Be honest, does your trade show strategy consist of putting up a custom exhibit that looks great, and then your people just stand there all day?  Do your people actually know what to do?  Are you interested in cost conscious trade show training?  The Center for Exhibition Industry Research states that 85% of your trade show success is based on your people.

If you like to educate yourself while driving in the car, ExpoVantage has put out an audio learning program called Stop Burning Trade Show Dollars.  This is designed as a trade show training program that:

…offers a realistic and simple budget conscious approach for maximizing your trade show investment.

In typical fashion there is a cool video on the page that explains the program.

My insider information tells me this is a live recording from a seminar with 50+ attendees.  Is the information helpful as an exhibitor?  The attendees’ average rating was 9.5 out of 10.  Are the presenters organized and knowledgeable?  The attendees’ average rating was 9.7.

Here are some of the testimonials from the people attending:

“The ‘PEST’ and ‘HUG’ strategies provided instant dramatic results at NO COST!” -Darcy Cook, Safety Trainers

“…no nonsense and genuine approach…brief, concise and useful…” – Robin Samora, Partner Promotions

“The lessons from your seminar were critical factors in our trade show success.” – Expert Laser Services

What is the value of you gaining just one more qualified lead?  If you apply what is taught, I expect most will double their qualified leads.  Knowing Jason and the quality of his work, for $45, this is a steal.  Buy one for each of your team members.

Tell him I sent you.  After this big endorsement, he’s going to have to buy me lunch.

You may have the best custom exhibit, but if you attend the wrong show, then you’ve wasted a lot of money.  B to B Online, a site for b2b marketing strategists, posted an article discussing a survey that states:

…exhibitors rank the purchasing influence and buying power of attendees as the top factors when deciding whether to exhibit at a given event.

I would take quality over quantity every time.

The Trade Show Calendar is a great site to find out valuable information about shows.  It also allows you to sort by many categories and add information about a show.  You’ll want to add that site to your favorites.

Make sure to qualify your business to business lead generation strategy by contacting the show management and asking for data that they have collected over the last few years.  How many people are already signed up for a show is an indicator of its strength.