"B-roll" (background footage used during voice over) that you can send to your local broadcast media along with an announcement of your firm's big news.

Build relationships! This scheduled time away from the office allows you to put your face-to-face communication and networking skills to work in a high-traffic environment. Reinforce product visibility by being available for immediate contact after press briefings and at your booth.

Become the Authority. Whenever feasible, respond to the venue's Call for Papers by submitting a polished report of your firm's most recent research findings or anecdotal industry study. Providing an informative or academic presentation on a relevant business topic will position you as an authority in your field and put you in front of people interested in your subject matter (potential networkers and clients). Be sure to advertise your presentation in advance, especially to your "Top 10" prospects, media and public relations professionals. Leverage your presentation after the fact with a letter to clients and prospects, accompanied by a copy of an informative post-event press release.

Advertise. Enhance visibility by placing your listing or provocative ad in the show's advance and day-of advertising. Take advantage of communication vehicles, such as the show directory, show daily, lists of events and exhibitors, as well as trade publications that will be distributed at the show. Ask your host for a list of associated advertising deadlines and plan ahead to meet them.

Tap into targeted pre-show mailings. Trade show planners maintain accurate, up-to-date mailing lists of sponsors, exhibitors and event registrants. Communicate directly with this motivated audience by procuring the list and creating your own advance and post-event direct mail campaigns. Send potential clients and prospects an invitation (and enticement) to visit your booth.

Host or sponsor a special trade show event. Reserve time and refreshments in one of the show's dedicated hospitality suites. Plan your event at a time that does not conflict with major conference presentations or activities, and when press is most likely to be on hand. Invite the media and prospects to your special talk, breakfast, cocktail party or press briefing. Take advantage of other marketing opportunities throughout the show by sponsoring breakout sessions, seminars or break areas.

Maintain high-level professionalism. Throughout the show, remember that your booth is your business office. Save coffee drinking and eating for personal break times. While working your booth, be fresh and available, putting your customers' and prospects' needs first at all times. If you need refreshment yourself, arrange for a colleague to staff your "trade show office."

Assess the competition. Don't forget that trade shows provide a great opportunity for you to research your competitors. Collect their information, attend their presentations and see what approaches work best for them. Then decide how you will turn that information to your advantage.

Query and follow-up. As a service, product or solutions provider, you naturally solve problems. As you gather leads, be sure to ask your prospects what would help them do business better and follow up after the show with information, suggestions and solutions.

Act to hold your gains. To ensure continued top quality performance, be sure to collect and evaluate data regarding your tradeshow and follow-up performance. Adapt your processes as needed with an eye toward winning the "best in show" award!

Donna Anselmo, president of Comvergence, develops strategic, integrated marketing programs, products and services for business leaders ranging from independent entrepreneurs to multi-billion-dollar global enterprises. Ms. Anselmo specializes in developing cohesive visual and editorial messaging for print and multimedia formats. Formerly a journalist with publishing credits in The New York Times and The American Journal of Maternal Child Nursing, among other venues, Ms. Anselmo has authored hundreds of news, feature and business communications.

Laura McLeod, managing director of the Trade Show Solutions Center, LLC. (www.tradeshowsolutionscenter.com), works with clients to build relationships, revenues and profits. With over 18 years experience in Sales and Marketing Management, Laura develops internal controls and uses existing resources to minimize costs and increase budget accountability.

For more information on topics we've touched upon or for trade show marketing assistance, please call Laura McLeod (631-425-7363) .

Partnering with Professionals: A Handy Roadmap

By Donna Anselmo and Laura McLeod

When businesses choose to grow by sharpening their focus on core competencies, many corporate leaders outsource non-strategic operations to specialty providers. This article highlights best practices for working with an outsource provider in the marketing and trade show sectors; however, the principles for successful collaboration are universal.

Choose the right partner. Whether you are hiring a firm to help define your marketing strategy, build your trade show exhibit, manage your show-site presence, pitch your story to the media or create brand-driving print collateral, the first order of business is selecting a partner that adds value in the right way. When choosing, be sure the firm under consideration has a credible track record. Ask for and check references. Be sure the firm is known for adherence to high quality and service standards. For example: Do products/services meet expectations? Does the firm respond to calls quickly and meet deadlines? Do account managers demonstrate understanding of a client's vision and an ability to scale ideas up or down as budgets allow? Are they creative problem solvers? Do they manage according to expectations?

While trusting product quality is imperative, chemistry is important, too. Do you feel good when talking with firm representatives? Is the account manager's personality a good fit for yours? Some projects may require more interaction than is at first apparent; also, if you are satisfied with the outcomes of your first project together, you may be setting the stage for a longstanding relationship. Be sure it feels right when setting out.

