SHOW ME THE ROPES with Jefferson Davis Foundations for Success For New NSBA Exhibitors

SHOW ME SHOW ME THE ROPESTHE ROPES

with Jefferson Davis

Foundations for Foundations for Success For New Success For New NSBA ExhibitorsNSBA Exhibitors

Copyright 2011. NSBA & Competitive Edge. All Rights Reserved.

New Exhibitor Briefing Objectives

1. Provide new exhibiting companies/contacts with important information about NSBA, our attendees and exhibiting at our conference.

2. Inform exhibitors about the range of NSBA resources and support available.

3. Provide exhibitors with 10 keys to executing a successful exhibit.


About NSBA & Our Conferences

A not-for-profit organization representing state associations of school boards across the United States.

Mission: Working with and through our State Associations, NSBA Advocates for Equity and Excellence in Public Education through School Board Leadership

Founded in 1940, NSBA represents 90,000 local school board members, governing 13,809 local school districts serving the nation's 50 million public school students.

NSBA Annual Conference is the ONLY national conference and exposition for school board members who influence and make decisions for school districts.


As a First-Time Exhibitor, You are Important!

• Post-Conference surveys indicate attendees rank new suppliers and solutions among the top reasons for attending both NSBA exhibitions

• New companies keep the exhibit hall interesting• New exhibitors reflect a growing and dynamic

industry


Annual Conference AttendeesWho attends by title


Annual Conference AttendeesWhere they come from


Why Do They Attend?

• Continuing education• Stay current with technology, trends and contacts• Find & source new products/services at exhibits• Compare vendors, products and staff efficiently• Find solutions to problems• Benchmark practices• Networking• Research• Employment opportunities


NSBA Exhibits Team: At Your Service

• Karen Miller, CEM, Director (703)535-1616, [email protected]

• Susan Clubb, Annual Conference Exhibit Sales Associate, (703) 838-6167, [email protected]


NSBA Resources Available to You

1. Exhibit hall badges for five staffers per 10'x10' booth rented ($920 value each!)

2. Entry to all conference general sessions and workshops 3. Free Exhibitor Marketing Manual4. Online Exhibitor Knowledge Resource Center5. Best of Show/Exhibitor Effectiveness Evaluation6. Ability to purchase Attendee list rentals (pre and post show)7. Promotional and sponsorship opportunities galore 8. Exhibitor lounge with complimentary beverage and snack service

on show days


NSBA Resources Available to You

9. Annual Conference logos to use in your marketing materials. 10. Exhibitor newsletter, the monthly ExhibiTimes, chock full of

exhibiting tips and articles11. Virtual press room on show web site where you can submit

press releases or new product announcements12. Expanded company listing on the official Annual Conference

web site with a link to your web site and social media sites13. Company listing and product/service description in the Annual

Conference Program Book 14. Discounted hotel rates exclusively through NSBA's housing

bureau


NSBA Online Exhibitor Resource Center

• 24/7/365 online exhibitor knowledge portal

• Free unlimited access for you and your staff

• Webinars, articles, downloadable tools and more!


Key #1. Be Clear About What You Are Really Buying

Your ultimate exhibiting RESULTS come from putting your companyidentity, staff and products/servicesface-to-face with enough of the rightpeople who influence and make buying decisions for what you sell.

Face-to-Face ContactFace-to-Face Contact


Key #2. Success Rule for Exhibitors New to a Tradeshow

• If the people attending the show influence or make buying decisions for what you sell

• You cannot judge the ultimate value of the show from one attempt

• You must commit to at least three consecutive shows

• Applying more of what you learn to each show


Key #3. Know Why You Are Exhibiting & Set SMART Goals

1. Top Four Reasons for Exhibiting – Market awareness, presence and visibility– Branding– Lead generation and sales– New product introduction

2. Set SMART Goals– Specific, Measurable, Actionable, Realistic, Time-bound– Create written action plans for achieving goals


Key #4. Invest Enough Resources

The budgeting rule of thumb is to

multiply your floor space cost

3 to 5 times3 to 5 times minimally to determine your

total show budget


Key # 5. Get In The Mind & On The Agenda of Enough of the Right Attendees

1. Show attendee behaviors have changed.2. You cannot just rent space show-up and hope

the right buyers find you.3. You MUST use targeted pre and at-show

marketing.


Key #6. Make Sure Your Exhibit Communicates Effectively

1. Visually answer the three questions in the mind of show attendees:

– What do you do?– Why should I care?– Who are you?

2. Have a ultra professional looking exhibit.3. Display your products and services in their best

light and try to engage visitors with the product.


Key #7. Staff & Work The Show Properly

1. Put effective staffers in your exhibit– Friendly and engaging– Proactive versus reactive– Knowledgeable– Asks good questions and listens well– Can communicate concisely and persuasively– Takes good lead information and gains commitment to the

next step


Power Tips for effectively working the show:• Be in your booth and available - the entire show • Smile and greet people in the aisle• Effectively engage visitors who enter your booth• Know what questions you need to ask• Know what makes your products or services unique and

saleable• Talk about what the visitor wants to talk about• Take good leads

Key #7. Staff & Work The Show Properly


Key # 8. Manage Leads & Follow-up Effectively

1. The quality of a lead is in direct proportion to the clarity of the next step and the visitor’s agreement to take that step

2. Follow-up fast or in-line the visitors request3. Place “here’s the information you requested” on all post-

show follow-up4. Vary your follow-up media: email, mail, telephone, in-

person, etc.5. Determine your follow-up plan before the show


Key #9. Measure Results

• Don’t just count costs – count results over time!• Develop a closed loop lead management system• Develop a simple and consistent set of performance metrics.

• (CPL) Cost Per Lead• (CPI) Cost Per Interaction• Total Number of leads, quality by priority, potential value • (ROI) Return On Investment


Key #10. Learn from Every Show and Stay Committed

• During the show make time to walk the floor and learn from other exhibitors.

• After each show do a brief post-show report and identify the top lessons learned so you can do even better at your next show.

• It takes time to build a masterpiece. Learn, apply and stay committed and success will come.


You Now Know The Ropes…

• NSBA Conference Exhibits are one of your most effective marketing and sales media, if done properly.

• NSBA gives you the resources and support to be as successful as you want to be.

• Use what you learned in this e-course and take full advantage of the NSBA Exhibitor Resource Center.

Documents

SHOW ME THE ROPES with Jefferson Davis Foundations for Success For New NSBA Exhibitors