Having done a lot of trade shows, I’ll confess to usually feeling a little deflated on the way home from them. Mostly, it’s a case of “Did we do what we set out to do?” The debriefing starts on the plane ride home.
Or, you get back to the home office and think, “Man, the trade show was fun, and I met interesting people with a lot to talk about.” Especially compared to what seems like a sleepier atmosphere at home. But, of course, at the trade show everyone has three days or so to do whatever it is they had planned. Presumably, at the home office, you’ve got a longer time frame.
You might also have a load of stuff–promotional items, business cards, giveaways–that you decided to cram into a box, because at this point you don’t know whether it might be valuable later on. It’s hard to keep your impressions of an entire trade show in your head for very long, so it might be advisable to write yourself (or the boss) your impressions of the show, what went well, or what could be improved.
Or you could meet with your staff and some of the people who didn’t go to the trade show to tell them why it was worthwhile, and debrief among yourselves as to what you can collectively do better.
What is the Message?
Or, you could take all the “gimmes” you acquired from the show, and dump them on a desk, as if you were returning from an archeological dig of some sort. Is there a pattern or theme here? Are they all saying the same thing?
What did the trade show accomplish? Is it worthwhile exhibiting or visiting here and should we do it again? What did the show tell you about the industry? Have you or the competition changed your position or emphasis since the last trade show?
Don’t forget to follow up on specific tasks that came up during the trade show. You qualified 300 people, whose responsibility is it to turn those contacts into contracts?
Follow Up with Everyone
Perhaps someone wanted to collaborate on a project, or the trade group asked for your help on a project going forward, or you spoke with an expert who turned your head about the way you’re currently doing things.
Take the time to deal with it all before settling back into your regular routine. There’s so much activity going on a trade show, that it’s easy for items to fall through the cracks, or for enthusiasm to wane once you’re back in the home office.
If you met people you’d like to keep in touch with, take the initiative by dropping them a line or leaving a message.
Bringing the trade show back home and making the most of its opportunities is the best way to make sure you got your money’s worth.
