Speaker Partnership Offers Trade Show Value

Want to gain added exposure at a trade show? Consider sponsoring a professional speaker at the attendees meeting. But don't just settle for a banner on the stage with your company name. There's much more leverage you can get from a top flight professional speaker.

Having been the sponsored keynoter at major conferences, I am amazed how many sponsors respond with astonishment when I suggest ways they can use me. Consider these

additions:

(1) Make sure the speaker is versed in your product or service. If possible and appropriate, the speaker might be able to use your company as an example during the presentation. For example, in addressing the administrators of law firms, I spoke about the importance of strategic alliances so the right work is done by the right people. The sponsor, Pitney Bowes, handled printing, mail room services, etc. in a manner that was be both efficient and cost-effective for the firm. Pitney Bowes served as a great example of a strategic alliance!

(2) Use the speaker for both a keynote and a break-out. Many speakers offer a daily fee which means you can use them for more then one session in a day. This strategy ensures that every attendee, no matter what their schedule, will have the opportunity to see the speaker in action.

(3) Ask the speaker to write an article that

(4) Ask the speaker to sign books in your booth and greet people. Give away the speaker's book at your booth for the first 100 people. You'll be amazed at how much traffic will instantly show up. A variation on this theme is to

More topics 10 Things to Consider Before You Do a Trade Show 1.Find out if the trade show is focused on your target market. 2.Talk with the promoters and find out the history. How many trade shows have they done before? What was the turnout? They should be able to give you figures. Find out how they plan...read more Super Sleuths Using Trade Shows to Investigate Your Competition Your company is in a precarious position. The marketplace is changing daily. New companies enter the industry. Your competitors are constantly unveiling new products, new services, and/or new marketing strategies. How do you keep up with – or even...read more Trade Show Exhibit Booth 7 Tips to Improve Yours Once you have decided to participate in a trade show, half your work is done. The other half starts with exploring ideas on how to get the maximum out of the event both in terms of brand building as well as sales enquiries. Here are seven easy to...read more

split the give-away into morning and afternoon, thus generating traffic at different times of the day

(5) If possible, work with the speaker to use either her core message or the speech title as part of the background in the booth. This not only reinforces a learning point, but identified your company to all attendees and not just the ones who attended a session.

(6) Print up a postcard with your company information AND the speakers key learning points. Mail it after the trade show to everyone who attended the conference. In fact, a really classy gesture is to write a cover letter about your company and WHY you sponsored the speaker. Mail it in a hand-addressed envelope and enclose a wallet-size card with the speaker's main points.

(7) Consider hiring the speaker to follow-up with attendees by sending out a regular article or newsletter by e-mail sponsored by your organization. This reinforces the speaker's message for long term results and provides additional exposure for your organization.

(8) If the fit is a good one, consider sponsoring the same speaker within your organization. So often, rank-and-file employees do not get to attend conferences. The prevailing view that "sales and marketing have all the fun" can be countered if you bring what your learned back to the corporation. And continuing education is one of the top three retention factors.

To sponsor a speaker for a one-hour session leaves value and opportunity on the table. When you match the association's needs with your business objectives and strategically avail yourself of whatever services a professional speaker can offer, everyone becomes a winner!

(c) 2004, McDargh Communications. All rights reserved. Reprint rights granted so long as the article and by-line are kept intact.

Eileen McDargh, CSP, CPAE is one of top-ranked women business speakers in the United States. She's authored numerous books the newest of which is The Resilient Spirit, radio commentator, and serves on the Board of Directors of the National Speakers Association. http://www.eileenmcdargh.com

Eileen@EileenMcDargh.com

Written by: Eileen McDargh, CSP, CPAE

4 Sales Strategies with Your Trade Show Exhibition Booth
Trade show booths can act as an excellent source for generating sales enquiries in the short run. Companies are able to demonstrate their products or services and get instant enquiries at the booth which on timely follow up can result in sales. Some...read more

Boost the Sales Power of Your Trade Show Exhibit
Your company's presence at industry trade shows is critical to stay competitive in a global marketplace. A properly managed trade show display can be one of your most effective and powerful sales tools. Here are some pointers to... read more

Building Brand Awareness Through Tradeshows
Building Brand Awareness Through Tradeshows by Susan Friedmann, CSP Branding is a basic marketing concept that is designed to set your products/services apart from the competition. By using a particular name, phrase, design, symbol or a...read more

Top Ten Ways to Get Qualified Clients from your Tradeshow Exhibit
Copyright 2005 Donna Gunter Typically, doing a tradeshow isn't an inexpensive proposition. There's a great deal of investment of money in your setup and materials, as well as the time you and your employees invest in staffing the booth. If...read more