A bad trade show can really knock the confidence of you and your employees. Maybe some of your trade show exhibit got damaged in transit, or maybe you didn’t get the clients you were after. These things happen. It’s important not to let this affect you too much, as unconstructive negativity can quickly have a big impact on your company’s performance. Our guide is here to help your business get back on track after a trade show nightmare.
STAY CALM IN THE EVALUATION MEETING
It can be frustrating when careful planning ends in disarray at a trade show. Make sure to point out what was successful, as well as the mistakes that were made. By highlighting both aspects, your employees will see that you are thinking proactively as to how your trade show strategy can improve!
BRAINSTORM A NEW TRADE SHOW STRATEGY
Several heads are always better than one. Make sure you bounce ideas off as many people as possible before you create a new strategy for success. It will stop you from ploughing on without consulting people with fresh ideas first.
DON’T FIRE ANYONE UNNECCESARILY
Firing employees in the wake of a bad show will have a big impact on morale. If someone has performed particularly badly, try to be as constructive as possible. That way, your staff won’t be distracted by the thought of losing their jobs.
CHASE UP ANY CONTACTS
Maybe you made the wrong impression on someone, and you think your chance to establish a business relationship has gone. But you’re wrong: it’s vital to try and forge a link with any potential clients you met at the show. They will admire your persistence in trying to put things right.
QUICKLY REPLACE ANY DAMAGED STOCK
Accidents with stock are one of the biggest trade show hazards. If the damage can’t be repaired easily, don’t waste time hanging onto items that are broken. This can be an uneasy reminder for staff about what went wrong. Remember to dispose of them in a way that is environmentally friendly.
USE FEEDBACK AS A SPRINGBOARD
Constructive feedback from potential clients you missed out on can be rocket fuel! Take their advice on board and use it to shape your strategy for next time.
SPY ON THE OPPOSITION
The formula is simple: go to a trade show that you aren’t appearing at and run the rule over your rivals. Then ask yourself what they are doing right and wrong, before moulding their approach to your own business plan.
SMALL GESTURES MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE
You aren’t rewarding failure by taking your staff out for a bite to eat; you’re drawing a line under what happened by showing them a good time. The happier they are, the harder they will work for you in the long run.
We hope that you have found this guide useful. It’s not perfect, and there are many other things you can do to turn things around after a bad show. But hopefully you’ve read this and are feeling like you can turn what you deem a failure into resounding success!
This has been a guest post by James Archer on behalf of Hill Interiors.
