live trade show

Succeed at Live Trade Show Presentations


Have you ever thought of making your trade show appearance live and interactive? If you do it right, you will be able to increase your leads, create a lasting memorable impression, and jump start your sales. Your chances for trade show exhibit success will be doubled, tripled or even quadrupled if you have dramatic, interactive live presentations at your next trade show.


Research has shown that live trade show presentations and demonstrations at trade show exhibits increase qualified leads by 2-4 times, create awareness by 5-10 times, and are one of the most important reasons a company's trade show exhibit is remembered.

Exhibit Surveys, an independent trade show and events research firm, has found that two out of three attendees rated live stage presentations and product demonstrations as a factor in influencing exhibit memorability. Their research also confirmed that live displays made the company's trade show exhibit more memorable than static trade show displays.

According to Elaine Cohen, Founder/ President of Live Marketing in Chicago, studies show that if live professional presentations focus on answering the marketing objectives of the company, they are then able to deliver on those objectives. A live trade show presentation is ideally seven minutes in length, ten minutes maximum. The objective of the presentation may be to sign people up for a trial, attend a seminar in a separate room or write an order. If the objective is to increase sales, there is usually a call to action that gives the sales people a chance to talk to highly qualified visitors and continue to make the sale after the talk.

To have a successful trade show presentation, you must push all the right buttons of the trade show exhibit attendee-no matter whether your presentation is at the McCormick Convention Center in Chicago, the Kaiser Convention Center in Oakland, the Moscone Center in San Francisco, the Hannover Exhibition Center in Germany or the San Jose McEnery Convention Center.

It is also essential to know your objectives in order to keep your messaging on point. The live show is designed to hit these key points and attract trade show audiences comprised of prospects, customers, partners, consultants, investors and even the press.

Cohen sites there are ten keys to successful, professional live trade show presentations. They are:

1. Plan ahead at least two to three months in advance of your trade show appearance

2. Set clear goals and measurable objectives. Know what you want your trade show experience to accomplish and how will you measure the results

3. Know and respect your target trade show exhibit audience. Match your tone, style and content to the visitor's demographic and psychographic profile.

4. Remember the message. Use it to build brand, differentiate your services and
expedite sales.

5. Involve the right decision makers. Include all decision makers from the very beginning.

6. Use an integrated marketing strategy – be consistent in all communications materials

7. Focus on high level solutions and messages- use no more than 4 major message points

8. Keep it short – keep it under 10 minutes

9. Amortize presentation costs by reusing presentation and other collaterial materials at other shows, press conferences, meetings, etc.

10. Measure results – document everything of value

By following the above recommendations, you have the basic guidelines and checklist for your next live trade show presentation.

Remember, the next time you exhibit at a trade show, add a live trade show professional presentation that will make your trade show exhibit memorable, interactive and give you a better than ever return on your trade show investment.