It's Getting Closer

It’s getting closer - only one month to go until the  21st Annual Wine Country Harvest Faire & Business Showcase 2009 happening  Wednesday October 5, 2011 4:00pm – 8:00pm at the

        Wells Fargo Center for the Arts,
                50 Mark West Springs Road, Santa Rosa

.  Time to start planning your booth and presentation.  Here are some suggestions to start the process.

Start planning who is going to staff your booth and what their hours are.   Prepare an outline of what your expectations are while they are at the booth i.e. hours, giveaways and collections of leads via signup sheet or collecting of business cards.  Make sure everyone understands what the goals for the event are.  Get your staff involved in the planning of the booth, this helps develop teamwork and excitement.  Will they need badges?

            If you plan to use giveaways in your booth, what's your strategy? An effective promotional giveaway should reinforce your company's image and message in addition to supporting your communications goals at the show. With budgets tight, no one can afford to waste money on a gift that doesn't fulfill objectives. So before you order those coffee cups, pens or key change, a quick review of the desired results might be in order.
            1. Do you have a new product or service and you want everyone in attendance to know about it? Choose a giveaway you can give to visitors you come in contact with.

            2.  Want to pull your primary prospects to your booth?  Try sending a post card inviting them to your booth.  Let them know there are discounts if you buy onsite.

            3.  Want prospects to buy on site?  Provide a show special for on-site orders with discounts.  

            4.  How about lead cards?  Offer a giveaway for those visitors who fill them out or sit through a presentation or demonstration.  A sign always helps announcing show specials.

            The Harvest Faire and Business Showcase is an opportunity to see your customers and to meet new customers along with gathering leads.   It is also a time to have fun, to show off new products and to be part of our business community.  One never knows who they might meet or how many new customers will be generated unless they are part of the faire.  If you have not secured your booth I suggest you do it now.  Don’t miss out on the FUN.

Suggestion:  Send out a special invitation to your friends and clients to see you at the Trade Show.  The personal touch always helps business.

Looking to seeing everyone at the Trade Show.  For all those participating at the end of the show you will be getting a special handout on Trade Show Followup Techniques.

Respectfully submitted by:  Elaine B. Holtz - Norton & Holtz Business Solutions