Are You a Trade Show Warrior?


It is a battle out there. Let’s face it – a war is being waged on the convention room floor:
Who will attract the most traffic?
How do we meet/exceed sales goals?
What is the best show giveaway?
Who will win the prize for “best in show?”
Will we enjoy a positive return on investment?


A large measure of your level of success depends on your experience in battle; who is the best warrior, who has the most experience?
What Level of Trade Show Warrior Are You? Just like all other aspects of sales and marketing, your level of experience can help and/or hinder your success.
Let’s take a closer look at the different warriors: THE NEWBIE

Benefits: While it appears this neophyte would be easy to conquer, the reality is that a Newbie brings fresh eyes and a new perspective to the skirmish. They aren’t hindered by “but that is the way we have always done it.” If you have a Newbie on your team, you will want to solicit their ideas. They may have some suggestions for attracting traffic, gathering prospect information and closing sales that you haven’t tried in the past. 
Opportunities: While the Newbie is young and energetic, if your trade show team is being led by someone new to the trade show experience, you may want to partner with more experienced professionals. A Newbie won’t know about the idiosyncrasies of each different venue, the labor and union rules, the amount of time setting up and tear down will take, the importance of being thoroughly prepared before you leave the office. If there isn’t someone more experienced within your company to help out, we recommend connecting with trade show experts like the award-winning professionals at E&E. Newbies don’t know what they don’t know, but we do.

THE PRO

Benefits: The Pro is a seasoned trade show warrior. They have a record of solid trade show sales and know how to lead a productive team. Their experience is valuable when it comes to planning and execution. 
Opportunities: You can have a Pro warrior on your team who is experienced with the Chicago market but what if your event is now going to be held in Atlanta, San Francisco or Boston? Just because your Pro has experience in a few events doesn’t mean they are familiar with every major market in the country. Additionally, if their experience is limited to the 10×10 displays the company has had for years and now the business has invested in double deck displays exhibits or island displays, they may not be prepared for the challenges a new booth design brings. 
That is where partnering with an experienced trade show and event company has its benefits. Our experts can fill in the gaps your Pro warrior may not even be aware exist.  

THE OG

Benefits:
 There is no denying the benefits of having an OG  (The King of the Jungle – the Expert of all Experts) on your team. They have been there and done that. They have seen it all. You can’t throw a challenge at them that they haven’t already seen and overcome. They were in the trade show game long before Virtual Reality, Social Media or hand-held calculators were invented. Got a problem assembling your booth? The OG will Macgyver that problem with duct tape and chewing gum. However….
Opportunities: Times have indeed changed. The rules of engagement the OG is familiar with were long ago burned and replaced with an ever-changing list of regulations that not only change from state-to-state but city-to-city and venue-to-venue. If your team is being led by a Trade Show Warrior that hasn’t kept up with the changing rules, your experience may suffer. Worse yet? Your company could be charged unexpected and sometimes costly bills.

Have a Merlin On Your Side
King Arthur was a great warrior and yet he relied on the advice and assistance of Merlin, a wise and clever wizard who knew all. We like to think of our trade show services as the behind-the-scenes magic that brings your trade show experience to life. 

We are there from inception of the design, to the build, the transportation, securing of approved labor, set up, tear down and storage until your next battle.  There is a lot to be said for having a wide range of warriors on your team, however, make sure that you are prepared for every eventuality by partnering with trade show experts who can take the guesswork out of the details of your experience. 

Give us a call – we can help. 

480-966-9873 | 800-709-6935