The Do’s and Don’t for Exhibitor Success at the Great Bridal Expo

Dec 15, 2017

 

Looking for some quick tips for success as an exhibitor at the Great Bridal Expo?

We are here to help.

Here is our quick “Do’s and Dont’s” cheat sheet for exhibitors to keep in mind during each phase of the show.

DO’s

DO remember that you are there to build your business, brand and get leads. You are there to work. Stay focused on your goals!

DO try to book a meeting with a hesitant bride rather than force a sell right then and there at the show. You do not want to spend 15-30 minutes trying to win over one bride while you miss out on 15 potential clients that walk right by your booth.

DO smile and have fun. Brides will feel your enthusiasm and your energy levels. You want them to feel welcome and that you are there to give them the best experience possible. The extra effort goes a long way. This also includes being proactive in talking to brides that come near your booth. Don’t wait for them to come to you. If you see them looking, go say hello and invite them to look at your booth.

DO stand in front of your booth. It is important to be as personable as possible. Standing in front of your booth allows you to easily meet all new brides that walk by. When you hide behind your booth, it looks more like a dealer table and lowers the required personal experience that really gets brides to book.

DO giveaways. It doesn’t matter if your freebie is simple. Be sure to give something away! Everyone loves free stuff and giveaways are simply one of the best ways to draw brides to your booth.

DO remember to have your branding (logo, address, etc.) on anything you give to brides. You want them to be able to easily find and contact you after the show.

DO encourage brides to ask you questions. You want brides to be imagining their wedding as much as possible. Let them ask you questions and be sure to ask them questions that require responses above a yes or no. Get them thinking about their wedding and how great it will be using your service!

DO collect information. Remember, one of the biggest reasons you are at the show is to get leads from brides. From every interaction you have with a bride, be sure to get their contact information. Entice them to share this information by entering them into a raffle or special giveaway after they have given their contact information.

DO use social media. Twitter, Facebook, Instagram- any social media you have, you need to use. Promote your attendance at the show and your freebies/giveaways to all of your followers. While at the show, be sure to share live video, tweets and posts about how great it is at the show, how much fun you are having, and any other exciting news. If you know that there is an influential social media person at the show, be sure to connect with them and try to leverage their own audience to help your business. Promote yourself by promoting them.

DO be obvious. You want everyone that looks at your booth to know exactly who you are, what you do, and what you are selling. You are there to attract customers that will want your service. Be sure to decorate your booth with your branding, business cards, and testimonials. You want brides to know why your business is special or unique. Go that extra mile.

DO offer discounts. Getting leads is super important at the show, but if you can get bookings and/or sales too? That’s icing on the cake. To encourage brides to make their decisions at your booth, it is always a good idea to give a discount or throw in extras when the bride decides to book right then and there at the show. You can make this an exclusive “show offer” that only attendees have access to. It is important to let them know that as soon as they leave the show, this special goes away.

DO take breaks… one person at a time. Depending on how long the show lasts, it is a good idea to give the employees at your booth a minute or two to use the bathroom, get some fresh air and gather their senses. The expo is action packed. You and your team will be talking to lots of people, back to back, for hours. Be sure to always have at least 1 person at your booth at all times. If possible, try to keep 2 at your booth at all times.

DO talk your service/product up. You want brides to feel like your product or service is the best at the expo. Don’t be modest. Tell them why your product will give them the wedding of their dreams. If you know that your competitors are at the show, be sure to demonstrate why choosing you over them is the smartest choice the bride can make.

DO FOLLOW UP. If you don’t follow any of the previous suggestions, please, please, please, follow up after the show. This is where the magic happens. The majority of all bookings and sales come AFTER the show, but only to those that follow up with their leads. Hopefully during the show you took good notes, and were able to personalize your offerings to the bride. You want them to feel like you specifically remembered them when you follow up.

I’ll say it again- FOLLOW UP!

 


Dont’s

Look at the list of do’s above. Don’t do the opposite of the things in this list. In addition:

DON’T leave the show early. Nothing could look worse for your business than an open booth or showing brides that you are packing up and heading out. Stay until the very end of the show, and even a bit after. There will be brides lingering around that will be on the fence of making a decision. Be sure to offer those show specials again!

DON’T speak negatively of your competition. There is a big difference between talking up your services versus talking down above your competition. You are not there to sling mud on anyone else. Shine through your competition by having a better product, service, or something else that sets you apart. BE BETTER.

DON’T eat at your booth. There is nothing better than chatting with a salesperson with food still in their mouth. Don’t be that person. Eat before or after the show.

DON’T use your phone at your booth. Everywhere you go, no matter the establishment, you see workers with the face down looking on their phones. Be better than that. Show the guests at the show that you are there for them and can give them all of your attention. Use your eyes to make eye contact with a potential lead, not watch a cute kitten video… save those for later.

DON’T sit down. Stay on your feet the whole time you are at the show. Wear comfortable shoes to ensure this is an easy task. You are a professional representing your business. The businesses that have the most success at shows are not the ones sitting down at their booths.

DON’T cross your arms or show unwelcoming posture. Picture this, a bride walking up to a booth with a salesperson with crossed arms, a frown, slouched in their chair (which you shouldn’t be sitting in), that doesn’t make eye contact. Is that someone you would want to talk to? Probably not. Keep your head up and keep a smile on your face with your hands at your sides. You want to be as inviting and personable as possible!

DON’T forget to follow up. Seriously this is the most important thing you have to remember. All of the work and effort you put into preparing for the show as well as working the show will be wasted if you do not follow up.


There you have it. Our quick list for success at a bridal expo. Oh yeah, be sure to follow up. 🙂

Good luck out there!

~Sarah A.

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