Of course you’re busy at the tradeshow, but make time to check out your competitors’ tradeshow booths. You’ll learn useful stuff! Here are ten things to look for:
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New products or services. What are they launching, what is there that wasn’t last year? What is not in the booth that was there last year?
- Size of booth. Did they increase or decrease the size of the booth? What else changed?
- Lead generation. Can you get a good sense of what their lead generation and capture methods are?
- People. Who’s there? Do they have management along with booth staffers? How many?
- Preparation and engagement. Does the booth staff act prepared and trained? Do they greet visitors properly, or do they sit in the back behind a table and wait for eye contact?
- Exhibit function. Is there easy access to their booth or do they have tables or other items blocking the path? Does it look cluttered or clean? Is there significant meeting space?
- Messaging. is their brand message consistent throughout or does it leave you wondering?
- Visitors. are they getting a lot of visitors? Do you recognize any visitors as targets you’d like to connect with?
- Giveaways. Do they have giveaways? If so, what are they handing out, and is there any conversation that goes on prior to the visitor getting the freebie?
- Presentations. are they giving presentations in the booth? If so, is it a hired pro presenter or is it some member of management? If you can’t tell, go ahead and ask.
Once the show’s over, debrief with your comrades and learn what you can about your competitors’ appearances at the show. I’ll bet that information will come in handy some day.
