What's A New Exhibitor To Do?

I just finished a live webinar for the International Spa Association. Their acronym is ISPA - how great is that?

During the Q&A session, one of the participants asked how a new exhibitor should approach the show. I gave a quick response, as time was short, suggesting they make sure to shout their newness to the iSPA Expo attendees. Attendees at every show are looking for the NEW, so why not give it to them?

But that question deserves a better, broader answer. What should new exhibitors do to make themselves noticed? Here are several more thoughts:

1. Don't be shy. Too often a new exhibitor comes to an event with the attitude of someone who hasn't earned their stripes yet in the industry. They tend to hang back and exhibit passively. This is no time to be shy. Be a little outrageous.Think about Seth Godin's Purple Cow.
2. Ask show management for help. What examples can they give of past exhibitors who really made an impact - both new and old? Certainly somebody did something at a past show that got everybody talking. Without completely copying the ideas, you can at least get a sense for how far they went to get attention.
3. Don't act small. The single best piece of advice I can give any 10-foot booth is to get a 20-foot booth. Ten-foot exhibits shout  "We're a small company!" and "We don't have much money!" and "We may not be around next year!" I remember a conversation a number of years ago with Joe Sugarman, the BluBlocker guy and direct marketing guru. Joe said that when he started his first direct mail company, JS&A, he used to take out full-page ads in airline magazines to make his working-out-of-his-basement company look bigger. Perception is everything.
4. Sell to the aisles. Don't hang back and wait for attendees to find you. Stand right out at the edge of your booth and greet people as they walk by. Be super friendly. Look and act like you want to be there.
5. Look at what everyone else is doing and don't do it. Just because they've exhibited at a show for twenty years doesn't mean they know how to do it. My father used to say, "There's a huge difference between twenty years of experience and one year of experience twenty times."
6. After the show - follow-up! It's amazing how many exhibitors fail to follow-up after a show. Do WHAT you said you were going to do. Do it WHEN you said you were going to do it. Do it RIGHT the first time.