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Best of Law Marketing- July 29th, 2006 |
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| From: Debbie Tillmann, DTillmann@CARLTONFIELDS.COM
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Join today by visiting http://www.lawmarketing.biz/SignUp.asp | I am hoping that those of you who have had a trade show exhibit will be willing to share your experiences and provide me with best practices suggestions, pitfalls to avoid, suggestions on how to make the most of this opportunity, etc. We will have a 10'x10' exhibit booth hosted by our attorneys.
Debbie Tillmann, Proposal Manager
Carlton Fields, P.A.
Tampa, Florida
813.229.4248 direct dial
dtillmann@carltonfields.com
www.carltonfields.com
From: Ronnie Sanford, rsanford@SANFORD-GROUP.COM
According to the size of the summit and the number of people that are forecasted to attend you might consider any of the following:
1. Get the attendee list in advance and schedule meetings between your attorneys, potential clients and network contacts.
 2. If a "favored" hotel has been selected for the summit; have the hotel drop a flyer under the door of each person paying the "summit rate.” The flyer would tell people about your firm and invite them to sign up for an iPaq give away at the booth. This can work to help capture the contact info of potential clients. Note, if you have an educational white paper available, that would be of interest to the attendees, you should mention that on the flyer as well.
3. If the summit is large, and if it is being held in a hotel, consider renting a suite.Invite clients and potential clients (possibly met at the summit) to come to a presentation, during the summit, on some topic of interest to them. Make sure and make the people feel pampered with good food and drinks in the suite. Capture the names and contact info for anyone that attends. Note, this can be a pain in the neck to implement successfully, so don't even try it unless you are willing to seriously work the phone before the summit, and then work the floor at the summit.
4. Find out if any editors/reporters are planning to attend the summit and if so make sure you get on their calendar. When you meet with them share some new piece of news, tell them about where your firm is going (strategically) and offer to help them in anyway you can. At big shows marketing people always go after editors and reporters so you will need to act fast on this idea or you will find their schedules booked. BTW - sometimes you can get an editor to meet with you after 5:00 if you offer to buy supper and drinks at a nice place.
5. Have one of your marketing people standing in front of your booth handing out flyers about a contest and inviting them up to a suite.Have people stand at the door and direct people to your booth.
Hope it helps!
Ronnie Sanford
Chief Executive Officer
Sanford Group Marketing Consultants
Phone: (713) 466-3832
Email: rsanford@sanford-group.com
URL: www.sanford-group.com
From: Larry Bodine, www.LarryBodine.com
Debbie: I suggest you read:
Ideas for Conference Booth Give-Aways
http://www.lawmarketing.com/pages/articles.asp?Action=Article&ArticleID=242
Law Firms Get Business from Booths at ACCA Meeting
http://www.lawmarketing.com/pages/articles.asp?Action=Article&ArticleID=202
Suits in the Booth: 5 Tips for Success
http://www.lawmarketing.com/pages/articles.asp?Action=Article&ArticleID=431
They're all on the LawMarketing Portal. Best of luck with your booth!
Larry Bodine
Strategic Marketing Consultant
Tel: 630-942-0977
Web: www.LarryBodine.com
Strategy | Coaching | Web Sites
 From: Cecilia Alers, cecilia@ALERSCONSULTING.COM
I'm happy to share these two worksheets. I hate to be the one to say this, but a client of mine found out that staffing their booth with someone from the firm who has been a model drew traffic like crazy.
Cecilia Alers
Cecilia Alers Consulting, LLC
A Full Service Marketing, Advertising & Public Relations Firm
Melville, NY
P - 516.680.0219
Cecilia@Alersconsulting.com
TRADE SHOW CHECKLIST
- Two plastic stands for brochures – place one on each side of table
- Two business card holders – place one on each side of table
- “Give aways” such as post it notes, mints, etc.
- Two medium size bowls for candy
- Wrapped bite size candy such as kisses, tootsie roll midgets
- A sign in a clear plastic picture frame 8.5 x 11 “Drop Your Business Card for a chance to win ….Restaurant Gift Certificate…Ipod
- Medium size bowl to collect business cards
BEFORE THE SHOW:
- Review the list of exhibitors and locations of booths.
- Make a plan to visit those who are exhibiting who you would like to meet.
- Visit them early – before the show or during a down time – such as when a seminar is going on.
- Make sure you are properly stocked with items for the show.
AT THE SHOW:
Do:
- Stand in front of or to the side of your booth/table – not behind.
- Be approachable.
- Initiate conversations.
- Talk with exhibitors nearby to develop relationships.
- Walk the floor during the show, draw people to your booth and meet others.
- Get everyone’s business card – for the drawing and of course for those you want to follow up with.
- Welcome new visitors even if you are engaged with someone – a polite “Excuse me” “Hello” followed by an introduction of yourself and then – introduce the two people.
Don’t:
- Stand behind your booth – this sends the signal that you are “unapproachable.”
- Become so engaged with one visitor that you ignore others hovering around.
- Talk on your cell phone at the booth – this indicates that you have more important things to do then greet and talk with visitors.
AFTER THE SHOW
- Review business cards placed in the bowl and pick a winner.
- Have one of the attorneys who was at the show call the winner and arrange to meet to give the person their prize.
- Enter contact information of those of value into the firm’s database and categorize.
- Follow up the next day with anyone you met who seems like a promising source or someone you reconnected with. Don’t wait!
- Follow up after the call with an email.
- Assess the value of the show to your overall marketing efforts.
From: Bernadine Bednarz, Polonia@AOL.COM
Having just finished a trade show, here are some practical ideas:
1. Always rent your furniture from the trade show approved company. You can get cheaper furniture from the outside, but if you need to make a change quickly, the approved company is there for you; they want to make things good. Cheap is expensive.
2. Ask for the on-site supplier's ideas; they go to shows all over the country and can do so much more for you. You're not alone; they love to make things work.
3. Simple idea: order a thick carpet for the show floor; yes, the organizers provide a carpet which is 1/4 or so thick, and your legs will be like sticks after a 1/2 day on the floor. Standing all day is a test and you have to be comfortable.You are not a sacrificial lamb.
4. Give the hotel staff where you're exhibiting and the trade show staff some of your goodies before the show opens. They will then do anything for you as the days go by. They don't forget.They'll do the extras.
Bernadine Bednarz
From: Cecilia Alers, cecilia@ALERSCONSULTING.COM
It is a fact of life that attractive people attract. But, it only goes so far. Like anything else, if the follow through is absent, you won't keep them.
Cecilia Alers
Cecilia Alers Consulting, LLC
From: Mark Merenda, mark@SMARTMARKETINGNOW.COM
Glad you said it, Cecilia. The first time I did a trade show, about ten years ago, I had nothing but a brochure-- a cheap brochure. The event was in San Diego. I contacted a SD modeling agency. They sent me a bunch of cards. I picked one of the models. They said, “How do you want her dressed?” I said (dating myself here) “Ally McBeal.” I think it cost me $300 a day for two days. I had lawyers five deep around my booth for the entire show, and signed a lot of them as clients.
Mark Merenda
Smart Marketing
Naples, Florida
(239) 403-7755
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