| The ropers at Annie Oakley's Real Western | | | | made numerous bookings, |
| Dudette Ranch were all | | | | |
| | | | established promising relationships with |
| riding high in the saddle. It was just | | | | many travel agents, signed up |
| before their first travel trade show | | | | |
| | | | for representation by two large adventure |
| in Chicago, and they just knew they would | | | | travel wholesalers, and even |
| rope in big sales.Annie and her all-woman | | | | |
| cowpoke staff were confident thousands of | | | | generated interest for a editorial story |
| | | | Outside Magazine.Unlike Annie Oakleys' |
| American working women were just itchin to | | | | Dudette Ranch, Tropical Bill's Windsurfing |
| pay $1995 or more to learn | | | | |
| | | | company was now on the map, generating some |
| the fine art of cattle roping and bronco | | | | cash flow and filling its |
| busting. Annie sent her two best | | | | |
| | | | sails with some powerful promotional winds. |
| cowgirls; figurin' if they could handle | | | | Bill could hardly wait for |
| cattle, they could sure rustle up | | | | |
| | | | their next show opportunity. Annie was last |
| some sales. The cowgirls brought to the show | | | | seen commiserating around |
| a couple of hay bales, a | | | | |
| | | | the campfire with her cowpokes.Both |
| big sign with genuine spurs dangling from | | | | outfitters knew that attendees at travel |
| it, a table clear across the | | | | trade shows |
| | | | |
| front of their booth loaded with hundreds of | | | | were their best markets. Both hoped to have |
| small snapshots of the | | | | some sales during |
| | | | |
| cowpokes in action, a four-page story Annie | | | | the show and create awareness for future |
| had hand wrote to give out. | | | | bookings. Clearly different |
| | | | |
| They wore their most trail-worn chaps and | | | | attitudes and strategies yield different |
| their fanciest boots.Dang! Three days later, | | | | returns on investment. "Beginners |
| Annie's seasoned cowgirls left the show more | | | | |
| | | | mind," planning, research, goals, and |
| tired then after three-week cattle drive, | | | | specific strategies make for happy |
| ornery with their throats as dry as | | | | |
| | | | trails and high wind days. Don't reinvent |
| dust. They had only four leads, and had | | | | the wheel. The resources you |
| made no sales. Annie was as | | | | |
| | | | need, like the Texas Rangers, are awaiting |
| irritated as a stepped-on rattler; she had | | | | your request for assistance.Show management |
| spent over $5,000. and was | | | | and trade organizations are there to help |
| | | | with your |
| sure it was the show promoter's fault her | | | | |
| cowgirls were not more | | | | success. This show, like many others, will |
| | | | be both an industry trade |
| successful.Proper Trade show Strategies | | | | |
| Yield More Leads & SalesAnnie is fictional, | | | | show filled with travel agents and media as |
| but the way she fell out of the saddle is not | | | | well as motivated |
| much | | | | |
| | | | consumers of travel related products and |
| different than dozens of businesses I | | | | services. Trade |
| observe, and even some I have | | | | |
| | | | shows are abundant fishing grounds; you just |
| consulted to. I don't let the ones under my | | | | need the right equipment, |
| reins keep going down the | | | | |
| | | | training and bait.4 Strategies for |
| desert trail that Annie followed. You can | | | | Maximizing Trade Show Exhibiting Results1. |
| end up more like this fictional | | | | Have a team-created plan. Unity provides more |
| | | | sales. Incorporate |
| company...Tropical Bill's Eco-Amazon | | | | |
| Windsurfing tours had not lost any clients to | | | | your most knowledgeable and motivated staff |
| | | | from start to finish. When |
| | | | |
| Piranha during the first months of | | | | the staff and owners share the same vision |
| operation, and they were ready to | | | | and agenda, achieving your |
| | | | |
| expand his small tour business through | | | | goals will be far easier.2. Do pre-show |
| travel trade shows. Bill and his | | | | mailings and phone invitations can triple |
| | | | attendance. |
| staff's goals at their first show were to | | | | |
| raise broad awareness for their | | | | David Garfinkel and Jay Conrad Levinson in |
| | | | the soon to be released |
| unique trips to consumers as well as secure | | | | |
| travel agent representation.An expert | | | | book, "Guerrilla Direct-Mail Marketing" |
| windsurfer, Tropical Bill had little | | | | suggest to use multiple |
| experience with promotion, | | | | |
| | | | personalized invitations promoting special |
| sales and trade shows and knew that, like | | | | offers redeemable only at |
| windsurfing, it was a learned | | | | |
| | | | your booth.3. Arrive a couple days before |
| experience. He admitted his ignorance and | | | | show. Tap into guaranteed opportunity. |
| assumed what I call | | | | |
| | | | There are unmatched opportunities to meet |
| "beginner's mind."Here's what Bill and his | | | | with media, establish sales |
| team did to improve the trade show results:He | | | | |
| sought out as much advice and information as | | | | representation, and network with fellow |
| he could.Visited other tourism trade | | | | travel business |
| shows.Took a workshop on trade show marketing | | | | |
| and read all he could on | | | | people. Share what has worked for you and |
| | | | help others. When the show |
| the subject.His team created a solid plan on | | | | |
| how to achieve their specific goals.They | | | | starts you'll be better prepared and rested |
| called and sent out several mailings of | | | | then most.4. Taking care of yourself will |
| personalized cards | | | | yield better results. Schedule your staff so |
| | | | |
| and letters to key prospects before the show | | | | that everyone is smiling and well rested. |
| offering a show special.They invested in a | | | | Drink plenty of water. Eat well- |
| quality exhibit with easy-to-read graphics | | | | |
| and | | | | balanced meals for higher energy. Avoid |
| | | | alcohol at all times during |
| bold benefit-oriented marketing | | | | |
| communications.Learned how-to create a | | | | show. Wear comfortable shoes. Stretch your |
| powerful travel trade show booth that | | | | muscles while checking out |
| | | | |
| grabbed prospects attention and sell more by | | | | other exhibits.For more "how-to" trade show |
| reading "Tourism Marketing Success" | | | | tips and a trade show industry survey go |
| | | | |
| role-played and practiced boothmanship with | | | | to and 2005, U.S. consumers spent more |
| his most | | | | then $486 billion dollars for travel |
| | | | |
| knowledgeable and motivated team of four | | | | related equipment, travel, lodging, and |
| that were staffing the booth | | | | meals - and with hundreds of |
| | | | |
| at scheduled intervals. Show management was | | | | outfitters like Annie Oakley and Amazon |
| excited about Tropical Bill's Windsurfing | | | | Bill's. All this just to have fun! |
| | | | |
| Simulator and gave them excellent floor | | | | Proper trade show marketing can be a magical |
| placement. A follow-up sales | | | | and fun part of your total |
| | | | |
| letter was pre-printed and sent from the | | | | marketing plan.Tim Warren is the author of |
| office to key prospects | | | | "Tourism Marketing Success" and founder of |
| | | | Adventure Business Consultants. Since 1994, |
| immediately with several new color | | | | Tim has helped dozen's of tourism businesses |
| brochures. The preparation, booth, | | | | and destinations just like you with creating |
| | | | trade show strategies that help you standout |
| staff activities, offers and prospect | | | | from the crowd, sell more trips and increase |
| follow-up were all well executed.Tropical | | | | arrivals. Click Here For Free E-zine - |
| Bill implemented many other strategies all | | | | Tourism Business Success - News, tips, tools |
| covered in this | | | | and specials that you can use to increase |
| | | | your travel business success. |
| article, raised the flag to their existence, | | | | |