Maximize trade shows.

According to Exhibit Surveys Inc., 87% of trade show attendants have buying influence and 76% list "must see" exhibits before they arrive at the show. Are you getting your share?

You invest heavily: Exhibit, booth space, transportation, travel, hotel, meals, entertainment, promotion, organization and execution. You pull your sales and support people from the field. You jockey with your competition for attention and you wait for someone to stop.

For your next trade show try something different. Buy the list of registrants from your show sponsor. Select appropriate targets by geography, company and title. Create a personal invitation around what could be learned by stopping at your booth and three weeks before the show mail it to your targets. A week before the show mail it again.

If you want to be aggressive, divide the list among your salespeople and have them call and personally invite your targeted prospects.

Investing a small amount of money building an organized, efficient pre-show promotion and invitation campaign will pay off in spades. Your competitors will wonder how you did it!