1. Focus Your Message

6. Have Satisfied Customers Available

2. Establish Your Firm as the Expert

7. Evaluate Show Selection Annually

8. Use Literature Wisely

4. Create Flawless, Glitch-Free Demos

5. Target Your Audience

10. Use a Better Lead Tracking Card

Since you are not selling a widget, your prospects must know exactly what your service can do for them. Tie in your pre-show mailings/promotions with the message in the booth. One common mistake is to tell prospects, "We do it all!" In fact, no single company can be the best at everything, so focus on areas where the customers’ demand is likely to be the highest. By just sending one message, you minimize the likelihood that your message is misunderstood.

Tip 2 Establish Your Firm as the Expert

Especially in highly technical shows, your firm must be recognized as an industry leader in your areas of expertise. Competition in the service arena is fierce, and industry and association support is essential to distinguish your firm from the pack. You can improve your status by attending and participating in association meetings, or serving on special committees or task forces. Presenting papers in technical sessions will also increase your name recognition and credibility. A trade show expert can help you develop a plan to increase your exposure without being viewed as insincere by the association.

Tip 3 Plan Your Giveaways and Promotions

Since your company does not have a product for clients to hold in their hands, your giveaways and premiums must reinforce your message, not dilute it. While everyone enjoys a new briefcase or golf putter, unless your company manufactures those items, you will probably attract the wrong audience, and send the wrong message. There are numerous gift ideas for service firms in the engineering, computer, architectural, and consulting arenas that will tell your clients "Thanks!" without confusing your message. A trade show or ad-specialty expert can help you come up with the best ideas for your company, based on audience, message, and budget.

Tip 4 Create Flawless, Glitch-Free Demos

The number one concern among prospective buyers of technical services and software is reliability. Your computer programs and demos must work quickly and flawlessly. Make sure all of your booth staff know how to operate both the hardware and software, and have technical support available for problems. When in doubt, try to keep demos as short and simple as possible. Do not expect a prospect to spend more than 7 minutes viewing any demo.

Tip 5 Target Your Audience

Your graphics and literature should be appropriate for the attendees at the show. Do not tout your experience with government agencies when exhibiting at a corporate or industrial show. Prospects must not leave your booth saying, "This is all nice, but they don’t work for folks like us." Service firms fall into this trap when the link between the prospect’s need and the relevant experience to meet that need is not clearly established in the booth.

Tip 6 Have Satisfied Customers Available

One of the best ways to convince prospects to give you their business is having satisfied customers nearby to sing your praises. Be sure to invite all (happy) local customers to visit you at a show, and offer to order their name badges in advance to save their time. Consider paying for any technical sessions for large clients as a thank you. You will not only be reinforcing your relationship with the current client, but you will also gain another "salesman" on the show floor.

Tip 7 Evaluate Show Selection Annually

Service firms often make the mistake of attending the same shows every year, without evaluating whether the shows are the best venues for the current business plan. Should you attend several regional shows, or just a few national shows? Should you target industry, government, or both? A trade show professional can help you look at the buying cycle, state of the industry, and maturity of your market to select the best shows. S/he can also help you evaluate your firm’s individual performance for each event.

Tip 8 Use Literature Wisely

Remember that 90% of all literature picked up at shows never gets read, and usually doesn’t even leave the building. (Check the trash cans by the door at your next event to see the huge waste!) Have literature available as samples, but always offer to send the literature in the mail. You will save both shipping costs to the show and waste expense for literature that doesn’t get to the target. Service firms tend to rely heavily on the written word, and your brochures, fact sheets, and qualifications packages must be read and retained to get the message across.

Tip 9 Follow up Immediately

A typical service buyer will visit 3-6 of your competitors at the same show and request specific information from each. The prospect will purchase from the firm that provides timely and appropriate information. One problem you might encounter: Since the prospect has visited many booths, he is likely to get lots of unsolicited "junk-mail" from other vendors. Your packet could easily get lost in the shuffle. A trade show professional can give you some of the most effective ways of keeping your mail out of the trash.

Tip 10 Use a Better Lead Tracking Card

With all of the distractions of selling services (watching demos, keeping competitors away from proprietary information, handling job seekers, keeping staffers alert) your staffers might forget to ask critical questions during the few moments you have when qualifying a prospect. A good lead card will minimize this risk. A trade show expert can show you how to incorporate the 15 essential elements of a good lead card into your lead retrieval system.