There is no question that the pandemic has had an indelible effect on business.  From people to production to customers and sales, the challenges of the past year have forced us to do things differently.  When the pandemic lockdowns started in March 2020, I received several panicked calls from people I knew who had been relying on in-person events to make connections and generate leads.  “What do I do now?”

Some of those people just didn’t figure it out but others were innovative problem solvers and found ways to network and sell.  (The extroverted among us made it work but didn’t enjoy it!)  Adopting technology and investing in marketing infrastructure to replace the one-on-one networking has helped, but there’s still something to be said for the synergy that happens when people are in meaningful dialogue generating new ideas and thoughts. . Plus, there’s trust and relationships that build through those conversations that are hard to replicate from behind a keyboard.   It’s the old 1+1=3 equation

Now that businesses are finding a new equilibrium between caution and continuity, trade shows are opening their doors once again.  Some companies will jump at the opportunity to get back to the booth because they’ve missed interactions with customers and they want to get those lead generation engines going again.  But it’s not the same:

• Some people are still hesitant to be out in large crowds
• Some companies have saved so much in travel that they’re questioning if it makes sense to have people on the road again
• Other companies have adjusted their sales process, eliminating any necessity for in-person connection
• Large companies are still maneuvering around corporate insurance and risk management that bars their employees from travel and large events
• Without large companies anchoring trade shows, the promotional budget is low and the number and variety of exhibitors is reduced – in some cases to the point where there is little value to anyone

So, what do you do when the next show that you religiously attended before 2020 asks if you want a booth at the next show?  Here are some questions to keep your decision strategic and not emotional.

What is the show’s return on invesment?

Before 2020, I worked with so many companies that believed sayings like “If we don’t go, people will notice,” or “Our team likes to go”.  Maybe I’m a little too practical but I like my marketing investments to pay off.

Did that show generate solid leads in the past?

Did the work that came from the show leads pay for the cost of attending the show?

Not many businesses actually add up the cost of attending a trade show – travel, booth space, people taken away from their regular jobs, printed marketing materials, promo items, planning time..  Those costs add up fast.

I also know that most businesses don’t actually track the results of trade shows so comparing the costs and benefits isn’t possible.  I caution you not to take the word of the people who work the booth to determine the value of the event – if you’re not tracking costs and revenues, they definitely aren’t.  It’s also easy to think that when you’re exhausted after a show that you’ve made a lot of sales and that’s just not the case.

• Make a budget for the show and include all direct and indirect costs that you can find
• Identify the number of sales that have to come from the show to pay for the show then ask the sales team if this sales target is achievable
• If the sales target seems unreasonable, consider reducing your budget for the show. Maybe you can just work the show instead of going full out with a booth.

What will you do differently at the show?

I’ve done training on working booths at trade shows.  I love trade shows and I think they’re a fantastic addition to a lead generation and sales process.  With that said, no matter how many sales training courses they’ve had or how much experience they have in sales, people who can really work a show know that selling and lead generation at a show is very different than a one-on-one with a customer.  The engagement with a potential customer has to be compacted into just a few mintues rather than several calls.  Qualifying, understanding their situation, talking about your solution and securing a follow up must happen in within 1-3minutes to ensure another good prospect doesn’t walk by the booth without an interaction.

People working a booth often forget to measure their activity and track how that affects sales in the future.  That’s the only way to measure whether or not trade shows (or one show in particular) are good marketing investments.

Maybe the pandemic gave you time to invest in some customer tracking systems or lead generation systems.  If so, how will you incorporate them into the activities at the show?  Will you track leads the same way as a phone call or website lead form?  How will you compare the trade show to, say, a social media lead generation campaign?

• Incorporate your lead tracking systems into the booth operation plan
• Prepare to compare the outcomes of other lead generation and sales tactics to the show results

For some companies, trade shows are the best way to show their products, interact with customers, and solicit customer ideas on new products or services.  If it works for your company, then book that booth!  Maybe this disruption is a chance to take a comprehensive look at your marketing and make an objective, strategic decision to invest in trade shows as a marketing tool (or not).  Take the opportunity – you won’t regret it.