Set clear expectations. Native American woman explorer Sacajawea, who helped lead the famous Lewis & Clark expedition westward, is said to have wisely asked, "If you don't know where you're going, how will you know when you've arrived?" Always begin with the end in mind, and be clear about how you hope to get there. Set goals,

and let your provider know what you expect in terms of communications, service, deliverables, timelines and budgets. Don't leave things to chance. By setting expectations up front, you increase the likelihood that both the project and the process will meet your needs. At the same time, you will create a framework that fosters both trust and success.

Understand Project Management. When trying to manage or track multi-faceted projects - especially the diverse components associated with branding initiatives -a spreadsheet can help ensure that both corporate decision-makers and outsource partners are aware of important project markers and issues. Electronic spreadsheets can be quickly updated and emailed so everyone involved with the project stays in the loop, and they can help build the trust that comes with knowledge, detail management and proven reliability. When developing a project management system - for your in-house team or outsource provider - it helps to define each deliverable, its due date, current status, project issues, budget and any "red flags" that may compromise delivery. An organized provider is an effective partner.

Communicate Effectively. State what you need, and then listen to make sure your partner is speaking your language. Also take time to listen to your outsource partner's recommendations. Remember, you have outsourced the project to save you time, headaches and unnecessary expenses. Marketing specialists don't waste time with trial and error. They've "been there, done that" and offer the kind of solid experience that drives cost efficiencies.

Evaluate and Act to Hold Gains. As you wrap up your marketing and tradeshow projects, take time to compare the results with your initial expectations. Does your new marketing collateral communicate your brand message? Did your trade show booth help you qualify prospects and gain leads? What other factors impacted your success? Remember - marketing professionals create important tools to facilitate your sales effort. To make the most of your marketing investment, make sure these new tools align effectively with your most important brand message: your own product quality, service ethic and team commitment to excellence.

Donna Anselmo, president of Comvergence, develops strategic, integrated marketing programs, products and services for business leaders ranging from independent entrepreneurs to multi-billion-dollar global enterprises. Formerly a journalist with publishing credits in The New York Times and The American Journal of Maternal Child Nursing, Ms. Anselmo has authored hundreds of news, feature and business communications.

For more information on North America's best-rated trade shows, leading conference centers, links to trade show publications and research data, visit us at: www.tssolutioncenter.com . Today, many Trade Show Solutions Center clients enjoy a high degree of skill in core competencies and quality customer care. To learn how to engage the Trade Show Solutions Center in your growth plan, call 631-425-7363 or email info@tradeshowsolutionscenter.com. The Trade Show Solutions Center has offices located in Long Island, New York City and Pennsylvania.

Maximize Trade Show Research To Fuel Your Follow Up Effort

By Donna Anselmo and Laura McLeod

Appropriate time, talent and treasure invested in developing an exciting and effective trade show booth will help you to establish or reinforce your brand image; gather leads; qualify prospects; and meet specific people on your target list. But, the real work doesn't begin or end with your booth design; it centers on making sure you select the right show and conduct appropriate research to prepare you for effective trade-show follow-up.

Start by selecting a show whose historical data indicates a good match for your target audience. Review the trade-show prospectus, which usually includes attendee demographics and data from previous shows, such as attendance figures and attendee behavior patterns, a list of previous exhibitors; show history, and other helpful information.

Because data is king, many show managers now use electronic or "smart" cards to uncover which attendees visit which booths. Data from this lead-generating technology enhancement can help boost your post-show response rate. When considering which shows you'll invest in, ask whether this data collection technique can generate meaningful data for you.

Before the show, also determine the industries you are targeting, the prospect revenue thresholds that are an appropriate match for your capabilities, as well as what manner and frequency of follow-up you will use to build relationships with qualified prospects. Then, use your time at the show to qualify leads and gather the information you need.

To increase return on investment and benefit from the business intelligence you gather at a trade show, be sure to employ a customer relationship management protocol that enables quick, cost-effective follow-up. Advancements in "on-demand" digital printing and automated fulfillment - combined with data gathered at a trade show - make it easier than ever to personalize, manage, produce, print, and deliver a relevant business message.

Donna Anselmo, president of Comvergence, develops strategic, integrated marketing programs, products and services for business leaders ranging from independent entrepreneurs to multi-billion-dollar global enterprises. Formerly a journalist with publishing credits in The New York Times and The American Journal of Maternal Child Nursing, Ms. Anselmo has authored hundreds of news, feature and business communications.

For more information on North America's best-rated trade shows, leading conference centers, links to trade show publications and research data, visit us at: www.tssolutioncenter.com . Today, many Trade Show Solutions Center clients enjoy the convenience and flexibility of direct-to-print fulfillment services. With streamlined technology to automatically log show leads into a client-specific database, it is possible to send your customized messages directly to your pre-qualified audience at time intervals of your choice. For more information contact Laura McLeod.

She can be reached at 631-425-7363 (laura@tradeshowsolutionscenter.com).