Tips for Inventors Exhibiting at a Trade Show

So, you've taken the plunge and decided to exhibit your invention or new product idea at a tradeshow. What's next? How do you prepare? How can you optimize your time at the show? Here are Ten Tips to help you maximize your experience.

1. Visual Impact
Your tradeshow booth display doesn't have to be elaborate – but it should give passers by an idea about the nature of your invention. Perhaps your invention is a new type of baby bib to keep kids' clothes cleaner while eating. You could display photos of messy babies all over your booth.

2. Smile
It sounds so simple. Smile. We all feel nervous sometimes when we're meeting new people. Inventor of the Bear Back Scratcher, Ed Kirpieski, suggests turning your nervousness into enthusiasm by simply smiling as people walk past your booth.

3. Be enthusiastic
Standing on your feet at a tradeshow all day is tiring, hard work. Have you ever seen someone in a tradeshow booth slumped down in a chair reading a newspaper, not bothering to make eye contact? That's not enthusiastic! Wear comfortable shoes. Take breaks and put a sign at your booth saying 'Back at 2:15 PM.' Don't eat junk food. Bring healthy snacks like fresh fruit and water to keep your energy up. And get enough sleep each night of the exposition.

4. Be Brief
It's important to be able to explain the features and benefits of your new product idea in 30 – 60 seconds. Why? Because you want to give visitors to your booth a chance to ask you more. Because you want a chance to learn what they do, whether they're interested in your new product or idea. You won't learn anything if you do all the talking.

5. Give the Features and Benefits
What do you say in that 30 – 60 seconds? Tell your visitor the features and benefits of your idea. Rehearse with a friend or family member who can time you. Write down your [brief] features and benefits on an index card. Stick to those points when you're talking to tradeshow attendees. Features = adjectives like 'brown' or 'sturdy.' Benefits = 'helps reach high shelves' or 'may help alleviate lower back pain.'

6. Listen to Feedback
Don't lose out on the ad-hoc feedback a tradeshow can provide. If ten visitors to your booth say, "That would be cool if..." you might want to pay attention. Don't let your dedication to your idea keep you from being open to comments you'll get throughout the show. Be prepared, some will be positive, and some will not.

7. Be Courteous
Be sure to greet each person who stops by your booth and thank them for visiting. This is just common courtesy.

8. Collect Business Cards and Take Notes
After days on your feet at a tradeshow spent talking to people all day every day, it's impossible to remember who you met, what they asked and why they stopped at your booth. As you collect business cards from visitors, jot a brief note on the back of each card to help you remember. If you make notes on the back of each card you collect, it will be much easier to remember everything when you get home.

9. Follow Up
Once the tradeshow is over, send a personalized thank-you to each of the people from whom you collected contact information. Personalize by using those notes you made on the back of the business cards. "Dear Ms. Smith, Thank you for visiting my booth at the INPEX tradeshow last month in Pittsburgh. Enclosed please find the additional brochures you requested, highlighting the features and benefits of my ABC invention..."

10. Find Ways to Maintain Contact
Don't throw those business cards away. Find reasons to periodically stay in touch with contacts you feel may be relevant. Let contacts know you're exhibiting at a trade show. Let them know when you've made changes/improvements to your invention. But don't inundate them with letters and phone calls. The idea is to keep your new product idea in their minds, not to pester anyone to the point of alienating them.

During the tradeshow, network with other exhibitors, listen to feedback and remember what you liked or didn't like about other booth displays. Don't be so involved in putting your idea out there that you forget to do some information gathering and learning.

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