January 2006 / Issue 9
Show Shakedown
Global Pet Expo is Around the Corner… Are You Ready?
Vice President & Deputy Managing Director, APPMA
The start of a new year is a good time for reflection. As I ponder what my new year will bring, I usually end up focusing on the stuff that raises my stress level. How big will my post-holiday American Express bill be? How many snow storms will hit the Northeast between now and Global Pet Expo? Are we really more than half-way through the first decade of the 21st century? Okay, that last one doesn’t stress me out; it just surprises me that so much time has passed since we were all Y2K crazy.
Anyway, January is the time that we at Global Pet Expo hit the home stretch. Here at APPMA we go from planning the Show to finalizing details. Those of you participating in Global Pet Expo should be doing the same. This is a great time to review what you have done to prepare for the show and what still needs to happen.
Have you told your customers that you will be at Global Pet Expo? Buying a booth in the Show is not enough. You have to tell the buyers that you will be there. Global Pet Expo offers lots of free stuff to help you get the word out. You can order personalized buyer brochures to send your customers. Include your booth number and website address and you will get double the benefit. Best of all, the only cost to you is the price of the stamp.
We also offer postcards and stickers that you can use to communicate with your customers. Don’t forget that exhibitors have access to the Buyer Invitation List. This is where you can find all the buyers who are coming to the Show.
Information on all of these items is included in the Trade Show Marketing Kit at www.globalpetexpo.org.
Have you told the press that you will be at Global Pet Expo? We can help you with this too. The Trade Show Marketing Kit includes a detailed public relations guide to help you get started. You’ll find a sample press release and a list of trade press you can contact. This is also the time to start planning the press kit you will distribute at the Show. An eye-catching press kit in the Press Office is a good way to get noticed by the media.
Have you ordered your badges for the Show? Avoid lines when you get to the San Diego Convention Center. Submit your badge order online at http://globalpetexpo.org/exhibitor/badgereg_form1.asp and the badges will be mailed to you before the Show.
Do you know how your booth will look? You will be one of 700 companies exhibiting in the Show. One of the best ways to differentiate yourself from the competition is with a well-designed booth. Now is a good time to review what products you will display and think about how they will be shown in the space you have. A buyer walking down the aisle is more likely to notice and enter a booth that catches his eye.
Have you placed your orders for goods and services at the Show? The Exhibitor Services Manual was sent to you in mid-December. You can use the paper forms to submit orders or you can go to www.ges.com and place all of your orders on-line. Doing this now guarantees that you will receive discounted rates.
Have you entered product in the New Product Showcase? The New Products Showcase is the first stop for buyers at the Show. Get the buyers’ attention by including any products you have launched since the last Global Pet Expo. It will get buyers to come to your booth. And best of all, you will be eligible to win the best new product of the year with the Best in Show Award.
These are just a few of the things you should be thinking about now. As with all things, a little preparation can go a long way in helping you achieve your goals.
If there is anything that was not addressed in this column, or if you have any general questions about trade shows, please contact me at Andy@appma.org or call 203-532-3606.