February 8th, 2007 - When I reflect on my childhood, these words spoken by my teachers still haunt me,” He has the ability but he is not living up to his potential.” The same comment can be applied to all parts of your life from your career choice to your exhibit program.

In each case you need to know if you are living up to your potential. If not, then you are wasting an incredible amount of energy, resources, hopes and talents. Living up to your potential demands that you strive to be the best you can be at all times and that is often a tall order to fill.

Let’s look at your exhibit program. Are you getting stellar results for your effort or are your results suffering from a lackluster malaise due to complacency? Do you even know the results you are getting? 

An exhibit marketing program has the ability of helping you achieve lofty goals. It requires some real soul-searching to ensure your efforts live up to your expectations. Statistics prove that a trade shows or special events can help you achieve your marketing goals. It’s your job to help it reach its potential.

Here are six questions to ask yourself about your exhibit program: 

1. Do you have internal commitment?
   
   It’s one thing to have your sales or marketing department support your exhibit program but real success comes when support can be found throughout your entire organization from your CEO on down.

2. Have you balanced your resources?
   
   There are three resources you need: financial, human and logistical. Each is a necessary component and must be carefully balanced in order to ensure your success.

3. Have you allocated enough time?
   
   A successful program not only requires tapping into many internal resources it also needs time to bring your plans to fruition. An exhibit program is a 12 month a year responsibility. Exhibit managers who leave things to the last minute do their program more harm than good.

4. Have you established your success metrics?
   
   An exhibit marketing program is not carved in stone. It is continuously evolving. In order to know what to improve you need to establish the metrics that will allow you to quickly measure and evaluate your results.

5. Have you integrated your exhibit program with other marketing efforts?
   
   Your exhibit program is not a stand-alone activity. It is one piece of your “marketing pie.” To gain maximum impact it must reinforce the key elements such as logo’s, colors, images and messages found in your overall marketing efforts.

 

6. Do you and your advisors understand the medium?
   
   Marketing is divided into specialties: print, television, radio, media buying etc. All too often you will hear from one of your specialists who is proficient in one area that they can also help you with your exhibit marketing plans. Exhibit marketing requires the input from people who specialize in this medium. You need people who can guide you professionally through the maze of decisions that are needed.

These six questions are only the beginning. However, without the right answers your efforts are doomed before you start.

About Barry Siskind

Barry Siskind is the president of International Training and Management, a full service exhibitor education company in Canada providing a wide range of products and services to help exhibitors improve their performance on and off the trade show floor. He is the is author of several books includding The Power of Exhibit Marketing. He is one of Canada’s most sought after consultants and speakers and North America’s foremost trade and consumer show expert. Visit his web site at www.siskindtraining.com.

About Thompson/Kerr

Thompson/Kerr Displays has been providing trade show display services for over 25 years with an experienced staff of exhibit, design, and installation professionals. The company is committed to helping its clients make the most of their trade show and/or public exhibition marketing programs.