Trade Shows

rservices

Does anyone, or has anyone done trade shows?

Was it worth the money?

My company deals mostly 99% with restaurants, my marketing so far has been brochure's, knocking on doors. unfortuneatly I could mail the broucher to the same restaurant over and over again with out the man with the cash ever seeing it. and when the do I hear "where have you been hiding, boy could we use you"
wisconsin restaurant asso. is haveing a restaurant show next march, I figure with the booth, and materils (brouchers, cards, ect) it mite cost about 3000.00
last years attendance was 8000, but of those my quess was a lot of those were students, trade folks, and of course restaurant people.

In talking to the folks running it there is no one currently going to be there in my line of work, mostly equitment, food, and systems people.

If nothing else happens it would force me in to expanding my marketing program, put a polish on all my materials.

cost wise I could make up the cost in just a couple of good jobs.

a little feed back would be helpfull

Mike Finley

If I was selling to who you sell to I would already have a deposit on that show. As you probably already know restaurant owners want problem solvers. If you center your theme at that trade show around how you can help them it should be a big success. If you haven't thought about it already, try to avoid the "this is us", "this is what we do" type of presentation. Instead maybe look at "this is your problem", and "this is how we can solve your problem" type presentation.

Always Greener

take a look...yea its a ton of money to do..but it all comes back plus some...

http://www.lawncaretalk.com/showthread.php?t=36

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steve_gts

In our industry (construction software) we have seen a slip in the interest from trade shows, however it sounds like you should be at the one mentioned, if it doesn't work out just move on and try something else. You usually only need one deal from a show to make it worthwhile.

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Steve

Construction Software UK | Sage 50 Accounts Shop

camaroman2125

The HBA holds one here every year in the middle of winter. Which is good and bad.

Good cause its cold and people still wanna do something and its still nice and warm in there. Bad cause you never know how the weather is going to be like (Snow,ice,or combination of both).

My dad and I had a booth last year and got 2 contracts for new homes and a couple addition jobs out of it so it was worth it. I'm not exactly sure what he paid, But I know off them 2 contracts and the couple addition jobs we got back the price plus more.

I would say go for it and like Mike said show them what you can do for them and you should do alright.

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Thewoodman

I say you should do the show. But if you do it, you had better look profesional. I have gone to trade shows and seen contractors with a fold out card table and some business cards. That person may be the best at what they do, but I will never never give them a try, do to their poor presentation.

You are there to sell yourself and you better look dang good or don't even bother going. I have attended one and got a lot of leads and closed a couple of deals. Just yesterday though I got a call from someone that saw me at the show a had a lot of work they needed done.

So even if it doesn't pay of at first, it will still pay of long term. So I say go for it and good luck.

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