthstevens.com/

    If you can't reach her, buy her book: https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0324206240/qid=1095874727/sr...
  • Posted by michael on 10/23/2010 at 12:52 PM Accepted
    I would try to make it fun.
    Person in a body suit with a sandwich board that says:

    "You're business without us"

    Clearly I didn't think this all the way thru but something bizarre that grabs attention.

    Michael
  • Posted by Jay Hamilton-Roth on 10/23/2010 at 8:09 PM Member
    Can you back-project the booth graphics onto screens/curtains to give the feel for what you're offering (professionally), but with the message of: "Spend Only What You Need To Get Customers"?
  • Posted by steven.alker on 10/25/2010 at 11:02 AM Accepted
    Dear Keith

    Whatever you do, don’t just not turn up – the rest of your industry will assume that you are in trouble and spread the appropriate rumours to ensure that you are.

    I do like the fun suggestions, utilising a very basic set. I am tempted to suggest that as one of the reasons for attending a show is to get utterly bladdered at the bar with all your sales mates and distributers, then why not put up some form of on-stand bar along with the other attention grabbing ideas.

    OK you can’t get your customers drunk as was the case in the 1980’s but a spot of “entertainment light” would cost a fraction of shipping and manning a formal booth.

    By the way, it is worth bearing in mind that whilst a show is usually paid for out of a Marketing Budget, the largest single cost is that of getting sales people with targets to meet to man it. If a guy has a target of £1M a year and achieves it by being out presenting to prospects, then his time is worth about £5000 a day. Three of those, tied up for 4 or 5 days infers that the show will need to earn £75,000 in sales plus whatever it takes in margin to cover their wage costs and the cost of attendance – most companies forget that and obsess on the marketing costs alone.

    Steve Alker
    Xspirt
  • Posted by StarsDie on 10/25/2010 at 5:15 PM Accepted
    Depends on how much time you have. Is it a day, or 3 days? And, sure, the money.

    Alright:
    1. seminar, workshop, presentation of new products for your customers
    2. some kind of contest (depending on the type of products you're working with) involving visitors to the show
    3. displays with your brochures or any other informational materials
    4. install plasma for showing the ads/info films (if you have any)
    5. questionnaires for the customers regarding your products/services with the questions you always need to ask and never have time to
    6. business meetings with your customers and prospects who you might see during the show
    7. co-promotion with some media-partner (for example some magazine) you're working with
    8. small corporate gifts for contest winners, seminar attendants, visitors
    9. create some "recreational area" (quiet music, water, tea and coffee, several places to sit) at least for a few hours per day so that anyone could take a rest during the exhibition (most visitors dream about sitting somewhere for a few minutes when they are at the show!) - and be sure people will read/watch/hear something positive about your company during that time
    10. anything else that doesn't cost much but can add value to that 10' x 20' space you've paid for

    If you tell us what products/services you sell, we could think of more appropriate and precise ideas
  • Posted by Keith on 10/27/2010 at 11:19 AM Author
    Great info. Thank you everyone.
  • Posted by steven.alker on 10/28/2010 at 7:18 AM Member
    StarsDie: What a wonderful breakdown of what to do on a stand. If you were to consult with such advice and steer it through to reality, it would be worth some big fees!

    Could we link up on the appropriate networking sites? FaceBook or LinkedIn?



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