When you take your pop up displays stand to a trade show, you need to have decided well in advance what your objectives are. These will fall into two groups, primary and secondary and in addition, you also need to have decided what your targets are from the company perspective as well as from the point of view of the personal development of all personnel involved.

Primary objectives

At a retail show, you will be using your pop up displays to sell goods direct to the public. If you are at a business-to-business trade show, you will be gearing your pop up stands and the messages on your roller banner stands or x banner stands towards obtaining leads and appointments in order to do business at a later date. Additionally, you will want your stand message to convey new products and services to existing customers so that you can upsell and increase the amount of business you are doing with them.

At all shows, building brand awareness of your products and services must be paramount and you need to ensure that your trade show graphics demonstrate clearly and concisely to all visitors, exactly what your company does, what your new products and/or services are and what your special show offer is.

Secondary objectives

These include public relations, customer service for existing customers visiting your stand, information gathering on other companies in your sector, what areas are they moving into (or out of)? What are their new products and/or services, etc? If your company is launching a new product or service, a trade show is a great place to do it and you will be able to make the most of photo opportunities, press coverage and so on.

Company Targets

At each trade show you attend, you need to set a target for new business that you need to achieve in order to cover all the expenses incurred in taking your pop up displays stand to the show. Any business you can get over and above that figure is a definite bonus, but it helps to motivate all staff if they know what the target is and will pay dividends for morale when you smash that target!

Personal Targets

Get every member of your staff to set their personal target for the number of leads they want to gather on each day of the show. Consider incentivising staff with a bonus or small reward for attaining those targets – this could be individually, or for the team as a whole at the end of a day when the targets you set for new business, appointments made and so on, have been achieved.

General points for all stand staff

i. Know your objectives, learn them, repeat them, expect to achieve them.
ii. Know your customers and visitors. Talk to the right audience, identify potential customers and arrange follow-ups.
iii. Know your product, not only what your company provides but also if you are part of a group, what other companies within that group provide.
iv. Know your role, present yourself, present your exhibit, ensure that your trade show graphics on your pop up displays stand present your product/service in the best possible way.